Daycare 24/7

[awestbrook713]

Do any of you find it hard to stop thinking daycare once the kids are gone. I feel like I am being ruled by my business. I need to make a promise to myself that once the kids leave and the house is clean and everything ready for next day I forget daycare and take some me time. Anyone else feel like this?

[SilverSabre25]

Yes I feel like this, but I never achieve it because the house is NEVER "clean and ready for the next day". I always have more to do. Plus, I always have curriculum to plan and prepare, etc.

[hoopinglady]

I think maybe after I've been in business a number of years this will become easier. For now, it is a new business and I'm constantly working on it. Either physically trying to make it more appealing and efficient or brainstorming and researching activities, policies, curriculum ideas, menus, behavior issues......

I try to do nothing on Saturdays except the bare necessities but that normally leaves me with a huge-mongous bunch of mess on Sunday night.

[Country Kids]

I've done it for 16 years and guess what-it still rules my life and is really starting to wear on me. I'm getting so far behind in the housework, paperwork, and life that it isn't funny. I'm about ready to take a week off and get my house back in order! I will get a few rooms done and then start working on others and then the ones that were in order start getting messed up. An endless cycle!

[themoorethemerrier]

I'm in the licensing process and almost every spare moment for thought goes either into this or into our farm. I have actual dreams about all this stuff! ::

And now I'm up until midnight hammering out details on my contract. Dishes still need to be done, clean but unfolded laundry is all over my bed, there is paperwork all over my table and toys all over my livingroom. Just another day in paradise, right?

[melskids]

oh tell me about it.

daycare consumes me right now. i'm also dreaming about it at night.

i don't know about you other ladies in NY, but here in my county they are really pushing this quality stars thing. I'm actually all for it, but its been hectic trying to set up a time to get a CDA, and to start to work towards accreditation. All while still running a business and having a house full of kiddos everyday.

my mom had a stroke a few months back. (she's only 54!) she lives 2 1/2 hours downstate, so, most weekends i'm down there helping her.

on top of that MY kids (and the hubby, he's my 3rd kid) still need me.

nothing around here is getting done. the house is a wreck, and everything is so disorganized. i'm pretty overwhelmed right now, to say the least.

but my mom helps me keep things in prospective. she tells me all the time how lucky she is to still be alive, and that in the grand scheme of things, all the "little" stuff i stress over doesnt really matter. And thats means ALOT coming from her. Growing up, my mom was always stressed, OCD about things, and quite a bit anal

she keeps telling me that one day, i'm gonna look back and miss this. for now, all i can do is take a deep breath and keep telling myself that. LOL

[awestbrook713]

Well I am glad I am not the only one. My husband is frustrated with me and says stop thinking about it all the time, and actually bans me from talking daycare after hours.

I just went to the training for that melskids, I have my licensor come in once a month until April to observe my program and then comes back a few days later to discuss what I can work on and what needs to be fixed. Its a good thing but very nerve wracking, and honestly at this point with all the trouble I am having with parents it makes me wonder why I am doing all the extra to better my program when they take it all for granted.

I'm sorry about your mother, but it sounds like she is a very strong and smart woman.

I'm sure we will all look back and smile at the memories but for now I might just have a melt down .

[melskids]

Well I am glad I am not the only one. My husband is frustrated with me and says stop thinking about it all the time, and actually bans me from talking daycare after hours.

I just went to the training for that melskids, I have my licensor come in once a month until April to observe my program and then comes back a few days later to discuss what I can work on and what needs to be fixed. Its a good thing but very nerve wracking, and honestly at this point with all the trouble I am having with parents it makes me wonder why I am doing all the extra to better my program when they take it all for granted.

I'm sorry about your mother, but it sounds like she is a very strong and smart woman.

I'm sure we will all look back and smile at the memories but for now I might just have a melt down .

I always tell myself....I don't do it for the parents. I do it for the kids. That's what keeps me going.

