Time Off at Christmas - How Much is Reasonable ?

[Play and Learn]

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).

[Spixie33]

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.

[Inspired by Reggio]

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

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

[Mamma_Mia]

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.....

[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!

[cfred]

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

[Skysue]

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!

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.

[Inspired by Reggio]

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!

[mom-in-alberta]

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.

[Wonderwiper]

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

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.