What To Charge For Vacation?

[HappyPennie]

I just started my daycare in October of this year and am wanting to update my contract before the 1st of the year. My current contract gives them 2 sick days per week and for vacation they only pay for 2 days at their regular price per week of vacation, which I'm realizing is too nice for them and not nice at all for me. I'm trying to come up with something that is fair for both of us, as I have really good families and don't want them to feel like I'm robbing them. I was thinking of giving them 10 days vacation per year, but can't decide if I want to do it unpaid or at half rate, or if I want to go another way all together. What has worked best for you? I live in a smaller town in Minnesota if that helps at all....

Another issue I never thought of that I will be running into come May or June is how to charge a DCM that works at a school. Do I have a separate rate for their summer off or how would you charge for that?

[Blackcat31]

Hello fellow Minnesotan!

I give my FT families (who come 4-5 days per week) 1 absent/sick day per month and my PT families (3 days a week attendance) 1 absent/sick day per every two months and the Drop in families (less than 3 days per week) get 0 sick/absent days.

The only families that get a non-paid vacation are FT families. They get 4 OR 5 days (all at once), one time per year. If they normally come 4 days per week, they get 4 days for vacation one time per year.

Does that make sense?

[cheerfuldom]

You are under charging and short changing yourself....

I get paid no matter who is or isn't here. I get paid vacation, the parents get no unpaid days, period. I understand if you don't want to go that far though.

If you offer parents unpaid vacation time, I would do your 10 days (two weeks) to be taken a week at a time with one month's notice. If you don't require notice, parents will take this unpaid time when they leave your daycare and you will then get no notice, no paid notice should they pull their child for whatever reason. If you let them take one day at a time, you will have to keep track of that and have some confrontation if they disagree on the days you have noted.

I would not offer any unpaid "sick" time, especially not two days per week. BUT if you feel you must compromise in some way, please greatly limit the sick days and keep careful track. The majority of daycares do not offer any "sick, unpaid time" so don't feel bad for cutting that out.

[momma2girls]

I do not offer the families any unpaid days. I provide daycare for all teacher's children, and give them 1/2 off their weekly pay for Spring and Winter breaks. The Holidays are paid at reg. price and 1/2 off the rest of the week. I receive paid Holidays, plus 1 week paid vacation. Also I am off all the summer long. They pay me a deposit to hold their spot til the school year rolls around again.

[Sprouts]

This is from my parent agreement form, hope it helps. The families 3rd vacation week can be used as sick days as well.

___WE ARE closed on the following Federal holidays (New Year’s Day, Memorial day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day) Tuition is still due for these holidays. The center may close early on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. If a holiday falls on the weekend, it will be observed the preceding day or the following day. http://www.opm.gov/Operating_Status_...edhol/2011.asp MARK THESE ON YOUR CALENDAR.

___Each family is allocated 3-weeks vacation time per year (1-week between Christmas and New Years for the center’s winter break, 1-week during July for the center’s summer break, 1-week to be used by the family at their convenience) and I am responsible for tuition if my family goes above the designated vacation time; these vacation times must be used 1-consecutive week at a time. Full time families receive 5 days, part time families receive 2/3 days.
Teacher Incentive: Winter recess and Spring Break I will not be charged for unless I decide to use the services of Sprouting Learners.

These vacation days can not be used as sick or transferred as other vacation days.