My contract says I will take (unpaid) 2 wks and 5 personal days (so basically 3 wks a year). I plan to take all of it. I budget my income to be able to afford it.

I have one family that makes me feel like it's such a big inconveniece for them to find back up care... I feel like I am entitled to vacation and family time, plus it's unpaid so it's not like it's a financial burden on them. I understand that it's hard to find back up care, but I feel that I NEED this vacation to for my mental health!

Opinions? Thoughts? Suggestions? Do you ever feel guilty about taking vacations?

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I get paid a set monthly rate (they can pay in 1, 2, 3 or 4 installments if they like, but it all amounts to one monthly amount). All my holidays, appointments and vacation days are PAID. No deductions for the kid not being here or leaving early, and no deductions for me being gone.

That being said, I ONLY take 5 full days a year for vacation days (usually Fridays before a 3-day weekend, but about every 3rd year Hubby and I go on a week's vacation). Occasionally I will take a half day so we can leave at a decent time when we drive 6 hours to visit family. Almost NEVER do I take time for appointments. I make all my medical appointments at 6pm or later, or on weekends. That's my trade off for having a set monthly rate with no deductions for any reason. I don't have to worry about the b.s. of "they're staying home with Grandma today", or "I took the day off and will keep them home with me today", etc. etc. Go ahead and do that, but you still pay for it. However, I feel an obligation to be there just as often as I can. Easier on the budgeting, but not as much fun for me!

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I have in my contract that I can take up to 3 weeks vacation per year (only one of them is paid). That being said, in 2010 I only took 1 week vacation. I need more than that, and yes, I do feel guilty for taking time off, even though I shouldn't.

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Once during week of 4th of July and again during Christmas. During the July vacation I take one full week and live on our houseboat on the lake, during Christmas, I try to take a minimum of 3 days and a max of 5. Other than that I only close for Thanksgiving and following Friday, and the Monday after Easter and Labor and Memorial days. I think it totals 14 days per year. Only Christmas is paid though. Other days I'm just closed and don't charge.

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Two weeks paid in December and one week paid in May. I get all holidays paid too.

I don't feel guilty. I deserve it.



The only way you are going to make everyone happy all the time is to be open every day every week every year. It's okay for them to not like it. The important thing is that they are decent about it and for me... that they pay for it.

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One thing I do not feel guilty about is my time off. I need it for my mental health and my homes physical health

I take 10 PAID personal days - anything over that is at no charge.
I take all holidays and then some - all paid !

I honestly feel if a family choses in home care they need to make sure they have good back up - if they do not, then a center daycare is better for them.

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I take 2 weeks off unpaid per year. All paid holidays. I don't feel guilty for any of it and if parents have a problem there are other providers!

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I take $5 per family per week and put in envelope. That's my vaca money. I do not feel guilty. I feel rested and refreshed.

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I work almost exclusively for teachers so I follow their work schedule. All of my teachers work for the same school district. My "year" begins a few days before school starts up in September and ends a day after the last school day. I take off unpaid all holidays that they take off including winter break, snow days, spring break and summer break. My rates are pretty high for my area ($43 day) but my teachers don't have to pay to hold their spot for the summer. I close for the summer to be with my own kids!....I do allow myself 5 unpaid personal days but in six years I have only had to use all five once...last year when my child was in the hospital and a close out of town family member died. I always give AT LEAST one month notice when I plan on using a personal day. I six years I have only had to close once due to illness.
NEVER FEEL GUILTY FOR TAKING PERSONAL DAYS.
Parents who use home daycare should ALWAYS have a backup plan.

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I do take Vacations and I do not feel guilty at all. Daycare parents and anyone out in the work force gets vacation time, so why shouldn't we. We are working people, just work from home. I have it in my contract that I take a week vacation in the summer and one week around Christmas time. I do not charge for my vacations as I feel it is not fair to the parents as they do have to find other care for their child and that they will have to pay that person. I also don't charge the parents when I take a day off for appointments or if I am sick as they will need other care also that they will have to pay for. I just feel that it is not fair to charge the parents when I take time off, which is not often other then my vacation time. I do however charge parents when they take vacation, I didn't do that for many years, but started just recently. I also charge parents when their child is not here on a scheduled day whether it is because the child is sick or the parent decides to take a day off and keep their child at home. This is also in my contract. I think we all need a vacation at some time and it also lets us get refreshed and ready to give the care to the kids that they deserve. I also have in my contract that it is the parents responsibility to find other care for their child when I do take time off. Don't fell guilty at all about taking some time off, it is what we need to do to give the best care we can give to the kids and getting time for ourselves, which we need to take care of ourselves in order to take care of the kids as they deserve to be cared for. Hope this helps a little.

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I have a family like this too, heck last year they wanted to know why I didn't take a vacation when they did. Uhm I guess they didn't realize I watch other children.
I rarely take vacation time off. i may take a day off here and there but thats it, but this march we are going to florida (we go every 3 yrs) for march break/spring break I know there is going to be some stink going on.

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10 day / 2 weeks unpaid vacation i usally just take about a week of this for long weekends ect. but last year(2010) i took the whole 10 days it was great! i really enjoyed it too!

i also have 5 personal sick days for emergency.

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