Paid Holidays

[JeepGirl6]

I revise my contract every year. I see so many of you require your clients to pay you for Holidays off. Do parents find this over board or too much? I thought maybe considering giving myself 3 chosen paid Holidays a year but I am worried it will upset the daycare parents & think Im asking for too much. My husband also thinks its not necessary. Im a home provider, not a center. I am not sure what I should do.

Edit: I dont give myself paid vacations either. I have only taken one week off in 5 years.

Should I do a set weekly rate & regardless if there is a holiday or not they pay the same rate?

Right now my daycare parents pay me 50% when they go on vacation & dont pay me for holidays or my vacation. I was thinking for the new contract, full time clients 4-5 days a week, give them 3 free sick days a year & 5 free vacation days.

[NeedaVaca]

I'm a home provider as well and have 8 holidays paid, 2 weeks vacation paid and 3 personal/sick days paid. Never had a parent comment! I explain it all during the interview process and I have never had someone not sign up with me

My families pay 52 weeks per year regardless-the pay never changes!

[Annalee]

I revise my contract every year. I see so many of you require your clients to pay you for Holidays off. Do parents find this over board or too much? I thought maybe considering giving myself 3 chosen paid Holidays a year but I am worried it will upset the daycare parents & think Im asking for too much. My husband also thinks its not necessary. Im a home provider, not a center. I am not sure what I should do.

Edit: I dont give myself paid vacations either. I have only taken one week off in 5 years.

Should I do a set weekly rate & regardless if there is a holiday or not they pay the same rate?

I am also a home provider....and my husband doesn't understand where I am coming from MANY times....Do what your gut tells you is fair!

I worked for ten longggg years allowing parents to come and go as they please every day....for the past ten plus I get paid all Fed. holidays/personal days/FCC conference days/two weeks vacation time/emergency days...parents pay 52 weeks a year regardless(pay is based on spot,not attendance)...

I reached a point of burnout where things had to change to be beneficial to me....not that I don't get in rut sometimes, but I still have lots of down-time and don't worry bout my financial situation as much because the parents know they have to pay...rarely even get asked if they "owe" anymore....

My mentor from years ago, now my friend, has done so much to empower me as a business-owner, not just a quality provider.....you are a BUSINESS OWNER..... It is nice to know I can pass it forward!!!! :hug:

[butterfly]

I don't see why you couldn't at least get paid for federal holidays. I bet the majority of your dcp get those days paid. I get a lot more than that paid...

[melilley]

Piece of advice...don't listen to your husband, of course you need some time off too, paid! I think that sometimes dh's don't realize the scope of our job and that we need downtime sometimes!

I am a home provider as well. I take off all holidays, plus Christmas Eve and the day after Thanksgiving, plus have one week vacation and 5 personal/sick/educational days..and they are all paid. I give families one week of vacation where they don't have to pay, other than that they pay full tuition.
Like pp, I too tell parents when they sign up about my paid days off and I have never had anyone comment or not sign up.

My dc parents pay me a set weekly rate, whether they are here or not and they prepay so it's not an issue if they don't come.

[Blackcat31]

I only charged for the days I was open when I first started out. I also only charged parents for days their kid actually used.

It took me many years to build up to feeling as though I deserved or could rationalize taking a paid day off.

My suggestion for providers who are caught in the middle is to gradually work into it.

If you feel that you haven't built a reputation yet in your community or haven't been in business very long why not do something in the middle like offering your full time families credit days based on how many days they use per week?

For example, if a family uses 5 days per week, you could give them one free day for every month of care or for every 30 paid days of attendance.

Families that attend 4 days per week can earn 1 free day per every 45 days they attend paid.

FWIW~ When I say free days, I mean days they can keep their child home and not have to pay. I don't mean free days as in coming to care and not paying.

I consider 3 days a week or less part time and part time families receive no discounts or free days here.

Also as far as paid holidays, why not compromise? There are 10 federally recognized holidays. Why not charge for 5 of them and not charge for the other 5 but close for all 10?

As long as the parent feels they are also getting something, most are happy.

