Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Families Taking Vacation...Do They Pay??
SunflowerMama 09:00 AM 04-18-2010
I am about to bring on a new family (3 kiddos) and I love them all and the parents are the greatest!

I don't have anything in the contract about families taking vacation. I just have my paid vacation days.

When your families go on vacation do they pay or do you give them one week, etc. of unpaid vacation during the year? I was planning on letting each family have 1 week's vacation where they wouldn't pay but if it extended beyond a week I would ask for payments to resume.
Reply
mac60 09:03 AM 04-18-2010
I charge whether you are here are not, vacations, holiday, sick days included. I usually take 2 weeks of unpaid vacation in the summer, and most families take theirs then so they don't have to pay, but if they do take vacation and I don't, they pay. I can't imagine letting 5 families take 2 weeks free per year. That is a lot of my income lost.
Reply
gkids09 09:26 AM 04-18-2010
Since I have 2 assistants, I am able to take my own vacation and stay open. I give each family one week unpaid vacation each year. If they are only enrolled 2 days a week, their vacation is only 2 days. I also ask that they take it all together, and not a day or two at a time until they fill their vacation week. After a week, they have to pay. I have several families who take several vacations, and I let them choose which one they want to use for their vacation week.
Reply
tenderhearts 09:39 AM 04-18-2010
I do not charge if they take vacations as long as they give me at least the 2 week required notice, I figure most people can't take more than 2 -3 weeks per year anyways. I just didn't like it when my kids use to be in daycare and we had to pay, we could barely afford to go on vacation let alone have to worry about coming up with that money as well, but that's how I do it
Reply
Daycare Mommy 09:42 AM 04-18-2010
I have the parents pay half when they are on vacation. I never limited it in the past since it was just used here and there a couple times a year for a week or two. However, I just got notice from 1 family that they are taking vacation for the WHOLE month of July and WHOLE month of December. O M G Time to update the ol' contract and put a cap on that!
Reply
Daycare Mommy 09:47 AM 04-18-2010
Oh yes. My point! If you do decide to discount, limitations are VERY important!
Reply
melissa ann 09:52 AM 04-18-2010
I allow 1 week unpaid,per family. After that my 3 day min rate is required. I am thinking of eliminating the 1 week, unpaid. I take a 1week vacation in July unpaid. So, I'm thinking of making my 3 day min rate required for any and all vacation time taken by parents.
Reply
Pammie 10:12 AM 04-18-2010
All of my families get 1 week free vacation (same # of free days as they usually pay for in a week) provided they give me 4 weeks notice. They don't pay for my vacation time though.

I send out my vacation schedule each April, and most of my families coordinate their vacation with time that I'm going to be off anyway - to avoid paying for daycare while they're away.
Reply
momma2girls 10:23 AM 04-18-2010
All my families pay whether they are here or not- I also have paid vac. every yr.
Reply
emosks 01:48 PM 04-18-2010
Our families get one business week free after that they pay.
Reply
originalkat 02:35 PM 04-18-2010
I give my families 1 vacation week each year free of charge.
Reply
Former Teacher 05:54 PM 04-18-2010
My former center allowed a free week after the child has been there for a year. After that they must pay the full amount. Part time families were not allowed any vacation time.
Reply
QualiTcare 08:57 PM 04-18-2010
i've agreed to ONE WEEK FREE for vacation - and anytime after that will be 1/2 price for vacation time.

most large daycares charge 1/2 price for weeks missed regardless - no matter what. so, the one free week is just a bonus (and i feel like an incentive) because if they have to pay me just as much as a "regular daycare" then why not send their child there?

i personally find it absurd to ask for full price when a child won't be there - as a parent and a child care provider.
Reply
MarinaVanessa 06:40 AM 04-19-2010
Anytime that I go on vacation my DC families don't pay, when a DC family is gone for vacation they get 1 week (5 days) of unpaid vacation then they pay. The way I see it is if it's my choice not to work they don't pay, if it's theirs they pay. If it's anything more than 2 weeks and they give me written notice of 4 weeks in advance or more they can pay for half of their weekly rate with the understanding that while they are away I will look for someone to fit their spot until they return.
Reply
GretasLittleFriends 08:19 AM 04-19-2010
Here's what my contract says:

If you are going to be out for vacation, let me know at least four weeks in advance. I will not charge you for two weeks of vacation time. If you take more than two weeks vacation, you will pay whether your child(ren) is here or not.

