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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Do You Work on MLK Day?
LovelyK 04:27 PM 01-19-2020
Hey nanny here and I was wondering do you work on MLK jr day if it's a paid holiday for the parents? I know everyone dont have the day off and it's still my job but I feel some type of way having to keep a child all day when the parents are able to run free. I dont mind being there when I know I need to be there but when I dont need to but have to is a different story.
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Blackcat31 04:54 PM 01-19-2020
Originally Posted by LovelyK:
Hey nanny here and I was wondering do you work on MLK jr day if it's a paid holiday for the parents? I know everyone dont have the day off and it's still my job but I feel some type of way having to keep a child all day when the parents are able to run free. I dont mind being there when I know I need to be there but when I dont need to but have to is a different story.
Some of my parents are off and some aren’t.

I am open because I choose to be. The parents that pay cash can bring their child(ren) if they want even if they’re off because they pay for it so I personally feel it’s their right to have that option.

If I think all parents should take the day off and be with their kids I would close.

Figuring out who will/won’t bring their kids depending on whether their off or working is just not my cup of tea.

I have some parents that are off staying home and some that are off bringing their kids. I don’t care either way as I’m being paid either way so...
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Snowmom 05:33 PM 01-19-2020
I am open MLK day.

Although, next year, I will be changing that since it's pretty typical that all schools now close that day in my area. I'd rather spend the day with my own school age kids, so that's what works for me.
1/2 the families enrolled here are off but still bringing their children. It is what it is... if you're open, they WILL come. It's weird to us, but they will always, always do it.
Ultimately, just do what works for you (take it off or in your case, negotiate the holiday into your contract).
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LovelyK 05:36 PM 01-19-2020
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Some of my parents are off and some aren’t.

I am open because I choose to be. The parents that pay cash can bring their child(ren) if they want even if they’re off because they pay for it so I personally feel it’s their right to have that option.

If I think all parents should take the day off and be with their kids I would close.

Figuring out who will/won’t bring their kids depending on whether their off or working is just not my cup of tea.

I have some parents that are off staying home and some that are off bringing their kids. I don’t care either way as I’m being paid either way so...
You are right. Maybe I'm just feeling like I have the child more than the parent I need a break too lol. Thanks for responding.
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e.j. 06:07 PM 01-19-2020
I'm closed tomorrow and it's a paid holiday for me. When I first started doing child care, I worked holidays like MLK Day and I admit, I got tired (and a little resentful) of having a houseful of rowdy kids to care for while their parents were off enjoying themselves on their own paid holiday. Once my kids were old enough to go to school, I started closing on those "Monday Holidays" so they could have me and their home to themselves. My kids are adults now but I decided to hold on to those paid holidays since most of my day care parents have those holidays off, too. On regular work days, I feel the same way BC feels. It doesn't matter to me if parents are working or taking the day off. If they pay me to watch their kids and I know how to reach them in an emergency, I'm good.

As a nanny, do you have the option to set your schedule and take the holiday off or are you working through an agency that expects you to work holidays?
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Daycare Darling 08:31 PM 01-19-2020
I open. I don't really feel like it's a holiday. I choose my PTO the same way annually so I feel I get enough paid time off and real holidays that I don't need mlk. I don't care what parents do during the time they pay me to care for thier kids, I may secretly judge them as parents lol but as long as they've paid me I'll watch thier kids. However if they EVER run late on a day they were having "me time" that is an immediate termination.
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DaveA 03:21 AM 01-20-2020
I always have stayed open because I usually have a couple DCPs in healthcare, so they're probably working. Plus I close for a few days for a trade show around this time and don't want to have too many days off lumped so close together.
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Gemma 04:09 AM 01-20-2020
I work! I don't ever take time off actually
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Ariana 04:41 AM 01-20-2020
Originally Posted by LovelyK:
You are right. Maybe I'm just feeling like I have the child more than the parent I need a break too lol. Thanks for responding.
We are in strike mode here and the teachers are off. This is the second, maybe third day off in two weeks that mom has brought her kid at the regular time of 7:15am even though she does not need to be at work that early

I feel ya!
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Blackcat31 07:40 AM 01-20-2020
Originally Posted by LovelyK:
You are right. Maybe I'm just feeling like I have the child more than the parent I need a break too lol. Thanks for responding.
EXACTLY!!! Take the time YOU need and never feel bad about it because parent's won't give you the time.

It's important to know when you need a break and when I do, I just close and I don't feel one bit badly about it because like I said, we all have to be advocates for our own mental and physical health.


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Annalee 07:49 AM 01-20-2020
I am off; I began taking all these days because school was closed when my own kids began kindy. They are sophomore and seniors now but not going backwards. Enjoying my days off. I close when school closes with the exception of summer break!
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CountryRoads 07:52 AM 01-20-2020
I'm open.

My own kids have school anyway and all my families, except for 1, are working. All kids are here today.

If my own kids didn't have school, I would consider closing for sure!
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flying_babyb 09:57 AM 01-20-2020
I work in a center in a mostly African American area. Our schools are closed and so is the daycare.
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sunshst 07:54 PM 01-20-2020
I am closed. It's my paid holiday. It's also listed in my Handbook I distribute to families when they come aboard so everyone knows way ahead of time and can make arrangements. I also do not think too much about having children in my daycare while their parents are off from work, as long as I get paid for my time. All families I provide care for pay per spot which gives me opportunity to charge for all holidays and my summer and winter vacation.
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megoddess444 08:13 PM 01-20-2020
I too am closed. I also charge by enrollment, not time used or not used. My families pay a weekly fee regardless. It took me years to do that though.
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Cat Herder 04:03 AM 01-21-2020
I close for the federal observance of Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday. I close for all federal holidays. It is a paid holiday. Our public schools, banks and county/state offices are also closed.
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Jo123ABC 05:14 AM 01-21-2020
I close too, I follow all of my state's holidays to match my husband's schedule. We can plan family things on those holidays. My paid holidays are all listed in my policy. Sometimes I decide to stay open or check with parents to see if any would be interested in having me open on certain holidays if I know I don't have plans and feel like opening. I decided to stay open for President's day this year and gave the option of MLK holiday but no one wanted to come MLK day so I got it off anyway! That's pretty rare!
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Msdunny 09:43 AM 01-21-2020
I only had one mom who was off, but I know she is hunting for a new job, soI didn't mind that she brought her little to play with the others. So I had a full house for the first time in 3 weeks!
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badger411 11:08 AM 01-28-2020
I have found that I am unique in the world of child care. I am open 7 days a week, 6 am until the last child leaves. I am open all holidays, because most of my dcp are retail or nursing workers, and one family has a prison guard and a tow truck driver. These people don't get these days off.

The only day off I had in December was Christmas Day, and that's only because everything shuts down in my town. I didn't have any kids on Thanksgiving Day, but only because they found other arrangements the day before. I had kids throughout the semester break.

I can't afford not to be open because this is my only income. My wife is on disability, and I have so many joint/muscle/feet problems that I had to quit my outside cashier job. I need to be open as many days as possible to get as much money as possible.

The only thing that distinguishes one day from another is which children are here. Everything else just runs together in a blur. So, yes, I work on MLK Jr Day.
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Tags:federal holidays, mlk
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