Time Off at Christmas - How Much is Reasonable ?

Good morning ladies - I have a couple of questions that I just wanted to get some feedback from other caregivers on....

I would like to take (almost) 2 weeks off this year at Xmas. The way that Xmas falls this year, it means I am asking parents to use up 6 of their own vacation days to cover this block of time. I am not charging parents for these two weeks. My contract states that if I am not caring for your child, then you don't have to pay me. I'm also lucky in that two of my parents are Mum's who have just returned to work - so they have a whole year's worth of holiday time banked - no problems for them in terms of being able to manage the time off. Another client is going to visit family out of town for those two weeks - so again, no conflicts there. =) The fly in the ointment is this one client. She's just started a new job and she isn't terribly happy about my taking two weeks off. While I am sympathetic to her position, she does have a husband who could hold the fort with the kids if she's not able to get the time off, and her Mum lives with her (another source of help) How much time do you ladies typically take off - both at Christmas and during the course of a year ? Any suggestions on how to gracefully get through this, without having to work through Xmas ? I really don't want to be tied to the house and have to get up every morning - especially for just one kid ! :mad:

I wouldn't open for one kid either. I look at my numbers early in the fall and decide based on what I have going on over christmas, how many days would i be closed based on when Christmas falls and what kind of families I have.

This year most of my families are off, but I've offered to be open as I'm not going anywhere and it really isn't inconvenient for me. However, at Christmas I don't charge if they dont come. It's kind of like my gift to them. :)

In the past I've closed for the week of Christmas only, not straight through to new years as we normally go away. This year we're not going away.

I think that you're right to close as it's only one child. Backup care is not your concern, it's theirs. However, you have to look at your contract too. I write my contract around Christmas very loosly so I can make these desicions on the fly. However, if I have someone that I know will have trouble with care I normally try to accomodate.

Enjoy your time off! and be guilt free about it. We deserve it.

I close for 2 weeks every Christmas. It's in my contract...take it or leave it. They don't pay. Schools are closed and parents have to find a way, so might as well get them used to that with preschoolers :laugh:

Oh this one is easy! :) This "new" parent just needs to understand this is the way you work. Consider this: IF you took her child for even a few of the days you intend to take for the holidays, she will expect the same come next year. Don't do it! The fact that you are not expecting any pay and the fact that the Holidays are a VERY important time to spend with family should be respected by her. She WILL get over it, she is juts new to the daycare thing and new to you...just tell her this is the way you do it and thats all there is to it! :)

I do the same thing, if Christmas falls on a wed. I will take tuesday off also (Christmas eve) all the way through the day after the first of the year. Sometimes that can be as much as 2 weeks, but I have also done this for almost 10 years anyone who has been with me over the years knows that is the way it works...I also inform them at sign on of my times off. It is really just about the only time I take off besides the typically one day here and there for memorial day, fourth of july, and such...usually take long weekends if possible for such holidays as Easter and Thanksgiving...never charge for those days off though. :) Take your time you intended and enjoy your family, that's what the Holidays are for. Don't forget, that is part of the reason for being "self employed" We are the boss of ourselves not the parents. They will be just fine without you, and it sets a precidence for what you expect and how you run your business.

I have let go of the guilt of "inconveniencing " my clients with the time I do take off. I normally have 2 weeks in the summer and I take the full Christmas break. This year I am off Dec 24 through to and including Jan 4. I give them about 3 months notice of my holidays and it is up to them to find alternate care or book their holidays at this time.
While the clients would love for us to be available at all times to suit their needs, they must realize that sometimes we need to suit ourselves and our families needs. The stats that occur during this time do not require payment as it is my time off.

I think the important thing we can do to avoid conflict and worry is to let clients know upon enrollment how many 'weeks' a year you are closed in general so that they can make an informed choice about how much time they will need to find alternative arrangements for either using their own vacation or asking family to be back up and so forth.

