MLK - Open or Closed?

[midaycare]

I'm open in our area schools are open for MLK and President's day and such. We only close for the main holidays.

Same here. I never went to a school that had MLK day off, or had a job with MLK day off - or President's Day, or any of the other similar holidays, so it never even occurs to me to take those off.

[Play Care]

Closed, and desperate for it! The parents can't seem to get here before 9am since Christmas, which means NO ONE NAPS! I'm at my wits end and need a break before I start screaming. (4 out of 6 awake today. The youngest is beside me now, having been woken up by another child stepping on her!!! What?!)

Yep, lacking the joy today.

Hijack

Can you move naps later? Maybe 1:00 or 1:30?

[spinnymarie]

Closed. Schools here have that day off, so we do too.

[earlystart]

I do close for it, and feel kinda bad because I don't think any of the parents have that day off work. But I've mentioned my guilt before and one of the parents said "oh well I guess I have to get used to it when my kid starts public school anyway" and none of them have ever actually complained. I picked what "holidays" I wanted off based on the fact that I just wanted to close once a month if at all possible, haha. I get bummed on the months where there is no holiday. I figure everyone needs a break, most parents are able to take sick or vacation days at their work without having to worry about it, at least mine are scheduled in advance and the parents know exactly when they will be.

I'm closed:
New Year's day
MLK day
Presidents Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day (observed the day before this year, hehe)
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving Day
Xmas Eve
Xmas Day

It just keeps me sane knowing I have these days off, because I feel even more guilty when I take a vacation day, since it's only a 30 day notice (I get 5 paid a year), so I never end up taking all of my personal vacation days.

[nothingwithoutjoy]

Hijack

Can you move naps later? Maybe 1:00 or 1:30?

You're right--sorry to hijack the thread.

I may need to. I did a major schedule overhaul a few years ago that led to an earlier nap and a much better rhythm for all of us, but I may need to shift back.

[Jack Sprat]

I am closed. But, I will be working on taxes. Our schools are open but, three of my parents are off that day.

[e.j.]

I'll be closed with pay and I'll also be working on taxes as well as progress reports and curriculum planning.

[jenboo]

Normally closed with pay but this time I'm staying open. I'm closing the daycare to move at the end of fed and just took 2.5 weeks off at Christmas so I'm not closing for any holidays

[Play Care]

You're right--sorry to hijack the thread.

I may need to. I did a major schedule overhaul a few years ago that led to an earlier nap and a much better rhythm for all of us, but I may need to shift back.

Oh no, I was hijacking, not you!

If you've got kids not napping, I'd say that's a legit reason for a day off!!!

[nothingwithoutjoy]

Oh no, I was hijacking, not you!

If you've got kids not napping, I'd say that's a legit reason for a day off!!!

Thanks--it's been making me absolutely crazy. I don't understand a world in which preschoolers don't nap, but most of my parents are self-employed and sleep in and don't do naps at home. One family is due at the office in the morning. Their 5-year-old, and mine, nap. The younger ones don't!

[Crazy8]

open - I only close for the major holidays, most of my parents still work the "government" holidays. Our schools tried to be open on MLK day one year due to a lot of earlier snow closings and people had a fit. They had no issue taking president's day away but they flipped over MLK day.

[has_my_heart]

So a quick question that is related. If you don't take the day off/ close for the holiday (which I don't, darn it) and the parents have work off so they don't plan on bringing their kids do you make them pay for the day? I have recently come up against a few instances when I don't know if I should charge or not. Sick days? Do you give a certain # of unpaid a year or how do you work that? Hope it's OK to ask here. TIA!!

[awilliams123]

Contracts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am closed ALL federal holidays with pay. This has been my policy for over 10 years and I've never had a problem with one parent complaining. Why? Because every parent that enrolls their child in my daycare have to sign a contract. The contract clearly states that I am closed ALL federal holidays, 2 weeks for vacation and 5 sick days per year, all paid. They know these things up front and have the option of signing the contract or not signing. If they opt to sign it and enroll their child, there is nothing for them to say later. Contracts are our saving grace in this business. Mine are about 10 pages long and are very detailed. I include EVERYTHING in it. (Weekly rates, business hours, holidays, vacation, sick policy, withdrawal policy, late fees, probation periods, discipline policy, daily schedule, education policy, napping rules etc). After the parents read the contract and I ask them if they have any questions, the response is usually "no, the contracts says it all", and it does. If you don't have one, I highly suggest you create one. I see no reason why we shouldn't take federal holidays off and have vacation and sick pay. Not all, but most jobs offer it to them. If they receive it from their employers, why shouldn't we. Not only that, an average working day for most of us in this business is anywhere from 10-12 hours per day. That's 50-60 hours per week we spend with their children, I think we more than earn the time we take off. I always give my parents a 30-60 day notice of any vacation time I will be using so they have plenty of time to prepare. And even though I have 5 paid sick days per year, I rarely use one, thank God! I am very fair and reasonable in how I use my time off. But when it's time, I don't hesitate to take it. There's an old saying, "it's not what you do but how you do it". I find that to be very true.

[originalkat]

I do close for it, and feel kinda bad because I don't think any of the parents have that day off work. But I've mentioned my guilt before and one of the parents said "oh well I guess I have to get used to it when my kid starts public school anyway" and none of them have ever actually complained. I picked what "holidays" I wanted off based on the fact that I just wanted to close once a month if at all possible, haha. I get bummed on the months where there is no holiday. I figure everyone needs a break, most parents are able to take sick or vacation days at their work without having to worry about it, at least mine are scheduled in advance and the parents know exactly when they will be.

I'm closed:
New Year's day
MLK day
Presidents Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day (observed the day before this year, hehe)
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving Day
Xmas Eve
Xmas Day

It just keeps me sane knowing I have these days off, because I feel even more guilty when I take a vacation day, since it's only a 30 day notice (I get 5 paid a year), so I never end up taking all of my personal vacation days.

My thoughts exactly. I need holidays for my own sanity and it keeps me a happy childcare provider! That benefits everyone!
All of our schools have those holidays off so I take them too. I have never had anyone complain either.

[originalkat]

I am closed ALL federal holidays with pay. This has been my policy for over 10 years and I've never had a problem with one parent complaining. Why? Because every parent that enrolls their child in my daycare have to sign a contract. The contract clearly states that I am closed ALL federal holidays, 2 weeks for vacation and 5 sick days per year, all paid. They know these things up front and have the option of signing the contract or not signing. If they opt to sign it and enroll their child, there is nothing for them to say later. Contracts are our saving grace in this business. Mine are about 10 pages long and are very detailed. I include EVERYTHING in it. (Weekly rates, business hours, holidays, vacation, sick policy, withdrawal policy, late fees, probation periods, discipline policy, daily schedule, education policy, napping rules etc). After the parents read the contract and I ask them if they have any questions, the response is usually "no, the contracts says it all", and it does. If you don't have one, I highly suggest you create one. I see no reason why we shouldn't take federal holidays off and have vacation and sick pay. Not all, but most jobs offer it to them. If they receive it from their employers, why shouldn't we. Not only that, an average working day for most of us in this business is anywhere from 10-12 hours per day. That's 50-60 hours per week we spend with their children, I think we more than earn the time we take off. I always give my parents a 30-60 day notice of any vacation time I will be using so they have plenty of time to prepare. And even though I have 5 paid sick days per year, I rarely use one, thank God! I am very fair and reasonable in how I use my time off. But when it's time, I don't hesitate to take it. There's an old saying, "it's not what you do but how you do it". I find that to be very true.

Perfectly said. I agree 100% and do the same as you.