day care question

It depends on where you live. Here, in California, the answer is: yes, it's standard.

Just as I get paid vacation days from my employer, so does my daycare provider. She provides me a list of the 17 days she takes off each year at the beginning (basically, federal holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year's).

It's actually pretty generous. Many of my friends have dcp's who take off 3 weeks of vacation plus holidays (paid). Many of the preschools take holidays plus have 4 weeks off throughout the year.

I pay her on her vacation days. I pay her on my vacation days. She is essentially holding my "spot" during those days.

At the home dc I used, full time paid by the month and included holidays and vacation days. Part time paid by the day, regardless of the number of hours per day and didn't pay for holidays or vacation days. Why wouldn't dc providers get paid holidays and vacation time just like other jobs (disclaimer: I know that not every job has paid holidays and vacation days. Mine doesn't but dh's does)? Especially since, as a home dc, my provider worked 10+ hours a day without breaks. And when she has infants, very little down time.

Chris

That is pretty standard.