Do You Take Paid Or Unpaid Vacations?

[Crystal]

I am paid for holidays, 1 week of vacation time and 4 floating holidays that I use as I wish.

I give my families 6 months notice of my vacation date, and generally they all schedule their vacation for the same time. They aren't paying for alternate care.

I have NEVER had a complaint about having to pay for these days off.

[laundrymom]

I take 7 dollars a week per family and put it in savings. =-) thats my vacation money. =-)

[mncare]

I take 7 dollars a week per family and put it in savings. =-) thats my vacation money. =-)

That is a good idea--great way to save some money without feeling a big pinch in your budget! So do you not charge for vacation time then?

[laundrymom]

Not an outright charge but it was figured into my fees when I started in 1998. I just set auto pay now and have a separate savings account I use. I adjust it with my enrollment. I also put any late fees or overtime in it usually. I used just get cash and put it in my safe and use it for vacations. Auto pay makes it easier
ma

That is a good idea--great way to save some money without feeling a big pinch in your budget! So do you not charge for vacation time then?

[legomom922]

I take 1 wk unpaid and they pay me for their vaca, so its a wash.

[TGT09]

I currently take it completely unpaid and their vacation is unpaid as well. Every year I do daycare, I "up" something. This will be what I "up" next year.....1/2 pay for vacations. This year was unpaid sick pay for me but 1/2 sick pay for them. I had a few weeks last year that I had no kids because of sickness and they paid nothing. That hurt me more since it wasn't something I couldn't predict.

ETA: My daycare families are allowed 10 unpaid vacation days but anything more than that they have to pay 1/2 pay. I make my changes at the start of every school year.

[Gurdy]

When I first started out I felt guilty about taking any time off. Until I realized that I was burnt out and truly NEEDED time off. Now I know in order to keep my business running well and myself happy (which, in turn, keeps everyone happy) I have to take time off.

I take 2 weeks paid vacation, and allow my dc families two weeks of unpaid vacation. They can choose to take their vacation time the same time that I am off or they can pay me and take their unpaid vacation at another time. I give them a minimum of 3 months notice for my vacation and require 30 days notice for them to take vacation unpaid.

I also get all holidays paid at full rate and up to 10 personal/sick days paid per year (I have never used all 10).