Any childminders had problems with parents when it comes to holiday ???

oh I feel sorry for you, this parents sound awful and you are on your right to take your hols whenever you want as long as you give plenty of notice. My CM takes 6 wks a year, but I knew this when I signed the contract and am happy with it.

You are in your right to have your hols and if they want to move their children I'm surte you won't have vacancies for long. You sound like a lovely childminder and it's diffucult to find that there's lots of people looking for childminders. Good luck!

HFCC how did you resolve? [nosy]

I am a parent that uses a childminder and I think that your parents are being unreasonable.

CM are not nannies and you cannot specify when you want them to take holiday.I signed my contract knowing this and such have to cover holiday with other childcare.

they are being unreasonable if its in your contract stick to your guns they need to understand a cm is not their employee and that you ares self employed.
I can't believe they are being so rude!

I think the parents don't realise that if you only took 2 weeks holiday when you wanted it and 2 weeks when they wanted it you would only get 2 weeks holiday in a whole year. If you are looking after children from more than one family the odds are that the weeks each family chooses would be different from each other.

I take 4 weeks each year - not charged for - and tell the parents when they are in January. I don't give them options, don't ask what they think and won't negotiate dates! I don't have a single parent who doesn't get paid holidays - they request their holidays and get them, why shouldn't we? Don't get me wrong, if I wasn't away and a parent was REALLY stuck, i would help out if I could, but I think we are totally undervalued as a profession by parents and need to stand our ground!

A cm I know recently lost a parent, had sympathy for a few days, then had parents on the phone asking when she was back to work, because they were struggling for childcare . That was before she buried the parent

I had surgery last week - in full time employment I would have had at least 3wks off, came back today because felt couldn't let parents down and need the money to keep head above water! Knackered tonight - any thanks for working?? Nope!!!

Just make sure all terms for holidays are in your contract with parents - had parents at Christmas who said, 'Oh, you're charging?' 'Errrm, yes, it's a contracted day', 'But why should we pay you?'. 'Hmmm, are you getting paid for Christmas Day?', 'Well, yes, but that's different', 'Actually it's not, refer to your contract..................'

Sorry for the waffling on - I just get started sometimes.......

I have term time fees where I charge for every day I'm open, and holiday fees where I only charge for the days parents book. I obviously wouldn't take a booking for days I wanted to take as family holiday. I haven't had any argument about this and if I did I would highlight that nurseries usually charge year round, nannies get paid holiday etc. and they are not giving me holiday pay so they don't have any say in the matter. I would be very put out if one did try to tell me when I could or couldn't take holiday - never mind my honeymoon!

With this type of parent you have to be strong. If they were naive enough to think they could book any time they like and you would fit around them then that's their problem - not yours. Common sense would dictate that you and they talk through things like this rather than either party going and booking what they want.

I know the type of parent you have, lots of mouth, lots of flouncing about and harumphing, lots of dark looks because they are not getting their own way... All of it is a show to try and get you to back down... so don't give in..

If they end up taking one or other (or all) of the kids out then that's up to them but it's a bit short-sighted. I'm assuming you provide good quality childcare for their children.... If they live next door to each other then you are also building strong social bonds between the two families and between their children. The holiday thing is a problem that needs resolving but it shouldn't detract from the care that the children get - that's what is important here.

Surely a compromise can be reached????

You poor thing, I find this type of thing so hard as well. I don't charge for my holidays but charge for parents holidays, as you explained, not everyone (I have 5 families) can work their holidays to the same dates. When this comes up during contract negotiation, so many are unhappy I charge for their holidays, but I politely remind them that most (not all) get paid holiday from their companies, but I don't. I also mention that pre-schools and private nurseries will still charge if the place isn't used. I also don't charge for bank holidays, which can be a killer at Easter and Christmas.

I am looking at changing to a 50/50 basis giving everyone 5 weeks half charge, its something that I have found some of the local childminders do as it cushions the blow if I am on holiday I do get some pay, and if they are on holiday they aren't paying for full. Still mulling it over though so any advice would be appreciated.

I have one really bolshy parent who always gives me grief - pays late and expects very flexible hours etc. I took TWO weeks leave only last yr.

