Time Off at Christmas - How Much is Reasonable ?

[Monday 2 Friday Mama]

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 !

[apples and bananas]

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.

[gcj]

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

[kidlove]

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.

[mimi]

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.

[Inspired by Reggio]

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

[DORITOSGIRL]

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.

[Inspired by Reggio]

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

[Monday 2 Friday Mama]

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. =)

[jodaycare]

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.