We work long hours with little or no breaks and although we knew that going into this job, it doesn't make it easier mentally or physically.

I usually explain to my daycare parents that I try be fair and that I also recognize that I can't please everyone all the time so I have to do what works "generally" verses considering individual needs. If anyone wants individualized rules and policies, they'll have to hire a nanny.

There is NO "individual" anything in group care.

HTH

[JeepGirl6]

Thank you everyone! Your opinons helped. Blackcat I think I will go into gradually & give myself 5 holidays paid like you suggested. I too started off like you & only had parents pay for days I was open & days that they came. I will have my home daycare open 5 years in January. I changed my contract 2 years ago to having the parents pay when their child is not here on a scheduled day.

[Babybear911]

daycare holiday

Hi!
You should get paid in full for their holidays and for your holidays! Holy moly don't sell yourself short!

I take 2 week off at Christmas and 2 weeks off in August and I also take approx. additional 5 days off in the year to support my own kids activities and field trips at their school. I remind parents at registration that these are my vacation days, and like them, I get paid in full. I also remind them that I take vacation so that I can continue to care, love and support their childs needs and wants. I also get paid for all sick days...the childs and MY sick days.

I don't abuse it but why should I get the flu from their child and then not be paid for the few days I may need to take care of myself.

If your parents don't want to pay for your vacation then get new parents! Simple! I never have an open space. I am always at maximum capacity and I also have never had ONE complaint from my parents. When I take time off they always tell me to "enjoy my vacation and that I deserve this time off to care for myself and spend time with MY family"

Hope you get the well deserved vacation you need!

Cheers!

[TwinKristi]

I take 6 paid holidays a year and don't charge for my vacation time as I know most parents will need to find alternate care. I don't charge for any other days I close for illness but I do charge if they go on vacation, are sick or what not. Basically I charge for MY attendance. LOL If I'm here and able to work and you don't show up for whatever reason then I still get paid. If I'm not here & able to work than I don't charge you.
I've had two moms complain about other providers time off. One lady closes every Fri, one closes early on Fridays plus closes for random 3 day weekends several times a year, takes a week off for a 3 day Avon walk she does every year plus recovery time, and some who want personal paid time off. It's a give and take I feel. I don't expect paid vacation time being self-employed, but that's just me, my mom said my daycare provider as a baby took 1 weeks paid vacation and that was back in the early 80's. My dh is self-employed and doesn't get paid holidays or vacation even because there's no way to charge for it.

[Blackcat31]

I take 6 paid holidays a year and don't charge for my vacation time as I know most parents will need to find alternate care. I don't charge for any other days I close for illness but I do charge if they go on vacation, are sick or what not. Basically I charge for MY attendance. LOL If I'm here and able to work and you don't show up for whatever reason then I still get paid. If I'm not here & able to work than I don't charge you.
I've had two moms complain about other providers time off. One lady closes every Fri, one closes early on Fridays plus closes for random 3 day weekends several times a year, takes a week off for a 3 day Avon walk she does every year plus recovery time, and some who want personal paid time off. It's a give and take I feel. I don't expect paid vacation time being self-employed, but that's just me, my mom said my daycare provider as a baby took 1 weeks paid vacation and that was back in the early 80's. My dh is self-employed and doesn't get paid holidays or vacation even because there's no way to charge for it.

Are these mom's complaining about their own providers? Or just venting to you about what other providers do?

My DH is also self-employed but he doesn't provide a service that is dependent on his mental, physical and emotional well being.

His woodworking tools couldn't care less if he drips snot on him or is throwing up.
They don't spread illnesses to him, take advantage of his kind and nurturing personality, expect him to do their jobs and they never ever pull the "You work for me" attitude.

Different professions have differing needs. Child care providers are at the top of the list for burnout and job related stresses. As a parent I would happily pay my provider for her time off if it meant that she was calm, cool and not stressed about HAVING to work just to pay her own bills.

All too many providers will hesitate to take a day off because it means loss of income to them. Sometimes that has really bad outcomes.