I usually take 1-2 weeks vacation per year. Sometimes I do not close at all. But if I do take vacation I will give you a 4 week notice. When or if I do take vacation I will NOT charge you for the vacation time that I take off.
Reply
nannyde 08:50 AM 04-19-2010
No free days. They pay the same amount 52 weeks a year.
Reply
MarinaVanessa 11:28 AM 04-19-2010
Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa:
Anytime that I go on vacation my DC families don't pay, when a DC family is gone for vacation they get 1 week (5 days) of unpaid vacation then they pay. The way I see it is if it's my choice not to work they don't pay, if it's theirs they pay. If it's anything more than 2 weeks and they give me written notice of 4 weeks in advance or more they can pay for half of their weekly rate with the understanding that while they are away I will look for someone to fit their spot until they return.
Oh yes, I guess I should have added that I too require at least a 2 week written notice to qualify for the free week (5 business days). If I don't get at least 2 weeks notice then they have to pay the full price.
Reply
grandmom 01:24 PM 04-19-2010
All days are paid. My holidays, 2 weeks vacation, and floating holidays, any time they take off for any reason. It's easier to enforce this when you charge monthly in advance.

I decided to stay open during my vacation last year as I had a new family who needed care. Two other families decided to continue coming that time too - only they had already paid for vacation, THEN they paid for daycare too.

For those considering changing to paid vacations: I charged for one week of vacation the first year, and then the second year I chaged for both. Those two years I did not increase my prices. The third year, I had two weeks vacation paid and increased my prices.
Reply
nannyde 01:40 PM 04-19-2010
Originally Posted by grandmom:
All days are paid. My holidays, 2 weeks vacation, and floating holidays, any time they take off for any reason. It's easier to enforce this when you charge monthly in advance.
I have them pay on Friday for the upcoming week and they all still pay the same amount 52 weeks a year. I have 18 paid days off and they have 0 unpaid days.

I've done all different kinds of configurations and the one that really works is to take the negotiating for time off unpaid completely off the table. The only exception to my rule is if I call in sick which I haven't for 15 years.

If you take it off the table it takes ANY discussion about not paying off the table. WAY less conflict. As soon as you give ANY leeway into them being able to not pay then EVERY situation that comes up (illness, vacation, parent laid off, notice time etc.) becomes up for grab.

Nan
Reply
Unregistered 10:57 PM 08-05-2011
I have been doing daycare for twenty years. I try and look at my job as any other job out there. I get one week paid vacation. Anything over that that I take off for (sickness, funeral, Dr. apt etc.) I do not get paid for.

All other days need to be paid wether the child is in attendence or not.
If you have or are given the courtisy to have the day off, or get off early, I and your child appreciate tthe same courtisy.

As far as wether the family has to pay me when they take a vacation...YES. If their boss were to say .."I'm taking next week (or next month) off, and I want you to stay home and I am not going to pay you. That may not go over to well with many people. The bills still have to be paid. They might be looking for another job that when they are there willing and able to work, they are not given time off with no pay.
Reply
e.j. 09:50 AM 08-06-2011
I take my vacation weeks unpaid. Parents usually choose to take their vacations at the same time I take mine so they don't have to pay for their own vacation week. If they choose to take a different week for their own vacation and the day care is open, they pay me for that week.
Reply
Crazy8 10:00 AM 08-06-2011
I give 1 free week per year. They can use it the week I take (which otherwise would be paid) or they can take it when they are taking a vacation - I even allow them to break it up and use it as individual days (this benefits me - so I don't lose a whole weeks pay at once). I require 30 days notice if using it all as a vacation week.

