Your holidays???

[sharonmanc]

I am wondering when to take my holidays, I have stated in my policies i will take 4 weeks per year plus I dont work bank holidays unless parent needs me to , or is in contract ( i dont get paid for them unless worked) I have also said one week will be over christmas - it is my favourite time of year, and i want that time for me and my kiddos.

But i am stuck when to take my other weeks. do i take them april to april or the calendar year jan - december. If i do this, i did not start minding until April so would probably only take 2-3 weeks this year.

Plus i feel a little bit naughty for taking a holiday, I knwo that wont be the case once I have been minding a while.

I want to give parents a list of my holiday dates so they can sort themselves out in advance, we dont have a holiday booked this year, we went away at easter before i started minding, plus i dont have any schoolies, 2 babies so parents not concerned with school holidays yet.

When do you take a holiday, how do you work it out??

[Kiddleywinks]

Don't feel guilty

I have one week at Christmas
One week at Easter
and 2 in the summer holidays
plus I have an option for 5 more days - in case I get worn out lol

I will work BH at an increased rate

and I work everything from in line with the tax year so apr - apr

[Pipsqueak]

You take your holidays as and when it suits you and yours!

Why on earth would you feel guilty?
Don;t you deserve a break with your family? Don't you work hard enough?


I take between 4-6 weeks holidays a year and the minimum I give my clients is two weeks notice.
I also don't work BH's and Public hols but I charge for them (don't charge for my 'norm' hols though)

[mum2two]

I take mine Jan - Jan.

I give parents dates for all my hols in Jan, but leave a few days free for long weekends or bits that come up.

We're doing June half term, 3 days in July, and 3 weeks over Xmas & new year. (a few of these dates come out of next years hol) and what with bank hols we still have 3 days left to take.

xx

[sharonmanc]

Thanks Chrissie, in line with tax year sounds good as it will help with accounts etc.

I think i might take off the last week in August as it ties in with the bank holiday which I would not get paid for anyway and we wont be going away so not bothered about sky high holiday prices.

just have to think about the others now

[sharonmanc]

pipsqueak - i think it is that i dont want to let them down, I have to get my thinking right . I know parents sgned up to my terms when they decided to join me so they must have back up holiday care, or can take their holidays with mine.

mum2two - you made me think jan - jan, which would mean i would probably take 3 weeks this year as we went away at Easter. i think i am going to sit down tonight and work it out properly. I know i will need one day in November, as my son has his dance competition in blackpool and i dont want to be rushing around getting there

[sarah707]

I take a week at Christmas... a week in Feb half term... a week in the summer (to be advised)... and try to fit another in if possible.

Don't feel guilty! You are entitled to a break

[Smiley]

Don't ever feel guilty, as you become established you will certainly need time off to recharge your batteries! Also you have your own family to consider. I don't give parents my holiday dates for a year, although they know I will always take time off over Christmas, Easter and some time off in the summer. I don't charge when I am off and tend to take between 4-6 weeks off. A few years ago I was fortunate to have all term time only it was wonderful having all school hols off!

I am taking the 3 days after the 2 bank holidays in June because I need to catch up on some decorating

[Bluebell]

don't feel guilty - they will have 4 or 5 weeks holiday to use so they will be able to accommodate you having time off!
As you only have 2 babies at the moment why don't you ask the 2 families if they have some preferred dates or if they have some holiday already booked - they could both book their holiday when you take yours - if you can give them enough notice it will work out well for them.
Jules x

[miffy]

Everyone needs a break so don't feel guilty.

I try to give parents as much notice as possible but sometimes I do only give a couple of weeks, the minimum allowed in my contracts.

Miffy xx

[rickysmiths]

I take 25 days a year (5 weeks) and although I am available for BH I charge an enhanced rate to work them and have only worked one in 18 years but I charge normal rate if they fall on a contracted day.

Holiday year runs from 1 Jan to 31st Dec. I tell my parents my main holiday by the end of Jan and I usually keep 3-4 floating days which I say I will give as much notice as I can to take. they are for unexpected things and if not used I do something for myself or go Christmas shopping. I usually leave Christmas because I find my parents tend to take that time off anyway. That's a risk I am prepared to take.


