Just curious what you will take off this Christmas since Christmas Eve falls on a Friday and Christmas Day on a Saturday. I guess according to my contract, I really can take off Monday this year too since my contract says I am off Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the 26th of December, which are all paid. Last year (my first year doing daycare), I really jipped myself because even though my contract says Im off Christmas Eve, I felt bad for the parents and opened half a day. I tried to prepare a huge dinner while I had daycare kids here. We celebrated with family late that afternoon, so I had to get my turkey going and all of the sides and I was soooo mad at myself for not just closing down. I dont take any paid days off other than holidays, so if I dont close on the 27th, that is really 2 paid days that I normally have (25th and 26th) that I will not get. Does that make sense? I suppose I better talk to my parents on Monday and let them know how it will work this year since things fall on a weekend. How do your policies work?

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Would it be out of the question to take off Thursday, Friday, and Monday, or Friday, Monday, and Tuesday?

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I am closed Thursday, Friday and of course the weekend. I put out my holiday closure schedule for the entire year in January, so my parents have plenty of notice that I will be closed, and it is in my contract that if holidays fall on the weekend, days around the weekend will be used as alternative holiday closures.

If you haven't already told the parents you will be closed on days besides the weekend since it falls on the weekend, you might end up not being able to close with short notice. I'd still ask them though. They may be totally supportive of it (and they should) I hope you get the days off, you deserve them and you should put it in your contract so that there is no question next year.

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Well, it is in my contract so I should be OK there. They had to sign it when they started here, so it's not like it wasnt mentioned (or shown) to them. It's just that I didnt follow it last year because I "felt bad". I stayed open when I didnt need to since I didnt want to put them in a bind. Also, my contract states that I will give them 4 weeks notice, so I can email them today and that should be sufficient. I have been pretty lenient with them if they need to drop off early or pick up late etc., so I dont expect too much friction from them for falling a day or 2 short of 4 weeks notice. I think I will plan on Friday the 24th, and Monday the 26th (meaning I will lose 1 paid day since Christmas is on Sat.) but that way I wont cause them to be in too big of a bind. I was just curious as to what others do when holidays fall like this. How about New Years Eve and New Years? Are you off or do you work New Years Eve? Thanks.

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I am off New Year's Eve, but not usually. Only this year because the 1st is on a weekend.

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When I looked onto the next yr.'s calendar, I seen Fri. and Sat. was Xmas eve and Xmas day. I placed this into my contract, that if it happens to fall this way- Fri. and Sat. as the Holidays, then I will receive Thurs. off paid as well.

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I have made my Christmas holidays Dec 22 - Jan 2nd EVERY year. I am closed with pay. It gives the parents advance notice of when I am closed so they can make arrangements in advance each year. This gives me a nice break with my own family and the time I need to recharge my energy! I just had my parents sign a new contract with this in their and said that if it isn't a fit for them they need to give me a months notice and I will fill their space with someone that the time off will work for. All 5 families stayed on full time knowing I am closed.
Good luck! I hope you get the time off you deserve!!

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We close from December 17th and reopen January 3rd this year.

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