I have not had any issue with doing it this way in my 10 years in the business. The only change I had to make was to the wording because of one family - if I have a child contracted for 3 days their "one free week" is for THREE days, not 5.
Reply
2ndFamilyDC 06:09 AM 08-08-2011
Originally Posted by nannyde:
No free days. They pay the same amount 52 weeks a year.
Same Here.
Reply
Unregistered 10:45 AM 02-16-2012
I don't understand why a parent has to pay over the entire summer, if they are both teachers. I understand to save a spot, but if that isn't the problem. I am confused. If you work at a outdoor water park, you wouldn't get paid when it got cold, no one shows up and business slowed. If you worked at a ski resort and it didn't snow, you wouldn't keep paying your employees, that is just the nature of the business. I would assume that they might be laid off ?? If the employer chose to pay them then great, but why would you charge me to ski, if there is no snow or when I don't need to. I am paying week to week. Paying for the entire summer for a spot should be criminal from what I can tell. I pay for the employees salary and the food that my kid would get even though they are not there? Why couldn't I just pay a small re-registration fee or a vacation fee to save my spot. I can see 50% or something, but not much more. I don't make that much money. It almost forces you to send your kids to school more often, instead of spending time with them. I don't understand? I realize that this is the wrong forum to mention this, but I am confused? I am not paying for entire year or semester, it is week to week. I understand if I decide to keep them home one day, I will pay for that, but the entire summer vacation? If I lose my spot, then I lose my spot. I can't afford an extra $2400?
Reply
MyAngels 12:44 PM 02-16-2012
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I don't understand why a parent has to pay over the entire summer, if they are both teachers. I understand to save a spot, but if that isn't the problem. I am confused. If you work at a outdoor water park, you wouldn't get paid when it got cold, no one shows up and business slowed. If you worked at a ski resort and it didn't snow, you wouldn't keep paying your employees, that is just the nature of the business. I would assume that they might be laid off ?? If the employer chose to pay them then great, but why would you charge me to ski, if there is no snow or when I don't need to. I am paying week to week. Paying for the entire summer for a spot should be criminal from what I can tell. I pay for the employees salary and the food that my kid would get even though they are not there? Why couldn't I just pay a small re-registration fee or a vacation fee to save my spot. I can see 50% or something, but not much more. I don't make that much money. It almost forces you to send your kids to school more often, instead of spending time with them. I don't understand? I realize that this is the wrong forum to mention this, but I am confused? I am not paying for entire year or semester, it is week to week. I understand if I decide to keep them home one day, I will pay for that, but the entire summer vacation? If I lose my spot, then I lose my spot. I can't afford an extra $2400?
You realize this is an old thread, right?

I'm not entirely sure I followed your logic, but the answer to one of your questions is: You don't have to pay to hold your child's spot in his/her daycare. That is your choice.

On the other hand, your provider also does not have to hold a spot (and most likely won't) for your child without pay.

See how that works? It's not terribly complicated.
Reply
Cat Herder 12:44 PM 02-16-2012
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I don't understand why a parent has to pay over the entire summer, if they are both teachers. I understand to save a spot, but if that isn't the problem. I am confused.
Short answer: Because it would not be fair or reasonable to terminate whoever filled your slot for you to come back in the fall.

As soon as your slot is vacated, another family will be enrolled. Weekly rates are generally based on 52 weeks care. Maybe your provider could recalculate your weekly rates based on your childs actual annual attendance weeks?

It isn't personal. We need our income year round. Teachers do not go without pay all summer, either.
Reply
Texasjeepgirl 12:56 PM 02-16-2012
Originally Posted by nannyde:
No free days. They pay the same amount 52 weeks a year.
what she said
Reply
CheekyChick 01:11 PM 02-16-2012
I give one free week per year.
Reply
Blackcat31 01:22 PM 02-16-2012
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I don't understand why a parent has to pay over the entire summer, if they are both teachers. I understand to save a spot, but if that isn't the problem. I am confused.

I used to take school age kids and they filled the vacancies left by the teachers kids so it worked out great then. But now I don't have school age kids to fill those spaces and if I need to pay my bills ALL 10 of my spaces need to be occupied and paid for.

If you work at a outdoor water park, you wouldn't get paid when it got cold, no one shows up and business slowed. Then you would go off and find a new job to make money. (Filling the teacher's empty space with a new kid is the same thing)
If you worked at a ski resort and it didn't snow, you wouldn't keep paying your employees, that is just the nature of the business. I would assume that they might be laid off ?? If the employer chose to pay them then great, but why would you charge me to ski, if there is no snow or when I don't need to. Ski resorts make snow all winter. Plus, people buy memberships to the ski hill and if they ski once or 1000 times over the course of that membership is up to them.