So for example my contract states I am close for all public/statutory holidays with a list of the 10 days I take as well as I take 10 days of 'vacation' that comes with 60 days written notice and also take up to 10 days of emergency personal leave with as much notice as possible given. It also states that in regards to Xmas closure I am closed as of December 23 at 4:30 - through to January 1st and reopen on January 2nd normal time ... so it is clear that over the course of the year they need to have at least this many days of 'back up care' planned for ... if they do not get that much vacation than I am not the match for them!

I also tell clients in the interview/contract signing stage that if/when January 2nd falls on a FRIDAY I would take a personal day cause coming back to work for 1 day seems well lame and I do the same thing with Canada Day if it falls on a Thursday I take the Friday off as well or if it Falls on a Tuesday I take the Monday off as well ;)

I tell parents in the interview when ALL our holidays are we.. We share a family cottage and have the same two weeks every summer, we go east in May to visit my father in law for a week every year and I am closed for Daycare from Dec 22 ( I use the 23rd as a me day!) until the first day back at work after New years.
I would never dream of opening for one child, especially at Christmas time. Christmas is very important to us in terms of being together as a family ( we do not believe in god) and visiting the ones we love and I would not want to have a daycare child tagging along, no fun for the child and I am able to really enjoy the holiday.

BTW ~ my clients do not get a 'say' as to when I take my holidays all they get is adequate NOTICE and their ability or inability to find alternate arrangements around that closure is not my concern ... while there are many pros of the personalized, flexible and individualized care that is offered the one CON of home childcare is that clients need to be prepared to supply back up care for when provider is sick or on vacation and everyone should KNOW THAT going into this arrangement ... if you do not have a back up plan and ample sick or vacation time yourself to match the providers than you should choose CENTRE care where you have access to care 52 weeks a year cause they are never 'closed' regardless if their regular staff are sick or on vacation they book 'supply staff' to come in!

Honestly during the interview process with a client like yours who shared she was NEW to a job I would have made special care to reiterate 'are you going to be able to work around my vacation or sick days' because if the MINIMAL time was going to be a problem I would not have signed her on cause she is too much of a risk of dealing with conflict and her stress over having to take time off work or worse case scenario her loosing her job if you've needed sick time or whatever and well I do not want nor need to be dealing with that kind of guilt being thrown my way by someone :(

Thanks so much for the feedback ladies.... @Inspired - this is not a new client. I've cared for her daughter for a year and a half now. My client accepted a new position last month - the first I heard about it was when she said that she would need to drop off her daughter a half hour early each day (which is fine by me - it still fits within my hours) It's tough - you want to strike a good balance between being reasonable (after all we are providing a service) but not being a doormat -totally agree with Kidlove. =) Thanks again for all of your thoughts - I feel much less reluctant about telling her to make alternate arrangements now. =)

I am closed from Dec 24 till Jan 1. I am paid for 4 of those days. It is stated in my contract how many weeks I take off each year (4) and the parents are given a list of the dates at the beginning of Jan. I used to stay open between Christmas and New Years but usually ended up with one child and I decided that I needed that time for my family. Never had a parent complain.

I state in my manual that I can take up to 10 weeks off unpaid. I'm not open, you don't pay (unless a Stat). No family is going to tell me how I run my business. They don't like it, then tough shit!

I take 2 weeks off at Christmas, a week off during March Break, and the rest throughout the summer. That being said, it's in my manual and contracts that they signed. And for any additional days off, I let them know at least 2-4 weeks in advance (unless it's an emergency).

I usually close from December 22 or 23 until the first business day after New Years. This year it works out to Saturday december 22 and reopening January 2

I get paid Christmas day, Boxing day and New Years day.....the rest is unpaid.

I usually tell my daycare families around July/August

You deserve that time off and opening and closing in between holidays is a nuisance. Enjoy your time. I am sure they will think of something to cover those few days. Every parent in my daycare is told that they are expected to have backup care for vacation days or emergencies. You cannot be a slave to them and their schedule. They will think of something. Don't feel guilty about taking time for yourself and your family.

