Our Holidays

[Fabby]

Hiya

I am nearly registered and i am having a few enquires. The question that keeps popping up is.... ' what happens to my child when you are on holiday?'
I have spoken to a few people in my area and they say they advise the parents way in advance and then the parent finds alternative childcare as in family or they take the time off themselves. I believe that some childminders can advise them and arrange for another childminder to look after them whilst on hols, but how does this work with numbers etc, because of the legal amount of children you can look after at any one time...
Hope i have made sence and i hope you guys can share with me the plans they have in place
Thanks

[Jessicasmummy]

When doing contracts I tend to ask parents how much notice they would like from me when I am going to be on holiday. They are then having to think about how long it will take them to be able to cover the childcare. I've never really had a problem in this area of childminding but have also always offered to help them find cover with another childminder if they are stuck.

[Lady Haha]

I tell my parents in January all the holidays I am having for the year, so they can choose to have thier own holidays at the same time if they wish, or if not, then they at least have plenty of notice to find alternative care!

For odd days here and there, I give a months notice at the very least, but usually much more.

I've seen it described as being the 'downside' to choosing a childminder over a nursery!

But it's the only downside!

[suzyblue]

I take the same weeks every year so that parents always know when I will be shut. My childminding friend started working term time only so I now have one of her mindees (schooler) in the holidays which works well as all my schoolers are term time only.

[Fabby]

Thats what i was thinking. Asked a few childminders that i have met and they say they give their hols in so much advance the parent either has the same time off or can find alternate. I have had a few people ask me this question and they ask it like using a really downer voice, so i think its right they say this is the only downer in using childminders. Thanks girls x

[Tina O]

I tend to take same weeks each year and they are over sch hol's but as most of my famlies are MOD then everyone tends to have stand down at same time.... only prob is one mum, but hubby is MOD so normally he is off....we all tend to close down over Easter, Summer and Christmas which is good. Any other days I give as much notice as possibe because afterall you need your own life as well. xx

[MissTinkerbell]

I tell my parents in January all the holidays I am having for the year, so they can choose to have thier own holidays at the same time if they wish, or if not, then they at least have plenty of notice to find alternative care!

For odd days here and there, I give a months notice at the very least, but usually much more.

:

I do the same but I'm also lucky in that 2 of my parents are teachers and as I only have 1 weeks holiday per year that is outside of the school holidays then it doesn't cause a problem.

Days that crop up here and there I give them as much notice as I can and certainly no less than 4 weeks. I help them to fine alternative care if at all possible - I'm lucky in that my emergency cover CMs only have 2 under 5s and don't want anymore than that so can usually cover the odd day for me.

[Mollymop]

I kinda dislike it when the parents ask me "what will happen when you have a holiday or are sick" on our initial meeting.
I always say the same to them "you should find a back up"

I always let the parents know in January of each year what my holidays are for the coming year - then they have plenty of notice to find alternative care arrangements. Really I feel that it is not my problem if they can't be bothered to book time off work, or find family or friends to help out.

[caz3007]

I have only ever had one problem and that was one of my mums changed her job and booked all her holidays without mentioning it to me. When I told her one of my weeks, bearing in mind this was 4 months in advance, she said it was inconvenient as hers were already booked, and she had the week after. My son had just started reception, so I wanted half term in May.

She did move her children, but more cos one was due to go to a school that I didnt collect from and she also moved. But I was glad as the children were causing me lots of stress but hung in there as need the money.

My hubby has to book his holidays in January to ensure school holidays, so I tell my mums then, so plenty of notice to make other arrangements