Vacation Question

[rmc20021]

I plan to take a 2 week vacation from June 24-July 8. I have notified the parents by letter about 2 months ago, added it into my new policy which I handed out mid March and have a notice on my front door that I will be closed those dates. I have also verbally told all the parents.

I am concerned about taking so much time off and leaving parents to find alternate care and certainly wouldn't want anyone to find permanent care if they felt it was too long of an absence.

I've considered asking my sub if she would be willing to sub for me during those 2 weeks IF there are enough families willing to do this so it would be worth it for my sub to come here every day for that period of time. She would receive whatever tuition fees the parents pay. I would make sure there was enough food stocked up and the menus were prepared before I left.

What does everyone think about this arrangement? Would you do it? I trust her completely.

[Blackcat31]

I take two week long vacations per year where child care is simply closed.

Parents find back up or alternate care arrangements.

I have also taken a vacation pretty much every other year that is 10-12 days long in total.

I hire a substitute for those days.

This year I will close:
The week of July 4th
The week between Christmas and New Year's

...and will hired substitute for 12 days in September when DH and I take a road trip across the country to the west coast.

We are off to see the giant redwood trees and do a bit of traveling down the Pacific Coast. happyface

I haven't had an parent complain as long as I have given plenty of advance notice.

I think that whatever works best for you is what you should do.
Personally, I am always nervous about how my sub is doing and if there are any issues that I can't fully relax in my vacations so I prefer to simply close.

[LaLa1923]

I take two week long vacations per year where child care is simply closed.

Parents find back up or alternate care arrangements.

I have also taken a vacation pretty much every other year that is 10-12 days long in total.

I hire a substitute for those days.

This year I will close:
The week of July 4th
The week between Christmas and New Year's

...and will hired substitute for 12 days in September when DH and I take a road trip across the country to the west coast.

We are off to see the giant redwood trees and do a bit of traveling down the Pacific Coast. happyface

I haven't had an parent complain as long as I have given plenty of advance notice.

I think that whatever works best for you is what you should do.
Personally, I am always nervous about how my sub is doing and if there are any issues that I can't fully relax in my vacations so I prefer to simply close.

I also wouldn't give her all tuition, you're still using your home and food.

[rmc20021]

I don't have a problem using my food since the food program reimburses for that expense which I would still get. As for using my home, the kids would still be using it if I were here so that's not an issue for me.

I want to be fair to my sub because I depend on her a lot and she ALWAYS comes whenever I need her. She deserves to be paid well.

Maybe if it was anybody else I'd feel differently but we go back a long way and she's the ONLY person I would trust 100% with my business...even over my own daughter.

[Unregistered]

I wouldn't do it.Too much of a liability.Speaking from e experience it isn't worth it.Yoy will be worrying the whole time you're on vacation.Just close and enjoy your vacation.
I tried it twice,both ended in disasters.

[CrackerJacks]

I wouldn't do it.Too much of a liability.Speaking from e experience it isn't worth it.Yoy will be worrying the whole time you're on vacation.Just close and enjoy your vacation.
I tried it twice,both ended in disasters.

Agreed!

[cheerfuldom]

Close. Two weeks is not that big of a deal. Its 10 working days for most families and not worth leaving over. If you have a family that would just walk away because you are taking a vacation, I think they would have walked away for other reasons too.....that would signal a demanding family that does not value their providers hard work and the need for a break. Dont forget, THEY picked home daycare, THEY signed your contract that allows for vacation. None of this should be surprising. They should have a backup plan ALL the time, not just when you give advanced notice.

[rmc20021]

Close. Two weeks is not that big of a deal. Its 10 working days for most families and not worth leaving over. If you have a family that would just walk away because you are taking a vacation, I think they would have walked away for other reasons too.....that would signal a demanding family that does not value their providers hard work and the need for a break. Dont forget, THEY picked home daycare, THEY signed your contract that allows for vacation. None of this should be surprising. They should have a backup plan ALL the time, not just when you give advanced notice.

HA!!!! These parents having a backup sitter...you gotta be kidding!!!! I have one dcm who misses a LOT of work. How she does that and still has a job I'll never know. She's state pay also. The period of time when she wasn't bringing dcb and not calling and then one day I had no kids and she showed up out of the blue, she was mad at ME because if she missed any more work she would lose her job.

NOT MY PROBLEM!!! But I really doubt she would leave because it's too convenient for her...she lives right next door.

I think I AM going to just close though because even though I trust my sub, I know I'd be calling her constantly, or parents may be calling me about things or she would be calling to ask questions about different things.

I VERY much need this vacation. Not just to get away from kids for a while, but I've also been dealing with a lot with my parents health...AND I have custody of my two grandkids who have been in the foster care system for 4 years and the case is being closed June 18 with me having full custody. It's been a long road and I'm ready to celebrate the end.

[Springdaze]

if there is one family that truely cannot find backup, maybe your sub could do it at their house without your involvement at all

[rmc20021]

thought about that also

[Evansmom]

if there is one family that truely cannot find backup, maybe your sub could do it at their house without your involvement at all

Also when I've taken long vacations sometimes my parents get together for some of the days and have one of the grandmothers watch their children at one of their homes. It's worked out really well for them and I'm not involved at all

I vote close too. I'm closing 2 weeks in June, I gave my parents 6 months notice and then I write another reminder 4 weeks out just to be sure. It's never been a problem and boy am I a better provider, heck, better all around person! when I get back

I hope you enjoy your well deserved vacation!

[sahm1225]

I also vote to just close. They've had notice and you would've heard complaining by now.
I've had my assistant keep the business open while I was out of town twice last year. Once she worked one week and we closed the 2nd week. The second time she worked 3 days while I was out. I was worried the whole time and couldn't relax. She did an excellent job!! BUT told me that she was so exhausted at the end of the weeks that she would prefer not to do it again.

[Patches]

I'm team "just close", as well. I left for 2 hours for my DS appointment and was worried the whole time. I trust my assisstant and my sub or I would not have left in the first place, but if anything happened, it would be on me....kwim?

[Laurel]

I take two weeks a year but only one at a time for this reason.

That has always worked out.

I suppose you could also do one week with a sub and one week close also.

If you're not getting any flack from the parents then I doubt it is a problem for them. They will manage.

Laurel

[canadiancare]

Parents get vacation, too. I only have 5 families to worry about but they are just on holiday when I am. I don't charge when I close so if they weren't on vacation they'd have backup funds to hire someone else for the week (s).

Enjoy your time off.