Childcare question

Snugbugrug28

Our little one is due to start creche in February and my parents are interested in taking the little one for one day a week.

I couldnt have them commit to it though as I don't expect they'll manage it every week without fail, more likely it will be ad hoc.

Is it possible with any of the childcare options to be able to opt out on a particular and save costs e.g. if my folks said on Wednesday 'We'll take her on Friday's could I then say to the creche or the childminder that I don't need their services on Friday and therefore save myself paying the cost that day?

Or is it always a flat, inflexible monthly fee no matter what option you take?

salmocab

Some crèches might do 3/4 day rates but lots don’t as really they can’t fill the place the other day. A childminder would probably be more flexible.

actually on re reading your post, no a crèche isn’t going to let you not pay for random days you don’t send the child in as their overheads won’t change whether your child is in or not.

Minier81

Many crèches do part time options but I imagine none will give flexible last minute price reductions the example you gave above.

Snugbugrug28

Thanks I figured the creche would be inflexible but you think a childminder might be willing. Would they not suffer from missed income aswell? Does a childminder tend to have several children at the same time?

salmocab

Childminder might but the couple I know tend to have an agreement over things like pay and holidays even if it’s completely under the table payment wise, some look after a few kids and here in Dublin they tend to be difficult enough to get so if you start off saying I may not need you on random days and won’t be paying you for them they might decide you just won’t be worth the hassle when they can get guaranteed pay elsewhere. You might get someone who would be fine with it of course, someone who isn’t too stuck for money might be happy with random extra days off.

fits

We have a childminder and we pay her the same rate every single week no matter what’s going on. And four weeks holidays between Christmas and summer.

Snugbugrug28

I wonder could I say to a childminder that we need them 4 days a week but occasionally when we need them 5 days we'll pay them 1.5 for that day

Big Bag of Chips

You might find it difficult to get a childminder who is happy to have uncertain, guaranteed hours every week. You wouldn't like to randomly lose a day's wages in work every so often because your boss decides someone else can do your work that day.

I think you need to talk to your parents about realistically what they can offer. Without putting pressure on them. If they can't commit to the same day every week, then you need to go with, and pay for a 5 day week somewhere. It's then your decision to not send your child the odd day so that your parents can spend time with her. But if your parents are offering this as a way to save you money, then they need to commit to it every week.

salmocab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117966180#Comment_117966180

That might work although I’d say if they don’t have other kids on the free day anyway they might start to enjoy the day off. If you were paying extra for the 5th day and the grandparents started to let you down very regularly you’d have been better just paying for 5 days from the start.

to be honest I’d say the best thing would be to pay for 5 and if you give the childminder money for a day you don’t need them sometimes you’d be a great client as opposed to some times changing days which makes you a pain of a client. the grand parents could even collect from the child minder at lunchtime making it easy for themselves

shesty

We have a minder for our 3 and we would have to pay her for the day anyway if parents took ours.She wouldn't mind the ad hoc thing of having the day off but I can't dock her pay for it like that.I doubt any creche will go for that to be honest,from what I hear.

As Chips said, if it's an offer to save money for you then they need to commit to a day weekly.If it's just to spend time with her, then they might have to just accept it will be outside creche hours.Ourselves, we preferred not to use grandparents as childcare, for all these reasons and others (one pair did offer), just preferred to keep the arrangement separate.In addition, for our eldest, routine was important and chopping and changing where she was minded wouldn't have sat well with her.

Big Bag of Chips

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117966180#Comment_117966180

That might work, but you'd want to be able to give them plenty of notice. If they don't usually work Friday for you, for example, they are likely to make their own plans for Fridays. And if you ask them on Wed or Thu evening to take the baby in Friday it could mean they are either not available, or get annoyed at having to rearrange their own plans every few weeks with not much notice.

If it's to save money, then realistically how much would you be saving if you pay them 1.5 every few weeks, and the hassle of trying to reorganise too.

Is the reason your parents might not be able to commit because they are elderly, maybe not able for it every week? Or is it because they are fit, healthy, active and busy?

I think if they're elderly and maybe not up to it you need to arrange 5 day care and they can see the baby at other times.

If they are fit healthy and active and want to save you money then they commit to that one day and accept that they have committed to that day, that you have made plans based on that and they can't let you down regularly because something else came up.

angela1711

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058211314/childcare-question

Hi OP, I don't know what town/part of the country you are based in but our creche charges an hourly rate. Ideally you should let them know the hours/days your child is going to be attending in advance but I would often pull our son out of the creche at the last minute and I never had to pay for doing that. Similarly if he is sick or is not going to be in for whatever reason there is never any charge for that. I would just ring/text the owner to say he won't be in today and that's where it ends. Our son is not the only child in the creche so the girls still have plenty of other kids to care for when he is not there.

Snugbugrug28

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117966348#Comment_117966348

I'll be in north dublin. Whereabouts to you have this? Is it outside Dublin?

angela1711

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117966497#Comment_117966497

Yes outside Dublin, West of Ireland, Galway region to be more precise.

iamwhoiam

I mind my grandchild three days a week and we are completely committed to those days .If your parents want to mind for a day they will need to be committed to it in my opinion .Many of my friends and family mind grandchildren and are committed to a day of the week .Its the only way it will work .

Is there a reason why you think they wont be always able to do it ?

Snugbugrug28

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117966555#Comment_117966555

They are in their 70s and in the North and probably for the next year or two (or more) also care for my own 98year old Granny. With the best will in the world I doubt they would make it down reliably every week even though it's all their idea in the first place

iamwhoiam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117966644#Comment_117966644

Ah fair enough . That makes sense

shesty

Ah yeah OP, we had this with the in laws.They were all keen to mind, but the reality was they travelled West every 3 weeks-ish and stayed for at least a week over there to help older family members out.It just wasn't feasible to have them involved in our childcare and they did realise it over time once things got up and running with childcare.They settled for being our emergency back up, it just wouldn't work any other way.

chases0102

Hi all, just curious....what are people paying their childminder approximately?

I know everyone's situation is different, but good to get a sense of it all.

We have two kids, a 17 month old and 4 year old in ECCE. Wife and I working, she mostly at home, me always in the workplace.

She collects baby at 9, then 4 yo @ 12.30 from school. Brings them to her place. I then collect them, which is 20 mins from our house, adding that to my commute.

She is very good, we are mostly quite happy, and realise how screwed we would be in the morning if she up sitcks and left. For roughly 22 hours a week (rest covered by parental leave one day and one day at grandparents, we pay 12 Euro an hour....is this a lot for them going to the childminder's home?

Pawwed Rig

Seems abit low. I assume this is an under the counter payment though so probably about right if you're not paying the extras required to be legal.

fits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117976749#Comment_117976749

Childminders can earn up to a certain amount tax free when working in their own home. . It’s not up to the parents here to ensure it’s legal.

Pawwed Rig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117976762#Comment_117976762

That makes sense. Price seems reasonable so

tfeldi

Another option: Consider starting crèche a month later and let the grandparents look after the child full during this month. This is the easiest way to save cash and might also work out better as the child gets more used to them.