Tweet
Not sure if anyone remembers my post about me not being sure if I wanted to do this, or how to let the mom know about it, etc. But I've thought a long time about closing at 4:30 instead of 5:30 on Fridays. It would really only affect one mom, as I'd still let the other mom get here about 4:45.
The 5:30 mom normally gets off at 5:00, but on Fridays, she gets off at 4:00. And to top it off, her husband has every-other Friday off, so on those Fridays, HE could pick up. So not really a big deal to either one of them, right? But I've watched their oldest for 9.5 years, and now their youngest for 5, and I've always been open till 5:30, so I struggled a little bit with the decision because I'm a chicken and didn't know how they'd respond. Yes, I know --- my business, my rules, my hours, etc., etc. I'm just a big chicken sometimes. I don't regret the decision, but I tend to be a person who wants everyone to agree with - or have a good feeling about - my decisions, or whatever you want to call it. I don't want anyone to question me, or be mad I guess. I need therapy!!! LOL
Anyway, I finally decided to do it. I mentioned it in passing to her in person one evening while we talked by the cars. (I was leaving to go somewhere as she left). She played dumb like she didn't know what I was asking for. She was like, "you want Hubby to have them on his Fridays off??" I was like, no, no... just an earlier closing on Fridays. She asked another couple questions till she "got it".
Then I said I'd have her new rate for her next week (because we set an average per year and she pays that average monthly - and next year her daughter starts 1st grade, so the rate would change.)
I gave her an envelope with the new rate and the 2014 days off/holiday calendar on Monday. This morning as she's leaving, she says, "Oh, Hubby asked me, and I didn't have an answer for him. Why is it you want to close early on Fridays?? I wasn't sure." I probably looked like
And just said, "Um, no reason, really. Just wanting that extra time on Fridays. Everyone else is gone about that time, and it's when the kids (hers) get the most hyper." (They're just being normal 10 and 5 yr old kids really, but as I get older, I have less noise tolerance LOL. And that last hour of the day is when I get the most tense over it. So I follow it up saying, "Just something different I guess." She nods in agreement and says "oh ok, and your husband now has Fridays off too" -- like she was trying to "help" my answer (??) And I agreed and said "that too". (He now works four 10-hour days, with Friday off, but that really was NOT the reason for wanting to close early on Fridays!)
Anyway, it just kinda threw me for a loop, and made me mad a little bit. After she left is when I thought of all the stuff I SHOULD have said. If I had to do it over, I'd say, "Um... be..cause ..... I own my own business ..?.. and can set my own hours ... ???" Kind of sarcastic-like. But jeez, what was her motivation for asking me? Or actually, her husband's reasons for asking her to ask me! And what kind of conversation did she and her husband have about this ONE hour PER WEEK???? Sheesh. This just happened not more than 30 minutes ago (I'm on the west coast), and my heart is still beating a little fast.
I think it comes down to parents thinking of us more as their nanny / employee. They don't think of this as a business where I set policies and they purchase a time slot for the child to attend. Know what I mean? I know I've rambled enough about this. It just irks me. I wish I could just say, or write a notice, that I'm closing at this time starting 2014, and be done with it. And that the parents wouldn't question it, or even mention it, and just deal with it. Ugh!!!
In her defense (I know... I know... I don't need to defend her LOL) We've had an almost 10-year relationship, and maybe it was just a friendly question and she was genuinely interested to know if I had something "exciting" going on.... Maybe?? Ok, nevermind! LOL I really need therapy!!
The 5:30 mom normally gets off at 5:00, but on Fridays, she gets off at 4:00. And to top it off, her husband has every-other Friday off, so on those Fridays, HE could pick up. So not really a big deal to either one of them, right? But I've watched their oldest for 9.5 years, and now their youngest for 5, and I've always been open till 5:30, so I struggled a little bit with the decision because I'm a chicken and didn't know how they'd respond. Yes, I know --- my business, my rules, my hours, etc., etc. I'm just a big chicken sometimes. I don't regret the decision, but I tend to be a person who wants everyone to agree with - or have a good feeling about - my decisions, or whatever you want to call it. I don't want anyone to question me, or be mad I guess. I need therapy!!! LOL
Anyway, I finally decided to do it. I mentioned it in passing to her in person one evening while we talked by the cars. (I was leaving to go somewhere as she left). She played dumb like she didn't know what I was asking for. She was like, "you want Hubby to have them on his Fridays off??" I was like, no, no... just an earlier closing on Fridays. She asked another couple questions till she "got it".
Then I said I'd have her new rate for her next week (because we set an average per year and she pays that average monthly - and next year her daughter starts 1st grade, so the rate would change.) I gave her an envelope with the new rate and the 2014 days off/holiday calendar on Monday. This morning as she's leaving, she says, "Oh, Hubby asked me, and I didn't have an answer for him. Why is it you want to close early on Fridays?? I wasn't sure." I probably looked like
And just said, "Um, no reason, really. Just wanting that extra time on Fridays. Everyone else is gone about that time, and it's when the kids (hers) get the most hyper." (They're just being normal 10 and 5 yr old kids really, but as I get older, I have less noise tolerance LOL. And that last hour of the day is when I get the most tense over it. So I follow it up saying, "Just something different I guess." She nods in agreement and says "oh ok, and your husband now has Fridays off too" -- like she was trying to "help" my answer (??) And I agreed and said "that too". (He now works four 10-hour days, with Friday off, but that really was NOT the reason for wanting to close early on Fridays!)Anyway, it just kinda threw me for a loop, and made me mad a little bit. After she left is when I thought of all the stuff I SHOULD have said. If I had to do it over, I'd say, "Um... be..cause ..... I own my own business ..?.. and can set my own hours ... ???" Kind of sarcastic-like. But jeez, what was her motivation for asking me? Or actually, her husband's reasons for asking her to ask me! And what kind of conversation did she and her husband have about this ONE hour PER WEEK???? Sheesh. This just happened not more than 30 minutes ago (I'm on the west coast), and my heart is still beating a little fast.
I think it comes down to parents thinking of us more as their nanny / employee. They don't think of this as a business where I set policies and they purchase a time slot for the child to attend. Know what I mean? I know I've rambled enough about this. It just irks me. I wish I could just say, or write a notice, that I'm closing at this time starting 2014, and be done with it. And that the parents wouldn't question it, or even mention it, and just deal with it. Ugh!!!
In her defense (I know... I know... I don't need to defend her LOL) We've had an almost 10-year relationship, and maybe it was just a friendly question and she was genuinely interested to know if I had something "exciting" going on.... Maybe?? Ok, nevermind! LOL I really need therapy!!
:, I'm the same way. 
Comment