Christmas block leave?

Hi girls!
Just thinking ahead to Christmas time, what do you all do with regards to closing over the holiday?
Do you take a few days off, but still request payment for the stats, Christmas day, Boxing day, New Years day, and the other days are without pay?

I am contemplating closing from approx the 23rd to January 3rd. If I calculate this correctly, it would only be 3 days off without pay and the rest would be covered as stat pay.
Do you think parents would be annoyed by this, or is it fairly common to close during the holiday season? Assuming I give notice immediately of our Christmas plans.

Thanks for your input!

Oh, I never thought of the stats.... I did not close last year, but I only had 1 family that needed me for 2 days. So this year I am closing between Christmas and New Years, I just wasnt going to charge them for the week in between, but the Stat on Jan 2 I think it is I would charge them for.... but again, I never thought of the other stats that occur over that week... I'd be interested too to hear what others do!

Because I follow the school holiday, and parents know this upon signing on with me....I take 2 weeks off to spend time with hubby and family. These are unpaid days, but still get paid the Stat Holidays.

So I'm off from Dec 24th until Jan 9th.

With regards to Stat days...this year Christmas and New Years fall on Sunday, do you say to parents that when a stat falls on the weekend, then the monday is considered the day off, so you should still get paid for that?

Just curious, because I'll be off from Dec. 26 - 6 (unpaid), but my contract states that I get paid for all stats. So should I say to parents, no payment for 8 of those days, but I require payment for the stats?

I take a week off with pay but don't add days as the stats are on the weekends. In Alberta boxing day isn't a stat and companies don't have to pay you for stats if they fall on the weekend so I've never done that. I count this as one of my paid weeks off so I guess sometimes I short change myself but I'm fine with the way it is.

In my manual it states that if a Stat lands on the weekend, that I have the choice to take the Friday or the Monday in lieu of that weekend day.

I get paid for all stats. I always take the week off between Christmas and New Year.

This year, according to the terms of my contract and the days I get paid for (and off) I will take the entire week off and get paid for every day.

I get paid for the stats. I do it based on what my parents are getting. If a stat falls on a weekend then they will get either the friday or monday and then that is expected to be my holiday too so I sometimes end up with some for each day and others off one of them. Mostly here in Ottawa I have workers that also get a block leave so they generally keep their kids home for some time between Christmas and New Years so I get a paid break anyways. And often if it turns out to be just one child coming the parents make alternate arrangements or switch days so I get two kids on one day and a day off.

I wish I would have thought of this more last year when I started. I closed down 11 days at Christmas - New Years and since I said I was closed = no pay.
Usually I get paid all stats. However my rule is always that if I CLOSE down then the parents don't pay.
This year I plan to shut down again for 10-12 days but I am dreading losing out all the money esp for Christmas Day and New Years Day. Closing down literally puts me out of pocket around $600 :(
On one hand...just having that time with my family is worth it....but on the other hand it is a big loss financially.

I am not shutting down but by the sounds of it, I may have kids random days on and off due to parents holiday closure. I'm fine with that since hubby has to work anyways. I do get paid for stats, as stated in my contract so I will take days off during the week in lieu of Christmas and New Years. I guess I'll have to figure that out soon and let the parents know when I'm taking them.

If Christmas falls on a Sat then anyone in an office will get the Friday or Monday off. I think this is up to the employer. Just find out which day the majority of your daycare parents are taking and consider it your stat! Last year they both fell on the Sat & 90 % of my parents got the monday off! I think Gov't employees got the Fiday & Monday.

Funny enough, my hubby and I were JUST talking about this! I took a look at the calendar, and based on the fact that I get paid for stats and also have the ability to take a certain number of days off with pay; I will be off the entire week between Christmas and New Years with pay, and only need to take 2 days from my "holidays".
The only thing I am not sure about is how soon to announce that.... Last year it worked out that I had almost 2 weeks off (paid) and didn't have to take a single day "off"!! Every single one of my families was off at that time last year, and kept their kids with them. It was awesome, lol. So if that works out this year, then, I don't want to announce that I am taking holiday time unless I have to, know what I mean?
Hmmmm. Don't want to leave it too long, either. That's no fair to the parents.

It's becoming more common for providers to be able to take off time with pay. Most working people do...) In my contract this year I have allowed myself 15 days per year to take off days with pay for sickness, doctors appt, and holidays. So I am taking one week paid at Christmas, and one week paid in the summer, which then allows for other days throughout the year.

I give parents four weeks written notice.

Wow! In Sudbury the common practice is unpaid stats and holidays. We get zip for any time we take off. I think if I started charging I'd lose new clients to providers who don't charge for it.
I always take the week between Christmas and New Year off - without pay. I give the parents all of my holidays in February.