Provider's PAID Vacation?

[Unregistered]

What a ridiculous argument. A daycare is a business. If a business owner wants to go on vacation and closes, he should take his pay for those weeks out of his profits. Do you pay tuition fees in school even when school closes? No.

Yes, actually I do. Sorry, but that's just the way it works. In any event, it's incredibly selfish to expect YOUR employer to give to you special benefits and you cry about returning that favor over to the person who keeps your child safe. WTH is wrong with parents?

[lovemykidstoo]

I say kudos to anyone that can get vacation or sick pay from their daycare parents, however it's not really fair to say that if an employer pays you holiday or vacation pay then it's to be expected that your daycare provider should get same. Your employer does not pay someone else to do your job if you're off for a week, therefore it is not costing your employer double the wage if an employee is off. There is no way in my area that if someone pays me $150 a week and I'm off for a week for them to pay $300 in daycare costs for that week. That does not fly here at all. People cannot afford that here. Again, if that's what you do, then good for you, that's great really! My point is when it's compared to employers and employees it's not comparing apples to apples.

[SSWonders]

How about if your kids only go part time and never on Monday. Why would a daycare charge for a Monday. My week at the daycare is Tuesday thru Friday. I don't see why should pay for Mondays over and over again that she is taking off.

IF you have a contract for the four days your, and if the holiday falls on a day of the week that is not one of your contracted days, then I as a provider would not charge for it. That would be charging you for a 5 day week when you are contracted for four. I don't think it's fair to charge for a day a child is not regularly scheduled for. I take it one step further here. If I have a part time child that is scheduled to be here when a closed holiday occurs, I give them the option of coming on another day instead, as long as I have room. I get the day off and my income is still the same so my budget isn't affected.

I think I will change my contract just to eliminate any confusion that says a holiday is paid if the child is usually contracted to attend on that day. That's just how I do it.

Each provider is different. It's the contract that matters. What you signed and agreed to in your contract is what you are responsible for. If it wasn't in the contract, then there is a legitimate issue.

[blandino]

I say kudos to anyone that can get vacation or sick pay from their daycare parents, however it's not really fair to say that if an employer pays you holiday or vacation pay then it's to be expected that your daycare provider should get same. Your employer does not pay someone else to do your job if you're off for a week, therefore it is not costing your employer double the wage if an employee is off. There is no way in my area that if someone pays me $150 a week and I'm off for a week for them to pay $300 in daycare costs for that week. That does not fly here at all. People cannot afford that here. Again, if that's what you do, then good for you, that's great really! My point is when it's compared to employers and employees it's not comparing apples to apples.

Yes, but parents don't HAVE to pay someone else. They could take the time off themselves, provided they get paid vacation. Or Mom and Dad could each take 2 days off.

I take the week off, and NOT ONE of my 14 families pays for someone else to watch their children. They either have the time off, use vacation/personal time, or have family watch the child. I take mine the week between Christmas and New Years (20-2 this year), and most of my parents aren't working on those days.

[Cradle2crayons]

Yes, but parents don't HAVE to pay someone else. They could take the time off themselves, provided they get paid vacation. Or Mom and Dad could each take 2 days off.

I take the week off, and NOT ONE of my 14 families pays for someone else to watch their children. They either have the time off, use vacation/personal time, or have family watch the child. I take mine the week between Christmas and New Years (20-2 this year), and most of my parents aren't working on those days.

I COMPLETELY see why providers take 10 holidays and a week off here or there. I would also and I understand that your parents get paid time off.

However, my two daycare parents get NO paid time off at ALL. It also makes it harder that the mom of special dcg and her infant brother has NO family willing or able to care for the special dcg in case of illness or closing. Moms sister will occasionally be able to help with the baby but none of the family are willing or able to be trusted to do the things he medically fragile child needs. BUT, mom is able to re arrange if one of them is sick so that works. The other daycare mom has NO FAMILY whatsoever here and NO sick or vacation time whatsoever. I've had to exclude twice on one of the three kids since they started seven months ago. Mom was able to get off work for the kids illness.

However, if I had families who did traditional work, I would also ask for days off and vacation time. But the type of families I provider care for, it just isn't that way.

The rare time I HAVE to take time off for something, i let the two moms know ahead of time and they request that day off of work. I do take thanksgiving day, Christmas Day, and the Saturday before Christmas off. I let them know when they sign up and remind hem so they can request the day off work.

[KidGrind]

No, of course children aren't bread and milk. The point I was trying to make is that all of you like to refer to yourselves as business owners/being self-employed. Yet many self-employed people do not get vacations. Heck, many who are employed by others don't get vacation. Yet daycare providers are entitled to it because they work so much harder than everyone else. Whatever. Same attitude, different day.

