Who's given parents their holiday dates for 2016 yet??

**AliceK** · 06-01-2016, 02:06 PM

How much notice do you give parents of your time off. When do you give them your dates for the year??

xx

**lollipop kid** · 06-01-2016, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by AliceK

How much notice do you give parents of your time off. When do you give them your dates for the year??

xx

I worked mine out before Christmas. However, following a massive clear up - they are nowhere to be found, so I'll have to rework them to give to parents by the end of this week, and hope that version 2 is as good as version 1.

I always try to get them out before Christmas - it gives me something to look forward to. Failed miserably this year, though!

All the best,

LK

**BallyH** · 10-01-2016, 04:01 PM

Oh dear. Me, me, me, me and only me springs to mind. 'What you have other parents you would like to keep happy' plus 'where is my invite' and 'oh by the way can I change my days after Easter? Pretty please' eyelids fluttering. Noooooooo.

**loocyloo** · 06-01-2016, 02:09 PM

I'm giving parents my newsletter this week and this has my holiday dates on it for this year. I've said I may take the whole of the Christmas holidays off but will confirm over the summer!
I may also need to take May half term off, but I don't know yet, so will just tell parents when I know!

**tess1981** · 06-01-2016, 02:29 PM

I have been giving them out thus week. Still a few parents I won't see until Friday though. I always give them put after Christmas holidays as it feels like I have something to look forward to lol

**mama2three** · 06-01-2016, 02:56 PM

we tend to book our holidays quite early , so parents have had 2016 holidays since october 2015.

**hectors house** · 06-01-2016, 05:19 PM

I haven't had anytime off since July, I did mean to take time off in October but then had 2 babies booked for settling in and it seemed mean to tell their parents that after returning to work after maternity leave that I would be taking time off, so I told myself that I would take time off in January for a week abroad for winter sun, but then in Oct i had one parent get made redundant and another moved away so I ended up taking on another baby just started full time this week - so January holiday wasn't going to be convenient either. The new mum works in a private school so they have slightly longer school hols so have just been looking up dates for feb half term, but as I normally give at least 4 months notice (although my contract says I only have to give 4 weeks), I think I will look for Easter instead - but then I have 2 weeks off at end of May/June so don't want to be unreliable!

**Pixie dust** · 06-01-2016, 06:10 PM

I have given my holiday dates out this week for the year. We aren't planning on actually going away this year but still need to have that time out from work. When I look back at last year I only had 13 days off for the whole year so I have made sure and booked more this year.

**samb** · 06-01-2016, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by hectors house

I haven't had anytime off since July, I did mean to take time off in October but then had 2 babies booked for settling in and it seemed mean to tell their parents that after returning to work after maternity leave that I would be taking time off, so I told myself that I would take time off in January for a week abroad for winter sun, but then in Oct i had one parent get made redundant and another moved away so I ended up taking on another baby just started full time this week - so January holiday wasn't going to be convenient either. The new mum works in a private school so they have slightly longer school hols so have just been looking up dates for feb half term, but as I normally give at least 4 months notice (although my contract says I only have to give 4 weeks), I think I will look for Easter instead - but then I have 2 weeks off at end of May/June so don't want to be unreliable!

Oh my goodness! I really hope you find some time that you can take off. New parents would understand about having holiday booked- generally if you start a new job and have annual leave booked with an employer they will transfer if they can so it wouldn't be unusual to say that?

I say I give out dates by Feb half term but this year I was very organised and released before Xmas. That's because I booked an actual proper abroad holiday! I'm quite scared but it's not til end of August so plenty of time to get over it (or worry myself silly!)

**bunyip** · 06-01-2016, 06:49 PM

What's a holiday?

Simona · 12-01-2016, 10:10 AM

Interesting thread as usual when it comes to parents looking closely at their contract....unfortunately many do not bother to read them and many believe it is just a piece of paper regardless of the fact they sign on the dotted line.
Hence that important 1st visit when they drop by to look at our setting...we interview them so we make sure they understand 'our rules'

before becoming a cm I ran a preschool...same contract more or less as it has evolved through the years...same rules about holidays...never a problem

So why I never had a problem with preschool parents but often had a few with c/minding ones?...I say a few because my contract is really very clear on holidays

Can parents really argue against notice for leave?...anyone employed or employing other people know for a fact we need to give each other notice as per contract!!

