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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Is This Unreasonable?
Unregistered 02:04 PM 12-14-2016
I have in my contact that if a holiday lands on a weekend, the friday or monday before will be closed. So this year I will be closed Dec 23rd, 26th and Jan 2nd but still paid. Do most companys/businesses give their employees the same days off? Im concerned my parents will have a fit if they need care those days. None of them read the contract so i have to remind everyone. I feel like i deserve a day off as i dont take paid vacations and am usually providing backup care when i do take time off for an apt or whatever. Is it unreasonable that Im asking for those days off?
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LysesKids 02:44 PM 12-14-2016
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I have in my contact that if a holiday lands on a weekend, the friday or monday before will be closed. So this year I will be closed Dec 23rd, 26th and Jan 2nd but still paid. Do most companys/businesses give their employees the same days off? Im concerned my parents will have a fit if they need care those days. None of them read the contract so i have to remind everyone. I feel like i deserve a day off as i dont take paid vacations and am usually providing backup care when i do take time off for an apt or whatever. Is it unreasonable that Im asking for those days off?
Many of us have those days off... I'm closed from the 23rd thru Jan 2 for vacation time as are many others here. I only take 6 Federal Holidays off, but am closed for 14 additional days thru out the year for vacation/personal time also
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jenboo 03:11 PM 12-14-2016
I'm closed the 26th and 2nd. Both are paid.
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Unregistered 03:18 PM 12-14-2016
I'm closed Dec. 23 thru Jan. 6, similar to our school district closure here, and it is paid vacation time.
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happymom 01:18 PM 12-15-2016
I can only see possibly the 23rd putting people in a bind. The federal holidays will be the 26th and 2nd this year.
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Leigh 06:06 PM 12-15-2016
ALL of my parents have the 23rd and 26th off, as well as January 2nd, except for one mom who works the 2nd (retail store)...her husband, however, is off on the 2nd, so she won't be at daycare. I'm not even mentioning closing on the 2nd, since noone will be here anyway.
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AmyKidsCo 06:19 PM 12-15-2016
Originally Posted by LysesKids:
Many of us have those days off... I'm closed from the 23rd thru Jan 2 for vacation time as are many others here
Me too! All paid.
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Mad_Pistachio 06:38 AM 12-16-2016
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I have in my contact that if a holiday lands on a weekend, the friday or monday before will be closed. So this year I will be closed Dec 23rd, 26th and Jan 2nd but still paid. Do most companys/businesses give their employees the same days off? Im concerned my parents will have a fit if they need care those days. None of them read the contract so i have to remind everyone. I feel like i deserve a day off as i dont take paid vacations and am usually providing backup care when i do take time off for an apt or whatever. Is it unreasonable that Im asking for those days off?
our daycare did that, too.
my husband (banker) is off 26-th and 2-nd and working 23-rd, so it only makes 1 extra day off.
FWIW, they deserve that break.
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daycarediva 09:00 AM 12-16-2016
Originally Posted by Mad_Pistachio:
our daycare did that, too.
my husband (banker) is off 26-th and 2-nd and working 23-rd, so it only makes 1 extra day off.
FWIW, they deserve that break.
I just love having parents on the board regularly! THANK YOU!

I closed the same days, gave a year notice (give out my scheduled time off before January for the entire following year (already gave it out for 2017). SO parents have LOTS of time to prepare.
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laundrymom 11:26 AM 12-16-2016
I agree!!! I love when pistachio pops in!!!

Originally Posted by daycarediva:
I just love having parents on the board regularly! THANK YOU!

I closed the same days, gave a year notice (give out my scheduled time off before January for the entire following year (already gave it out for 2017). SO parents have LOTS of time to prepare.

