Daycare Provider Paid Time Off

[mac60]

I totally agree ladies. There are cost involved that parents just totally take for granted. While yes, we can deduct these cost at the end of the year, we still have to take the $$$ out of our weekly budget to purchase them.

As far as utilities, if I was working outside my home, I would put my thermostat back to 65 and leave for the day. Not when I am doing daycare, it is up at a comfortable temp, mostly because parents don't dress their children appropriately for the temps (such as yesterday a 1 1/2 yr old was here wilth sleeveless top and it was a wind chill of 8). I have figured it out (to the best of my ability), and I use the MOST heat, electricity and water, the 10.75 hours I am open for daycare. I do not get to deduct that whole cost, some yes, but to sit down and figure it out, not all. So while I do agree there are good tax breaks, in the end, we providers still have to buy each week those supplies for our business and that comes out of our weekly paycheck.

[tymaboy]

Plus most employers take out for SS & Medicaid (which they pay part of) we have to pay the full amount in each at the end of the yr.

[Chickenhauler]

Plus most employers take out for SS & Medicaid (which they pay part of) we have to pay the full amount in each at the end of the yr.

You only pay on what you profit, though. Not on your gross revenue.

After you get done deducting all your "expenses", there's not much (if anything) left to pay taxes, SS, Medicare, Fica, etc on.

Comparatively, if you were working a full time job, you'd pay much, much more into those programs (and that's not even counting the employer's contribution).

[ConcernedMotherof2]

This makes no sense...

I agree to things on here, except for the paid vacation. I left a job after 5 yrs. and had 5 weeks vac. paid, it was 20 days and I only worked 4 days a week.
Everyone deserves and earns a paid vacation, no matter what type of job you do. Being a daycare provider, we have no sick days, 401 K, insurance, bonuses, personal days, etc......
I always have daycare friends as back up if they need good care, when I am gone!!!
Happy Holidays to everyone!!!

I'm sorry, but this makes absolutely no sense. Not every job provides paid vacation, 401k, insurance, bonuses or any of the other benefits you mentioned. To assume that this is the case for everyone who has the need for daycare is a little small-minded. And those daycare friends who provide back-up care for you charge a fee, do they not? So that still leaves the parents paying *double* for the one service.

I have a lot of respect for you and normally agree with most of your posts, but this issue is just rubbing me the wrong way. I am so grateful that I don't have this issue with my current daycare.

Yes, I agree that if a parent signs a contract agreeing to pay for a week of paid vacation, they have no right to complain. However, it is my opinion that paid vacation for childcare providers is unethical. If your dc parents agree to it and you're fortunate enough to have it, then good for you, but it still doesn't make sense to me.

[momma2girls]

What makes sense to alot of us, may not make sense to you!
All my parents and many many out there agree we should be paid vac. and it is in our contract that they signed and agreed to. If any parent doesn't agree to this, they can find good daycare elsewhere. When I was working as a parent, I paid my daycare vacation time as well!!!!
I am not saying every parent should agree to these terms and like them. If they do not agree or like these terms, they have to find good daycare, that doesn't have benefits, paid Holidays, pay when they are not there, and vac. which here, that leaves very few!!

[momofboys]

I'm sorry, but this makes absolutely no sense. Not every job provides paid vacation, 401k, insurance, bonuses or any of the other benefits you mentioned. To assume that this is the case for everyone who has the need for daycare is a little small-minded. And those daycare friends who provide back-up care for you charge a fee, do they not? So that still leaves the parents paying *double* for the one service.

I have a lot of respect for you and normally agree with most of your posts, but this issue is just rubbing me the wrong way. I am so grateful that I don't have this issue with my current daycare.

Yes, I agree that if a parent signs a contract agreeing to pay for a week of paid vacation, they have no right to complain. However, it is my opinion that paid vacation for childcare providers is unethical. If your dc parents agree to it and you're fortunate enough to have it, then good for you, but it still doesn't make sense to me.

Why do you see it as unethical? Because the provider isn't working? It doesn't make sense to you b/c you are not a provider. I'm sure you would feel differently if YOU were said provider. Childcare providers in my area clear less than $2.50/hr per child. I personally only bring in about $160/week but then I only care for one family whose children are at my home in varying degrees (for @ 50 hrs). I have been on both sides of this also. I used to WOH & paid a home daycare provider to watch my two children at the time. While she didn't ask for paid holidays I gladly paid her a big bonus over the Christmas season. Did I truly have the $$ to do so? Absolutely not! I worked at a small public library for peanuts but I felt like she did so much for my children that she deserved it. My husband's job, although decent, was not enough for our growing family to make ends meet which is why I worked. She was the most important person in my kids' life other than me & my husband. Why shouldn't I treat her special & give her the extra attention that most people give to their kids' teachers, beauticians & others who provide a special service? To me that meant paying her even when she wasn't watching my kids. While I haven't used a daycare provider myself in about 6 yrs I still keep in touch with our old provider. I understand you are a single mom (I think, I'm sorry if that is incorrect) & you totally may not be able to do so. I do hope you show some form of appreciation though to your provider by doing something small even if it isn't with a hefty pricetag. I don't charge my family over the holidays or for vacation either but I'm still hoping that they appreciate me enough to give me something extra, even if it isn't a check!

[momma2girls]

Thanks for putting your comments in!!! It's alot different when you are the childcare provider on the other side of things. You have some really good comments!!!!! Thanks for everything!!! Happy Holidays to you!!!!!!!!!!!

[momma2girls]

When I was on the other side, I always did nice things for my daycare provider!! I paid her vac. holidays, I brought in little goodies that I made for the daycare, always brought a birthday snack in, gave her little notes saying how we appreciated her, and how much my daughter loved coming there, and gave her a very nice Xmas present, etc. I trusted her, and I wanted her to know how much she was appreciated!!!

