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View Full Version : Do you ever feel guilty about taking time off?



Tippy Toes
15-03-2012, 10:52 AM
Hi All

I have decided to take 2 days off at Easter to spend some time with my husband and 2 children. (A long weekend)

I hardly ever take time off.

Anyway one mum has asked me if I'm going away but I'm not, just want some time with my family without child minded children.


So why did I feel so bad when she asked me if I was going away? Felt like I had to justify why I was taking time off even though not going away??

maryp0ppins
15-03-2012, 11:06 AM
I used to, now i don't :D I rarely take any time off other than family planned holidays & a few days over Xmas.

Like you I have decided to take a few days off over the Easter holidays....

Enjoy, you deserve it as do I xx

AliceK
15-03-2012, 11:15 AM
I worked out last year that in order to keep on top of things and not feel so drained all the time I need to take a little bit of time off every 3 months. Even if it is only a couple of days to make a long weekend or whatever. I took a day off this week for OH's birthday (he was off work). I have also booked 1 of the 2 weeks school easter break off to spend some quality time with my own children. I don't feel guilty I need my breaks and I give parents my holidays for the year in january so they have plenty of notice. This job can burn you out if you don't take time off.

xxxx

kellib
15-03-2012, 11:15 AM
I felt bad cos I asked a parent if it would be possible to swap a day in the Easter Holidays, I'm going to see JLS :clapping: so couldn't do the day she wanted but she's been happy to swap.

Still feel guilty but then on the other hand I wasn't giving up my JLS ticket for anything :laughing:

Still got to tell parents I'm planning a holiday at the end of May and another one in October :D

rickysmiths
15-03-2012, 11:51 AM
No I have never felt guilty and I won't be intimidated by parents saying why do you need to take holiday. The cheek, they all have holidays!!! I have earned mine and I take them and enjoy them the way the parents do.

charleyfarley
15-03-2012, 11:53 AM
We haven't had a holiday for 6 years due to having work done on our house so I haven't booked any time off for those 6 years but last week I asked a parent to meet me somewhere as my dd had a party to go to and I couldn't guarantee hubby would be here to take her. Yes I felt guilty and I wasn't even booking time off :panic:
After being told parent would pick up early rather than meet me at the party, parent was 40 mins late for pick up :eek: Luckily hubby came home early so he took dd to party!!

So now after last week I don't or won't feel guilty about time off and I will really enjoy our holiday this year as we deserve it :clapping::jump for joy::clapping:

So don't you feel guilty either,we all need time to recharge our batteries and spend time with our families :thumbsup:

Carol xx

rickysmiths
15-03-2012, 11:57 AM
We haven't had a holiday for 6 years due to having work done on our house so I haven't booked any time off for those 6 years but last week I asked a parent to meet me somewhere as my dd had a party to go to and I couldn't guarantee hubby would be here to take her. Yes I felt guilty and I wasn't even booking time off :panic:
After being told parent would pick up early rather than meet me at the party, parent was 40 mins late for pick up :eek: Luckily hubby came home early so he took dd to party!!

So now after last week I don't or won't feel guilty about time off and I will really enjoy our holiday this year as we deserve it :clapping::jump for joy::clapping:

So don't you feel guilty either,we all need time to recharge our batteries and spend time with our families :thumbsup:

Carol xx

:eek: Goodness me how have you survived? We often don't go away but I always take every day of my holiday I would die if I didn't recharge my batteries.

jelly15
15-03-2012, 11:57 AM
Other than two sick days I have only taken two weeks in the summer and two at Christmas, howvwer this year I have to take a day off for a wedding and a day off for my sons graduation and I do feel bad about it.

nikki thomson
15-03-2012, 12:04 PM
Short answer, no I don't. I'm having two weeks off at Easter. X

Tealady
15-03-2012, 01:39 PM
:eek: Goodness me how have you survived? We often don't go away but I always take every day of my holiday I would die if I didn't recharge my batteries.

We rarely actually go away either but I will always take my holiday. I have four weeks of which I take every day (even though my holiday is unpaid) and I close between Christmas and New Year. I closed for a funeral on Monday and that won't be coming out of my holiday.

I don't feel a shred of guilt. It's in my contracts so parents know they will have to find cover for this amount of leave and I give tonnes of notice. I need my holidays, as do my family. I've got the first week of April off and I can't wait.

As much as I enjoy my job, I work to live!

Pipsqueak
15-03-2012, 02:04 PM
In short

no I don't.. ever

mummyof3
15-03-2012, 02:55 PM
I used to feel guilty but when I see other local minders taking 8 weeks off a year then my parents get off quite lightly :rolleyes:

I have booked tomorrow off and one parent just assumed I'm on a course as its one day and he looked very put out when I said I was taking it off as its my hubbys 40th birthday :angry:

cara1235
15-03-2012, 03:02 PM
In one word

NO

This year i am taking 35 days holiday!! And i deserve every single one of them:laughing:

TooEarlyForGin?
15-03-2012, 03:35 PM
In one word

NO

:clapping::clapping::clapping:

I am taking a week off at Easter, I get so tired as I have extras during school holidays and we really need to do some work on the house and spend some time with my older children who get very neglected. But I do get asked if I am going away, and parents look at me as if to say "well if you are at home can't you just have them". I once told a parent a planned to paint my playroom and she said "you could get the kids to help" :rolleyes: Sometimes I really question if parents want quality or just want to get rid of their kids.:D

kindredspirits
15-03-2012, 05:32 PM
I used to - but not any more - parents get holidays, I deserve one too!!! and unless all my parents are going to meet up and arrange to take their holiday on the same days every year - in which case I'd be happy to oblige, then they have to accept that my holiday is not going to coincide with theirs all the time!!

Tippy Toes
15-03-2012, 05:59 PM
Thanks to everyone who has replied.

I always get nervous about telling parents Im having time off. Although I know I shouldnt, I tell parents at contract that I can take up to 4/5 weeks a year (never do though, usually only 2 weeks if that!).

Parents will usually reply with 'yes thats ok' (Im not asking their permission)

SYLVIA
15-03-2012, 07:45 PM
I do feel bad about asking for the odd day but not my annual 4 weeks. I've just book a day off in the easter hols. My DD is in a competition at London College of Fashion and if she wins she will have to take her design to shanghi. I really wouldn't want to miss that day for anything but I still thought about not asking for the day off.

cara1235
16-03-2012, 01:06 PM
I am a very organised person and tend to sit down in December and book all of my holidays for the year then give the list to all parents when they return in the January after xmas, I also put at the bottom of the list that although these are my holiday dates occasionally i make have to add the odd day for apptointments etc. I must say that i do tend to take the same dates every year As we go away most weekends in our tourer i make sure i always have every friday off before a Bank holiday and always have the first week of summer hols and the last two weeks of August
This is the perk of being self employed :clapping::laughing:

lisa1968
16-03-2012, 02:29 PM
no-never!!!
I have nearly 6 weeks holiday a year.In 12 years of minding,I've never had a days illness-I work through it!I only had 2 weeks off when I had my daughter!I'm very flexible and have mindees earlier or later than usual if needed.I even have them if they're poorly(unless theyre throwing up everywhere!).
Parents are given my holiday dates at the start of the year so they have plenty of notice and to be fair none of them have ever moaned or queried them-they love me too much!!:blush: