Holiday standoff!

[buzzy bee]

I charge full fees when mindees are on holiday and no fees when I am on holiday or sick...

As a result I find I hardly ever take holiday, and when I do I feel guilty for the loss of income (and OH gives me a hard time about it too!) I've taken about 2 days off in the last year.

Also, I find that even when parents are off work, they send their kids to me and even say to me "I might as well since I'm paying for it". So I never get any paid time off either!

What do you all do about charging for holiday etc?

[Ripeberry]

First of all, why is you OH so against you having a holiday? Does he not get time off, at least 4 weeks? It's not good not taking any time off, even if it's just for a week.
I work term-time only as it suits my family and the parents are mostly term time workers. If they decide to take a holiday in term-time then they know that they have to pay.
If you use NCMA they recommend that you take at least 4 weeks holiday a year.
Don't burn yourself out, we don't get paid enough to do that :(

[suez]

thats why i changed my terms to half n half of the contract fee's.
so if im off or parents off i still recieve half the contract fee's.

[Cinderbella]

I charge full for theirs and nothing for mine, we both childmind so it hurts when we have time off.... there is no point in one of us having time off on our own as you can imagine! We never get paid time off either as theres not much chance of them all being off :( Thats the only down side of the job !

However I do know of childminders who charge half and half (upto 4 weeks each I think?), that way you still get something and feel less guilty for taking the time off. Have you thought of this??

[rickysmiths]

I charge full fee for my holiday have done for the last 7 years. I never feel guilty taking holiday I consider I need it as I do a hard job physically and mentally.

I can never understand parents who don't spend some holiday with their children and you will be ill on 2 days off a year.

Maybe you need to explain to the parents that just the same way they need a break, so do you and the los need a break from you as well.

From Jan you expect the los to be off for at least 4 weeks a year and you need 4 weeks notice. or you have to set aside some money each week so you can take at least 4 weeks off and have some money for it.

Does your oh not have any holiday? I would go mad if mine begrudged me my breaks and we actually enjoy some time together without minded children around., booming cheek.

[Shivvie]

Also, I find that even when parents are off work, they send their kids to me and even say to me "I might as well since I'm paying for it". So I never get any paid time off either!

This is just another example of parents rating 'value for money' more than their own children! I can't believe some parents (not all I must say)!

[AgentTink]

I understand what you mean as i do the same as you, parents dont pay me when i am off and when they are off they pay me full fee.

I have one family whose mum and dad always have days off together or with their older son, however not once have they had single day off with their youngest son who i look after. I look after this boy full time Monday to Friday

It is because of this family that i have changed my holidays to now state that I will be shut from the 22nd December until the day after the January bank holiday, and this period will all be at full pay.

I have also changed my bank holidays to be full pay and shut, however if you need to use me you can request to do so and there will be double fee.

These 2 things then give me about 13 days holiday a year paid which means that I have budgeted how to have another 3 weeks off unpaid through the rest of the year.

[Louise317]

This is why I decided on half and half otherwise they'd only take holiday when you do and you never take any 'cos you can't afford to.
Its 4 weeks a year to both me and parents anything over that is nothing for me and full fee to them and last minute holidays are to be at full rate too for parents and no fee for me.

although one mindee gone off for 3 weeks now for xmas so a cut but I do need at quieter time so hey :)

x

[marnieb]

I dont charge when I'm off or ill. as a result I have had 6 days off so far this year.

I am exhasuted - mentally & physically - so at the beginning of the month I sent out a letter telling all parents I will be closed from 2pm on the 23rd and re-open on the 3rd.

Yes, financially it's a nightmare, but I NEED to rest.

And to actually spend some time with my own children!!!

[Joda]

Yes, agree it's a nightmare financially but I prefer the time off. I don't charge when I'm on holiday and charge parents half fee when they are off. I finish for xmas on the 21st Dec and start back on the 4th Jan - earn hardly anything this month but at least I get time off with my own children.

[nikki thomson]

thats why i changed my terms to half n half of the contract fee's.
so if im off or parents off i still recieve half the contract fee's.

Me too, otherwise they just send them, I finish next Thursday for Xmas 50% fee, I can't afford to not get paid anything for over two weeks. X

[pinky33]

We don't charge for our holiday but we do take 4 weeks a year.
How we work it is to work fees over 48 weeks instead of 52 and then divide this over the weeks or months.
If they leave early we just work out what's owed to that date and charge for the difference or refund if we owe them.

[buzzy bee]

This is why I decided on half and half otherwise they'd only take holiday when you do and you never take any 'cos you can't afford to.
Its 4 weeks a year to both me and parents anything over that is nothing for me and full fee to them and last minute holidays are to be at full rate too for parents and no fee for me.

although one mindee gone off for 3 weeks now for xmas so a cut but I do need at quieter time so hey :)

x

Can you change your policy at any time or do you have to wait for a contract review? And do you have to get agreement from parents? I don't want to annoy any of them, but I suppose it's benefitting them aswell really...

[wendywu]

I dont charge when i am off but full for theirs.

I think if my minder said you dont pay when i take my holidays then did not take any i would be a bit miffed.

I take 5 weeks per year, parents get this as well at least they can spend some time with their own children and not have to worry about payment.:)

[buzzy bee]

I dont charge when i am off but full for theirs.

I think if my minder said you dont pay when i take my holidays then did not take any i would be a bit miffed.

I take 5 weeks per year, parents get this as well at least they can spend some time with their own children and not have to worry about payment.:)

The same works the other way though - I end up miffed that their attitude is "well we'll wait for her to take her holiday and then we don't have to pay"!