I never feel guilty about taking them all my present parents have more holiday than me and they never apologise for taking it

I find that giving my dates in Jan the parents tend to take time off when I am off.

[sharonmanc]

Thank you everyone, I need to put my big girl pants on, work out my hols and just tell parents

[loocyloo]

i take 4 weeks, but reserve the right to take other odd days for events/training etc.

i had a new mum over the other day who used a nursery for her older DD and said the nursery used to allow them 4 weeks of their choice off with no fees. i said that i couldn't work like that, and i take a week at christmas, a week at easter and 2 weeks in august, and don't charge, but any other days they take, then full fees were payable. she wasn't that keen, but i just said thats how i do it. end of! ( well, a bit a nicer than that! )

[stargazer1]

We are going on holiday in August for a fortnight so obviously I have told parents I will be closed that fortnight. And I have told them that every year intend to close over Christmas in line with the school christmas holiday - I love Christmas and as selfish as it sounds, I dont want to share it with anyone other than hubby and my little ones. But it states in my contract that I will give at least four weeks notice of any holiday so if I needed the odd extra day or so then they would have to arrange alternative care. Dont feel guilty, we all need a break too and to be honest I think if we are too accomodating (sp?) all of the time, we can be taken a bit for granted. xxx

[VeggieSausage]

I advise in Jan/Feb of my holidays for the year - I close for the week in between Christmas and New Year, a week for May half term, 2 weeks in the summer and a week in the Oct half term - could do with more or the odd day off but hey ho!

Your business so you call the shots!

[Paulab]

I totally understand the guilt thing
I mind for a good friends children & only take holiday if I'm actually going away
As she is a single mum, this as resulted in only 1 week taken in 2011 end of Aug bank holiday, she doesn't take much holiday herself as self employed driving instructor, I didn't even take any maternity leave last year & minded on the wed dd2 was born on the Sunday (then actually read is compulsory to take 2 weeks off! )
This year going we are going away jubilee week, & friend just took a Fri & Monday off beginning of may, to go away, so that's it for this year probably,
As she is a friend she knows if I'm not going away etc so just feel guilty if taken holiday to do nothing,
Have just had a new family start so think I might be different with them,
Well if I didn't end up with guilt lol

[sharonmanc]

Thanks ladies, loocyloo, i do the same as you my 4 weeks no charge, but parents full charge, unless they coincide with my hols.

Am going to draft my holidays tonight and add them to my invoices tomorrow when I give them to parents

[Tealady]

I totally understand the guilt thing
I mind for a good friends children & only take holiday if I'm actually going away
As she is a single mum, this as resulted in only 1 week taken in 2011 end of Aug bank holiday, she doesn't take much holiday herself as self employed driving instructor, I didn't even take any maternity leave last year & minded on the wed dd2 was born on the Sunday (then actually read is compulsory to take 2 weeks off! )
This year going we are going away jubilee week, & friend just took a Fri & Monday off beginning of may, to go away, so that's it for this year probably,
As she is a friend she knows if I'm not going away etc so just feel guilty if taken holiday to do nothing,
Have just had a new family start so think I might be different with them,
Well if I didn't end up with guilt lol

I know it's hard but you really should take more holiday. You will run yourself into the ground, especially if you now are going to be busier.
Also you do not take holiday to "just do nothing"... look at it as quality time with just your family, a week or two where you can go with the flow and suit yourselves at to what you do and when you do it and not have to tie it all in with the EYFS.

As much as my children love my mindees and we do do nice things at the weekends they do appriciate a good chunk of time where we are Childminding Free.

Maybe you could find another CM who may be willing to cover your holidays?

[nikki thomson]

I'm very very lucky we're holidays are concerned as I work for military and teachers and they both get loads of hols, this is the first year I have asked for a week off as my dh is in afghan and he's home on leave for 2 weeks at the end of June so I've booked a week off and Lo's mum has got her auntie to have lo the other week my hubby is home so even though the kids are back in school and I have my 2 after schoolies during the day I'll get some time just me and dh which was lovely of her to do, then 4 weeks later she has her summer leave so I get another 3 weeks off, can't complain. X

[sharonmanc]

4 weeks or 28 days per year, my contract says 4 weeks, in my head this is 4 workign weeks, which is 20 days. Is this right??