Child Care - Is this normal?

jmillerhorskins

Nothing creepy, don't worry. It's just something that bothers me.

My SIL uses a private baby sitter for my niece. SIL really likes her and so does my niece. The problem is she charges for full service even if she does not have your child that day. I understand if she was planning on having your kid that day, and you keep them home she would be losing income if she didn't charge. However, if SHE goes on vacation she charges for the full week. SIL has MIL to watch my niece, but other parents now have to pay not only for the service they are not getting from her, but also to make other arrangements for their kids. She puts up with it because she does really like and trust the babysitter. But is that normal?

SueBear

I guess it depends on how often she goes on vacation. 

My daycare used to charge for the full month in December (when they closed the week bewteen Christmas - New Years) and August (when they closed for a week).  It was still cheaper overall for the year than other options.  My other daycare would charge us 1/2 price for a week even when we were on vacation - and they were fully staffed so it made no difference if we were there or not.

smbd

yes. normal for home-based daycare & daycare center.

If she's taking unreasonable amounts of vacation time, then I can see the issues, but if your sister knows in advance that dcp has 2 or 3 scheduled weeks of vacation per year, that's not out of the norm.

MallardDucky

My daycare provider closes for the week of Christmas, and for a week in July and we are still expected to pay for those weeks.  It is their paid vacation time.

malibu5880

Yes it's normal. It's their business, and just like most people get paid vacation at their jobs, it's the same for them. I get my daycare provider's vacation schedule at the beginning of the year, and it's detailed what is considered paid vacation time and what is not. I have plenty of time to schedule backup care or take time off myself.

All of this (including charging for the day if the child is kept home) is outlined when signing a contract with them. We pay for the whole week, and if H has a day off and keeps her home, we still pay for the day. Not abnormal at all. Remember, it's their business, so if your SIL decides to keep her home, the provider shouldn't lose the agreed upon payment for scheduled service. 

teacherjulie

For me not normal when DD is suck we pay but when sitter goes on vacation we do not pay

Sue_sue

This is normal for daycares.

PnkBride

Normal.

theseaword

Yes, normal. 

emiliemadison

Yes, that's fairly standard. Most people working at a company get some paid time off (vacation, PTO, sick days, etc), and many self employed child care providers write the same thing into their own contracts. Why shouldn't they? 

bostonjen

My son goes to a family daycare.  We pay by the week.  When they go on vacation we pay 1/2 that week.  When we go on vacation we still pay the full 'tuition'.

grounhogswifey

Yeah, in my area it is.

IrishBrideND

Yep.

belljason92

Yes it?s quite normal for babysitters, they do charge on vacations too.

polling

Normal. 

katie.i.do

i think it's pretty standard and if your SIL signed a contract, this is probably specified as the sitter's PTO policy. this is the daycare provider's livelihood.

jmillerhorskins

hmm...interesting. That's really annoying, but I guess it makes sense seeing as it is her source of income. Thanks for the feedback!

PunkyBooster

Depends on their contract together. DS has a nanny and she is paid 52 weeks a year, whether she is working or not (I have 4 weeks of PTO so she is good to take her vacations on those weeks as well but she gets days off now and then as well).

blush64

It is normal.

 Daycare workers (and especially home daycare workers) get so little respect for such a hard and demanding job that vacation pay should be included.

 I agree with PP that it should also depend on how much time off this person takes.

 

Mrslove78

Of course.  You get paid vacation too don't you?

Netty_3

I don't know if it's normal, but I guess she sees it as paid vacation time as if she worked for a company.

BRGregory

I think I would have a problem with this... in any other situation, BUT with it being someone that they really like and trust then I guess sometimes you just have to weigh the pros & cons. If money were really tight, I might would have to say something, but otherwise I would probably just consider it par. I've got a couple of people/services that I use that have really aggravating things like this, but I deal with it because theres a pro somewhere that outweighs it. Luckily, I was babysat by my mamaw and I pray that when we have kids that one of our moms can do the same.

IrishBrideND

BRGregory:

I think I would have a problem with this... in any other situation, BUT with it being someone that they really like and trust then I guess sometimes you just have to weigh the pros & cons. If money were really tight, I might would have to say something, but otherwise I would probably just consider it par. I've got a couple of people/services that I use that have really aggravating things like this, but I deal with it because theres a pro somewhere that outweighs it. Luckily, I was babysat by my mamaw and I pray that when we have kids that one of our moms can do the same.

 

So I assume you get zero paid vacation at your job? 

Paid vacation and paid sick days are not uncommon. I have had it at every job I have had. Is that "aggravating" to you? 

DannStacy95

Mrslove78:

Of course.  You get paid vacation too don't you?

 

I don't get paid vacation. But then, I was fortunate enough to be a SAHM until youngest son was in kdg, so I didn't have to worry about daycare. I realize not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to do that. It wasn't easy, and we did without alot of things. It was what worked for our family.

I do, however, have summers off. I am a cook for a preschool.