What would you make of this email?

[Jchihuahua]

To me it sounded like she was just trying to explain (in a long and drawn out way) why her charges are high and that even though she could meet your requirements you would be able to get cheaper childcare somewhere else. I think she was just trying to present all the facts honestly but doesn't have much of a way with words!

 

[andbabymakes3]

I think she sums it up with this bit "I am aware that compared to nurseries and chilminders, my fee's are high. My services are mostly aimed at emergency situations or evening babysitting, as for weekly arrangements, as my quote shows, it can get quite costly."

She is just letting you know that if you use her as a childminder it will cost you more than using a nursery or 'proper' childminder.

I don't think it's a nasty or negative email at all.

 

[Scooby12345]

god I hate email you cant tell tone or anything so really you can tjudge by this - doesnt seem to me like she doesnt want to do it - sounds quite good really

wss

 

[Mummy2Asher]

I thought it was okay, not rude but telling you it's quote a pricey way of doing it. Have you looked around to see if nurserys offer just term time? My boys are in just term time now so I don't have to pay on the holidays.

 

[RJsMum]

I agree that as your friend, she was more or less looking out for what might be more affordable for you.

 

[puppycat]

MY SIL is a nanny and I spoke to her recently about someone I know needing childminding etc and this is what she told me:

Childminders often have a few children at once in their house or a given venue, this means they have children brought to them by parents/guardians and can charge less as they have more income. Childminders can also be subsidised by local childcare schemes e,g, in my area they have a 'flying start' government scheme where they pay for people to train and then subsidise the childcare for parents going to that person.

Nannies go to your home and just look after your children. It is a specialised service and you usually have the same person for a number of years who will pick up your children form school, maybe clean for you (if they are so inclined) and cook food for your children in your home, maybe you'll take them on holiday with you or have them for weekends etc. It is more expensive as she explained because you alone are employing them and so they need the income all from you.

I hope you can see that your friend was actually just doing you a favour in explaining that your best bet is to get a childminder because it'll be so much cheaper and probably easier in the long run.

I'd email her back and thank her for explaining and for not just allowing you to hire her because it's in her best interests. She sounds like a nice person xx

 

[QTPie]

If she is good - and will be sticking at it for a while - then it is worth it: one to one care (with a GOOD childminder) is great. We do this and I plan to continue with it until LO goes to nursery at about 2.5 years old: I feel that my LO will benefit frommore attention now and will benefit from nursery more when he is older.

She sounds cheap to me - am paying £12 an hour (normally 4 hours twice a week), but my childminder/nanny has 20 years experience.

I would speak to her, in person, frankly to find out her position and keenness....

 

[laura_jayne]

I thought it was okay, not rude but telling you it's quote a pricey way of doing it. Have you looked around to see if nurserys offer just term time? My boys are in just term time now so I don't have to pay on the holidays.

i tried about 10 nurseries in my area and the 1 i picked seems to be made up of the kids of teacher cos i took her on friday and she was the only there! clearly no-one else bothers during the holidays lol!

 

[laura_jayne]

I have arranged to meet her on thursday morning face to face. she will come to the house and meet Abigail and talk things through. i think its the only way to determine how she feels as people have rightly pointed out, i cant judge via email!

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Yeah as others have said, I think she's being honest and has just put it in a bit of a clumsy way. At my work we often get asked to quote for work that is really not suited to us but CAN do it, so we'd maybe say something similar but not quite worded like that.

 

[WW1]

It reads to me like she wants to be up front with you. If she charges more than others and you find that out, I think she didn't want you to think she was trying to rip you off.

I didn't get the impression she was trying to get out of it at all.