I have no paid time off. It isn't the norm for my area so I can't stay competetive by charging for vacation/personal/sick days.

I also do not choose my vacation days at any point other than when I make arrangements. I was initially going to take March Break off this year, but didn't book anywhere to vacation too. I am down 2.5 spots since December so my financial needs are different and I will not be taking the week off now. Can you imagine if I had committed to the parents that I would be off and then not be able to afford the loss of income??? I give plenty of notice when we book a family vacation as it is rare that I can get what I am looking for at short notice. For example I am currently planning a trip in the summer ofr 1 week and a 2 week trip next March. I may take a week off here and there or if parents are going away I may take this time off to reduce my loss of income. I'm not going to commit 12 months in advance to my time off. It doesnt leave me with any flexibility to take time off if I am burnt out, or if we get a last minute visitor for example. I don't think I have given less than 2 weeks notice for a few days off.

I also don't have a set amount of time off per year that I take off. If a parent were to ask me I would say anything from 4-6 weeks but it varies. 2012 I took 2x 1 week blocks off and the time between Xmas and New Year. The year before a took a solid 3 weeks off to vacation around Europe, a week in October and then Xmas to New Year off. I like to have the flexibility. In fact I need the flexibility in order to give myself and my family the personal time we need.

When interviewing while discussing the vacation policy I find out if families have back up care or not and how much time they usually take off. Someone with no back up and limited flexibility for time off isn't a client I will accomodate because it will be to restrictive on my family.

I have 2 weeks paid vacation, 5 paid sick days, and paid christmas closure between Dec 24 and Jan 1, and also 2 professional development days to cover the time I take to do courses, workshops etc. I list those like that in my daycare handbook but list them as paid personal days in my contract because I think if you word it paid personal days its allowed, but not if you say vacation days. Its all about wording it correctly.
Amotherfirst said she gets this, which is a super sweet deal in my opinion. In my area this would not fly AT ALL. But then for others my lack of 12 months notice for time off may be off putting although, it has NEVER once come up in the 6 1/2 years I have been doing daycare.

I would also strongly agree with what some others have said. It is important to word it correctly but not all about that. Number one really I think is seeing what the norm is in your area.

Remember when you take time off and the parent has to pay you, they also have to take time off and may or may not have paid vacation/sick/personal days or "FREE" back up care available so in some cases the paid day you take can cost a parent double. It doesnt mean we don't deserve time off and obviously if we were employed we would have some amount of paid vacation time, but we are not employed and need to see how we can fit properly into our local daycare provider market. Also, lots of people don't have paid sick or personal days and I try to see things from that persepective as I would hate to have a policy that would be the deciding factor for a parent not to bring their child to me.