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Originally Posted by Monday 2 Friday Mama

T...... @Inspired - this is not a new client. I've cared for her daughter for a year and a half now. ....

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Well than she should know how 'holidays' work in your program and her accepting a new job does not change how your business works or your entitlement to closing your business .... she should have either made plans with family on how to handle her not having any 'vacation' until she has been at the new job for however long before they require her to be there BEFORE accepting the job.

This is why communication with a provider is so important for clients cause HAD she communicated she was planning on changing jobs with you PRIOR to changing than it could have prompted a discussion of 'will the now job be within the hours of our program' and 'will that affect your back up care plan as most jobs you have to be there a year before earning any' and planted the seed for her to be proactive in remembering that not so minor detail as a con of changing jobs might affect your childcare :rolleyes:

I have it in my contract that I'm closed Dec 24, 25 & 26 then 31st as well.

Christmas is split between two families for us so it's lunch on the 24th at one side, dinner with another and my side on the 25th. So no I'm not watching someone and these are part of my "paid" days. I addded Christmas eve, New Years eve and Easter Monday to my paid days. Otherwise if I'm closed they don't pay.

The way it works this year it means I'd only be open for two days 27 & 28......I'll leave it up to the parents since I'll be home anyways. We'll see.....

Last year I was only closed for the stats, but this year I added Christmas eve into my contract paid, and since that falls on a Tuesday, I am taking a paid vacation day for the Monday and another paid vacation day for the 31st, since I am closed on the 1st...this way I actually get some good chunks of rest time and it limits the amount of days I am open when my 4 year old is home from school as things get a bit crazy when he is here ;) I told all my clients this in September, so they are all fine with it. Last year I stayed open thinking that probably most if not all clients would take some of those days off to stay home with family...but it didn't happen and I felt tired and burnt out...not this time!

I have in my contract that parents get at least 4 months notice before I take holidays for 7-10 days. For 2 weeks off, they get 6 months and for anything over that, a year. This gives them plenty of time to sort out their childcare. While I'd love to take the same period off every year, I also love to travel and do so according to cheaper airfares. Currently, my fav trip is camping in Culebra, Puerto Rico, so for 3 yrs now, I've taken roughly the same time frame to land in with mainly other backpackers, but that could change should I find another little island that tickles my fancy. Really, with enough notice, parents should be totally fine with figuring out back up. Everyone seems to have a different way to handle vacation time and all of them sound perfectly reasonable. Do what works best for your family.....and your sanity :)

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Originally Posted by sunnydays

Last year I was only closed for the stats, but this year I added Christmas eve into my contract paid, and since that falls on a Tuesday, I am taking a paid vacation day for the Monday and another paid vacation day for the 31st, since I am closed on the 1st...this way I actually get some good chunks of rest time and it limits the amount of days I am open when my 4 year old is home from school as things get a bit crazy when he is here ;) I told all my clients this in September, so they are all fine with it. Last year I stayed open thinking that probably most if not all clients would take some of those days off to stay home with family...but it didn't happen and I felt tired and burnt out...not this time!

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Sunnydays when I was reading your post I asked myself did I right this? Dido to everything you said. This way we get 2 nice long weekends to relax, one a 5 day long weekend and the other a 4 day long weekend. I had a parent show up last year the day after boxing day not realizing it was a Stat she woke up my whole family. Totally uncool, this year I let all parents know in Sept and trust me there will be a reminder Dec 1st LOL.

I will admit that Christmas time was always the bane of existence when I worked in childcare centres and we were open every day except the stats and we would basically have full attendance right up until close time on December 24 and kids back there at open time the 27 right through to New Years eve on the 31st at close .... and all this despite the fact that 98% of those clients using care were not working and HOME cause really with the exception of Essential Services and the 'service industry' MOST business close or work on skeleton crews from Christmas Eve through to day after New Years Day and therefore even if you do work in an industry that does not 'close' during this time there must be within a 'family unit' SOMEONE who is not working and can allow children to be home with family getting a break during the holiday season!!!