I am paying week to week. Paying for the entire summer for a spot should be criminal from what I can tell. I pay for the employees salary and the food that my kid would get even though they are not there? Why couldn't I just pay a small re-registration fee or a vacation fee to save my spot. I can see 50% or something, but not much more. I don't make that much money. It almost forces you to send your kids to school more often, instead of spending time with them. I don't understand? I realize that this is the wrong forum to mention this, but I am confused? I am not paying for entire year or semester, it is week to week. I understand if I decide to keep them home one day, I will pay for that, but the entire summer vacation? If I lose my spot, then I lose my spot. I can't afford an extra $2400?
As a previous poster mentioned, if you don't want to pay to hold your space, then you don't HAVE to. But the space will probably be gone when you want it back. I have one teacher who does this. She refuses to pay someone for her summers off so her child has gone to a new daycare every year after summer break. That mom made a choice and that choice was hers to make.
I still have to pay my bills and if you don't want to pay to save the space, then by all means, don't. But please do not be upset when I fill the space with someone else who does attend/pay all year and I have no availability for your child any more.

I answered in bold above.

I also understand how tough it is as a teacher when it comes to this subject, but like daycare providers working loooong hours and getting no breaks during the day and having their homes taken over by a group of tiny little people who are rough on everything, we picked this profession and have to deal with all the pros and cons that come along with it. No one made me be a child care provider so I deal with the cons.

No one made you be a teacher so you have to deal with the cons of that.

I am not trying to be rude or sarcastic...just hoping for you can see it from a different perspective.
Reply
MrsB 01:24 PM 02-16-2012
I give the parents 2 weeks of vacation paid at half the weekly rate, with 2 weeks notice. A week is considered whatever their normal contracted week is. So if they come MWF, they have 6 total days for the year. I do calendar year too. So much easier.

I have seen it where some providers have offered the parent an option where they pay a few dollars xtra per week over the year so they can take vacations unpaid. Seems like it might make an accounting nightmare though, but seems to work well for them.
Reply
wdmmom 01:34 PM 02-16-2012
I no longer offer any vacation to parents. In the beginning, I offered 2 weeks at half off as long as a 2 week notice was provided.
Reply
MommieNana4 04:22 PM 02-16-2012
Parents pay for their vacation week(s). I have in my contract one week of paid vacation and one unpaid. I only take one week of vacation and it is paid.
Reply
saved4always 04:45 PM 02-16-2012
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I don't understand why a parent has to pay over the entire summer, if they are both teachers. I understand to save a spot, but if that isn't the problem. I am confused. If you work at a outdoor water park, you wouldn't get paid when it got cold, no one shows up and business slowed. If you worked at a ski resort and it didn't snow, you wouldn't keep paying your employees, that is just the nature of the business. I would assume that they might be laid off ?? If the employer chose to pay them then great, but why would you charge me to ski, if there is no snow or when I don't need to. I am paying week to week. Paying for the entire summer for a spot should be criminal from what I can tell. I pay for the employees salary and the food that my kid would get even though they are not there? Why couldn't I just pay a small re-registration fee or a vacation fee to save my spot. I can see 50% or something, but not much more. I don't make that much money. It almost forces you to send your kids to school more often, instead of spending time with them. I don't understand? I realize that this is the wrong forum to mention this, but I am confused? I am not paying for entire year or semester, it is week to week. I understand if I decide to keep them home one day, I will pay for that, but the entire summer vacation? If I lose my spot, then I lose my spot. I can't afford an extra $2400?
I am confused. I don't understand your complaint. Are you saying it is unreasonable for a provider to require to be paid to hold a teacher's spot over the summer??? No one can force someone to pay to save a spot. But be prepared to find a new provider at the end of each summer because there are not many out there that can afford to hold spots open all summer without compensation. The bills don't stop coming in because a school year has ended. There are plenty of families out there who need care all year round to fill that spot. I actually do watch kids for teachers. And I do hold thier spots over the summer for the next school year and I do not charge anything. But that is because I do not want to work in the summer or over school vacations when my kids are home. At this point, I can afford to do that. It is for MY family's benefit, not the daycare family's budget. If I needed to make more money to meet our bills, I would have to change that policy because I would need to make money all year round.
Reply
Crazy8 05:27 PM 02-16-2012
why do trolls always bump old threads to start their drama.....

But I'll bite on this one because I rarely even take teachers because of this issue.... Why should I have to lose $2,000 because you get the summers off and don't need daycare?? I am going to fill that position and I'm not going to kick that person out because you want your spot back in September. Why is it fair for you to only pay a "small holding fee" when I could make QUADRUPLE that much by filling it. I work year round, you may not, so you can go ahead and find a new daycare every September if you don't want to pay a reasonable amount to keep your spot.
Reply
renodeb 05:31 PM 02-16-2012
I ask parents to pay 1/2 before they go on vacation. I dont charge for my vacation so nobody usually complains.
Debbie
Reply
bunnyslippers 05:06 AM 02-17-2012
If I am open, they pay. If they choose to keep their child home for any reason, they still pay the full rate.
Reply
SilverSabre25 05:21 AM 02-17-2012
Originally Posted by Crazy8:
why do trolls always bump old threads to start their drama.....

