Do Your Parents Still Pay You When They Take Vacation?

[Msdunny]

My policies allow for 2 weeks at half-rate for dcf vacations, and they have to take the entire week at one time. I charge for days they are out here or there. I wouldn't be able to do a personal budget otherwise. I have one family that would just make other arrangements when money was tight, and I would never be able to have a dependable income. So, same rate for 50 weeks per year, and half rate for 2 weeks (unless they don't take a vacation at all, which one of my families never does.)

[Blackcat31]

That what is currently in my contract. I just want to make sure I am not the only one doing this. I started to second guess if it was fair or not.



I am probably going to have to hunt down 1st daycare mom for a payment and late fees ( I feel it was rude she told me at 8 and dcb was supposed to show up at 7) . And second mom is going to throw a fit she hates my rules and is always trying to find a reason to take money off.

Didn't she read your contract and policies BEFORE enrolling her child?

I don't give too hoots about whether my daycare parents like or dont' like my policies.

If they are something the parent can live with and AGREES to, then it is what it is and there is NO NEGOTIATING.

If they don't like them and can't make them work for their family, then don't enroll your child and sign the contract. I am NOT the right fit for them.

I will never understand why parents agree to something, sign on the dotted line and then complain about the rules/policies they agreed to

OP, if I were you, every time this DCM starts complaining about your policies, ask her if she is submitting her notice of withdrawl or not? Most times, they change their tune when they realize you don't need the headache of trying to continue enforcing policies she agreed to if she isn't going to be an adult and follow through

[Msdunny]

OP, if I were you, every time this DCM starts complaining about your policies, ask her if she is submitting her notice of withdrawl or not? Most times, they change their tune when they realize you don't need the headache of trying to continue enforcing policies she agreed to if she isn't going to be an adult and follow through

[MarinaVanessa]

I do things a little differently but I still "get paid" for days that I take off. What I did was figure out what I wanted to charge FT first then PT was more expensive and drop in even mre expensive than that. Then I calculated how many days off I would give myself for vacation (5) and how many for sick days (5). Then I figured out how much $ those 2 weeks cost and then added it to my weekly rate split up into 50 weeks. So then I just tell parents that if I close because I'm sick or because I go on vacation they don't pay for those days (but really I already factored payment for those days in) but they still pay when they are absent. I don't give them free days for illness or vacation, I just say "if Im closed, you don't pay. If Im opened and you don't come, you pay". My contract clearly says that their spot is based on enrollment not attendance.

If I do it this way I get less "do I still have to pay?" And the parents feel like they're getting a deal because they "don't pay" for my vacations and sick days

Edit: I forgot to mention holidays. I have 8 holidays that I'm closed that are still paid. They still pay for these as well.

[laceylmm]

As of now I say I don't charge for my vacations but I do charge for their vacations. I figure I'd lose more money if I let 3-4 different families not pay whenever they take a vacation.

[Lorri]

Yes they do. They get so many days off per contract day, if they contract for 5 days they get 5 days off with out pay to use when they want, I just ask for at least 24 hour notice. But when they have used it they are all gone and they pay if they do not come

[Heidi]

I charge for holidays: New Years Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day (and some years the day before or after to complete the weekend), Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the Friday after, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

They pay when they are gone, no matter the reason.

I added 5 paid personal/sick/vacation days for 2014. Any additional time I take off is unpaid.

[originalkat]

Parents pay tuition monthly. Tuition is due based on enrollment, not attendance.
I take 12 paid holidays, 2 weeks vacation paid, and up to 5 paid personal days. I do not give free days to parents for any reason.

[Heidi]

When I added those 5 paid days this year, I also put in the new rate sheet the calculations for how much they cost.

At $140 per week, 5 days costs them an extra $2.69 per week.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

My clients can submit their plan to go on a week vacation at least two weeks in advance after being enrolled for six months. I will give one free vacation week per year if they do this. I have only had TWO people do this. You would think they would want to do this during my 8 day long vacation so that they would only be paying for 5 days, but none ever have (not with my last group, not with this group).

I have 16 paid vacation days. I give them 5 days that they do not have to pay for each year if they submit their vacation plan.

[mrsnj]

They pay if they come or not. Vacations must be given with one month notice and it is one per family at half rate for school year (Sept to Sept) If they are teachers and take off for the summer, they do not get a vacation rate. Holidays are paid since it is a 'pay per spot' space.

[Kcole1075]

Didn't she read your contract and policies BEFORE enrolling her child?

I don't give too hoots about whether my daycare parents like or dont' like my policies.

If they are something the parent can live with and AGREES to, then it is what it is and there is NO NEGOTIATING.

If they don't like them and can't make them work for their family, then don't enroll your child and sign the contract. I am NOT the right fit for them.

I will never understand why parents agree to something, sign on the dotted line and then complain about the rules/policies they agreed to

OP, if I were you, every time this DCM starts complaining about your policies, ask her if she is submitting her notice of withdrawl or not? Most times, they change their tune when they realize you don't need the headache of trying to continue enforcing policies she agreed to if she isn't going to be an adult and follow through

No she did not read the contract and admits that to me all the time. At one point she even asked for another copy and then last night said she lost it. I want to term (I have been thinking about it for over a month) her just for the fact that I am constantly having to remind her of the policies and contract she signed.

I am going to tell her at pick up that as the contract says she will be paying for those days. I am going to edit that part just to have it say they are paying for the spot not for attendance or that if I am closed they don't have to pay but if I am open they will still be expected to pay. I am not sure how I will put it yet.

[Heidi]

No she did not read the contract and admits that to me all the time. At one point she even asked for another copy and then last night said she lost it. I want to term (I have been thinking about it for over a month) her just for the fact that I am constantly having to remind her of the policies and contract she signed.

I am going to tell her at pick up that as the contract says she will be paying for those days. I am going to edit that part just to have it say they are paying for the spot not for attendance or that if I am closed they don't have to pay but if I am open they will still be expected to pay. I am not sure how I will put it yet.

I can pm you the contract I just did. Feel free to take whatever you want from it. My policy manual (12 pages), is separate.

[Kcole1075]

Would you mind sending me both your contract and your policy manual?

I can pm you the contract I just did. Feel free to take whatever you want from it. My policy manual (12 pages), is separate.

[Heidi]

Would you mind sending me both your contract and your policy manual?

Sure thing! They will be plain text, because I'm using Google docs now and I'll just cut-and-paste them. I'll send them separately.


I had to email the handbook to you...its too long to put in a PM. Let me know if you don't get it.