Vacation Days

[TheGoodLife]

My contract says I can take up to 10 personal/sick days a year. (Last year I would just take a random day here and there- never a full week.) Should I specify anything about prorating it for my PT families, is that usual? All of my families are now M-Th, so I never need to take a Friday off. Should I only do 8 days, to be fair? Also, do any of you prorate days for families that start mid year? I haven't had any PTO so far this year and all new families as of May. Is it unfair for me to still take my full PTO (I'm not planning on taking 10 days off, just more curious than anything)?
I've been caring for a drop-in family every day for the past 2 months, and I took off tomorrow to see my DD's little dance recital and I can't believe how HAPPY I am to have a day off. I think I need to plan a PTO day next month, just for the heck of it, on a day with nothing to do but relax!

[Leigh]

I don't specify a number of days. My contract states that ALL of my days off will be paid, and the number will be at my discretion. I RARELY take a day off, but I am not going to lock myself in to a certain number. I suppose I would, if I felt that my time off were excessive, offer the parents a break, but I don't limit myself to a certain number of days (not even for holidays-I give parents a list of days I will DEFINITELY close, and tell them that I may add to it later).

I think daycare providers often fall into a trap of feeling guilty for taking time off. We need it MORE than the parents do, in my opinion! Maybe it's because past employers were strict about time off, but I started in this job to make my OWN rules, and that's what I do.

When I was a daycare PARENT, I expected my provider to take time off vacation and sick-I would not have wanted a sick provider caring for my child. I never had a problem with early closures, vacation days, sick days, personal days-she earned it, she deserved it-she was the one who gave my precious child incredible care in my absence-I OWED it to her to not complain about taking a well-earned day off. I don't feel guilty about doing so myself, either, I understand even more now, as a provider, how hard I work and how much I NEED the downtime to rest and recover.

[caregiver]

In my contract I state that I am closed most of the major Holidays and if that Holiday falls on a day where the child is usually in my care, it is a paid Holiday. I also state that I take a week of vacation around Christmas time and one week in the summer,usually around the 4th of July,and I do not charge the parents for that week that I am off. They have to find alternative care for that week and I don't think it would be fair of me to have them pay me and them someone else also for that week. I also do not charge them if I take a day off for whatever reason.
Although if the parent takes vacation or a day off and has their child with them, I will charge them for that time.

[melilley]

I have in my contract that I get all major holidays off plus the day after Thanksgiving. Plus 5 paid sick/personal/education days with adequate notice, if I need them, but more than likely I won't take them. I also get one week of paid vacation in July and an unpaid one to be determined, with an adequate notice from me. I tell all families at the interview that all will be paid with the exception of my second week off and I also have all the days in my parent handbook, on the first page.
I do give families a one week vacation after 90 days of care and that is per calendar year from the day that they start. Part timers get whatever number of days here and full timers get 5 days, but they have to take them in the same week, not randomly and have to give me a two week notice.
I feel that we deserve some time off. I know a couple of my parents took days off and still brought their kids here. One mom called it her "wellness"day!
I would keep it at 10! You deserve it!