Oh wow, my stat days are all listed in my contract and parents sign to pay for them every year when we renew our contract. I have decided to be closed this year between Christmas to New Year PAID using the Chistmas Eve, Day and Boxing Day & New Year's Day and one personal paid day all written into my contract as paid days off. I'm really looking forward to the rest!
Last year I wrote 3 paid personal days into my contract in case of sickness and didn't even use them, and I also wrote in Christmas Eve day and Easter Monday as paid days off. Why? Because I know some of my families have had these days off in the past and brought their children to daycare anyway and I need time off more than I need money. I didn't even use the 3 paid personal days last year and I intend to use them this year. It was my intended raise instead of raising rates, but I didn't use it, silly me!
After almost 4 years in business I certainly have learned to take care of myself. In Nov. of each year when I renew my contracts with the parents I let them know the 3 weeks of vacation I will be taking the next year so that when they have to book their holidays they know all of the days my daycare will be closed, even the stat days that their employer may not recognize as a stat day.