Vacation time

[Daisy123]

4 weeks a year plus stats. Usually I take 2 weeks at Christmas and 2 weeks in the summer unpaid. This year I only took 1 at Christmas knowing that I'd take a week in April (2 more sleeps until Florida!!! Yahoo! ) I don't have back up but I always give 2 months notice.

[Spixie33]

I take about 3 weeks all unpaid. Usually 1 week in the summer, 1 around Christmas and then a random 5 days scattered throughout.

I wish I could take more but it adds up when you aren't getting paid.

When I worked outside of the home - you started off with 10 days vacation paid and 1 day added for each year of service. I know some people who were almost having a month off before I quit.

I take stats off including Family Day and Easter Monday paid

I give parents at least one month notice for a vacation day but the summer holidays and Christmas closures, I give about 2-3 months notice

[madmom]

i take 2 weeks paid in summer and the week between Christmas and New years without pay. All my stats are paid, and I have 5 paid sick/personal days a year. Why should I not pay my bills cause it's a holiday?! I also charge if the child is sick, people pay for the spot, I am not a drop in service. It's all very up front at interview and if families disagree then I am not the DCP for them.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I take 2 weeks off in the summer unpaid and am off at Christmas but it's always been paid so far because I technically am open but have no children come. I'm not sure if that will be the case this year so I will probably take a few days off unpaid this time. I take paid stats off but it's $10 less than regular fee.

You have worked in this field a long time and deserve to take more time off! If you want too and can afford too of course

[Teagansmom]

I typically take 3-4 weeks off a year. 1 week in Feb, 1-2 weeks in Aug and a week off at Christmas. This year however I have not taken no time off in Feb as I just started getting dc kids in march since relocating. This summer I'm thinking about just taking off every Friday for 5 weeks as I'm having a hard time financially. I'm not sure if I can wait until Christmas to have a week off. All my holidays are unpaid but I am paid for all stats.

[bright sparks]

i take 2 weeks paid in summer and the week between Christmas and New years without pay. All my stats are paid, and I have 5 paid sick/personal days a year. Why should I not pay my bills cause it's a holiday?! I also charge if the child is sick, people pay for the spot, I am not a drop in service. It's all very up front at interview and if families disagree then I am not the DCP for them.

The paid time off for vacation is something that is for sure based on the norm in a providers area. Daycare providers perspective of why shouldn't I have paid vacation time just like the parents is not comparing apples with apples. Typically self employed people do not get paid time off regardless of the industry unless they pay themselves a wage as though they are an employee of the business but that isn't typical. The norm for self employed is no paid time off. Looking at things from a parents perspective, why the hell should they pay for a daycare spot that they can't use? At the same time as paying for unavailable daycare, they have to take time off, and if their provider takes more vacation time off than the parent has available, they too will have to take unpaid time off or have someone else in their family take time off to care for the child. DCProvider may say they are looking out for number 1 and its not their responsibility to provide back up care and a parent should have this planned out, well its not the parents responsibility to be concerned with how we pay our bills. We should also plan for this accordingly. It's just the nature of the job and speaking for myself, how the hell do I justify charging someone for a service I am not able to provide them with???? It's simple for me because it isn't the norm for my area anyway. When I have parents ask me in interviews if they get a free weeks vacation or something similar, I respond "sometimes" depending on the situation with a "do I get a paid weeks vacation then?" I am not running a charity but then the parents aren't lining my pockets when I am off the clock either. The beauty of being in this job is we write our own contracts with policies which serve us best so do what works for you!

[mickyc]

I really have no set time off during a year. I usually take 8-12 days off but they are never consecutive days. I usually take the Friday off before every long weekend in the summer. This summer I am taking every 2nd Friday. Someday I will budget enough to eventually be able to take a week off at once, maybe..... someday!! LOL

I get paid full rate for stats as well.

[Samantha33]

I take 4 unpaid weeks of holidays plus all stats and civics are paid. Parent holidays are at full price. I "rarely" take a sick day. The parents know from the get go my stand on this matter. I do take a lot of the same holidays they would take anyway. Like between Christmas and New Years, March Break, a week in July, and another in the fall.

[Lee-Bee]

I have 4 weeks paid vacation including the time between Christmas and New Years.
Stats are paid, I am closed.

I do not charge for my sick days because I preferred it that way. I did have a family comment on that, they found it odd that it is unpaid. I just told them that it's less stressful for me to cancel last minute when I'm sick if I don't get paid.

They pay me if their child is home sick or home with grandma or home for any reason at all.

No idea what the norm is around me. I just wrote my contract to state what I felt I deserve...if the parents take issue then they don't belong here.

[Polkaroo]

I'm the exact same as Lee-bee.