What Do Parents Prefer, Vacation-Wise?

[SilverSabre25]

Do you think parents prefer to get vacation time at no charge for themselves and pay for provider's vacation time, or do they prefer to pay regardless of whether they attend daycare but NOT have to pay when the provider takes off?

(My current policy is the former--ten days at no charge for them and ten paid days for me. I'm thinking of changing it to the latter--they pay the same amount yearly but the accounting is simpler)

[sharlan]

I think parents prefer not to pay either way.

I think it would be easier for parents to not pay when you take off, but pay when they do. Sometimes it's hard to have to pay double - you and another provider - when you take off.

[Country Kids]

I think parents would rather just pay when they are not here and not pay when we take the time off. I think for some reason it just makes more sense.

Now here is a question I have! If you charge a monthly rate do the parents then pay everytime you have a day off? This is what really confuses me because if you don't charge them for your days off how do you figure that out when charging a monthly rate?

[SilverSabre25]

How do I word this change then? I'm keeping my paid holidays.

CountryKids, I think you would figure it out like this:
Assume a weekly rate of $120 and you take ten days (aka two weeks) off per year that aren't charged, so you're charging for 50 weeks over the course of 12 months. That's:
$120 * 50 weeks= $6000.
$6000/12 months = $500/month vs. 120 * 52 /12 = $520/month

you might have to show the parents the math in order to get them to understand that they don't pay for your days, though.

[MarinaVanessa]

I would just continue to charge a weekly rate, have a list of days that the DC is closed for holidays and a clause that says that care is charged on a flat weekly rate which is based on enrollment not attendance.

[cheerfuldom]

I get paid no matter what happens. I get paid vacation time and the parents also pay me even if they are gone. I had one family that went to france for 3 weeks and I still got paid I don't care what the parents prefer, this is what I prefer

but if they had to choose, I agree with the other posters that parents would rather not pay a provider and then pay backup care.

[SimpleMom]

Probably niether (). I have mine pay if they are here or not. Not my vacations. I just save up a little out of every week for my vacations. So, it's kind of added into the weekly rate I guess.

[Pammie]

[QUOTE=SilverSabre25;132669]do they prefer to pay regardless of whether they attend daycare but NOT have to pay when the provider takes off?
/QUOTE]

This is what is most favorable to my clients:-)

[WImom]

I do the 2nd one. They pay when they aren't here but don't pay if I'm on vacation. I figure they may be paying someone else and I'd hate for them to pay twice.

[newtodaycare22]

Mine pay me when they are not here and when I'm not here. I guess your parents would hate me. !

My only vacations are federal holidays (they pay anyway) and 5 days of personal vacation.

I give them up to a week at half off for vacation, but that's it. Otherwise, I would be out of luck on times when 3 of my 6 all go on vacation!