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Mad_Pistachio 01:31 PM 12-16-2016
actually, we didn't get all that much notice. I think I found a note on the door sometime around December 1. granted, it was almost expected: DC is closed Dec 24 and 25, and with both falling on a weekend, I figured they would close on 23 and 26 this year (same is for January 1-st falling on a Sunday). but I guess it may have come as a surprise to some, if they didn't read the handbook carefully or just forgot: after 2-3 years of enrollment, if handbook didn't change, it's easy to forget. but yes, it is in the handbook.

that reminds me. on Dec 31, our DC closes at 4.30, and the note didn't say anything about shorter hours on the 30-th (cause 31-st is Saturday). I need to ask our director if the hours are same or shorter that day. last thing I need is to be half-hour late and to make an idiot out of her and myself...

those 4 days straight only come once in 6 years. we can handle it.
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Blackcat31 01:55 PM 12-16-2016
Originally Posted by happymom:
I can only see possibly the 23rd putting people in a bind. The federal holidays will be the 26th and 2nd this year.
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
I just love having parents on the board regularly! THANK YOU!
Happymom is a parent on the board regularly too!

I agree having parents on the board is fantastic! It's nice to hear their perspectives.....I've been on the parent side myself but it was so long ago that my experiences are hardly applicable in the child care world now days..
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happymom 03:09 PM 12-16-2016
Thanks guys. I like this board because it gives ME the other perspective of things.

I realize (from reading this board) that at one time I was a nightmare parent. Well not all the time, but I did "potty train" my 21 month old and send him in undies for several months when he was not ready. Finally my provider said ENOUGH and I put him in cloth pull ups. At least he was poop trained, but he wasn't potty trained by you guys' standards until 2.5 THAT'S A LONG TIME TO BE POTTY TRAINING A CHILD.

Anyway, off on a tangent. Sorry 'bout that!
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Crazy8 06:10 PM 12-17-2016
I took both Mondays - the 26th and the 2nd - as paid holidays this year. I would have taken the Fridays too but I am already closed on Fridays right now.
I actually only ended up with 2 kids coming for 2 of the days between xmas and new years this year. Have a few who are taking vacation time!
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lblanke 03:09 PM 12-18-2016
Preschool is closed 3 weeks. I think people might complain less when the preschool is closed because we pay monthly rather than weekly, so you don't write a check on the weeks that are off, but the monthly tuition is not prorated when preschool is closed.
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lblanke 03:19 PM 12-18-2016
It is not unreasonable at all. People should expect the whole week off between Christmas & New Years. I'm glad that my child has a break from all the circulating colds & viruses even though I have to get back up care for 2 of the 3 weeks preschool is closed.
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Madeline 08:00 PM 12-18-2016
That sounds perfectly reasonable to me. I think our provider is taking off a week for the holidays. I say "I think" because I work at a university so I'm always out these days any way (if I'm off daughter's off) so I tend to forget the specifics of what's happening at daycare. She does tell us as the start of each year which says she'll be closed and I always think she should take more, I'd need it with kiddos all day!
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SammieRN 11:01 PM 12-18-2016
Personally, I think it is very reasonable to be paid time off.

And actually, along those lines...

My daughter's preschool doesn't really address part-time in their book, they don't even advertise having part-time slots, I just kind of walked in at the right moment looking for childcare.

With that being said...

My child only goes to preschool 2 days per week... Monday and Wednesday. I pay weekly. I am a nurse and I have to cram my work in to those two days each week. Now with the preschool closed those days, it will really hurt my budget, especially since I have to pay for the days+lost wages. Thankfully, I have a flexible schedule so I can work whatever days of the week. The teachers CERTAINLY deserve a paid break, don't get me wrong.

However, would it be unreasonable of me (since I only come 2 days per week to begin with) to just ask if I could bring her for a couple, or at least one, make up day(s)? I wouldn't be pushy and I would totally let them choose the day to ensure staffing.

I hate to be a pain, I just take roughly a $600 hit for those days. Just wondering if even asking is unreasonable?
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Unregistered 05:47 AM 12-19-2016
Sammie...no harm in asking. But I dont allow make up days because the families whose children come 5 days cant make up days...Also, I deserve to be paid for holidays/vacations by every family.
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Blackcat31 06:01 AM 12-19-2016
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Sammie...no harm in asking. But I dont allow make up days because the families whose children come 5 days cant make up days...Also, I deserve to be paid for holidays/vacations by every family.
I agree, there is no harm in asking and if the center can accommodate you, that's great! But for me, when I take part time kids, I have the alternate spaces around them filled with other part time families/kids so if I am closed on Wednesday for example and that is Family A's regular day, I can't allow them to just come on a Thursday to make it up because I more than likely have Family B that already uses Wednesday.

