Well I Did It! :)

[erinalexmom]

I changed my hours and passed out the letter to parents today. The school boys that I dont care for too much will then leave. That will work out to 5and 1/2 hours a week for my family Plus, then the boys will be gone.
This is NO joke! Yesterday a bug landed on the 6yr old (just landed on him, didnt bite him,or hurt him in any way) and it resulted in a 45 minute temper tantrum! I am talking fall down on the deck, screaming, crying, calling for his mom for 45 minutes! At 6 years old! I will not be sad to see that one go!

Plus,now my mother has offered to pay for my 4 yr old to go to preschool and she will take him on her lunch break and I will pick him up. I told the parents today that I am needing thier carseats and that I am going to pick him up. No one minded at all.

I also told a parent that I cant have her kids on Wednesday afternoons because I wont have enough room in the car to get my son.(she has family who can care for her kids) this will help my stress level on Wednesday plus she was ALWAYS late to pick them up on Wednesdays (Im talking 5:45pm) She is never late on Thursdays (her other day)

So things are looking up! I am putting my family first! I am happier already! But I will be really happy November 1st (which is when my hours will be changing)

[beachgrl]

Way to go laying it out for them and taking back some of your family time!
Hope it all works out better for you and I know it must feel good to have it off your shoulders and less stress!

[cheerfuldom]

I am so glad you made these changes. I know how amazing I felt when I revamped my whole daycare. It was like a totally different atmosphere

[Mom&Provider]

That's wonderful! Sometimes I know I need more guts to just say stuff...good for you!!

[Sugar Magnolia]

That's really good news! I wish you the best with your new schedule! Peace to you

[erinalexmom]

Yes! I am soooo much happier already! I got up today at 6am (the schoolage boys werent here this morning) and my first thought was "in a few weeks this will be when you wake up everyday" I have also spent my entire day cleaning while the kids had free play. I am on a roll! I am taking back MY life! I mean I will still provide good care for the kids and we will still learn and do activities and have a growing learning place to spend our day. And the parents will be able to count on me for thier kids to be safe and cared for (as long as its after 6:15am and before 5:15pm : but it will not be at the expense of myself and my family KWIM?

[wdmmom]

You're going to be so much happier, you don't even know how much! I changed my hours from 7am - 530pm to 730am because that's when most of the kids come in anyway. Just that half hour has made a tremendous difference in my energy level! I can take a longer shower, I can have a cup of coffee BEFORE I start the day. I usually have the opportunity to check my emails and facebook before I start work for the day. It's made a world of difference. Now if I could scale that end time back to 5pm, that'd be wonderful!

[erinalexmom]

Yeah you think "its only an hour/ or half hour (or whatever)" but its not! Every minute counts! I never realized it until I started this business. Plus, I did the hard math and I figured out that I was making $13 A WEEK to open at 5am! Uuummm no! I can scrimp on something in order to make up that $13!

[Meyou]

Good for you!! You'll love your mornings now. Even since I cut back my morning hours I'm so much happier. I get up before my kids, have a cup of tea, check my email, read a little and then get ready for my day. It's so much better than throwing clothes on and trying to settle kids back to sleep.

And wddmom...I hear you on the 5pm. It's my goal to scale back to 5pm within the next year as my current kids age out. I can't wait!