Who Gets Paid Christmas Week Off?

[Sprouts]

I am thinking of updating my contract to have Christmas week as a paid week, currently it is

___***X is closed on ALL of the Federal holidays and Good Friday (friday before Easter) 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 days.

But I am thinking of switiching it to


___***X is closed on ALL of the Federal holidays and Good Friday (friday before Easter) 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.
* 1-week between Christmas and New Years for the center’s winter break- paid vacation

___Each family is allocated 2-weeks vacation time per year (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 days.


ANy and all suggestions welcomed!

[Creek]

Everyone works things differently. I have no real suggestion other than make it work for you. Your new changes sound good to me.

My families pay for every day of the year no matter what. I can take up to 15 days which inclues holidays and sick days with pay. The only days in my handbook that are set in stone are the normal holidays. For summer holidays I gather all the parents holidays and base mine around theirs to the best of my ability. I am always closed between Christmas and New Years.

Dec 24 - Christmas Eve - Open
Dec 25 - Christmas - Holiday - Closed
Dec 26 - Boxing Day - Holiday - Closed
Dec 27 - Daycare closed for holiday *
Dec 28 - Daycare closed for holiday *

Dec 31 - New Years Eve - Daycare closed for holiday *
Jan 1 - New Years Day - Holiday Closed

So technically, I only use 3 days to be closed during that time. I may have one child come Christmas eve as well, sometimes they leave early.

Make it work for you and your family

[PitterPatter]

I never take Christmas week off. I don't get paid for any days I take off holiday or not.

[cheerfuldom]

I have paid holidays but I dont necessarily take the full week off, depends on when the holidays fall.

[Meeko]

I am closed with pay on Christmas Day and New Years Day.

I close my day care between Christmas and New Years. Anyone who wants care brings them to my home in the next town.

They only have to pay for days they use that week. Works for me. I get a few kids, so I don't go without money...but I don't get ALL of them.

They must fill out a calendar with times and dates and pre-pay. They cannot change their schedule as I plan my family activities around it. So they can cancel a day but not add one or add to their stated hours.

[originalkat]

I always take the week off between Christmas and New Years. Although it is unpaid, I deduct my 2 weeks off the yearly tuition and then average it over 12 months so the parents have a flat monthly rate and I don't miss pay during my vacation weeks. It works out great! I LOVE having this week off each year. It makes me so happy. That is why I do it. I have never had a family have a problem with it.

[texascare]

I do. I take 1 paid week a year and that is when I take it. Depending on when Christmas is I will do the week of or after.

[Blackcat31]

My parents pay the same rate 52 weeks a year.

I don't necessarily take a week Monday through Friday off at Christmas but do take a combination of 5 days off. Last year I took Thursday and Friday of one week and Monday-Wednesday the next week off.

Depends on where in the week Christmas/New Years day falls in the week.

I do figure it out in January and give parents a calendar at the beginning of each year so they know what days and weeks I will be closed.

[My3cents]

My parents pay the same rate 52 weeks a year.

I don't necessarily take a week Monday through Friday off at Christmas but do take a combination of 5 days off. Last year I took Thursday and Friday of one week and Monday-Wednesday the next week off.

Depends on where in the week Christmas/New Years day falls in the week.

I do figure it out in January and give parents a calendar at the beginning of each year so they know what days and weeks I will be closed.

Bingo!!! Me too-

[Texasjeepgirl]

ditto...
Well.. Mostly...
I get paid 52 weeks per year.. started that in 2010...

My parent handbook states that I will take 2 --- 1 week vacations per year...
One in the spring/summer...and one in December.....
The thing is.. I haven't ever actually done that..

In 2010 I closed down for a full 1 week.. Monday - Friday...
My husband's 50th birthday.. we went on a 7 day cruise...
I didn't close the rest of that year...

In 2011... we took a Wed - Sun trip to Mexico. I had my assistant run the daycare Wednesday.. so daycare was only CLOSED Thursday and Friday...
That was the only vacation time I took that year...

This year we took two trips to Mexico...
The first one was Thursday - Sunday.. so I closed the daycare Thursday and Friday... 2 vacation days...
a few weeks later we went back for a Wed. - Sun trip..... so daycare was closed those 3 days...
All total... 5 days of vacation time...