Parents have options. If they do not like a provider’s policy then they should look elsewhere and not sign the contract.

It is truly that simple.

[Unregistered]

The difference is that when most small business owners go on vacation, they don't just close down. They hire people to keep it open. They don't expect you to pay for your bread and milk anyway even though you don't get it and have to go buy it somewhere else, too.

You mean they have to pay SOMEONE ELSE? So they had an EXTRA expense just to get a break.

Go figure. And the selfishness of people rear it's ugly head again! Same with Thanksgiving. People are SO SELFISH they EXPECT stores to be OPEN and SCREW people's families because hey, THESE PEOPLE want to do what they want to do and if they're not able to do so, they cry and whine. Meanwhile people who make crap pay at walmart or wherever, are FORCED to go into work, missing valuable time with families.

People's expectations/priorities are WAY off these days. SELFISH is what I call a parent who is UNWILLING to provide a paid vacation. We providers have your kids LIVES in our hands, but we are undeserving? Because it INCONVENIENCS you because you have to pay a backup? I call HOGWASH on that anyway. I HAD a backup *I* paid and PROVIDED (when I went on vacation) and parents would NOT use the backup (certified, fingerprinted, SAFE, and she helped sub when I had 1/2 day appts with doctors or my kids or I got sick), rather paid someone else, then WHINED about having to do so! Um, NO, there ARE always other options! But sometimes parents are TOO STUPID to take them. And just because SOME jobs do not come with a "vacation package" does not mean that parents work 24/7. They DO get some sort of time off that they COULD be spending with their child. They choose not to because after all, "If I don't get to, NO ONE GETS TO" is the mentality. Never mind that rearing children FOR YOU is incredibly difficult. You could choose other daycare if you don't like the contract. You could choose another job too, just like providers can. The providers, though, choose their time off and YOU EITHER SIGN OR DON'T SIGN in agreement. If you signed, then you have to be quiet! You agreed at that signing at that interview before you ever brought your child. Do not sign up if you do not agree and this wouldn't even be a question. Once again, people not really paying attention to what they are doing or signing up not knowing the terms or not caring...just proves once again, that people are ridiculous.

See, everyone wants dcproviders to work their tails off, hardly ANY pay, NO time off, but as long as YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT and your kid has a place to go, hey, that's ALL that matters and in spite of your signing a contract, you want providers to bend over for you and break the rules YOU agreed to. Nope.

This is TRULY a thankless job and I'm so glad I left. I miss the kids, but sure as heck DO NOT miss the parents and their horrifically selfish and rude behaviors.

[Unregistered]

really?

It must be nice for you when not being able to pay twice in the same week to care for your children, or be forced to take the week off of work to care for them yourself an "inconvenience". For some people it would mean losing a weeks pay, taking any vacation pay they were entitled to, or even losing their job for taking a week they weren't entitled to. Does anyone realize that these days, more and more employers don't provide benefits, or paid vacation, or sick days? No one is required to provide these things. If they are, there are ways around it. Hiring all part time employees for instance. The point is, for some it is more than a mere inconvenience, it is a serious financial hardship that might have serious consequences. Yes, contract signed...should have read it. But in the long run, everyone may feel that they should get a weeks paid for not working at all, but no one really deserves it. If that were the case it would be a national law and everyone would get it. As it is now, the people that work the hardest, have to pay for their own daycare, instead of hiring a live in nanny. Better than 50% of the time they probably don't get paid for time off.

[NeedaVaca]

I COMPLETELY see why providers take 10 holidays and a week off here or there. I would also and I understand that your parents get paid time off.

However, my two daycare parents get NO paid time off at ALL. It also makes it harder that the mom of special dcg and her infant brother has NO family willing or able to care for the special dcg in case of illness or closing. Moms sister will occasionally be able to help with the baby but none of the family are willing or able to be trusted to do the things he medically fragile child needs. BUT, mom is able to re arrange if one of them is sick so that works. The other daycare mom has NO FAMILY whatsoever here and NO sick or vacation time whatsoever. I've had to exclude twice on one of the three kids since they started seven months ago. Mom was able to get off work for the kids illness.

However, if I had families who did traditional work, I would also ask for days off and vacation time. But the type of families I provider care for, it just isn't that way.

The rare time I HAVE to take time off for something, i let the two moms know ahead of time and they request that day off of work. I do take thanksgiving day, Christmas Day, and the Saturday before Christmas off. I let them know when they sign up and remind hem so they can request the day off work.

