I'm on year 24, and have had only one mom of about 347 families who took the kind of advantage of me that you describe Nanny. Maybe I'm lucky? How many have taken advantage of you to make you feel so strongly about this? I'm sure people here aren't that different than there.
Originally Posted by nannyde:
Nah
I've been advising providers for many years and I've seen your exact scenario played out over and over again. A pretty new client (one year is a very new client) who has something.. in this case "single mother" that defends the free.
The discourse begins with simple: The mom gets a new phone... a nicer phone than you have... then they come in with a fresh manicure when you thought they were at work. Then it's a weekend away and you realize that had to be some serious gas money... Then it's the promotion they are SO excited about with narry a word about putting your salary back up to as it was before. Next thing you know you start looking at what they have... what they spend their money on... and before you know it you realize the discount you just gave up is being spent on special.
Happnes over and over. It's not cynicism. It's experience.
You "could" be the one. You "could" be the one to spot the one who can manage the free and do everything they can to protect it and cherish it. You could have the one that will do everything in their power to get you back to square whether you ask for it or not. You "could" have the one who will forego all things special and make sure that any extra goes to you. You "could" have the one who keeps their kid out of child care every possible minute so that you can make as much profit as possible with the new deal.
That "one" would be pretty hard to spot with only a year of experience with them.
I hope I'm wrong. I really do.