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I had a family contact me a month ago to see if I could provide care 1 day a week. I said yes depending on the day. They asked how much I change and I told them my hourly rates. Since speaking with them, it has taken over a month to just get some basic info and to have them finally come over for the kids to meet me. Because of the lack of communication and feeling jerked around, I decided to do a flat rate contract with the family. I gave dad the contract last night and said I changed it to a flat rate because it would be easier for all of us. Mom was not with and emailed me today and asked if we could start next week and asked if the rate was regardless of how many hours they were here. I haven't emailed back yet b/c I'm a bit annoyed that she's asking if that's the rate b/c it is very clear in the contract. Here's my question, do I have to explain to her why I changed it to a flat rate instead of hourly? I'm not going to change the rate. I honestly don't care if they decided not to come because of the rate. I just really need a backbone to email mom and tell her that the rate is the rate regardless of hours. Can someone lend me the backbone for a few minutes?
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She may not have gotten enough information from hubby (I have known lots of dads over the years who are not the best at communicating what I have told them to their wives), so I would just tell her that, yes, it's the same for any number of hours. -
You gave them a copy of the contract right? If so then maybe she hasn't read it and is going by what hubby said. If she's just asking and has read the contract I would start the e-mail with "As per the contract which states ..." and then quote it word for word and then in the simplest of simple words.
Also before you answer her, does your contract state that it's for a particular number of hours per day? For example, if they were only supposed to pay hourly they might have limited themeselves for the amount of hours they would leave their child in your care. If now you have decided to charge a flat daily rate you might have a child on your hands from open to close. Maybe this is why she is asking. I'd put a limit on how many hours per day the child can be left in your care each day.Comment
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This was what I was going to point out. SHe might be asking so that she can leave the child with you as long as possible for the day. AS long as you don't mind having the child from open til close, tell the mom it's regardless of hours. Otherwise, you can tell her it's for up to 10 hours (or whatever).Comment
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It's for a maximum of 9 hours per day, which is clearly stated in the contract twice. I did think about the chance of the parents leaving the kids with me longer by switching to a flat rate. The toss up was between that and having to deal with a lack of communication between the parents about what time the kids got picked up and dropped off and how much they owed me. I figured a flat rate would keep me out of the middle. Honestly, if this were any other family, I would have told them no after not hearing back from them for so long, but it's a friend of a family member, so I was trying to help them out. I do have a termination clause in my contract, so I can always terminate if it isn't working out.
Thanks everyone for giving me courage! I am such a softy and this is the first time I've had to deal with a less than stellar family, and we haven't even signed the contract yet
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