Childminder's holidays

The families with school age children will probably find it easier to cover term time holidays.

To be fair I think the problem is the operation which I guess is going to be a one off.
My parents help each other out. I would try that.

I'm a parent of school aged children and I have been a childminder. I took time off when it suited me not to fit in with multiple clients different requirements. If this issue was a major one for all your CM's clients she would have a decision to make. But it's still her rules. If she's already lost a client over it then she's obviously decided 'hey ho' and carried on doing what suits her anyway. I don't think you're going to get her to change her mind.

but I think it's reasonable to expect more than 2 TBH.

Then you have an unrealistic expectation of life as a working parent. Is this your child's first year at school?

Actually, I'm now only interested in parents' responses as up to now the childminder ones are generally not constructive

Ok, I'm a parent, not a CMer. I have two Dc and as I am a lone parent I have only one set of annual leave to us either to cover Cmer holidays. How do I tackle it? I don't "tackle" it, I fit in with it, because I chose to have children that require childcare. This is life with children. You can't seriously have expected to have 6 (or 12??) weeks annual leave to float about the house or the Mediterranean once you had children. Did you? if you really need that then you should hire a nanny.

We can only have 2 weeks & 1 day off together this year

This is quite normal is it not?

Lots of parents split their leave through the year to help with childcare.

My dh works in a school and term time only. He is off all holidays. However my cm is entitled to take her leave when suits her so first week of the school term I am off because she is. I am taking one week off summer and the feb half term so dh I and the kids will have two separate weeks together. The rest is split because that is the way these things work.

My child minder takes all her holidays in term time as school holidays are when the parents tend to need childcare the most. She has children who only come in the school holidays. I'm in the same boat as you and end up using most of my annual leave covering her holidays. It's been an absolute pain. Ds starts reception in sept so things will be better as I reckon my 76 yr old dad could manage the school run whereas he couldn't have done full time care for a week! That will free my leave up for school holidays.

Oh right. It's one of those threads. Only interested in those who agree with you. I see.

Most childminder are parents too. Not constructive because the answers are not the ones you want to hear.

My answer is still the same. Find alternative care if you can't cover it yourself. Most people would find it easier for someone else just to care for their children after school than a whole day.

Ok well from another POV.

I'm a cm with school aged children myself. Much of my holiday is in the school hols with one week of term time so I can't have some r and r and catch up on things around the house whilst my own are at school.

I cm for teachers. They have to find cover for those. My holiday only child's parents have to find cover for my school holiday time off.

I can't please everyone. I can only please myself and my family and let everyone else sort themselves out.

Sorry but I think this is the reality for most working parents - whether you're covering term time or school holidays, each parent takes separate holidays and it you are lucky you get 1-2 weeks all together.

Your other options are: find a substitute childminder, ask for favours from friends or family, use a babysitter, cover using holiday, cover using unpaid parental leave.

Drip feeding about her operation. These are all issues you should have thought about before signing the contract. You need a nursery who are open year round with part time staff who cover other staff time off. Why not change? Maybe the childminder is significantly cheaper and you would rather try to get her to change her time off to suit you, rather than pay a more expensive nursery?

You've had your answer - they take holidays when the cms do!

We haven't had any holiday since Xmas time as we have had to cover the CMs to date.

So you have had holiday?

Eh? Why do you need to cover 18 weeks holiday if your CM only has 6 weeks off? You only need to take the 6 weeks off that she does, surely?

I never mentioned you covering with your own holiday so don't get your knickers in a twist. Just pay for another person/nanny/childminder to temporarily look after your child while your childminder is unavailable.

OP i don't understand - why do you think it would be better for the cm to take holiday in school holidays?

Surely by taking hols in term time it is reducing the amount of alternative care that needs to be found - as the kids are in school some of the day.

Can you not take half days / finish early on the days she is away rather than using a whole day and so have more allowance left for your real holidays?

I use a nursery that does after school pick ups - could that be an option for you?

Stop pointing fingers OP has a problem and asking for a solution - offer one

The solution has been pointed out numerous times. She needs to find cover for the childminders holiday or source alternative childcare.

It's up to her to chose her holidays. That's the beauty of working for yourself. Why on earth would she want to pay higher prices for school holiday holidays, and probably have to have more children around during that holiday too, when she doesn't have to. She isn't taking the piss. She's considering her own requirements - just like you are. She can't possibly please all her clients if everyone has different requirements. If you are unhappy with it you may need to look elsewhere but I wouldn't expect anyone to accommodate your needs over their own to be honest.