**kellib** · 31-01-2016, 09:21 PM

So I've just told parents that I'm away for a few days in April (only missing 2 days for each family)

One family perfectly fine with it, another one comes back with 'it's not ideal for me'

I've given them 12 weeks notice! In my contracts it said I only need to give 4.

It baffles me why parents don't have back up plans in place, I could phone them one morning sick etc.

**tess1981** · 06-01-2016, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by samb

Oh my goodness! I really hope you find some time that you can take off. New parents would understand about having holiday booked- generally if you start a new job and have annual leave booked with an employer they will transfer if they can so it wouldn't be unusual to say that?

I say I give out dates by Feb half term but this year I was very organised and released before Xmas. That's because I booked an actual proper abroad holiday! I'm quite scared but it's not til end of August so plenty of time to get over it (or worry myself silly!)

I booked my holiday for august too that's why I wanted dates handed out asap as my dates are different this year than my usual although suits more parents this way which is a bonus

**tess1981** · 06-01-2016, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by Pixie dust

I have given my holiday dates out this week for the year. We aren't planning on actually going away this year but still need to have that time out from work. When I look back at last year I only had 13 days off for the whole year so I have made sure and booked more this year.

Only 13 days???? I had 9 days then weekends on top of that for Christmas lol
I book 26 days of a year but this year I'm taking 28 and to soften the blow I included on the list that I will not be increasing fees this year... although he not increased any fees in lot 3 years

**Bumble Beez** · 07-01-2016, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by AliceK

How much notice do you give parents of your time off. When do you give them your dates for the year??

xx

I handed mine out before Christmas with the majority of holiday dates, training days etc...
But if I need an extra day here or there I give at least 6 weeks notice (where possible)
Luckily all my families are wonderful at the moment so if something crops up we work round it

xx

**mumofone** · 07-01-2016, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by Bumble Beez

I handed mine out before Christmas with the majority of holiday dates, training days etc... But if I need an extra day here or there I give at least 6 weeks notice (where possible) Luckily all my families are wonderful at the moment so if something crops up we work round it

xx

Do you charge parents for the days you're on training?

**Bumble Beez** · 07-01-2016, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by mumofone

Do you charge parents for the days you're on training?

No hun...never have.
I've always looked at it that if I don't do the training I can't work, so I take the day unpaid.
Majority are weekends anyway xx

Simona · 07-01-2016, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by AliceK

How much notice do you give parents of your time off. When do you give them your dates for the year??

xx

Do you not have that stipulated in your contract so that both you and parents give each other adequate notice for holidays?
Usually 4 weeks is enough but it is up to you.
Also you may want to take the 'odd' day off for emergencies with maybe less notice
Again that must be in your contract.

Some cms take time off at the same time each year...I used to...so there was never a need to inform parents but I still gave them 4 weeks notice...'just in case'

Good luck!

**Jessymax** · 01-02-2016, 03:15 PM

I have given half of mine plan to give other half this months invoice or next at latest ( don't know why as I can give as little as 4 weeks notice but rather get then out there ) we are planning to go to Sydney over chritsmas and new year all being well x

**Roseolivia** · 01-02-2016, 06:01 PM

I take 6 weeks a year plus Bank Hols all unpaid. I have a mixture of term time and all year contracts so cannot cater to everyone so I therefore take my holidays when I want to. I always take 2 at Christmas and usually 1 in January as we go skiing which we've just had. This year i'm taking 2wks in August for a summer hol but am also going away with my cousin from Canada to hopefully Barcelona. This is going to be in school time though as its cheaper and I don't want lots of kids around (leaving my kids home with hubby for the first time). Haven't gave summer or other dates yet until I know for definite but try to give as much notice as possible.