Family time is a value I cherish and it use to break my heart to see these kids in 'daycare' on Christmas eve while parents were home 'getting ready' for the holiday season without them .... IMO getting ready for Christmas is PART of the family traditions and children are perfectly capable of being PART of that .... so I admit this is why I close because family time is important to me and so my policies reflect and promote that value .... now if clients are not working and still choose to put their kids in 'alternate care' that week with someone else at least I do not have to witness it and can be blissfully ignorant enjoying my family time!

darasmommy: hmmmm.... 2 posts from you, and neither of them has anything constructive to say? Perhaps Play&Learn should be glad that YOU are not HER client.
I am not sure why you have the impression that we are all money-grubbing lazy caregivers, but you are woefully mistaken.
:no:

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Originally Posted by darasmommy

Wow. Glad you aren't my child's caregiver. *eyeroll*

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Not to question your intelligence "eye roll" but did it not occur to you that play and learn's schedule obviously works for her clients????? This might be the ideal program for a teacher, for example, that has the same time off from their job and does not require daycare during that time???? I am sorry if you have had a negative experience with a caregiver but we are here to support each other.

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Originally Posted by Wonderwiper

.... I am sorry if you have had a negative experience with a caregiver but we are here to support each other.

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Exactly ... coming on here and painting us all with some money grubbing sitting on our asses eating bon bons all day is not going to garner you a whole lot of love from a board made up primarily of PROVIDERS?

What is your motive in posting other than trolling to stir up drama and stereotypes?

Cannot imagine I would get much 'love' from the members if I went onto a forum of police officers and started venting about the amount of time they spend in donut shops instead of patrolling our streets and preventing crime :rolleyes:

@ Darasmommy:

Call me a bitch if you want, and I will prolly get slapped for this post.....

But I am GLAD YOU ARE NOT MY CLIENT.

With that type of response I'd be kicking you out of my house, and warning other providers that you were looking.

Do you have zero respect for this profession?

I mean really??

I am done answering you..I don't have time for your idiotic behavior, and I am sure the others don't either.

Troll. (I mean looking for a way to stir things up kinda troll)

My perception/speculation of Darasmommy is that the provider she was/is using was firm in her policies and did not bend to accomodate her, thus the negative attitude. It is unfortunate she does not respect the person who she intrusted with her child's care however, she needs to leave her attitude where she lives and not spew her negativity here. She obviously sees the support and respect we have for each other and she is trying to undermine it. I hope she see's herself as we do and will become a positive member of this forum because otherwise she won't be responded to be me.

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Originally Posted by darasmommy

Wow. Glad you aren't my child's caregiver. *eyeroll*

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WOWIE! GLAD you're not a client, as you wouldn't have lasted the phone/email interviews!!!!

I have respect for others and their professions. If you can't respect me as a business owner, why should I have you and your child come to me?

Back on track. My contract states Christmas Eve day as a holiday as well as Christmas Day & Boxing Day so this year I'm closed the Mon, Tues, Wed and officially open Thurs & Fri but secretly hoping all my families have those days off too.

I wonder if Darasmommy will speak to her child's teachers this way, they get 10 weeks off in the summer, two weeks at Christmas etc, etc. We are self-employed business women, who work hard, long hours for minimal pay. My Mom always said "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything". This person just joined this forum, she has no idea who we are and obviously has a huge chip on her shoulder.

I am taking 2 weeks off over Christmas. My contract states that Dec24,23,26,31 and Jan 1 are paid holidays for me. So the other 5 days will be unpaid. I would not want to be open for 1 child either. I have done that before I smartened up and hated it. I even used to work on Christmas Eve, never again! There have to be some perks to doing this job!