Originally Posted by Sugaree:
As a parent, I get that this is a business and has to be run accordingly.
However, after being the backup care for my oldest goddaughter I realized that I would absolutely have to have a center rather than an in-home care provider. My BFF's in-home care provider kept increasing the number of days each year that she was taking as PTO. By the end it was something like 35 days a year (if I remember correctly it was 10 holidays, 2 weeks in the summer, the week of her birthday, the week of her anniversary, the day of her husband's birthday, and the day of each of her 4 kids birthdays). I understand that it is her right to run her business the way she wants, but I'm also guessing that cost her quite a few families in the end. I'm lucky enough to now have a job that gives me PTO/holidays, but I don't get that much.
The only time I have seen this amount of time off is because a provider is starting to retire.
I take 10 days a year, but all of my parents have them off. Thanksgiving and the day after, 24th-26th of Dec, and Dec 31st and Jan 1st. And Dec 31 because it's my bday. Then Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. I may take up to an additional 2 weeks, but I've always had a sub, and last year used only 6 of those days. So parents didn't lose any daycare except the 10 days; most of those holidays for all of them.
I see very few providers take enough vacations and we often get worked to death!