I Hope I'm Not Sounding Greedy!

[Dsquared]

I would like to give the parents a new contract after the new year. In the past I have had a contract but when it came to vacation time I kind of just winged it. In my next contract I want things to be more straight forward. I have two school aged girls who's Christmas break officially started on Monday. Per my contract I am off Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Day. In the past years I got lucky and the week after Christmas I would end up having off because parents ended up taking the week off or out of town. This was great for me because of course they had to pay me for it. This year I was not so lucky. Out of the five kids two of them will be here next week. I'm not sure what to do for my next contract. I feel like I already take a lot of time off for home daycare standards. I take a week for spring break, a week in the summer, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New years Day, Thanksgiving Day, and black friday. I take all federal holidays payed with the exception of Veterans Day. Would asking for the week after Christmas break be way to much? I missed out on a family trip to Chicago for Christmas because I don't have enough time off this Christmas. My girls are so sad because they have not seen their cousins in so long. This is a hard job because there is not much flexibility. The week in the summer is definitely not enough when you have school aged kids. They just end up missing out on so much. I want a contract that I am happy with. Another question is, Do you give teachers a separate contract? I have two teachers and they for the most part they follow the county schedule except now one of them is trying to bring her daughter on days schools are closed. Do you all allow teachers to do this if you are not getting a full income from them in the summer? I am quite bitter that I have to work next week How much vacation do you all take? How much of it is paid? Thanks!

[Play Care]

Yes, my teachers have a separate contract. When their school is closed, I am closed, period. IMO, you don't get "something for nothing" and this is the cost of not paying for their breaks. The only people who get to bring kids on days off from school are my families who pay me year round.

I also have a three child minimum for breaks, so in your shoes I'd approach the parents who are signed up and say "I was under the impression I'd make my minimum child requirement and I have not. Therefore I will be closed next week" I don't get paid vacations though, so they wouldn't be paying for that time. When I had clients who were iffy about breaks I would hang a sign up sheet at the door and families would have to sign it if they needed care. This way if I didn't make my minimum it was obvious and I could point to my sign up sheet.

But honestly, I take three weeks off every year (unpaid) including Christmas week. This was after my first year where my client was off but sent in her child every day of the break. Lesson learned - no one else will give you a "break" you need to take them when you want/need them

I take paid Holidays, and get paid personal and sick days. I don't ask for paid vacation because I want to be able to take off the time I want, and being unpaid takes the sting out - Buuut I pad my tuition and and bank the extra money so it actually works out to get more than if I were paid those weeks.

[Unregistered]

I take one week spring or summer (TBA as I finalize any trips I may be taking) and two weeks winter break (coincides with school break), Christmas Eve, and a couple federal or state holidays (in between my longer breaks). These are all paid. I don't take all federal & state holidays off because I am closed on Fridays.

[finsup]

Yes, my teachers have a separate contract. When their school is closed, I am closed, period. IMO, you don't get "something for nothing" and this is the cost of not paying for their breaks. The only people who get to bring kids on days off from school are my families who pay me year round.

I also have a three child minimum for breaks, so in your shoes I'd approach the parents who are signed up and say "I was under the impression I'd make my minimum child requirement and I have not. Therefore I will be closed next week" I don't get paid vacations though, so they wouldn't be paying for that time. When I had clients who were iffy about breaks I would hang a sign up sheet at the door and families would have to sign it if they needed care. This way if I didn't make my minimum it was obvious and I could point to my sign up sheet.

But honestly, I take three weeks off every year (unpaid) including Christmas week. This was after my first year where my client was off but sent in her child every day of the break. Lesson learned - no one else will give you a "break" you need to take them when you want/need them

I take paid Holidays, and get paid personal and sick days. I don't ask for paid vacation because I want to be able to take off the time I want, and being unpaid takes the sting out - Buuut I pad my tuition and and bank the extra money so it actually works out to get more than if I were paid those weeks.

That's what I do, take paid holidays/sick days etc and "give" them vacations. It does seem to help parents not complain. Plus its practically unheard of here. Everyone seems to charge for vacations. As for teachers,my contract does read differently for them. I discuss their options and write it up accordingly. My handbook is the same for everyone, but my contract is specific to each family.

[childcaremom]

One thing I have learned is to take the time off that you want. If I am open, I expect to have dcks.

I don't mind being open over the holidays as we don't travel and family doesn't travel to us so we are pretty open to having extra bodies here. I just draw the dcks that are in attendance into our traditions and planning. Same as above, my teachers don't pay for care over the holidays and care is not available to them, either. So it is lower numbers for me, which is nice.

