Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Before I start another riot, I need to say this, I AM FINE PAYING VACATION TIME, AND HOLIDAYS. My wife and I get paid holidays off, so its not like I am "out money" plus it's free time with my kids which I love. However here are the things I have some frustrations with, and I am wondering if I am out of line being frustrated. I just don't know your business model, so maybe I am out of line with my frustrations:
1st- My provider takes 20 days paid off NOT INCLUDING HOLIDAYS, once again that doesn't frustrates me, what does is the fact they are so spread out. Will most providers take a week at a time? We unfortunately don't live near any family so it's really hard finding someone to watch them for a day or two at a time. If they took a week at a time it would justify driving my kids 6 hours to my parents and dropping them off for the week. So what happens is I use all my vacation and my wife's vacation to cover my providers days off, so when we want to take a vacation we have 2 choices, take it unpaid, or plan short vacations around our providers.
2nd- On top of the planned vacation on 4 separate occasions we got a text message the night before telling us they had an emergency and could not be open the next days, yet I still had to pay for that time even though they could not provide services. Considering she has 20 paid days off, shouldn't this come out of their days off? If you break the math down 20 days paid off would basically equal a month off a year, most people (including myself) will get 2 weeks (10 working days) and a week of sick (5 working days) off in a year. IF I have a sick child and my wife can't stay home with them, I have to use either a vacation day or sick day to cover me being home with my children. That is on me so if my provider is either sick or has to close for an emergency, shouldn't that have to come out of their paid time off in their contract?
3rd- (this one was what prompted my question here) Yesterday my provider told me at pick up she had a family issue next week, so I asked her if that would be in place of the 5 days she already has scheduled off for vacation in the month of August, she actually seemed insulted that I would ask her and told me no, YET I still have to pay for those extra 2 days.
4th- We pay a month in advance, so if we try and plan a day off and give my provider a month notice that we would be gone a day or two, we still have to pay or we lose our place in her daycare, so why is it ok that she can tell me a week or even day before she will be closed (outside of holidays and paid time off) and I have to pay, but if I give her plenty of lead time I can't pro-rate the month.
Finally- Since contracts are a hot topic here, in our contract it states that she will provide Breakfast, lunch, and 2 snacks during the day the child is there. Lately we have found out they are only getting one snack (no biggie), but since everyone is so contract sensitive and use that as an argument, then do I have a right to use that in return?
Look I know this sounds like I am bashing my provider, and I am not, she loves all the kids and treats them great, and I trust her and support her, but these things are hard to shake, so what do you think, and I being overly sensitive on this or do I have a reason to feel a little slighted?
Thanks so much!
Personally, I have never taken time off without a HUGE period of notice. I've never had to close due to an emergency and if I did I would not charge my clients but that is me and how I run my business.
I DO think your provider should have something I her handbook/policies that talks about what they will or won't do in the case of emergency closures but if she doesn't you are certainly within your rights to ask for some sort of policy.
In the end it comes down to only a couple things....
working together with your provider so you are BOTH happy
and/or choosing another provider/program that meets your needs better.
Whether you have family or friends in the area has no bearing on the provider's policies as it really isn't her/his concern anymore than her personal life is your problem...kwim?
I am sorry her spaced out vacation days don't work for you personally but on the flip side, another parent probably complains about providers taking too many days off at one time being troublesome to them.
So again, the CURE/FIX is to work together so that the provider can maintain her sanity and income and the parents/clients maintain theirs as well.
What the details of that compromise is, is not a "one size fits all" answer...it's as unique and as individual as each program/provider/center is.