[TwinKristi]

Are these mom's complaining about their own providers? Or just venting to you about what other providers do?

One was during an interview when I gave her my contract and she was looking over my holidays. She interviewed just about everyone in this town and why she chose me I have no idea, but they just weren't a good fit for daycare and she ended up quitting her job to stay home which is for the best. She was very high maintenance. She never complained about paying for the days he wasn't here and was really good about keeping him home if she thought may be sick (like even a "fever" of 99*) and kept him home a whole week after his tube surgery. BUT upon leaving I got a "Thanks, Bye!" and that's it, never returned my email to see how baby was doing or anything. I just don't think they valued what a DC provider does.
The other parent was talking about finding care while I was gone and venting that one of the reasons she left her old DCP was because of all the time she took off, at least once a month there was a closed day, the other friend was closed every Friday. She ended up texting me my first night gone asking for my neighbor's number and if I knew if she had room for her son at her daycare because her backup provider friend's hours weren't going to work after all. She didn't open until 7:45 but was willing to open at 7:30 for her but even that was too late (LOL she doesn't usually show up til 7:30-7:40) and switched her whole week around to work Wed and take Fri off instead of the other way around since said provider is closed Fridays.

[Blackcat31]

One was during an interview when I gave her my contract and she was looking over my holidays. She interviewed just about everyone in this town and why she chose me I have no idea, but they just weren't a good fit for daycare and she ended up quitting her job to stay home which is for the best. She was very high maintenance. She never complained about paying for the days he wasn't here and was really good about keeping him home if she thought may be sick (like even a "fever" of 99*) and kept him home a whole week after his tube surgery. BUT upon leaving I got a "Thanks, Bye!" and that's it, never returned my email to see how baby was doing or anything. I just don't think they valued what a DC provider does.
The other parent was talking about finding care while I was gone and venting that one of the reasons she left her old DCP was because of all the time she took off, at least once a month there was a closed day, the other friend was closed every Friday. She ended up texting me my first night gone asking for my neighbor's number and if I knew if she had room for her son at her daycare because her backup provider friend's hours weren't going to work after all. She didn't open until 7:45 but was willing to open at 7:30 for her but even that was too late (LOL she doesn't usually show up til 7:30-7:40) and switched her whole week around to work Wed and take Fri off instead of the other way around since said provider is closed Fridays.

Ah ha, I was just curious because I was thinking how rude it was if they were complaining about their provider. I mean, we hear all the time about parents who sign a contract and then complain about what they agreed too..

If they were interviewing with you, I can totally see how they would share that type of info.

If parents don't want pay for days their kid isn't in daycare then I would hope that they don't sign on with a provider who charges.

[originalkat]

I have never had a family not enroll due to my time off. I take all these days because I NEED them! I think we all do! My hubby sometimes thinks I take too many days off paid, but I have to make the decision that is right for ME!!
Here are my policies regarding time off:

Holidays and Breaks
I strive to provide families with an exceptional quality, all-day, year round education program. I try to recognize the needs of working parents and their families. Holidays and breaks are necessary for the well-being of all. Please see the calendar for specific dates. If a holiday falls on a weekend, we will close on either the Friday before or the Monday after.
We will be closed on the following paid holidays.
New Year Day
Martin Luther King Jr.
President’s Day
Good Friday
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Veteran’s Day
Thanksgiving and the day after
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day

Vacations
Each calendar year, we will be closed 2 weeks unpaid (10 days not including weekends) for provider’s vacation. Parents will be given as much advance notice as possible, with a minimum of 30 days. Parents will be responsible for making alternate childcare arrangements when I am closed. Please see the current calendar for exact dates.

Provider Personal Leave
The provider is allotted up to five (5) paid personal days per calendar year for illness, training, or family emergencies/events. Parents are responsible for making alternate arrangements for childcare on provider’s personal days. If I must close on short notice, you will be contacted as soon as possible.

Inclement Weather
When severe weather occurs, we will close when public schools are closed. Please watch for school closings on any of the news stations or on the their website. I do not reimburse tuition for days we are closed due to inclement weather.