I get 13 paid days off (stat and other holidays). My vacation and sick days are unpaid. Same reasons as Playcare mentioned, if I want time off, I don't want to listen to parents gripe about it. My contract states a MINIMUM of 2 weeks unpaid vacation. So if I take it, and need a break later in the year, I am covered to go for it. All my families are required to have a back up plan for this and they all have family nearby that are available for these situations.

I should add, it is NOT the norm to get paid time off here. Too bad because we all know that mental health breaks are so important.

[MissAnn]

I will have 1 kid today..... A teacher's kid who has the day off. She uses the same excuse every single time… my daughter does better when she stays on a routine. Get real, she just wants the day off to herself. I wish she would just go ahead and be honest about it.

[Play Care]

I will have 1 kid today..... A teacher's kid who has the day off. She uses the same excuse every single time… my daughter does better when she stays on a routine. Get real, she just wants the day off to herself. I wish she would just go ahead and be honest about it.

Yeah, I won't get out of bed for one kid.:: After doing the math, it just doesn't make sense. I still have increased utilities (since regulations are the same if you have one kid or ten kids - which include having lights on, heat set to at least 68, etc) in addition to the fact I'm a virtual prisoner in my home when I have day care (due to regs )
Not worth it for one kid's tuition. If I'm going lose money, I'd rather have the day off completely.

[Annalee]

I would like to give the parents a new contract after the new year. In the past I have had a contract but when it came to vacation time I kind of just winged it. In my next contract I want things to be more straight forward. I have two school aged girls who's Christmas break officially started on Monday. Per my contract I am off Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Day. In the past years I got lucky and the week after Christmas I would end up having off because parents ended up taking the week off or out of town. This was great for me because of course they had to pay me for it. This year I was not so lucky. Out of the five kids two of them will be here next week. I'm not sure what to do for my next contract. I feel like I already take a lot of time off for home daycare standards. I take a week for spring break, a week in the summer, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New years Day, Thanksgiving Day, and black friday. I take all federal holidays payed with the exception of Veterans Day. Would asking for the week after Christmas break be way to much? I missed out on a family trip to Chicago for Christmas because I don't have enough time off this Christmas. My girls are so sad because they have not seen their cousins in so long. This is a hard job because there is not much flexibility. The week in the summer is definitely not enough when you have school aged kids. They just end up missing out on so much. I want a contract that I am happy with. Another question is, Do you give teachers a separate contract? I have two teachers and they for the most part they follow the county schedule except now one of them is trying to bring her daughter on days schools are closed. Do you all allow teachers to do this if you are not getting a full income from them in the summer? I am quite bitter that I have to work next week How much vacation do you all take? How much of it is paid? Thanks!

We just renewed contracts and I took the number off of my personal days and put " listed are the personal days xxx will take for 2016 but are not limited to these days".....this way I do not miss my sons' or any other family event I might want to attend....just an idea you might want to try. I get paid 52 weeks a year and have for many years. This includes personal, vacation, professional, holidays, emergency days.....my brain is not as "with it" as I used to be:: so I basically put unlimited personal time. Every one signed and seemed to be OK with it????? I have never been abusive to these days but realize my own kids need my time too!

[Blackcat31]

I would like to give the parents a new contract after the new year. In the past I have had a contract but when it came to vacation time I kind of just winged it. In my next contract I want things to be more straight forward. I have two school aged girls who's Christmas break officially started on Monday. Per my contract I am off Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Day. In the past years I got lucky and the week after Christmas I would end up having off because parents ended up taking the week off or out of town. This was great for me because of course they had to pay me for it. This year I was not so lucky. Out of the five kids two of them will be here next week. I'm not sure what to do for my next contract. I feel like I already take a lot of time off for home daycare standards. I take a week for spring break, a week in the summer, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New years Day, Thanksgiving Day, and black friday. I take all federal holidays payed with the exception of Veterans Day. Would asking for the week after Christmas break be way to much? I missed out on a family trip to Chicago for Christmas because I don't have enough time off this Christmas. My girls are so sad because they have not seen their cousins in so long. This is a hard job because there is not much flexibility. The week in the summer is definitely not enough when you have school aged kids. They just end up missing out on so much. I want a contract that I am happy with. Another question is, Do you give teachers a separate contract? I have two teachers and they for the most part they follow the county schedule except now one of them is trying to bring her daughter on days schools are closed. Do you all allow teachers to do this if you are not getting a full income from them in the summer? I am quite bitter that I have to work next week How much vacation do you all take? How much of it is paid? Thanks!