The only way to guarantee space is available any time you want or need it is to pay for it. Even the days you don't use. Otherwise, I more than likely have the days a part time family doesn't pay for filled with another part time family so that I can get paid for the space in it's entirety.

But again, like PP said there is no harm in asking. The center may be able to accommodate you. Just be understanding of the reasons they may not as well.
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Unregistered 07:03 AM 12-19-2016
OP here. I talked to everyone and they were all okay with the days off. But now i have another issue. I have 1 part time family who comes 4 days a week M-Th with a discounted rate. I will never do part time rates again because of parents wanting to make up days. It gets too confusing and in my contract it states you pay even if you are not here. But they still ask for a make up day. So the part time family tells me since they wont be here Jan 2nd (i reminded i was closed anyway for the holiday) she says "so DCK will be here T-F then. " Doesnt ask if she can come friday and Im assuming she thinks she gets to pay her regular rate with the extra day. Now i have to remind her that Monday is her scheduled day, and its a holiday, she she still has to pay for the day. She can come friday and add the daily rate. Ugh! I now tell families that i dont offer part time rates. One flat rate and you can come any days you want.
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Blackcat31 08:05 AM 12-19-2016
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
OP here. I talked to everyone and they were all okay with the days off. But now i have another issue. I have 1 part time family who comes 4 days a week M-Th with a discounted rate. I will never do part time rates again because of parents wanting to make up days. It gets too confusing and in my contract it states you pay even if you are not here. But they still ask for a make up day. So the part time family tells me since they wont be here Jan 2nd (i reminded i was closed anyway for the holiday) she says "so DCK will be here T-F then. " Doesnt ask if she can come friday and Im assuming she thinks she gets to pay her regular rate with the extra day. Now i have to remind her that Monday is her scheduled day, and its a holiday, she she still has to pay for the day. She can come friday and add the daily rate. Ugh! I now tell families that i dont offer part time rates. One flat rate and you can come any days you want.
I offer part time families the option of paying for SPECIFIC days (no changes unless they ADD a day, which includes adding more money to their weekly invoice) or paying for the convenience of having ANY 5 days a week available to them. The rate for that convenience is like $5 less than paying for a full time spot.

Their choice.

If they choose paying only for specific days, they can't swap days to avoid paying for a holiday or closed day.
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daycarediva 10:35 AM 12-19-2016
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I agree, there is no harm in asking and if the center can accommodate you, that's great! But for me, when I take part time kids, I have the alternate spaces around them filled with other part time families/kids so if I am closed on Wednesday for example and that is Family A's regular day, I can't allow them to just come on a Thursday to make it up because I more than likely have Family B that already uses Wednesday.

The only way to guarantee space is available any time you want or need it is to pay for it. Even the days you don't use. Otherwise, I more than likely have the days a part time family doesn't pay for filled with another part time family so that I can get paid for the space in it's entirety.

But again, like PP said there is no harm in asking. The center may be able to accommodate you. Just be understanding of the reasons they may not as well.
Same here. The ONLY way a PT family can add days is if another child is out, and then they pay extra for those days, because I reimburse/prorate tuition for the family who did not use the space. I WILL NOT be unethical and be double paid for the day.

It came up this week. A pt child wanted to 'switch' days. I have a FT family on vacation, and when I gave PT dcm the invoice for the additional days she balked at it. Well, what do you think I am going to do here lady? Allow your child to come on days that another family paid for care and NOT charge YOU and reimburse THEM? OR, stiff myself? Seriously.
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ms. steph 03:14 PM 12-21-2016
when I first started doing child care 20 years ago, I did not take hardly any days off. but as the years have gone by I have learned some very valuable lessons the hard way and this is one of them. Parents always complain about your time off but I learned most of my parents were off those days and got paid but still wanted to drop their kids off.
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daycare 03:36 PM 12-21-2016
everything that the others have said...take time off and don't feel guilty about it.

makes me so mad when people sign up and agree to things then later complain about it.

I remind them of this if they complain.
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Tags:contract - holiday, paid holidays
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