A lot of my parents are self employeed and need to be open on holidays. So I decided that I would stay open for all minor holidays like presidents day, memorial day, veterans, labor, and so on. I will only close for easter, thanksfiving and christmas. I should be closed and paid for a total of 10 busniess days each year, however, this year I will only take 5. I will still be making the same money, however, I will be increasing my days of work.

I started thinking to myself why did I do this again? I realized that I shot myself in the foot once again...Surprised i even had a foot left to shoot. hahah

Anyways, I do take a few vacation days here and there through out the year. I have in my PHB that I can take up to 14, but I think the most I have ever taken was 3 and not all at once. My vacation days are also unpaid.
So now I think that i would like to tell the parents that since I am open 5 more days, that I will take 5 days off PAID towards my vacation time. I think that this is only fair.

NOt too sure how I would word this, but do you think this is fair of me to decide? I mean I did this to help out the parents and of course never think of myself and what I need......

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If you are willing to work holidays, I would tell families that if they choose to utilize your services on major holidays, the rate is double the normal daily rate.

Make it worth your time!!!

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I should have but did not increase the rate. Now it's too late so I felt this option would be fair instead

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I don't do holidays and they are all paid.

I would just switch it back to paid and have them sign off for it. I would do that January first of the next year where it is five months before the first holiday occured. That way they would have notice but it would be far enough away to not bother them when they were presented with it.

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Did you only verbally tell your families you will remain open or did they sign a new contract with the days you'll be closed and paid?

If you have not given them a new contract yet, you should with the updated "new open" minor holidays and also increase everyone's tuition by $1-$5/week depending on the rate you already get. That would make up for it, but you wouldn't have to even mention it was for the extra five days because it's also a pay raise for you. I would do $5/week increase and have the new open holidays on your new contract. Effective July 1st.

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So I have not had anyone sign anything, but I did already send home a sheet of expected dates for DC to be closed for 2011 bck in Jan.
It was basically information no signatures required. I will be giving out my new parent handbook come sept and want to have everything squared away then.
I would raise rates but I just did $30 a month and not going to again until Jan if it is necessary.

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Good for you for raising your rates recently. Did they sign a new contract with their new rates listed? If they have not, then do that along with your new "paid days" of vacation that were previously unpaid and you'll be perfect. LOL. If not, I would just wait until January to change your rules on payment days.

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If I were you I would for sure give yourself some sort of paid time off. I give myself all of the above although I don't always use all of them. Here is how my PHB is worded:

I’m closed on all of the following holidays with pay.
- Memorial Day - Christmas Day -
- Labor Day - New Years Eve
- Thanksgiving Day - New Years Day
- Christmas Eve - Independence Day

I have 10 paid vacation time a year. When these days are used they will be marked on the calendar placed on the bulletin board. If all of the vacation days are used up before the end of the year but I still take a day off, $19.00 (full time), $20.00 (part time) for every day you are not given care will be subtracted from your payment made the following pay day. Please note that if you are enrolled with a before and after school contract you will not be qualified for a refund.
I have 7 days paid sick time a year. When these days are used they will be marked on the calendar placed on the bulletin board. If all of the sick days are used up the end of the year but I still take a day off, $19.00 (full time), $20.00 (part time) for every day you are not given care will be subtracted from your payment made the following pay day. Please note that if you are enrolled with a before and after school contract you will not be qualified for a refund.

None of my parents have really grumbled about it and I've never had to reimburse them from using up all of my time

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They should pay extra for legal holidays.

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why wouldn't you take the small holidays off too. Parents being self employed has nothing to do with you, you are self employed too so why are you worth having a holiday off.
You see, my dh use to work for the big 3 (fords) where long time ago it was a choice whether or not you wanted to take holidays and vacations off. They started to find that people where being burnt out twice as fast and way too many injuries and problems. So when they started telling people that they had to take holidays the attitude with the workers changed. They came back not so tired and grumpy and so burnt out.
I don't get paid for holidays either but having that one day off makes me a better provider, Its a day where I can sit and unwind and not worry about kids. Take it off, don't let them bully you into staying open.

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Just my own opinion:

If I read your post correctly, you are staying open on minor holidays, and everyone pays for those days whether or not they attend, correct?

If you have ALL of your clients using daycare on the "minor" holidays that you are staying open, then I think it's fair to ask for 5 more personal paid holidays.

However, if not ALL but just SOME of your clients are in attendance on the minor holidays, then I personally don't think it's fair to ask the other clients to pay for the minor holidays (when they are keeping their kids home anyway) AND ask for 5 more personal days on top of that.

Again, just my opinion.

I personally like the suggestion of the previous posted that said charge extra for care on the minor holidays. That way, if parents choose to keep their kids home for the day, you still have it as one of your paid holidays, but if you don't mind working for the others, you get a "bonus" pay for the day.

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I did that last year and guess what, no one came and I got a paid day off. I asked for an additional $25.00 per child for me to open on a holiday. Last year I did have one family take me up on christmas eve and I made an additional 50 that day becuase they had two kids. I will never do that again. My family is worth more than 50 bucks.

I understand what you are saying and I thought that same thing too. About those who dont bring,s hould have to pay for a day off.

So how about those that I stay open for I make them pay me for days off?

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Well then you're going to have 2 separate contracts/clauses. One for families that don't use care on minor holidays, and those that do - and then what happens when a families who usually needs care on a minor holiday, doesn't? KWIM??

To simplify things for yourself, what if you just:

1. List which days that you are going to be closed (Major holidays) and everyone pays you for those days - or not depending on your contract.

2. Then also list what vacation days you've planned when daycare will be closed and whether those are paid or not -based on your contract/handbook.

3.Then make a list of the days that you still expect to be paid for (minor holidays) that would be the regular holiday pay expected. But add an additional $x due if a child is in attendance those days. Make the extra payment for these days payable separate from your clients' regular payment, and due when they reserve the space for those days. Also make it non-refundable if they cancel.

Not sure if that simplifies things or not - but it's how I mark my annual calendar for my clients.

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