Childminders -how many weeks holidays do you take ?

scoobydo_2

Hello I'm a child minder and am planning to take 22 holiday 3 weeks holiday and xmas week off . the weeks are spead out one at easter , 2 in the summer hols and possibly a week Oct half term . Only one of the kids I look after is at school all the others are babies.I have told his mum tonight and she isn't happy "how many holidays do you need " were some of her words .
JUst wondering how other minders go on for holidays ..

finc

I'm not a childminder but that seems perfectly reasonable to me. One of my old childminders took 6 weeks :eek: holiday a year and charged me full rate for the pleasure. I thought that was a bit extreme.

I would just remind the mum that everybody has a right to holidays and that what you are suggesting isn't excessive.

beanielou

One of my friends is a childminder 7 she tends to have a week at Easter, October hols and two weeks in summer & Christmas
Remember you can get some of them paid
Hope this helps

Broken_hearted

Round here the childminders don't work school holidays, and those that do are always full.

Counting_Pennies_2

My childminder always puts it in her contract. She states she will take four weeks holiday a year and will inform me as far ahead as possible. I already have the majority of the dates for the whole year.

I think if you can plan ahead as much as possible, put it in writing in your contract etc, then forget the rest of her gripes.

She may have had a bad day and taking it out on you, or she may be despairing that she will have to book her time off work to coincide with yours and not get to go on jer chosen holiday!

If you are flexible with your holidays in future, you might want to say to her, you are planning on taking x amount of time off in x month, does she have a preferred week for booking time off. But that is only if you are able to be flexible!

Mine normally says she is planning a holiday in x month and I try all I can to book around her holiday for me to take one at the same time.

scoobydo_2

well I have been a childminder and have never had a problem before I put in my contract that at least 4 week notice will be given , but I have already told her that I will be off and when for the whole year . She abruptly told me a few weeks ago that she was off at christmas cause I was off . I have always told the parent that i will always have xmas off .I am lone parent for the past 3 years and my own kids need time with just me .
I didn't think 4 week a year is unreasonable but this evening have been left feeling guilty and not sure what to do ..
sorry to moan but like to hear what others experineces are

Becles

4 weeks holiday during the year isn't unreasonable. If you were employed in a job outside of home, you would expect to be entitled to 4 weeks off, so why should self employment be any different?

Stop feeling guilty and stick to your guns! You need a break from work now and again, otherwise you'd just wear yourself out.

CharleneUK

Our previous childminder took 2 weeks paid holiday, but would occasionally take a week off some other time in the year.

She'd always let us know in advance so we could arrange care around her, it was fine.

Threadhead

hi Scoobydo

I am a childminder too, and i take 5 weeks - 2 at Xmas/newyear, 2 school summer hols, and one week for "just incase". That way I am covered for any extras I might need.
One of my friends c/minds "term time only", and her clients have no problem with that.
I think when i worked in an office, I got 20 days, but you got more the longer you were there. You are self employed doing a very tiring job - dont you deserve a holiday, and dont your kids deserve that too???

comping_cat

Im a childminder, and i take 4 weeks off a year, which i explain when i first take on a new child. I let them know in January the weeks i will be taking that year, normally i have the same weeks, 1 at Easter, 2 in August and 1 at xmas. This year, i am taking my 2 children away in June (im actually going to be have 5 weeks off this year) and told all parents as soon as i booked it, plus retold them when i confirmed the holidays in January, as i normally do. When i am on holiday (those 4 weeks) i do not charge the parents, as i am not available, however, if they choose to have holidays on different weeks to me, i do.