1x Month Day Off Questions...

[Jack Sprat]

I have been throwing around the idea of having one day off a month. I have many, many reasons for wanting to do this. If not an entire day then a half day. The parents would not pay for that day.

Do any other providers do this? How do parents react? Do you feel you have to justify it to them?

I thin most of my dcf would be able to find alternate care especially if I gave them the days in Jan.

[grandmom]

I'd have a hard time asking my parents for this. I already take Federal holidays and vacation. Do you? If so, why do you need more days. Can you hire someone so it won't inconvenience the parents? I think you'd run the risk of loosing the families to their alternate provider.

[LaLa1923]

I am with the PP. You could also just schedule a day off on the months there's no closings kwim?

Jan we have 2
Feb none

etc........kwim??

[cheerfuldom]

I am interested to see the response. I know that for my area, this would not go over well. Having to regularly use a back up for one day off a month, plus holidays, plus sick days is really going to be a burden on some parents. Even if you are not taking pay, it is an inconvenience to do this. I personally would advise against it

unless like the PP said, you already get days off according to your contract and you stagger them out in the months where there are no holidays. you can plan accordingly and the parents can get these days in advance.

[CrackerJacks]

I take five paid 1/2days per year (I close early, usually 12:30/1p). These are along with my paid sick days, paid vacation days and paid holidays. It's written into my contract and parents know before tey choose me for care. I usually use these days for DD school conferences or to be able
To attend some of her school functions.

[Blackcat31]

The first 10 years I was open, I closed one personal day every 6 weeks.

Parents were notified of the closed day a minimum of 2 weeks in advance as it differed each time but I tried to give as much notice as I was able to do.

NO ONE complained and everyone was super nice, understanding and cool with it. I think knowing in advance had a lot to do with that.

At that time, I closed for all major holidays (paid) and took a weeks vacation over Christmas (paid too).

I didn't charge parents back then if their kids were absent.

I do things much differently now but only because I am in a different place in my life and I no longer have young children of my own at home.

I think you should do whatever works for you. Taking time off is a VITAL and important part of not experiencing provider burnout.

Mental health days are REALLY important for providers who are often stretched thin between meeting the needs of their clients and their own families....which usually means putting yourself at the end of that list.

[Lorri]

I know my parents would go for this at all. I go to Florida every year for Christmas and even then I have my assistant work for the parents that need it

[My3cents]

I'd have a hard time asking my parents for this. I already take Federal holidays and vacation. Do you? If so, why do you need more days. Can you hire someone so it won't inconvenience the parents? I think you'd run the risk of loosing the families to their alternate provider.

I agree with this. Parents are paying us for being available to them while they work or go to school.

If you have back up to fill in for you then I am all for it. Many people have a sub that they hire and that seems to be a win win situation.

[TwinKristi]

As a provider I totally get it, but as a parent who for many years had kids in DC, I can say it would be hard to do. I had to work M-F and my boss would not have been happy about me taking off a day once a month so I would have to find alternate care and I had 4 kids in DC at one point. How would I find back up care once a month for 4 kids? If you have parents who can telecommute once a month that would be great but I personally couldn't squeeze 12 extra days out of my parents.

[hope]

Can you hire a sub to fill in one day a month? I have a sub that fills in an hour here or there if I have a doctors appointment or something at DD'S school. Every once in a while I have her come for the whole day to avoid burn out. I pay her out of my pocket and parents don't have to take off of work. I basically lose a days pay. One day soon I will have her come so I can do some Christmas shopping all by myself.
Parents need to use their sick and vacation days for days when their children are sick. I don't think they would be ok with me taking 12 extra days on top of my week paid vacation and paid federal holidays.

[Jack Sprat]

I thought about this and 12 days is a lot. The only holidays I am closed for are NYD, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. I took a weeks unpaid vacation this past summer.

Like BC said it is partly for mental health days. Also, like CrackerJacks said it is to attend my children's functions. I am not sure about finding a sub. I think it may be hard to find one in the area. We are very limited in daycares and people who I think would be interested in doing this.

I am not sure what I will do. I do know that there is one day Jan. that I will need to close early. I am letting parents know today.

[NeedaVaca]

Instead of a day off every month why don't you add like 3 personal days and take paid vacation? You could even keep the week unpaid so that would be 8 extra days

I get 2 weeks paid, 3 personal/sick days and all the major holidays off. I have never had a complaint.

[itlw8]

You could also add in a few Federal holidays maybe Presidents Day in Feb and Columbus Day in Oct One year I had all state workers so took off all state holidays. I still do even I no longer have state workers. If they have a problem they do not sign with me. I do use those as my personal days for dr visits and such so it works for most parents.

[MamaBearCanada]

My DCKs have mainly been teachers kids or those that work in the school system in some way. I am closed 10 paid holidays (Easter, Christmas and such). I am closed unpaid 1 week for March Break, all of July and the first 3 weeks of August. I am off for Christmas Dec 20-Jan 3 (a mix of paid and unpaid). I have 5 paid sick/personal days.

This year I also booked off 10 unpaid days over the 10 months I am open. This is because I felt I never had time to do special things with my own kids and I also need some days for weekday appointments like doctor and dental visits for myself and my kids. My own children are both under 4 and at home. My husband works a lot, including 2nd and 3rd jobs some evenings & weekends and sometimes has to travel away. My family doesn't live close by so I do what I need to in order to keep my sanity! So far it hasn't been an issue but my DCFs either have extended family that can help or they are able to work at home those days. I know some families haven't signed with me because of the time off but this year I needed the break so I was okay with that.

[Rachel]

I have holidays (spread out different throughout the year, don't live in the US, about 2 weeks total paid). I also have from August 7th (this is an inservice day, but no kids) until the 26th off, paid. Besides that, I have 3 personal days but I have to give 2 weeks notice to use them. If I'm sick or my kids are sick or I want more time I can close and pay out backup care or a sub. Why don't you take 5 personal days a year and promise parents a 2 week notice, plus the holidays paid. Sounds fair to me.