I am now struggling with what I will do this Christmas...
My PARENT HANDBOOK states that my daycare will be closed December 24,25 and 26....well..that is Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this year...
do I open daycare Thursday and Friday????
My handbook states that daycare is closed New Year's Eve...and New Years Day...
That is Monday and Tuesday of the following week..
Do I close the daycare the entire week plus Monday and Tuesday of the next week?
Or... do I open Thursday and Friday..
OR... do I give them back the 26th and be open Wed, Thurs and Fri... with two 4 day weekends?
I haven't decided yet...

On the one hand... I hate to inconvenience my clients... I know they depend on me for child care...and I take that very seriously....
Also...I don't like 'stay cations'....
BUT..on the other hand...
How often does the calendar fall like this?
I will actually only be using 2 vacation days..if I just close down the entire week between Christmas and New Year... so.. I will probably just take it...and... enjoy..

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I'm off Dec. 24-Jan. 2 and it is paid.

We are closed (with pay) for 11 days this year. July 4, Thanksgiving Day and the day after, and from Dec. 24 to Jan. 2.

[Blackcat31]

ditto...
I am now struggling with what I will do this Christmas...
My PARENT HANDBOOK states that my daycare will be closed December 24,25 and 26....well..that is Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this year...
do I open daycare Thursday and Friday????
My handbook states that daycare is closed New Year's Eve...and New Years Day...
That is Monday and Tuesday of the following week..
Do I close the daycare the entire week plus Monday and Tuesday of the next week?
Or... do I open Thursday and Friday..
OR... do I give them back the 26th and be open Wed, Thurs and Fri... with two 4 day weekends?
I haven't decided yet...

On the one hand... I hate to inconvenience my clients... I know they depend on me for child care...and I take that very seriously....
Also...I don't like 'stay cations'....
BUT..on the other hand...
How often does the calendar fall like this?
I will actually only be using 2 vacation days..if I just close down the entire week between Christmas and New Year... so.. I will probably just take it...and... enjoy..

LOL!! You are having the same conversation I have in my head too! I am slated to take Dec. 24, 25 and 26 and then New Years Day off too so it does seem a but weird to be open only on Thursday and Friday (only difference is I am not slated to take New Years Eve off).

I too pride myself on being consistently available on regular daycare days and RARELY take personal days (unless 100% unavoidable) except scheduled days off which are 99% holiday days so I always him and haw about my vacation for Christmas week when it falls kind of funky on the calendar.

I think I decided to take the full week off (24th-28th) and then just close on Tuesday (New Years Day) of the following week and leave it at that.

That is what I put on the yearly calendar I handed out. Although I have changed it up when I have a bunch of parents needing different days and if it makes no difference to me, then I have no issues rearranging the days off to meet the needs of the majority.

[Lianne]

Here in Canada, Christmas Day, Boxing Day (Dec 26th) and New Years Day are stat holidays so I'm closed with pay. I usually take the rest of the days between Christmas & New Years off unpaid but this year, instead of raising my rates, I gave myself Christmas Eve and New Years Eve day off with pay if they fall on a week day. Next year I'll give myself the other 2-3 days off (with pay) that week instead of raising my rates. My clients are happy with this arrangement, especially when I point out that paying for me to be closed two day = $54 whereas if I increased my rate by $10/wee, that would be over $500.

[Texasjeepgirl]

I have a few clients that have actually been with me long enough that they KNOW I only took one full week off in 2010...and I ONLY took 2 vacation days in 2011.. when it actually states in my handbook that I will take two full weeks off each year...
so...those parents realize that I really do not close often....... National BIG Holidays only...I don't take Veteran's Day.. President's Day... Columbus Day...Martin Luther King Day...

Honestly...If I close that entire week.. I'm really only using 2 vacation days...which means I'll only use 7 total days for the year... compared to 2 vacation days in 2011 and 5 vacation days in 2010...they are still in the black on 3 vacation days I won't use for the year...
happyfacehappyface

[DaisyMamma]

I take off Dec. 24, 25 & 26 and Jan. 1. All paid.
If Dec. 24,25 or 26 or Jan. 1 are weekend days I get the nearest weekdays off.