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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>I Feel Awkward Taking Paid Holidays!
misspollywog 10:29 PM 11-04-2011
Is it the norm to charge for holidays and vacation days? If so, why do I feel so awkward doing so???

Just not feeling right about it. I don't have an official contract or policies yet, those are in the works and my one and only dcf is aware that I'm drawing them up but I'm not sure what the reaction will be if I include paid holidays/vacation time.

I wish I knew if every other dc around here did this, it would make it easier lol.

Do you charge for holidays/vacation??
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momma2girls 03:38 AM 11-05-2011
I have paid vac. days and pd. Holidays written into my contract. I always say everyone, no matter what line of work you do, deserves these both!!!
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Kaddidle Care 05:46 AM 11-05-2011
Please don't feel guilty - you deserve it!

Go with the attitude that it's all included in one low price! I'm sure a good percentage of your parents don't question getting paid during their vacation.
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AnneCordelia 06:01 AM 11-05-2011
I don't take paid vacations (but I do take up to 3 weeks/year). I do take paid holidays though (Christmas, New Years, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, ect).

Where I live, this is the norm for home daycares. I'd love to take paid vacation too but one of the reasons people choose home daycare in our area is because the cost is significantly less than center care (I still do OK tho!) and I don't know many who would pay while I vacation, kwim? I have no trouble filling spots now but if I added paid vacay I'm sure I suddenly would.
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Unregistered 06:23 AM 11-05-2011
Originally Posted by misspollywog:
Is it the norm to charge for holidays and vacation days? If so, why do I feel so awkward doing so???

Just not feeling right about it. I don't have an official contract or policies yet, those are in the works and my one and only dcf is aware that I'm drawing them up but I'm not sure what the reaction will be if I include paid holidays/vacation time.

I wish I knew if every other dc around here did this, it would make it easier lol.

Do you charge for holidays/vacation??
I charge for holidays and 6 sick/personal days a year but I do not charge for my week vacation as I understand parents need to pay someone else to watch there child I also charge full rate when parents go on there week vacation.
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MyAngels 06:45 AM 11-05-2011
I take all the major holidays plus the Friday after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve paid. I also take ten paid vacation days per year. I allow each of my full-time families ten paid vacation days unpaid with two weeks written notice. Part-time families get however many days they are contracted for X 2, with the two week written notice.

Nobody has ever even mentioned that it's a problem for them.
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wahmof3 07:25 AM 11-05-2011
Here is the way I have started to look at it:

My full-time rates are 3 or more days. Typically a holiday is 1 day of the week, so I no longer feel bad for getting paid for the holiday. I do have the holidays spelled out in my contracts, so if there is a question Im covered.
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SilverSabre25 07:36 AM 11-05-2011
If you're uncomfortable about it, you could always raise rates enough that you cover those days off--save the extra into your saving's account and voila! "paid days off"

That's what I'm doing for next year--I am still taking the holidays as paid, but the vacation days, not so much. I'm saving the few dollars each week it will take to cover the time off.
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PitterPatter 07:42 AM 11-05-2011
Originally Posted by misspollywog:
Is it the norm to charge for holidays and vacation days? If so, why do I feel so awkward doing so???

Just not feeling right about it. I don't have an official contract or policies yet, those are in the works and my one and only dcf is aware that I'm drawing them up but I'm not sure what the reaction will be if I include paid holidays/vacation time.

I wish I knew if every other dc around here did this, it would make it easier lol.

Do you charge for holidays/vacation??
I don't take paid holidays because I am not allowed to. (state clients)
I have had private paying in the past but I have been literally laughed at in my face when I told them I was taking a couple paid Holidays. Cleints refused to pay me to take a day off. Around here they just don't get it I guess. So no I don't take paid holidays. It's ok because I guess I do feel kinda akward after being laughed at.
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Maddy'sMommy 08:07 AM 11-05-2011
I don't take any paid holidays, sick days, or vacation. In my opinion by choosing to be self-employed, I have to give up certain things. I feel those things are provided by employers, to employees, which I am not.

Just my opinion though, no disrespect to those who feel differently.
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Mandy_Jane 09:46 AM 11-05-2011
I charge for 13 paid holidays and vacation days every year. They are listed in my contract so the parents know before they even enroll their child, which days I am taking off. I also take off one full week of vacation each year that I do not ask to be paid for. All providers deserve to be able to take a vacation every now and then without worrying about it affecting their bills. I have every right to ask for these days, and a parent who doesn't like it can move on to another provider who is willing to have a fluctuating income. The only parents that give me issues with paid holidays are parents that I would most likely have trouble with anyway. Families who respect me and what I do for their child are HAPPY pay for my holidays off. And those are really the only kind of families I want to work with. Those who respect me and realize how much I am worth.
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DCMom 10:17 AM 11-05-2011
I think the norm is different in each part of the country.

I have no problem asking for paid holidays and my dcp's don't bat an eye.

Vacations are a little different, because that can vary so much from employer to employer for the dcp's I take two weeks, one in February and one in July, at half rate for 'vacations', but I also take 5 mental health/personal/sick days that are paid, so I look at that as another week, just more spread out.

When I first started out, I got paid for the days I worked. No vacations, a few holidays, the major ones. It took me 22 years to get where I am now, I did it by adding a little at a time. I added one or two paid holiday/vacation/personal days each year in lieu of rate increases.