Last April (2008) I told all parents about my January (2009) holiday - 3 weeks overseas. It was mentioned in every newsletter since April. She said she knew nothing of it come December and she caused such a stink - her child only comes to me 1 day a week too!

I was having nothing of it. I was polite (as always) but firm. After about the third veeeeery lengthy email of how much money she will lose and how much I was putting her out etc. I mentioned 'does the contract need early reviewing?' She immediately apologised and said she didnt want to fall out with me but leave was so hard for her etc. etc.

But I had given her plenty of notice. And it was for 3 days. But had it been for 3 weeks, I still would have stood my ground. I work very hard (7am to 7pm often - excluding all the paperwork and courses and assignments I do)... and deserve a holiday too! Crazy.

But some people think you are there to fit around THEIR schedule. This is impossible. Stand your ground and take your holiday - your honeymoon - and try not to feel guilty... I have a habit of feeling guilty sometimes when I cannot mind a child on a day I dont usually mind them/cannot babysit for them etc. and I must'nt... I have a feeling you do too... stay firm

you go girl!!! (sorry probably not very "mumsnet").....:-)

ayla has a good idea - they can help eachother out if they are that bothered about it - and incidentally I think if you are minding for free you don't have to be registered.......

oops! ... when YOU are closed.

YOU are not forcing them to take unpaid leave nor to take their holiday when they are closed. If they can't/won't choose an alternative carer - whether this be another childminder or a relative there is nothing you can do about that. You cannot take your holiday to suit them as every family that comes to you might take holiday at different times. Even if these neighbours were to agree to take their holidays together, you might have other clients in the future.

They could take a week off each and look after each others children for free? If there are 2 parents in each household they could manage by taking only 2 1/2 days off each and saving the rest of the holiday at another time. I think its still the case that people can provide childcare for a few days without being registered?

You might want to remind them that if they want to save their holiday to take whenever they like they will have to pay full fees in addition to their holiday costs - as you will be open as usual. So a lot of parents do prefer to take their holiday when the childminder is closed for financial reasons.

I charge 1/2 fees for 4 weeks holiday (1 week at xmas & easter & 2 weeks in summer). Full fees for bank holidays and any other holiday the parents take. £zero for any other closures I have.

Don't give in. You are a business not an employee and as long as your terms and conditions are clear it's up to you to say when your services are not available. If they were silly enough to go ahead and book their own holiday without checking when you would be 'closed' so they could tie it in, that's their problem.

Incidentally, parental leave is total of 13 weeks, but maximum of 4 weeks a year, and yes it can be postponed.

god no don't give in, it's your HONEYMOON!

They signed and they should have reliased at the time of singing and discussed and possibly renegotiated THEN.

If you stand down over this, they'll get you over a barrel for everything - BELIEVE me!

can I remind you its your honeymoon...

you are being a pushover.

If you charged for your holls I would say you needed to compromise - but you don't and you are willing to help them find cover - what more do they want?!

gosh this makes it even worse - its your bloody honeymoon!!!

You stand firm - sorry but I have been mucked about so much by parents in the past that I am strarting to make policies for everything and sticking to them. It seems far fetched but unfortunately some parents have an odd view of childcare......

As a mum, I don't think you are at all unreasonable and think the parents are being awful. They signed the contract so they have to deal with it. Terrible that they are ganging up on you - they should instead be putting their energies into working between themselves how to cover your holiday. Between them they might have 4 parents who between them can cover the care of their children, and they have 7 months and 9 months to sort it out!!! You have given them more than reasonable notice IMO.

I've just gone with a nanny for my DS because we wanted the flexibility and control that we would have over her holidays (she takes 3 weeks at our choosing and 1 week at hers). All childcare has advantages and disadvantages and it was their choice to go with a CM so they need to deal with the holiday issue.

My contract allows me to take as much leave as I like . Parents do not pay for my leave, as I assume they will need to find alternative childcare. I help them find this alternative care if they ask for it (which they often do). They take some of their holidays at the same time as me and some at different times. I give them as much notice as possible and if they can take their holiday at the same time as me, then they do, so they don't have to pay me when they are on holiday. Never had a problem with it (so far).

I wonder if it the week in December that is the problem. So many businesses are their busiest in the lead up to Christmas and won't allow holiday or unpaid leave.