They get paid time off so why shouldn't I?!

[Wendybird]

I charge 50% when I'm on holiday (up to 4 weeks) and full for theirs. But my big time off is over christmas when they are likely to be off anyway. Other than that it is just generally days here and there for long weekends. No one has ever questioned it as they get paid holidays as well. I phrase it as a 50% reduction when I'm on holiday - psychologically priming them to look forward to my holidays ;)

[wendywu]

The same works the other way though - I end up miffed that their attitude is "well we'll wait for her to take her holiday and then we don't have to pay"!

They get paid time off so why shouldn't I?!



That is what i want, they get time off with their children and they never moan that i am taking yet another holiday :thumbsup:

[handeme]

I dont charge for my time off but full fee for theres.

This year (since March) I have taken 5 days off and I am shattered so I have just done a letter to the parents to say next year I will be taking 4 weeks off and I have told them in advance the dates I am having off.

My parents do the same though, if they are off work and not doing anything they still send there little ones.

C x

[stardust]

thats why i changed my terms to half n half of the contract fee's.
so if im off or parents off i still recieve half the contract fee's.

I recently did the same because i will end up not taking any time off.

[Chimps Childminding]

I charge half for their holidays and no charge for mine, and I have only taken 1 week off this year. This was mainly due to the fact that I wasn't going away, all my sons are older so do their own thing and none of my parents seemed to be off at the same time so I was always going to let someone down :rolleyes:

However, we are hoping to go to Australia in February to see DS3 who is out there for 6 months. As yet we haven't booked as the job he had fell through when he got there so we wanted to wait to make sure he didn't have to come back before we booked! This means I will be off for 3 weeks in Feb, but can't give exact dates yet (told parents approx dates), and I feel very guilty at being off for so long and at short notice :blush:

[Beetlejuice]

I charge full fee if they are away and nothing if I am away. I usually take around 4 weeks a year but next year possibly a bit over that as I'm having a proper two week break abroad as well as Christmas etc. The way I see it is that I usually give them all my holiday dates at the start of the year for the entire year so there is plenty of notice. Also I'm in the fortunate position of having back up minders to help out so I never leave families without cover. I meet with my minder friends 3-4 times a week so the children know the minders well and they don't feel they are being left with strangers. It's worked really well since the start of my minding and I hope it will continue.

I could not do without some down time. This job is soo demanding and I have two small children of my own who need some time with me away from minded children too.

[karen m]

Parent has just asked me to give her my holiday dates so she can have same ,i don't charge for mine but do for theirs ,i have nothing booked for next year as i had no work for 6 months this year so don't think we can afford to take time off next year,like others say she will be paid holidays also her child tax

[Helcatt]

We don't charge for our holiday but we do take 4 weeks a year.
How we work it is to work fees over 48 weeks instead of 52 and then divide this over the weeks or months.
If they leave early we just work out what's owed to that date and charge for the difference or refund if we owe them.

This is how we do it, that way we don't end up with a lean month. The first client paid each month for what was booked and that was hard, much easier now as I have approx same amount in each month.

We have been trying to decide what to do. I haven't increased my fees in 3 years so between us we are debating whether to start charging for holidays and training days, or increase the hourly rate

HX

[wendywu]

I feel that if you charge for holidays then parents have the right to have more of a say or moan as to what time of the year you take them.

But then (and i am not saying this in a snotty way) i would hate to think of my tax bill if i earnt 52 weeks of the year.

[Gherkin]

I don't get paid if I am not working (hols/sick etc). I charge parents for the time I am available to work.

I have 25 days holiday per annum, I do not work public holidays and my business is closed for almost 2 weeks at christmas and new year.
I need the time off so I can be a mum and wife again, and to look after the allotment at the peak planting time!!!

If parents choose to tie their holidays in with mine they do not get charged. I can look after 3 under 5 and 1 over 5 and have 7 children on my books so I would never expect them all to be off at the same time. Doesn't bother me at all if they tie theirs in with mine.

I generally try and have my time off in 5 week months or if I am having 2 weeks off they will straddle 2 different months to spread the loss.

Parents have just been given my holidays for next year so that they have plenty of time to plan and no one can then say they haven't had enough notice. I am very honest with new contracts about the time I have off in the year too.

In 4.5 years minding I have only had one family leave because of my holidays.

[suzyblue]

I get 4 weeks fully paid holidays but I tend to take the same weeks every year and confirm this around September for the following year. This way parents are able to take their holidays at the same time. I dont take any other time off, I have done this for years and no longer feel guilty!

[QualityCare]

I charge full fees for both mine and the childrens time off, l take 2 weeks in the summer and 2 weeks at Christmas never had a problem with parents, l let them know as early as possible when l will be off in the summer, if a parent can't get the same time or hasn't any one else to look after their little one and have to use another childminder l wouldn't charge but this has never happened, more often than not at least one parent can work from home on a few days.

[amanda1309]

We don't charge for our holiday but we do take 4 weeks a year.
How we work it is to work fees over 48 weeks instead of 52 and then divide this over the weeks or months.
If they leave early we just work out what's owed to that date and charge for the difference or refund if we owe them.

I do this but I take 6 weeks a year. I work long and hard the 46 weeks I do work I deserve my tie off :)

[EmmaReed84]

I calculated what 52 weeks pay would be, deducted my 4 weeks holiday and then divided that by twelve so I have a constant wage each month whether I am on holiday or them. I give them an invoice still for each month and deduct any money for my sick days... This works really well as this is for a family 2 under 5 siblings 50 hours a week... Any extra I do goes straight in the bank to cover me for upto to 6 months if I ever find myself out of work