What do i do with children if i go on holiday?

[dolphinannie]

Hi everyone
Sorry i've not been on for a while but have been browsing a lot.

I was wondering what happens to the children when you're on holiday? Obviously you don't work 52 weeks a year and i was wondering how you inform the parents of your holidays.
Do you take the same weeks every year? Do the parents have to sort their own childcare out for those weeks.

Thanks for your help again
Annie x

[Ben10mad]

I give my parents 4weeks notice, that then gives them chance to sort other arrangments out.

[janet]

i try to give as much notice as possible and the parents tend to take the same time off i have been fortunate in that department but i have back up care from the network if needed xx

[youarewhatyoueat]

I'm just about to give my parents dates for a 2 week break in august, I also asked for a day off in may to go on a child development course and I sked last month and booked it only when they said yes. I try not to take time off when a couple of my parent's have no back up so they would have to use their holiday and I don't want to lose them to a nursery!!

[rickysmiths]

I notify parents of my holiday by the end of Jan each year and offer two weeks for any discussion.

All my parents take their holidays when I do, that way they don't need alternative care. All of them have more holiday than me and this arrangement seems to work well.

My dh is a teacher and my children are at school, so we have to take all our hols in the school hols and I always explain this at the interview stage so there are no misunderstandings later. In 15years I have only had one family, after they had signed a contract, tell me that I could not take my holidays in the school holidays as this was not good for them!!!! Needless to say we parted company very fast and I wonder how they will fair when their offspring goes to school?!!!!

I can find alternative care with other chilminders that their children know (from going to cms drop in) if they need, this rarely happens though.

My parents are very good with hols. I do have in my contract that we give each other a least four weeks notice of hols but I usually get more notice.

[tulip0803]

I give a minimum of 4 weeks notice of any holidays - In reality they get many months more notice as I tell them as soon as it is booked. With days off again I give a minumum of 4 weeks notice unless it is unavoidable. Normally the parents just take the time off work and spend it with their children happily. If I was asked I would ask whether the childminders from my group had space for the children but that has never happened so far.

I also say that I will take a maximum of 4 weeks holiday - although I rarely take this .

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I always take Feb half term and I give parents as much notice as I can for my summer time off as they like to take the same times themselves.

I have back up childminders so offer that as an alternative

[christine e]

I give a minimum of 4 weeks notice of any holidays - In reality they get many months more notice as I tell them as soon as it is booked. With days off again I give a minumum of 4 weeks notice unless it is unavoidable. Normally the parents just take the time off work and spend it with their children happily. If I was asked I would ask whether the childminders from my group had space for the children but that has never happened so far.

I also say that I will take a maximum of 4 weeks holiday - although I rarely take this .

My reply is identical to above although on odd days off (when I have been unable to give 4 weeks notice) a couple of the school age children have gone to another childminder

Cx

[patconn2]

I give notice of my holidays in January, but I don't take my first week off till July so plenty of notice. I take 5 weeks per year and don't charge the parents for it, I take this amount off when I work out the fees so that I am paid the same every month. Never had a problem with this and always take all 5 weeks, I need to give my kids a break too.

[singlewiththree]

I've just given notice of 3wks off at the start of the big summer holidays, most of mine are term time only contracts so not a problem but I have two children who aren't so have let them know that I wont be available so they can arrange alternate care.

[helenlc]

I give 4 weeks notice but am actually going to let them know by the end of this week that I intend to take the middle 2 weeks of the long summer holidays off.

This is so I can spend time with my children and it breaks the 6 weeks up for them (and me!!)

Parents either take their holidays the same time as me or they arrange alternative cover. I can suggest some childminders that their children are familiar with but I tend to find they are full to the their numbers anyway and especially are in the holidays.

[Toothfairy]

I give parents as much notice as possible (min of 4 weeks), most of them then take the same weeks off as me.

[marion123]

i tell my parents at the start of the contract my holidays its the same time ever year they take the same time of as me so ever one is happy

[tess1981]

Hi only starting this chat room.... first post... I work over in northern Ireland so my guidlines might be a bit different but I give parents my holiday list in Jan and it usually is all public and bank holidays off 1 week in July and 1 in August and about a week and a half at Christmas. My holidays suit me as I know I cant suit everybody else. If the parents are not off they have to arrange someone else...

[dolphinannie]

thanks guys, you're all super star helpers. It sounds workable and i'm looking further into all the childminding business.
At present i work in a school but when i decide to have my next baby i'm thinking of becoming a CM when i finish mat leave. My oldest would be in be in part time foundation by then.

Thanks again, i find this foum fab, i may not reply but i am reading and taking it all in
Annie x x