As I recall day care for my grandson has been charged by the month; therefore one is paying even tho the day care is closed for holidays. This was at 3 different day cares. Since he's in half day kindergarten my caughter pays by the hour for the hours he's present. Since my grandson is in half-day kindergarten paying by the month was more expensive than paying by the hour.
My granddaughter is in a YMCA before and after school program. They have several methods of figuring their rates. One is to pay by the month. Another is to pay for the whole year's program in monthly payments. The first year that my daughter attended her mother paid for the school year which, if I remember correctily charged less for holidays and for in-service days. Summer day care is extra as are in-service days for which the program is open.
My daughter now pays by the year with the total divided into monthly payments. Because she pays this way my granddaughter is covered for in-service days, Christmas and spring breaks. The program is not open on the holidays that school is not open but is open on the yearly plan for all other days. The program that is charged by the month also charges extra for in-service days and holidays as well as holiday breaks.
We discovered that choosing the yearly program was much less expensive. When the parent needs child care on the school days off the extra days that they pay for has a higher fee for the day.
I think that there is another plan to choose that includes all days, except for federally recognized school days but not the summer.
I'm not sure about any of these plans except for the all year one. I'm pretty sure that the YMCA has a full day program for toddlers and preschoolers. You can learn more at their website.
When my daughter was first paying for all days even those for which the day care proveder was not providing care I was resentfull until someone reminded my that even tho a large percentage of employers allow their employees holidays off the emplyee is still paid for the holiday. And....daycare workers earn very little in comparison to most ompanies who pay for holidays. The day care workers deserve this small amount of money expecially when considering that they don't get paid days off at any other time. Most of us get paid vacations or pto.
My daughter has to budget well to pay for day care. She isn't one of the high earners. But she does earn more than the day care workers earn. And her job is secure while the daycare's monthly income varies dependent on which children leave. This is true especially for private in home day care. My grandson's day care owner, who is licensed for 6 kids under the age of 6 is down to 4 this winter. If she's making it at all it's barely. She charges less than the going rate just so that low income parents can have day care.
School districts pay teachers for days the school isn't open because teaching is a professional occupation. I think day care workers deserve the same respect. I also think they should earn more money but I don't know how that can happen in today's system. Unskilled and miminally skilled workers frequently cannot afford day care at all. Day care workers are with our children a significant amount of time and do influence our children's lives. I think that the position of day care worker should be made professioanl and that employers find ways to subsidize daycare in their own or a nearby facility. Many workers today have a two year degree. Yes, they should earn more than a worker with no degree and one with a 4 year or above degree should earn more than either of them. Let's turn day care into a business recognized as a business employed professional workers, which should not only provide higher wages but insurance coverage and paid days off.
Even an in-home day care is a business. They have to provide reports to the state, keep books for taxes, etc. Hire a replacement if they're ill. Plan healthy meals and shop for food separate from her home management. She will be inspected by the state health department and the state children's and family office. They had to have certain quailifications before they were licensed. They have to provide interesting and educational experiences and can only have the TV on for an hour during the day. A worker is in site of your children at all times. This takes a lot of organizational skills. Running a day care is not like babysitting.
I don't know where you're getting day care or their circumstances but I would ask if they have a plan whereby you could pay by the hour. If not you could find one that will. My grandson's day care is willing to have his mother pay by the hour because she's not full. Once she is full my daughter will have to find someone who will charge by the hour or pay the monthly fee.
I think one can pay be the hour at a drop in day care but one doesn't have the assurance that there will be space. You could perhaps find a friend or neighbor who is not in the day care business who would be more fexible and glad to charge you less.
I do understand the frustration of having to pay for time not there. I felt the same way until someone reminded me that I recieved paid days off and earned much more than the day care worker. It sounds like you only have to pay for the hours that your twins are there plus certain holidays. I think that you're fortunate to have that.
Also epending on where you take your twins the worker may be working 10 hour days 5 days/week. My grandson's care taker starts at 7am and ends at 6pm with extended hours available. No duty free lunch or dinner.
