well if I was taking 5 full weeks off, that would be a different story, I couldn't afford that either, but I take a Thursday and Friday or a Monday and Tuesday so I am stull fulfilling my 3 days minimum I have with my daycare families. They get 2 full weeks unpaid at their discretion, could be what I have off or what they choose to have off. There are some dcp who take the summers off around here and seem to have no issues....others take 6 weeks at various times with only a couple months notice, I have one or two families who I think will always give me a hard time no matter what