Availability of a part time spot.

I have had a spot come open due to a mat leave, and she may be gone 18 mos. What a bummer :( Anyway.....

With my part time spaces, you are guaranteed 10 days per month. Any additional days are an extra fee and subject to availability. I had one interview say, that she wanted me to be "open" m-f. She misunderstood, when I said (total slip of the tongue to her I guess) that I am open when families need me, but if children are not scheduled or no care requests are made, that I "have an impromptu day off"

For example right now I have Thursday, and Friday "off" because no one is here, and as of right now, no families have asked for care. But if someone did, I would make myself available.


Did I state this incorrectly? Is there a better way, or what did she want? Help me out peeps.

I think you just need to clarify that you are available Mon-Fri for care but that you require 48hrs (or what ever you specify) notice to be there for the day. With less than 48hrs they can request but you cannot guarantee you will be able to provide care as you may have made plans for that day based on the understanding you had no children in your care for the day. If they NEED last minute, unpredictable Mon-Fri availability then they NEED to pay full time care whether or not they are in attendence.

I think I'd ask for notice the week before care is needed.
I'd be afraid that I'd be "on-call" 5 days a week, so I'd charge a hefty premium on varying days week to week, as that essentially amounts to full-time care. Do these parents truly need you because they are working? What if only 1 family needs you one day-can you justify working for 1 family for the daily rate?

Yeah. atm all of my families give me their schedules up to three months in advance, with the exception of one dad, as he is casually employed. He has two back ups in the event that I am at ratio or unavailable.

I am not sure what this mom wanted.

It sounds like she will need 5 days a week but you have to decide if this suits you to have one child on the Thurs.Fridays and you could continue to look for a family that only needs the M/T/W

I wonder if Mom works rotating shift and so her days vary week to week? Maybe that's what she mean when say she needs you available Mon-Fri even though the 10 day min is required.

Why not just ask her what exactly it is she needs?