[MrsCoffee]

Holidays and sick days

I have a contract and in it it states that I will be taking 3 vacation weeks a year in which they will need to find alternative care. I do not charge them for these days. Also the days are set for the year in January so they can make arrangements well in advance. Also I give each family 2 sick/emergency days a year when they can call off without prior knowledge, and they get 2 weeks vacation that they can choose at there leisure.

I think this is a fair policy, and yet I still had one client/parent tell me that wasn't enough time. Um excuse me thats a total of 5 weeks off! Goes to show you can't make everyone happy all the time!!

[Carole's Daycare]

I agree to things on here, except for the paid vacation. I left a job after 5 yrs. and had 5 weeks vac. paid, it was 20 days and I only worked 4 days a week.
Everyone deserves and earns a paid vacation, no matter what type of job you do. Being a daycare provider, we have no sick days, 401 K, insurance, bonuses, personal days, etc......
I always have daycare friends as back up if they need good care, when I am gone!!!
Happy Holidays to everyone!!!

I agree. Since I charge in advance for the SPACE whether they choose to use it or not, I have several moms who get 10 or more paid holidays per year, accrue paid time off and get paid vacation time. They still bring the kids to daycare and get in their "mental health days", but without taking a few paid holidays or a few days vacation, where is our break- and who can afford to take unpaid time? It may seem like we make a lot of money, depending on enrollment- but most decent daycare programs put a lot back into their materials, supplies, and the food program covers only a little over half of food costs, especially as food has gone up. The "tax benefits" are OK, but not as great as people think. I get to deduct paper towels and cleaning supplies at 30-40%, but the actual daycare usage is at least twice that. The same applies to electric and heat- My family is only awake with lights on a couple hours a day- the rest is daycare- but only deducted at 35-40% For every $500 I make, at least $150 is owed for SS medicare & taxes, another $100 in expenses- dividing between each child daycare insurance, curriculum and supply costs, increase in elec or heat bills (doors open & closing all day in winter), training expense, childproofing, excess food costs, etc etc. and I make 1/2 of what clients think I do- alll while working a 10-12 hr day, wear & tear on the house and inconvenience to our families.
This isn't about griping about a job we hate- most of us do it because of our dedication to kids we LOVE, we just want to feel appreciated for it and be treated as professionals, entitled to the same things- like paid time off with our families etc, that our clients enjoy. And thats really the crux of it- parents like to feel that we work for them- and that our work- "babysitting" is easy and has little value, instead of as childcare professionals entitled to the same benefits and respect as other people in the workforce.

[mac60]

Very well said above. Thanks.

[Crystal]

This is always a touchy subject, for both parents and providers. As a parent, I can understand not wanting to pay for childcare when your child is not attending because your provider is closed for vacation. It's an added expense that can be relatively high. BUT, providers do need time off with their own family, time to refresh and rejuvinate after a years worth of work that can be very taxing to the mind, body and spirit - as a provider, I realize this all to well.

Now, I do charge for holidays, vacation time (mine as well as parents) etc. BUT, I do my best to be accomodating to families. I plan to take all major holidays off, but when I check with parents, if two or more families are working on a holiday I remain open for all of my families. I provide 6 months notice for vacation closures, which is consistently the same time each year and my families typically schedule their vacations for the same dates, so they are not paying for another provider to care for their children, and I have been lucky enough to spend parts of my vacations with some of my families.

I keep my rates below average, while still charging enough to provide a healthy lifestyle for my own family. This enables parents to afford my weekly fee, and paying for vacation time is less burdensome than paying an additional $20 per week for the entire year - which is what would have to be done in order for me to not charge for vacation time.

As a provider, I have never felt it was a fair or even legitimite discussion to throw at parents all of our added expenses related to our business, or the fact that per child we recieve very minimal wages...it's not accurate, we do not work with one child, we work with a group of children and get paid for each of them, which adds up to a pretty decent wage. And I don't look at it as an hourly thing either....we recieve a salary... a set amount, just like many others in many other fields, who also work 11-15 hours per day. It's not the parents fault that some providers do not have enough children to make a higher salary, and it's not fair to make them feel as though they do not pay enough because of it.

I also look at expenses like this. If I worked outside the home I'd be paying for commuting, plus spending up to an hour of time driving there, and then driving back (adds two hours to an 8 hour day), I'd be paying for clothing for my job, which I do now, but not nearly as much as when I was in management. I'd be paying for some of my lunches at restaruants....not always, but I would eat out with coworkers from time to time. Those are job related expenses, just like expenses related to caring for children. I'd also be dealing with co-worker draa and a boss whom I may or may not get along with.

BUT, I get to stay home, raise my own children, call the shots with my business and get to do the only job I have ever LOVED, make a difference in the lives of children.

[Unregistered]

Crystal, I think the way you run your daycare/business is very fair and if you were out where I lived I would be asking you if you had any open spaces. I believe that the way you are fair about your business is probably why you are successful and maybe it that some other providers who run their business differently, is part of the reason as to why they have less children to care for which inturn affects their revenue. A few daycare providers should take some notes from you. Kudos to you.

[Crystal]

Thank you.

[Unregistered]

Reply

As a daycare provider, why can't we take paid vacation? You do.

You run your own business, similar to a sole proprietorship. I get paid days off because they are part of my deal with my company. If I take a day off, MY COMPANY gets someone else to get the work done.

The situation you are desribing is ludicrous. You run a business. If you ran a McDonalds, or restaurant or some other business, would you expect the people that eat there to pay even though they didnt get a meal?

This kind of attitude towards entitlement is immoral on all fronts and to believe that because you CHOSE to run a business out of your home you are entitled to ANY benefits.