[awestbrook713]

I know I have to tell myself that a lot. Do you know I actually had a mom tell me to my face yesterday you should have just babysat and not gotten registered...... Uh thanks for your opinion, I like to play by the rules though and not chance getting turned in by parents such as yourself when you don't feel I'm taking good enough care of your little ray of sunshine, or maybe have raised my rates too much

[mismatchedsocks]

I still think about it, but not to the extent i used to. I make sure toward the end of the day, all the daycare stuff is put away, and cleaned up. Dinner is usually right after last kid leaves at 5ish. From then on its just about my kids, until they go to bed, then I usually think of things i should do before morning. I just jot it down on my list, try to forget it and do it at 6am while i am waiting for my first few to get here.
I used to think about it so much, i was questioning why I was open 11 hours, then still thinking about it! Almost half my day was enough to think about it. I dont think most people do anything work related after they leave their job after 8 hours!

[Cat Herder]

i don't know about you other ladies in NY, but here in my county they are really pushing this quality stars thing. I'm actually all for it, but its been hectic trying to set up a time to get a CDA, and to start to work towards accreditation. All while still running a business and having a house full of kiddos everyday.

This is what is invading my dreams, taking up my free time and stressing me out. I am being forced to do the same with no back-up/support system. They only come out to critique, I can't get the same inspector twice, and they all want something different. I know they are stressed, too, though. Their pay depends on other peoples "check boxes". Not a great way to live, IMHO, so I smile and say "Yes, 'Mam".

I am almost done with the 120 hours....but ugh....the miserable part begins next. I am doing online classes throughout day, I listen to the minimized slides while "hanging" out here The tests are a breeze.

My daycare was a well oiled, stress-free, machine.... Not so much with the stuff they have added on me, now. I hope it is worth it in the end.

[Solandia]

I use to think/plan, etc a lot about the daycare and the kids. Eh, not so much.

I mean, if I think of something funny, I might tell it to dh, but I do not obsess about cleaning/prepping/planning. What gets done during the day is good enough. After the dinner chores are done, I sit my ass down and I am done. Finished with the kitchen, cleaning, laundry, the everything. And quiet time (1-2:30pm) is MY time, too, so i dont do any of that stuff then, either. Everything gets done 7-1p, or 3-6:30pm.

I write down ideas, do paperwork while the kids are playing. I have everything "mobile", in easy to grab sections so that I am not tethered in one spot to do anything. A clipboard is a necessity. A spiral notebook. A shoebox of receipts at a time. A black meal planner printout on my clipboard with a blank grocery list behind it. I don't need the desk or a computer more than a few minutes at a time. Anything like that is done from 12:30pm-1pm (after kids are down for nap, but before I eat my lunch and play on the computer). Dishes are washed as the kids get done eating, future meals & snacks prepped while the kids are at the table eating.

I am really good at tuning out distractions & segmenting my time and my life. So is my dh. When he is done with work, it is over, it doesn't carry over to family time. The end. It is a skill that doesn't always come easily, but do not doubt that it can be done.

[erinalexmom]

I know how ya feel. I actually dont really get too obsessed with the daycare but I just dont do much else. I need a hobby! :: By the time everyone leaves and I do things for my kids then I just dont have much else going on. I havent had much $ or time lately. So I just have nothing else to think about or talk about.
When I was a nurse I was much more interesting because I left the house and I did interesting things in my job. Now my dh doesnt want to hear about daycare and honestly I dont want to talk about them but I just dont know what else to say. So tell me what kind of things ya'll do aside from your own kids and daycare? in your "free time"

[hoopinglady]

I know how ya feel. I actually dont really get too obsessed with the daycare but I just dont do much else. I need a hobby! :: By the time everyone leaves and I do things for my kids then I just dont have much else going on. I havent had much $ or time lately. So I just have nothing else to think about or talk about.
When I was a nurse I was much more interesting because I left the house and I did interesting things in my job. Now my dh doesnt want to hear about daycare and honestly I dont want to talk about them but I just dont know what else to say. So tell me what kind of things ya'll do aside from your own kids and daycare? in your "free time"

I've been hoop dancing for a few years now. It's big fun, a great release, good exercise, cheap and can be done anywhere with a few square feet of space.

Maybe you're not THAT silly though.

I also like to dream about how pretty my house would/will be if it were not full of munchkins. :: I love looking through decorating blogs and stuff for inspiration.

I think what Nannyde said in a recent blog about having another business/money making/interest through the years keeping her sane and helping to prevent burn out was really wise.

[boysx5]

thats why when daycare is over I leave the daycare room and forget all about it. I keep all my stuff in my basement and I don't go down there when I'm not doing daycare