But I'll bite on this one because I rarely even take teachers because of this issue.... Why should I have to lose $2,000 because you get the summers off and don't need daycare?? I am going to fill that position and I'm not going to kick that person out because you want your spot back in September. Why is it fair for you to only pay a "small holding fee" when I could make QUADRUPLE that much by filling it. I work year round, you may not, so you can go ahead and find a new daycare every September if you don't want to pay a reasonable amount to keep your spot.
Meh, I don't think this is a troll; it sounds like a legitimate question from someone who was searching Google and this thread came up. Michael has told us that this site is VERY well indexed on Google and we do get a lot of this.

It's not a troll until it's someone being deliberately weird/unpleasant.
Reply
SilverSabre25 05:25 AM 02-17-2012
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I don't understand why a parent has to pay over the entire summer, if they are both teachers. I understand to save a spot, but if that isn't the problem. I am confused. If you work at a outdoor water park, you wouldn't get paid when it got cold, no one shows up and business slowed. If you worked at a ski resort and it didn't snow, you wouldn't keep paying your employees, that is just the nature of the business. I would assume that they might be laid off ?? If the employer chose to pay them then great, but why would you charge me to ski, if there is no snow or when I don't need to. I am paying week to week. Paying for the entire summer for a spot should be criminal from what I can tell. I pay for the employees salary and the food that my kid would get even though they are not there? Why couldn't I just pay a small re-registration fee or a vacation fee to save my spot. I can see 50% or something, but not much more. I don't make that much money. It almost forces you to send your kids to school more often, instead of spending time with them. I don't understand? I realize that this is the wrong forum to mention this, but I am confused? I am not paying for entire year or semester, it is week to week. I understand if I decide to keep them home one day, I will pay for that, but the entire summer vacation? If I lose my spot, then I lose my spot. I can't afford an extra $2400?
My answer is that you, as a teacher, get to choose to be paid the same amount for a year...but spread over 9 months or spread over 12. All most of us ask is the same thing...to be paid the same yearly amount. I for one am willing to take that yearly amount and divide it by 9 instead of 12 and save the extra for the summer but it's never come up.

Also, I'm friends with a lot of teachers (being 90% of the way to a teaching license will do that to ya), and they have their kids in regular center care and they have the same thing....pay at least SOMEthing and you have the right to bring your kid AND your spot will be there next year.

And pay us for your winter and spring break too, please.
Reply
Parent 12:33 PM 01-16-2013
Most providers offer at least one unpaid week for parents to honing vacation which is reasonable. Also, it's reasonable for a day care provider to full someone's slot if they want to take multiple weeks off without paying for daycare. However, it strikes me as odd when providers say things like "your boss wouldn't tell you to stay home and not be paid for a week" etc etc. YOU ARE NOT EMPLOYEES! You run a business. You provide a service for pay. When that service is not needed, someone should not pay for it. Feel free to convince yourselves that you are justified by coating yourself to a company employee but that's not what u are. I don't pay my landscaper to mow my lawn in the winter. If he said "well then u risk losing that slot in my schedule" then it would be my choice to lose that slot. But to pay for services I don't receive? Not EVEN ONE LOUSY WEEK PER YEAR?!?! Shame on you.
Reply
daycare 02:56 PM 01-16-2013
I offer 1/2 of your weekly rate if you are taking the entire week off. Otherwise I don't offer anything else. This offer is only open to Full time families.

They must also give me a 30 day notice of their vacation request. I do it this way so that it is easy to track.
Reply
mbullette 09:30 AM 01-17-2013
I am in the process of redoing my policies. Those of you that offer vacation days, do you also offer free sick days? If so how many?
Reply
christine19720 09:50 AM 01-17-2013
The only time parents don't pay is when I take vacation days and am not available to provide childcare services. Everything else is paid. As for sickness, 99% of the time the kids bring illness to my business. I can at least get paid although it is not negotiable.


Reply
Tags:2010, charge, contract - clear, teachers, vacation, vacation week
Reply Up