Holiday stand off?

[Katiekoo]

I am reviewing my fees and you guys have been so helpful.
Another question here; Please can you you tell me - do you ever feel like there's a holiday stand off situation?
Where parents wait and wait hoping you'll book your holiday at no fee to them, and you hold off hoping to take yours when they do at full fee?
Hope that makes sense!

[funemnx]

Oh yes, went through that for years, especially at Christmas when everyone's off anyway. I ended up having to work until 6.30 Christmas Eve and a few days between Christmas and New Year, often with only 1 mindee... just because they had to pay me anyway!!

I gave in and now book it off 10 months in advance - it's not worth the nervous breakdown, lifes too short!

[karensmart4]

No, I always book my holidays well in advance and put the dates in our newsletter, I also ask parents to give at least 2 weeks notice to have the time off at a reduced rate, any less time giving notice is charged at full rate.

[nikki thomson]

hi, that's why i do 50% both ways otherwise you can never afford a holiday, especially if you are full, my friend did that and one summer she was £1200 down that month i just couldn't afford to work like that, i do however try and fit in with everyone, i haven't requested any time of this year and i've already had 8 weeks off, so i can't complain.:)

[cupcake22]

Thats why I charge for my holidays & theirs. Most parents get paid hoilidays & they are informed of how much holiday I take & that I charge before they sign up. If i sense there will be problems I dont sign them. Not had any problems so far.

Cupcake22

[Adiamond]

yep that's why I charge half for my hols AND theirs!!!

When I first started minding I didn't charge for my hols but I never ended up taking any :eek: because I couldn't afford to be off work and not getting paid.
I have never had any of my parents complain about this until very recently when she didn't read the contract or any of my policies and thought she wasn't getting charge while I was away came as a bit of a shock for her I think!!! x

[miffy]

I am reviewing my fees and you guys have been so helpful.
Another question here; Please can you you tell me - do you ever feel like there's a holiday stand off situation?
Where parents wait and wait hoping you'll book your holiday at no fee to them, and you hold off hoping to take yours when they do at full fee?
Hope that makes sense!

Yes, some parents will wait until the last moment before they tell you about their holidays just in case you also book time off and others will take time off and still send their children just because they are paying you. That's why I include at least two weeks paid holiday for me each year.

Miffy xx

[FussyElmo]

No I dont even think of it as a standoff. I tell parents when Im going to be off and they react accordingly.

Sometimes I think if you start to wait for parents to book the time ( especially at christmas) you end up resenting the fact the parent hasnt or worse end up having the children. I just budget accordingly :thumbsup:

[singingcactus]

No, I book my holidays in advance. Having a break with my own children is more important to me than money.

[helendee]

All of my parents pay calendar monthly which means that 4 times each year they have to pay for 5 weeks care instead of four, I take my holiday (a week at a time) during one of those months so I still get paid for four weeks as normall.:)

[caz3007]

No, I book my holidays in advance. Having a break with my own children is more important to me than money.

Same here. Hubby has already put in for next years 2 main weeks and as soon as he gets the nod they are fine, I will book them with my parents. I have had parents that have never used their holiday entitlement, as they prefer to still send the children when they are off

[The Juggler]

all my kids are p-time or term time only so the most I have to take is 2 days a week off with those that are here them. at present I charge for those 6 days per year but next year I'm gonna stop charging.

However, what I'm going to do is work out 49 weeks of the year charges and split by 12 months so I don't go without money for xmas week and 2 weeks in the summer. I know I could lose out if they leave before my summer 2 weeks off but this is my way of 'budgeting' for my unpaid hols.:D

[marleymoo]

i'm lucky i suppose. when i'm away on hol my co-workers still work so i still get paid my normal wage. although there are 3 of us i don't fill one of my co-workers 3 under 5 vacancies because she's more of an enhancement to my setting, not a way to earn more money by taking more mindees.

[Pandypops]

I don't charge for my holidays (maybe I should..).

I charge half for the their holidays for first 3 weeks (full if they take more than 3 weeks a year) but have written into my contract that if they take holidays at the same time as me, they still have to pay half fees.

I am newly registered so am yet to take holidays but I hope that they do take at same time as me so I get paid :)

[PixiePetal]

No I dont even think of it as a standoff. I tell parents when Im going to be off and they react accordingly.

Sometimes I think if you start to wait for parents to book the time ( especially at christmas) you end up resenting the fact the parent hasnt or worse end up having the children. I just budget accordingly :thumbsup:

with you on this one! I have full fees for their hols, none for mine. I always have Christmas to New Year off - would rather have no money then and stretch out my money from the previous weeks than work. Would be just my luck someone sends them!! :rolleyes:

[kindredspirits]

last year at the beginning of december i sent around a print off calander page and asked parents to mark the days that they would be coming in order to plan activities - parents signed the bottom of page to confirm that those dates were confirmed. that way i knew which days i would and wouldn't be working. :thumbsup: I marked off any days off I had already planned (we went away the week before xmas for 3 days) and they had a free range to choose the other days.

this year my baby will be due on 22nd december so will be doing things a bit differently although i'm not taking much time off i'll be working as much as possible prior to the baby born so not to muck parents around.

[birch24]

To make it easier for everyones planning I just say i will take he same weeks every year. It works for me. I take 2 weeks in August and 1 week at xmas. Unpaid. If the parents take any other weeks they pay me.:D

[Bananabrain]

I do half and half and give parents my holiday dates in January. Avoids any arguments and seems to work for me.

[jane5]

I take up to 4 weeks holidays at no charge and charge full fees for the other 48 weeks whether they are there or not.

Because they are all part time they all take holidays at different times to each other so I never get them all being on holiday at the same time.

I have worked this week Mon - Thurs, but because of shift patterns I only had 1 mindee on Fri, Sat and Sunday and no lo's coming today so have had 1 week off from that 1 mindee but still paid from the others iykwim.

I just budget for the weeks I am on holiday as I find it I would rather decide when I am getting less money rather than charging half fee and mindees all having holidays in 1 month and my wages being reduced by 50% with only a couple of weeks notice.

[marleymoo]

[QUOTE=PixiePetal;975014]with you on this one! I have full fees for their hols, none for mine. I always have Christmas to New Year off - would rather have no money then and stretch out my money from the previous weeks than work.

same for me

[Katiekoo]

All of my parents pay calendar monthly which means that 4 times each year they have to pay for 5 weeks care instead of four, I take my holiday (a week at a time) during one of those months so I still get paid for four weeks as normall.:)

I like your thinking!
I'm really torn, but think I will ask for full fee for parents and nothing for my own. At the moment I ask for 50% for their 5 weeks hols and nothing for mine but am struggling to get by when hols are taken. I thought about asking for 50% for mine and theirs, but I think it will cost a lot for those who have to find alternative childcare.

[caz3007]

I like your thinking!
I'm really torn, but think I will ask for full fee for parents and nothing for my own. At the moment I ask for 50% for their 5 weeks hols and nothing for mine but am struggling to get by when hols are taken. I thought about asking for 50% for mine and theirs, but I think it will cost a lot for those who have to find alternative childcare.

I must admit mine pay 50% and none of them have every paid for alternative childcare, they usually book of the same as me, although I only take 3 weeks. I let them know in January what my main weeks are and also give lots of notice to any other time I need to take unless and emergency of course. My hubby has booked his main holiday at work for next year already, so will let my parents know the dates in a couple of weeks