how much per mile??

[weeteeny]

hi everyone.

I got an email from a prospective parent yesterday about looking after her 1yr old for one afternoon per week, but she doesn't drive and i would have to pick her up and drop her off but she lives 9 miles away which would be a 36mile round trip!!

Is it worth my while taking this little one on?(have no mindees yet, starting after new year) and if i did how much would i charge for fuel??

any suggestions??

thanx

Weeteeny.xx

[susan]

personally I would say no, i know at the minute you have no mindees but you have to think long term, when you do get mindees to look after you have to think if you can accomodate for this child ie fetchin and returning around the hours of your other mindees what i mean is if you have to collect them at say 8.30 are you going to lose out on morning schhol contracts as you will not be at home becasue you will be fetching other one iyswim.

Of course it is up to you but i personally would say no, there must be a childminder nearer to her


Susan x

[weeteeny]

thats just it- this is shetland, only about 30 childminders in the whole of the islands,but my partner said the same thing!!

she is gonna phone me today so i'll find out how often and what time she wants me to and if she'll agree to the fuel charge!!

i thought 40p per mile,

wish me luck!!

weeteeny.xx

[tasha]

If you do decide to take this on I would make it clear that you will start charging from when you leave & finish chargig from when you get back...or work out a drop of/collection fee!
Personally I wouldn't take it on!
Tasha

[fionamal]

I would charge 40p per mile and also charge her from the time you leave the house but make it known that your only collecting etc until you have more children.

I got caught out on this one last year and decided never again as mum was then expecting a lift to work as well since i was passing the door. Made her very lazy as sometimes kids would get put into the car with jammies on and a bag of clothes for me to get them ready. Needless to say that contract didnt last long .

[nadmaj]

Hi ya

I had a mum ask me this and it was my first child I charged her £6.00 (better than paying the taxi man) to collection and drop off charge and 40 pence per mile, so this way i made a bit more money as she was getting a discount from my usual rate.

But you have to tell her that once you get other mindees you won't be able to do this

[deeb66]

I agree with the others - it is tempting to take this on as you haven't got any other work but you could find this situation will bite you in the backside later on when you have other mindees or want to take someone else on and arrival/departure times clash.

Having said all that you have to do what is right for you and if you think you can make it work then go ahead but as others have you have got to make sure it is worth your while and charge extra.

Good luck - let us know what you decide.

Dee

[weeteeny]

thanks everyone for the advice ;D

she still hasn't phoned me yet,if she does i'll tell her how much it will cost (£14.40 per day + 1 hour at normal rate for travelling) just to pick the child up and will let her know if it clashes with other mindees pick up/drop off times i won't be able to do it.

My partner was telling me last nite that a nearby childminder stopped doing collections because people were taking the mickey!!
i'm just hoping she doesn't phone!

will keep u all posted

Weeteeny.xx

[weeteeny]

well guys,

she phoned me. i told her about the fuel charge and that she would have to accomodate for the other mindees, she said that was fine....

THEN- she told me that her partner left her in September-more or less high & dry-running the business and trying to pay the HUGE loan he took out before he left...which made me feel AWFUL!!

Like me she has no family in Shetland and has 2 kids to deal with on top of everything-i had to give her a break.
I told her to email me when she decides how many days she wants and told her to talk to Tax Credit Office and get back to me

Hope i done the right thing!!

Weeteeny.xx

[loum]

hiya hope you are well

I would not take this job if it were me, I understand that the money will come in handy, but it's a bit of a funny situation, I do feel for her having no family aobout, neither do I, and sometimes you jut need someone don't you - but as others have said, you need to think, are you going to have to turn down a full timer/part timer, but more than a day - for this one child.

Is there a huge outcry for minders in Shetlands? Is it likely you will be getting chapped on the door by loads of people needing childcare?

[weeteeny]

hi, ;D

there is a lot of demand for childminders here, i told her yesterday to think about it and get back to me.
i'm just a typical gemini and have no patience!!
i want to start ASAP and have some little one's running around!!

i know this isn't ideal.but i know how isolated she must be feeling

i'm sure it will all work out in the end- i hope

Weeteeny.xx

[loum]

Are you going to have a trial period anyway? Maybe you could say a trial period of a month, that means you are getting someone in, which is good, but then if you get run off your feet with other mindees needing looking after, then you can just say it's not working and finish?

[weeteeny]

Hey i didn't think about that!!!

BRILLIANT IDEA!!

i was worrying how i would go about trying to let her down gently(if it works out more hassle than its worth)

Will definitely do that.

Thanx Loum. ;D

Weeteeny.xx

[buildingblocks]

Hello from another Gemini. We are dfual nature and therefore can see both sides of anything. that is can give great advicet o others but then don't take it ourselves lol(I am an expert at this).

Whatever you decide make sure it is written into your contract and then when you turn round to say you cannot do it anymore because you have other children she cannot bad mouth you as letting her down (believe me it might well happen).

As for her problems you sound very much like me and feel awful that they are experiencing this but rememebr you have to remain professional and not get involved (this is hte bit where I am giving advice and not following it myself lol)

lov eKate