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Unregistered 12:29 PM 05-16-2011
Here's where I think some of the childcare providers are getting confused about vacation and other paid time off:

The parents are merely customers. *They* are not business owners or anyone's employers.

The obligation of the parents is only for the service that the childcare provider provides.

Only employers may have an obligation to pay vacation and sick time (and even holidays) if that is part of the hiring parameters, and only if that is agreed to when the employee is hired (which, I'll remind you, is not always the case).

Childcare providers are in business for themselves. That, like any other home-based business, means that you have no one above you - no one to tell you what to do, and no one to bail you out when you're in a jam. That's the downside of owning your own business - any kind of business, regardless of how much money you make. When you go into business for yourself, you realize the costs and count the rewards, and if you fail to do this, then you deal with the consequences without projecting them onto someone else. It sounds harsh, but that's reality. To sit there and throw out every penny and justify your cause is childish. I don't care if you make $10 a week at the end of the week. That is not my problem. I am the customer; I am not your employer and I do not own a business where you are my employee, therefore I have no obligation whatsoever to pay for your time not worked.

It is interesting to note that many of you said you charge a low weekly rate and can barely make ends meet, therefore, you deserve a paid vacation and sick time. This is illogical. What you charge is not the fault of the parent. Plus, it sounds to me like you are charging less than you should as a way to entice parents into your service and then pull a fast one by expecting them to pay for your time off - services not rendered (even if you whip out the contract and gloss over the fine print). It would be more honest for you to charge up front what you need to charge to cover for all expenses to operate your business -including any potential time off - meaning instead of $100 weekly fee, it should be more like $120 or something to that effect. And then any vacation or sick time would be $0 - or a moot point since parents are not obliged to cover you as if you were their employee.

You are not their employee. You are their service provider.

Anything beyond that is gravy - in both directions. Since this is a home-based business that involves more intimate psychological and emotional involvement than, say, a plumber who fixes your inanimate toilet, there are certain additional rewards that a childcare provider *might hope* for. But, gifting and sharing of the familial bond takes time and you have to develop trust and agreement between the parties. It is not something to be contracted by saying you must provide me with vacation pay and sick time.
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