9 Comments

  1. I’m glad your mom reminded you that slowing down a little at the holidays is no bad thing. Time marches on, and sometimes you can’t go back. I try to remember that whenever Little Bit wants to play while I’m working.

  2. Mr. Benny @Stuff That Pig

    While I definitely agree with your Mom (same thing that mine would have said), for your regular clients have you considered contracts that say you have X unexcused absences and all others need 72, 96 hours notification? My personal trainer at the gym (before I was frugal) gave me one miss for my 20 sessions and 48 hours notice to reschedule. While I didn’t love it, I thought it was fair.

    • I do – but this family finds work-arounds. And it is hard when a teacher needs to see a student after school. I understand that I’m the easier person to reschedule. The teacher isn’t going to come back to work later in the evening. So I try to balance being really strict (and respecting my own time!) with being reasonable enough to keep clients. Your trainer had a great plan!

  3. Ah, sheesh! I would have been pretty furious, too. It’s the ‘disrespect’ of your time & efforts with so many last minute changes that would be pretty frustrating. But after the cool off, there always seems to be a silver lining which your mom did highlight with spending more time with them. 🙂 Investing in relationships & the people you value are really themes I would like to continue focusing on first.

  4. This seems like a moment when it’s appropriate to hold multiple feelings at once. I think you’re still allowed to be angry at the flaky family for disrespecting your time, but how wonderful that the whole thing helped you find perspective to appreciate the more important “dough.” Also, as we’ve learned, we don’t get to FI by focusing on the nickles and dimes — you have to focus on the big picture. And losing one session won’t make or break your goals. Hope you guys have wonderful holidays!

  5. I think that your mom is right — but so are you. You need to drop that client, I think. Or simply warn him that the cancellations mean you turn down other clients. So either there will be a cancellation fee, or he can find another tutor for his kid. Either way, you can focus on more reliable clients.

    But your mom is also right. I miss Christmas baking with my mom. I’ve tried it on my own a couple of times. Never goes quite right, though I eat the results anyway. But part of the fun is cussing out the cookie press with her. Doing it on my own just isn’t the same.

  6. Your client was disrespectful. I’d have been annoyed too. Leave it to mom, though, to put things in perspective. You’re lucky to have her and to create moments together that will become wonderful memories. The only time I remember baking with my mom, we made some cookies with M&Ms, from a recipe I think was on the Morton salt label. To say she was not creative in the kitchen is an understatement (but I do miss her pot roast).

  7. How frustrating. I would have reacted the same way. People not following through with something they say they will is one of my biggest pet peeves. I’m glad you had something nice to look forward to like baking afterwards though! That’s better than not having anything more to do than sit and stew 😉

    I’m sure I had several Scrooge moments. It’s easy to lose perspective in the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Luckily (for me anyway) I can’t remember any of them! Hope you had a lovely Christmas and have a Happy New Year!

  8. Argh! It’s so frustrating to have a proper rant and not have the audience share your enthusiasm 🙂
    Your mom had good advice, and though it lacked empathy that wouldn’t have hurt anything and would have made you feel better, she sounds like a great person to have in your corner. She’ll always tell it like it is, even when others won’t.

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