My son is attending good day care; however, they take their holidays whenever they want to. For example, instead of regular Christmas holiday 24th and 25th, they decided to take 25th and 26th because it is convenient for them to have Thursday and Friday off instead of Wed and Thurs. What about me? I have to work on Friday and there is no way that I can stay at home or someone can watch for my son. Is this normal? Also, they are taking vacation for 2 weeks and they are calling this a training. Then, when I started to argue that I don't have anyone to watch for my son on Friday and I enrolled my son to the daycare for A reason, they told me that they are making me a favor because they can take another two weeks of vacation. Just tired to pay extra money to someone plus a daycare.

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I can understand how it may be difficult to take an additional day off around the holidays. Personally, I take December 25th and 26th off as well. My daycare is in my house and living space, and I have 2 school aged children. I did not want to celebrate Christmas with my family and then turn around and make everyone pick up and get ready for daycare the following day. It's important to my family to be able to enjoy the holiday and family time. My vacation days are declared in December for the following calendar year (so over a year warning for next Christmas).

Do you know any high school babysitters in your area? They should be home on school vacation and may love the chance to earn a little cash. When my kids were in daycare and it was difficult to get the day off for a daycare closing, we'd split the day. My husband would take the morning off and work late, and I'd go in early and take the afternoon off. Maybe this is something you can arrange?

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I assume you knew about these closings when you signed up? Most providers/centers don't change their closing dates so close to the holidays so I am guessing you knew in advance. Being closed on the 26th is not that unusual. Parents are typically given a schedule in advance & if it doesn't work for the parents it is their responsibility to find alternate care.

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There was nothing about vacation in the manual (just regular holidays)...but I will double check that. They didn't told me in an advance...that's why it is not possible at ALL for me to take a day off.

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I understand that this is convenient for you, but not for the parents who is working and relying on this daycare. I don't have anyone to watch for my son. Last time I spend double if not even more for their 2 weeks vacation - "training."

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I think the issue here may be a lack of notice. If this is something that is being sprung on the OP this week then yeah, she's got a reason to be upset. Now if this is something that's been known for awhile then it's on her to find alternate care.

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They told me such "good" news just this morning.

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Then, yeah, I'd be fairly pissed off. I don't know what I'd do in that case. At my job it would be way too late to call off and calling off after a holiday to extend a weekend is very frowned upon. I'm also pretty sure that most, if not all, my backups are going to be out of town/busy for the holiday. More than likely I'd end up bringing the kid with me to work.


Sorry. That sucks.

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It should be in the manual/handbook when you sign a contract. And if s/he/they aren't telling you, I would make sure you ask for a list of all holidays in 2015. I'm assuming s/he/they will take time off around the Jan 1st, too?

I'm wondering if a center wouldn't better fit your needs because of the days you need available?

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I do think a center is better for people who have more rigid schedules. But in this case, if s/he/they really did wait until Monday to let parents know that they'd be closed on Friday of a holiday week then that's just being inconsiderate. In my mind this is different than a provider being sick because it's something that's not out of the provider's hands and it's during a time of year when backups are likely hard to come by. I know that parents aren't your boss, but they are your customers and this is a good way to lose customers.

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Yes... now I am looking for other day care of center. Does anyone know a good center in Tacoma, WA?

Thanks

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December 25th and 26th being closed is pretty standard for most day cares. Some even close on December 24th as well. I'm taking 1/2 day tomorrow, and closed on christmas and the day after.

Check your handbook. You say it includes "regular holidays" I bet it outlines in there that they take the 25th and 26th off for the Christmas holiday.

I'm sorry that you're upset and frustrated over this, but nothing they're doing is out of the ordinary. Do you really expect them to not want to spend christmas with their families too?

Also, this is going to come off as harsh, but it's not your providers job to make sure you have someone to watch your kid. That's YOUR job as a parent. It's not our job or our problem that you don't have a back up sitter. Most providers require you to have a backup sitter, for this exact reason. If I scheduled a 2 week vacation, or even if I had 2 weeks off for training, there's no way in heck that I would reschedule or make an exception for your child. "Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency for me"

Now, if your provider truly sprung this stuff on you at the very last minute and it wasn't noted in the handbook or in a previous newsletter, then yes you have every right to be mad. But, in my experience, when a parent goes back over the handbook that they were instructed to read when they first enrolled, they find all kinds of rules and policies that they "didn't know".

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All of the centers in my town are closed on the 26th this year, too. It's really pretty common, especially if the 26th falls on Friday, like it does this year.

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When you sign up for home daycare you have to understand a few things. Your child is going to a home not a center. Therefore you need plan B. Otherwise choose a center. What if daycare provider gets sick or has an emergency ? You need a plan and need to sit down and do asap!
It's not all about the you when you sign up for this.WE have lives too!!!!

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Yeah. I would find a center. No way would I want someone who takes two weeks off for training. At my center we are only closed the major holidays that are outlined at the beginning of the year so there is plenty of time for preparation. That's the only time we are closed. If someone gets sick we have other staff as backup.

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Most daycares (homes and centers) are pretty good about notifying parents of closed dates well ahead of time (in the handbook, in newsletters, in the form of signs, etc.) since no one really wants angry parents due to surprise holidays/vacation. Are you sure you didn't just miss the notice(s)?

As far as I know, most centers in my area are open on Friday. Most of them (including mine) are only closed on major holidays and are open on the days surrounding said holidays. Heck, I worked this morning.

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