I go over my policy during the interview and would not take families that had no family nearby or ample days off. I have never had a problem with this and no one has ever not signed up due to my holiday/vacation days. The families I contract have grandparents and family to help,work from home with flexible schedules or work for the university with more days off than I actually take My DCP's have no problems with my time off They tell me to have a great day off!

[Cat Herder]

I wonder where the parent vs. provider mentality began. Most providers I know are also parents...

Having children is not mandatory. Making a provider feel guilty for a parents lack of financial planning is just wrong.

Becoming an independent provider is a huge risk and initially a financial burden. I pushed through it, saved and did without for years. Now, 20+ years of service later, I enjoy paid vacation.

I refuse to feel guilty for it.

[daycaremum]

wording in contract for provider time off....be careful

For any Canadians on the forum...here is a link.....please scroll down to "how many holidays can I take."" The wording in your contract is very important. You should no use the terms "Paid sick days" or "paid vacation" for the provider or it can get you and the parents in trouble with CCRA.
Please read the link for alternatives.

http://www.ccprn.com/en/information-for-caregivers/questions-and-answers-for-caregivers/

[nannyde]

It must be nice for you when not being able to pay twice in the same week to care for your children, or be forced to take the week off of work to care for them yourself an "inconvenience". For some people it would mean losing a weeks pay, taking any vacation pay they were entitled to, or even losing their job for taking a week they weren't entitled to. Does anyone realize that these days, more and more employers don't provide benefits, or paid vacation, or sick days? No one is required to provide these things. If they are, there are ways around it. Hiring all part time employees for instance. The point is, for some it is more than a mere inconvenience, it is a serious financial hardship that might have serious consequences. Yes, contract signed...should have read it. But in the long run, everyone may feel that they should get a weeks paid for not working at all, but no one really deserves it. If that were the case it would be a national law and everyone would get it. As it is now, the people that work the hardest, have to pay for their own daycare, instead of hiring a live in nanny. Better than 50% of the time they probably don't get paid for time off.

Yes really.

I think we see way way way more parents taking "me" days and bringing their kids to daycare so they can "get stuff done" while using up their precious time off then we do parents with no vacation days.

[KidGrind]

It must be nice for you when not being able to pay twice in the same week to care for your children, or be forced to take the week off of work to care for them yourself an "inconvenience". For some people it would mean losing a weeks pay, taking any vacation pay they were entitled to, or even losing their job for taking a week they weren't entitled to. Does anyone realize that these days, more and more employers don't provide benefits, or paid vacation, or sick days? No one is required to provide these things. If they are, there are ways around it. Hiring all part time employees for instance. The point is, for some it is more than a mere inconvenience, it is a serious financial hardship that might have serious consequences. Yes, contract signed...should have read it. But in the long run, everyone may feel that they should get a weeks paid for not working at all, but no one really deserves it. If that were the case it would be a national law and everyone would get it. As it is now, the people that work the hardest, have to pay for their own daycare, instead of hiring a live in nanny. Better than 50% of the time they probably don't get paid for time off.

Yes, really! I didn’t force anyone to become a parent. I understand sometimes individuals are struggling financially.

What does that have to do with me or my business? Most of the parents I deal with have 30 days of vacation days a year.

[drseuss]

I have been on this forum only a week, and have read and reread this thread. I must say that it's got my feathers ruffled a bit. I have typed a few snarky responses to make myself feel better and then deleted them before posting. LOL!

I'll just say this:

This profession would be significantly less stressful if more parents understood the critical importance of their child care provider's happiness and sanity, and how it directly correlates to quality of care for their children. We do deserve a vacation, and I'm going to stick my neck out a bit and say that I think providers who do not take any kind of paid days off at all are doing themselves and their colleagues in this profession a disservice. You deserve time off, you NEED time off, and heck yes you better believe that you deserve to be paid for it once in a while.

[Unregistered]

Blasphemy

Myself, I think that charging a customer for a service that is not being provided is blasphemy. I myself own two businesses, one with 40 employees, so I hope that my opinion is taken into consideration.

My employees get vacation time, yes, it is an EMPLOYEE BENIFIT. But do I charge my customers to pay for my employees to go on vacation? Of course not!! This is an overhead cost to running a business. As a business owner, I am stuck with overhead costs.

As a dayhome, these people are running their own business. This cost should be their overhead as well. If they want to pay themselves during their vacation time, it should come out of their profit margins just like every other business out there. A business is a business, you provide a good or service. Charging customers for a service that isn't being provided is NOT RIGHT. It is poor business and, in my opinion, theft. Anyone in their right mind who signs a contract agreeing to this term is an idiot.