Day Care Vacation

[judecorp]

So a while ago, our day care provider let me know that she needs to close on July 31st because her son is having some sort of outpatient surgery. Totally understandable. I don't know what we're going to do (likely Jen will stay home), but understandable.

Today she let me know that she's taking vacation the week of August 11. I have NO idea what the heck we're going to do. I don't get any time off for 90 days, though I can probably arrange for one day of unpaid leave, maybe two although that will probably suck hard (and not be ideal for the j-o-b). But I don't know anyone who could provide reliable childcare for an entire week! ARGH.

This effing sucks.

Comments

[ladyleo.livejournal.com]

I wish we were closer or had teleporters, as I would do it in a heartbeat.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Awwh, but you have so much going on as it is! (Not to mention being super far away.) xoxo

[ladyleo.livejournal.com]

Not so much that I couldn't help out! I was running after a 19 month old this past weekend (and keeping up fairly well ;) )

We need teleporters, stat!

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Bring on the teleporters!!

[ladyleo.livejournal.com]

That would be full of win. Seriously!

[hetterrific.livejournal.com]

Yikes, that sucks. I'd offer my services, but there is a slight distance problem. And I don't think you'd put her on a plane out here for a week... or maybe you would ;)

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

No way! I would miss her!

[theshapeshifter.livejournal.com]

Ugh, it's sucktastic, isn't it? Duncan's daycare is closed for two weeks (next week and the following week), so we've had to cobble together a couple of unpaid days off for me, a couple of days with my MIL coming, and thankfully my sister is willingly giving up her week of vacation to help out.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

We have no family in the area that could provide such a service. Suck. I have no idea what we're going to do. I guess I have to ask my job if I can take some unpaid time off (I'm sure they will say yes, but I need that money, bleh) and maybe Jen will have to do the same? I don't know.

[folkyboy.livejournal.com]

thats crazy! i didn't know that childcare providers really did shit like take vacations without providing a backup plan. how many kids does she watch? is it just Gus?

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

It's not really her responsibility to provide a backup plan. She has a right to take a vacation just like anybody else, and it wouldn't be a big deal if I had some paid time off. I just am technically not allowed to take time off right now.

Bleh.

[sarahaubry.livejournal.com]

i take lots of time off and don't offer a backup plan. that being said, she has TONS (100%) of her family to back them up. no wife in her family works, so she is pretty lucky. do you have to pay her for the time off? THAT would suck. to not get paid then ahae to pay out.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

No, we don't have to pay for her vacations or any time she chooses to close the child care. We do pay for holidays, 15 of them. And any day our kid is scheduled to go but doesn't.

I am not expecting her to offer a backup plan and I totally think she has a right to have vacation. It just SUCKS that she is taking this vacation so close to another day that she is closing the day care and that it's fairly short notice (less than a month) since we have no family in the area or anything like that.

I don't even have anyone to pay out to if I wanted to... so we have to take a bunch of unpaid time off of work IF we can manage to get allowed to do that.

[cappucinogrrl.livejournal.com]

I'm sure the other parents are having the same problem - maybe you can work out something with some of them, so each parent takes turn watching the kids for a day or something? Or you could find out if any of them have a backup person that could help you out too.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

There's only one other kid involved - the others are her three kids. I suppose I can see about asking her what the other kid is doing, but since I don't know her (the mom of the other kid) I don't really want her watching my (high needs) kid. You know?

[cappucinogrrl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I didn't realize that it was mostly her own kids. I hope you can find some other sitter. Also I didn't realize Punk was still high needs.

[kathrynt.livejournal.com]

Check out these folks: http://www.workoptionsgroup.com Ordinarily they contract with employers to provide backup child care as a benefit, but maybe if you called them they could work with you?

[eight.livejournal.com]

I'd be happy to pitch in, Jude! I will be back in the area by that time in August and I'm 90% sure that is the week the Fosters are gone on vacation ... I might have a volunteer position, but if you book me now I will work around it.

For real!

[whuffle.livejournal.com]

I'll second the comment that cappucinogrrl made: see if there are other working parents using the same care provider who'd be willing to go co-op for the week. Then each of you would only lose one day of work yourselves. Another option would be to find a local Bright Horizons or such place, explain your problem, and see if you can do a backup care thing for a week. Or, see if you or Jen's employers offer priority service to a center like this.

[gala.livejournal.com]

I was just going to suggest the same. The larger centers usually offer a back-up daycare service, or have drop-in rates for just such a circumstance. Kindercare, Bright Horizons, Head Start - all should have the same service.

[oppendonnell.livejournal.com]

(It's actually, C, posting as L. Sorry.)

You might be able to manage paid leave; it's worth asking about even if your vacation/sick leave hasn't yet kicked in. I was the executrix of my GM's estate and had to drive back and forth a lot on weekdays dealing with that. I switched jobs, but mentioned that I would need time off before the 90-day accrue time thing started. I said I'd take unpaid leave if necessary, but I needed to be able to take a day here and there for that. My employer waived the 90 day thing and let me take the days. If you aren't planning on quitting any time soon, they might let you take it as paid leave. It's worth asking about anyway.

Good luck. That's sucky that it was such short notice. Ironically, we DO have family... in YOUR area, but not in ours. :-(

[estrange.livejournal.com]

I'd do it if you lived closer! Too bad :(

There are a lot of drop in day cares that you could bring her too - maybe you should check those out? Of course you'll have to pay quite a bit for it though...

[rexlezard.livejournal.com]

You should call your local queer manny service. ::grin::

I might not have Friday that week, but I maybe might, I'm still in negotiations about something else, but I'm likely available Mon-Thurs.

[tiffanygrrl.livejournal.com]

We are away that week or I'd offer to help you out for at least one of the days... have toddler, can travel.

However, check a local university for a student - I got a nanny job for a local family when I was living on campus for the summer. It rocked and they paid me ... and I earned a lot of money and they liked me. End of story!

[(Anonymous)]

Is she part of a registered family day care scheme? If so there might be another carer in the area with an opening that could take her? I did family day care in our home in order to stay home longer with A and we did this for each other to cover sick days, holidays and other such days off