Question about holiday

[buzzy bee]

My policy states I charge half fees... mindee is at school and only comes in holidays (not after school). If I take 2 weeks at easter, so mindee doesn't come at all during easter, can I (morally) still charge half fees?

[Mrs Scrubbit]

Depends on what you agreed to on your contract- I personally never charged if I was not willing/able to work (my sickness, occ. days off and holidays) xx

[buzzy bee]

Depends on what you agreed to on your contract- I personally never charged if I was not willing/able to work (my sickness, occ. days off and holidays) xx


My policy states I charge half fees for holiday.

So I know that legally I can charge them, I just feel guilty about it so I'm wondering if it's morally right.

I've only recently started charging for my holiday, and all my parents said they prefer my new policy to my old one.

[shortstuff]

Im going to play devils advocate. If you were going to feel guilty about charging it why did you put it in your policies? also your contracts? assuming you have it in the contract too?

[buzzy bee]

Im going to play devils advocate. If you were going to feel guilty about charging it why did you put it in your policies? also your contracts? assuming you have it in the contract too?

I don't feel guilty usually, and I wouldn't feel guilty if I was just taking one of the weeks off... it's just the fact that I'm taking both weeks off and still charging half fees, when she doesn't normally come to me other than holidays (her brother comes to me all year).

I'm sensing from both your responses that the answer to my question is that it is morally wrong and that I should feel guilty and not charge them!!

[shortstuff]

I say if it is in your contract you should charge them. If you dont stick to it then you are giving the parents permission to pick and choose which parts they wish to follow.

Personally I dont charge for my time off but that is my preference.

No judgements from me

[LauraS]

I think the problem for me would be because the two weeks holiday represents such a large proportion of the child's normal attendance with you. For your average child coming year round, four weeks holiday taken in a year would only represent seven and a half percent of their attendance, so to charge half as per contract seems reasonable. For this family, two weeks out of thirteen (assuming that you don't take any more time off in the holidays) represents 15%of their yearly attendance.

It's the fact that they are being disproportionately affected that makes me a bit uneasy. Of course if you take any more time off in the school hols then that increases, if you take five weeks of and all is taken in the holidays as I do, then the family will find themselves affected for almost 40% of the time :s Clearly you can do as per your contract and charge half, legally, since parent has signed up to your terms (although they might not have fully realised the potential for you taking lots and lots of your holiday in the school holidays!). For me, though, it doesn't seem like the Right Thing.

I had a similar dilemma this year when issuing my holiday dates. I have a family who comes mostly just on Fridays. I had very little time off last year and swore that this year I would have four weeks, plus another five days as long weekends. It suits me better to have the long weekends Friday to Sunday, but that would mean my Friday family having me on holiday, effectively, for nine weeks all told. I therefore took the Mondays instead.

[buzzy bee]

I think the problem for me would be because the two weeks holiday represents such a large proportion of the child's normal attendance with you. For your average child coming year round, four weeks holiday taken in a year would only represent seven and a half percent of their attendance, so to charge half as per contract seems reasonable. For this family, two weeks out of thirteen (assuming that you don't take any more time off in the holidays) represents 15%of their yearly attendance.

It's the fact that they are being disproportionately affected that makes me a bit uneasy. Of course if you take any more time off in the school hols then that increases, if you take five weeks of and all is taken in the holidays as I do, then the family will find themselves affected for almost 40% of the time :s Clearly you can do as per your contract and charge half, legally, since parent has signed up to your terms (although they might not have fully realised the potential for you taking lots and lots of your holiday in the school holidays!). For me, though, it doesn't seem like the Right Thing.

I had a similar dilemma this year when issuing my holiday dates. I have a family who comes mostly just on Fridays. I had very little time off last year and swore that this year I would have four weeks, plus another five days as long weekends. It suits me better to have the long weekends Friday to Sunday, but that would mean my Friday family having me on holiday, effectively, for nine weeks all told. I therefore took the Mondays instead.


Thanks - that's such a good point. I never looked at it that way but you're totally right and that makes the solution fairly simple, because I guess what I could do is work it out pro-rata... so for that particular child I will only take 1 week paid holiday per year (which is also 7.5% if my maths is right).

Thanks very much :thumbsup:

[LauraS]

Thanks - that's such a good point. I never looked at it that way but you're totally right and that makes the solution fairly simple, because I guess what I could do is work it out pro-rata... so for that particular child I will only take 1 week paid holiday per year (which is also 7.5% if my maths is right). Thanks very much :thumbsup:

Sounds like a perfect solution!

[Simona]

My policy states I charge half fees... mindee is at school and only comes in holidays (not after school). If I take 2 weeks at easter, so mindee doesn't come at all during easter, can I (morally) still charge half fees?

My opinion is that it is not a question of morality ...it is a question of what you and the parents have agreed in your contract

If this is not relevant then a review is in order...some cms charge for holidays some don't
Hope you get it sorted