The biggest thing is do your clients push back or accept your policies? If your clients have reliable back up and are told far enough in advance, I guess I wouldnt worry about it. If you have clients that are contstantly venting about having to "figure out" what to do on your closed days, then I would rethink my vacation date/days.

I'm all for doing what you need to do as a self employed business person but I also understand that keeping clients means compromising and adjusting to what area parents are able to do/accept.

Yeah, I won't get out of bed for one kid.:: After doing the math, it just doesn't make sense. I still have increased utilities (since regulations are the same if you have one kid or ten kids - which include having lights on, heat set to at least 68, etc) in addition to the fact I'm a virtual prisoner in my home when I have day care (due to regs )
Not worth it for one kid's tuition. If I'm going lose money, I'd rather have the day off completely.

I get up for one kid on Fridays about once a month. However, I am being paid for all my kids even though only one attends. I get alot done around the daycare that day. Paperwork, cleaning, organizing, rearranging etc so for me its worth it. IF I was only paid for that one child though, I'd rethink my willingness to be here.

[rosieteddy]

Here everyone gets paid vacations its the norm.We all make our own contracts.I was paid 52 weeks a year, 3 weeks vacation -2 summer 1-winter.Holidays ,Christmas Eve and day after thanksgiving.I also had personal-sick days (not used much).I did plan ahead and gave dates in Sept or Jan depending on contract renewals.Most parents planned their vacations around that.Teachers paid for school vacations ,child did not attend. They did not pay for summer but gave first two week deposit at the end of school-nonrefundable if not attending. If those children attending next week are teachers kids,I would tell them now you are closed and go on your trip.Life is short and they will cancel us in a heart beat .

[Snowmom]

Here everyone gets paid vacations its the norm.We all make our own contracts.I was paid 52 weeks a year, 3 weeks vacation -2 summer 1-winter.Holidays ,Christmas Eve and day after thanksgiving.I also had personal-sick days (not used much).I did plan ahead and gave dates in Sept or Jan depending on contract renewals.Most parents planned their vacations around that.Teachers paid for school vacations ,child did not attend. They did not pay for summer but gave first two week deposit at the end of school-nonrefundable if not attending. If those children attending next week are teachers kids,I would tell them now you are closed and go on your trip.Life is short and they will cancel us in a heart beat .

I agree. Do what YOU need to do to be happy & healthy.

Personally, no, I do not have a separate policy or contract for teacher's children. When I get asked, I tell them I am a year-round childcare and my rates are the same whether you attend or not. If they choose to put in their notice and leave for summer break, then so be it, but the spot is not guaranteed when fall comes. And.... I wouldn't take them back anyway if they did that- I can fill it with a permanent FT'er no problem since my area is high demand.

[MissAnn]

Yeah, I won't get out of bed for one kid.:: After doing the math, it just doesn't make sense. I still have increased utilities (since regulations are the same if you have one kid or ten kids - which include having lights on, heat set to at least 68, etc) in addition to the fact I'm a virtual prisoner in my home when I have day care (due to regs )
Not worth it for one kid's tuition. If I'm going lose money, I'd rather have the day off completely.

I got full pay......

[kendallina]

I take one or two weeks vacation in the summer, one week (plus two days this year) at Christmas and federal holidays. Next year, though, I'll be doing two weeks at Christmas and spring break. If it doesn't work for families, then I'm not the provider for them.

I take my holidays paid but I do not take paid vacations. Not sure if I'll change that for next school year or not.

This is the first year I've run full time (I used to just do a part time preschool and take a lot more days off). I didn't think it would have been okay to take lots of days if I was doing full time care as all of my families work (last year less than half of them worked), but I'm over it. They'll figure it out .

I do like the idea of requiring a minimum of 3 kids here or closing. I had all of my kids leave by 1pm today except for one so I asked her mom if she could pick up early, so she's coming right after nap which is awesome.

[Controlled Chaos]

I take paid holidays (Christmas eve, xmas day, Thanksgiving, black friday, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labor Day) but my vacation is unpaid. My husband is in school now and kids are real little, once DH has a more typical job with vacation available to him and the kids are older I may add in some summer paid days. I get paid whether kids come or not if I am open, so I don't care about minimums.

When I close without pay it costs me $210 a day so I don't like to do it much. I closed last year for $3 days during the summer and had a sub cover 4 days.

[Play Care]

I got full pay......

Still not worth it to me. I hate to be the child's only playmate.