If had to do it over, I would start out with them in my contract. And don't feel guilty about it ~ everyone needs a break and chances are the dcp's are getting paid for them too.
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Nellie 01:30 PM 11-05-2011
I don't charge for my holidays or vacation. I don't charge for when families aren't here either so ............ I'd go for it. Right now I'm in a pickle myself. I have a full time rate and charge hourly for pt. One of my families is pt. 3 out of 4 weeks he is here 37 hours and the other week he is here 20 something. The hourly rate at 38 is the same as the full time rate. Occasionally the husband picks up a few hours of overtime and when it lands on the 37 hour week, they think they are full time and pay the full time rate. I didn't know what to say the first time they handed me the money and said "Here is x sense he is full time this week." The full time rate is for kids that are here every week and I can depend on the money. That is why they get a little break over pt. It only happens once every month or two and I'm typically out only 5 or 6 dollars, but I'm trying to get the nerve up to clearly fix this in my contracts the first of the year.
Before you dismiss not doing any paid holidays or vacation, you could do a few paid holidays this year and next add a couple of more. You could always call around and see what other providers are doing.
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misspollywog 03:57 PM 11-05-2011
Thanks for the input everyone. I can totally see both sides and I'm still so torn on this!

I think I'll peruse some of the local dc websites and see what they do. A lot of them put their parent handbook up so I can investigate. I guess if it is the norm I should do it. Then again, it might be a way to steal customers if I don't!

Kidding, of course.

Ugh, why is this so hard?
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momofsix 07:48 PM 11-05-2011
If I don't work, I don't get paid. I think it really matters where you live, what's normal in some parts of the country (or world) seem so crazy in other parts!
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lucky 05:55 AM 11-06-2011
I take 10 paid Holidays ( I added President's Day this year) as well as 10 paid vacation days to use either as a week or broken up. I also raised my rates $5.00 per week per child starting Jan. 1st. and none of my parents have had any issue so far( I have gotten all but 1 signed contracts returned) I think these are fairly average policies in my area though.
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Ariana 06:05 AM 11-06-2011
I have 10 days paid sick and personal days. My vacations are no charge but parents pay if they go on vacation. I charge a bit more for daycare though so it all works out in the end. I also give myself 4 weeks of vacay per year...my husband gets 5!
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mismatchedsocks 07:14 AM 11-06-2011
I have one week of unpaid vacation for me a year. I do have paid holidays, and will hopefully change to me getting a paid vacation a year.
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TBird 08:01 AM 11-07-2011
So far I have 6 PAID holidays (it may be more next year, it just depends). 3 weeks UNPAID vacation (because they'll have to pay alternate care providers), 3 Paid Personal & 3 Paid Sick. They pay for their vacations to reserve their spot in care.

This is all spelled out several times in my contract and on a separate addendum which I have them sign at the end of December each year. Plenty of notice and much like any person running a business or working for one. There is no guilt involved whatsoever.
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awestbrook713 08:35 AM 11-07-2011
No paid holidays or vacations here. I have a hard enough trying to raise rates trying to get paid for holidays and vacations would be a nightmare.
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renodeb 11:02 AM 11-07-2011
The way I do it is that when I take vacation I dont charge for that, when they take vacation its 1/2 of there weekly fee. I take all the school holidays off and I get paid for them. I know a lot of providers that do take paid vacations, there clients know it at enrollment and dont complain. Dont feel weird about taking paid days off. Chances are your clients are getting benefits like that at there work. You totally deserve it.
Debbie
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Daycare Diva 11:02 AM 11-07-2011
I am in a military community so I take all federal holidays off with pay. I also have 5 sick days with pay built into my contract and any time I have to close for business related appts like training or recertertified health appts I get paid. I usually don't take vacations although I am considering taking 2 in the summer and 2 in the winter. Non paid.
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caligirl 11:05 AM 11-07-2011
I take paid holidays and never give it a second thought. We work hard and deserve paid holidays just like everyone else.
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Christian Mother 11:16 AM 11-07-2011
I have always had it in my contract that if the child is not in care whether it is sick/holiday/vacation they will not pay me. However; I made those rules bc my husband was the main supporter in the family so my low rates and policies reflected that I could afford to do that. I am not so lucky now to give those so Beginning of the yr I am making quiet a few changes. One of those is that I will no longer offer "no pay" while a child is not in my care. They will need to pay regardless. I feel I am extremely reliable...to the point that I never take a day off nor take vacations. I work around the parents when there on vacation so I don't miss out on extra pay so to speak. So now, I will need to make sure that my parents are just as reliable as I am to them. I will need them to pay regardless of whether their in care or not. I will however; allow 1 wks vacation time free however; they'd like to use it sick/holiday/vacation. And I won't charge for when I am out sick or my children. Also, I charge $25 a day for full time rate however; I will be charging $35 for drop in care or care that is under 3 days a week. That way anyone who is full time rate gets a break. Now how to write these up in my new contract and policies...lol!! Also, I plan to hand those out next month for a 1 month notice so they can either look for new care or stay with me. The families understand completely what we are going through so I am hoping they will take in consideration why I need to change these policies.
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karen 11:18 AM 11-07-2011
I take all of the normal paid holidays. I explain to the parents that they get paid holidays/vacations and health benefits I am only asking for holidays.
I do not take any paid vacations because I can't see charging someone for my services and they have to pay another sitter for that week I am off so now they are paying twice as much in childcare.
If I don't work I don't get paid. I do give all of my parents a list of the holidays and my vacation days at the begining of each year as it is up to them to find other arrangements for the days I am closed.
I am jealous of those of you who get paid vacations!!!!!
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