Not Sure What To Do....

[Guest]

My daycare has been scaled back from having 6 kids to having 3 part time dcb's The reason's are part my choice (termed two kids) and one other going to preschool.

I am actually happy with my schedule. But somethings have come up and I am wondering if I should close my doors for good.

Here is what is going on:

1. I have to have surgery in the next couple of months. I am having a hysterectomy. I won't be able to lift the kids to the changing table for a month or so. So I have to have an assistant here. My deal with my assistant that I have hired is she will make all the money from the daycare minus expenses. I have given her a 6 week guarantee.

2. My fourth child and second son is showing the same signs as my other son who is autistic. He is 15 mths old and isn't saying a single word. His eye contact is bad and is interactive activities are not where they should be.

I have been through this before I know what is coming. Therapy appointments, parent meetings. Home therapy. I just want to cry. I had hoped he would start to talk by his 14/15 month appointment but he just isn't.

While having the daycare kids here as part time as they are is good for social interaction, it is also going to be very hard to explain all the times I have to have someone here with the kids so I can be with my son.

It's not like I can just take personal/sick time from work. While my parents are understanding I am not sure they are this understanding.

Just don't know what to do.

[Heidi]

I'm so sorry you are going through all this!

If you can manage financially, I say close up shop for a while. Keep your stuff, and you can always restart in the future.

As for your son, is it possible these are just learned behaviors? Your older child has certain mannerisms typical of autistic children, and your younger one is picking them up?

Either way, I am sure even with the challenges you are facing, your children are blessings to you. I wish for you and them that they are able to live up to their own unique potential! Best wishes to your family...

[wdmmom]

I had surgery shortly after I opened. I was suppose to be off for 2 weeks. I took Thursday off for the surgery, Friday I took off and by Monday, I was up and running.

I got rid of the changing table completely. I now have a "nap mat" that I use to change all the kids. I do it on the floor. No rolling or falling and easier to clean.

If you will be paying 100% of your income to your assistant, I would consider offering her a flat salary per week and see if she goes for it.

Will you be helping out at all? It's still your electricity, your water, your house, your food, etc. You NEED to have an income coming in too regardless of whether you are performing all of your job duties.

[Growing1atime]

I wish it was that! But no. The language delay is significant. He hasn't moved past the 6-9months checklist for Language and Social behaviors. He doesn't say Mama, dada, bye-bye. Nothing. He does babble a little. He has one sound he uses as speech.

He doesn't gesture for things he wants. If he wants something he just sits and cries. I have been unsuccessful in teaching him sign language, although all of my daycare babies have all learned at least 4 signs from me.

He is surrounded in a language enriched environment, even my 5 year old son now speaks and talks to him everyday. My other son started therapy about three months before he turned 3 years old. So we are catching this much earlier since we know what to look for.

Thanks for your well wishes.

[Growing1atime]

I had surgery shortly after I opened. I was suppose to be off for 2 weeks. I took Thursday off for the surgery, Friday I took off and by Monday, I was up and running.

I got rid of the changing table completely. I now have a "nap mat" that I use to change all the kids. I do it on the floor. No rolling or falling and easier to clean.

If you will be paying 100% of your income to your assistant, I would consider offering her a flat salary per week and see if she goes for it.

Will you be helping out at all? It's still your electricity, your water, your house, your food, etc. You NEED to have an income coming in too regardless of whether you are performing all of your job duties.

The surgery doesn't worry me. I have already explained this to my parents. It is the combination of the surgery and the time off I will be taking to take care of my son that has me wondering if it just wouldn't be better to close.

[permanentvacation]

I have never paid my assistant all of my salary minus expenses. You own a business to make income. Even though you hire an employee, you can't give them all your income! Think of it as a 'regular' company like Walmart, restaurant, or corner store. The owner of the company certainly does not pay all of the company's income to the employees. If they did that, what would be the point of owning/operating a company in the first place?

So, first off, I would offer your assistant a set weekly pay or an hourly pay that still allows you to keep part of your income as the business owner.

Secondly, whether you close or not should be decided on your financial situation and whether you think you can emotionally/mentally handle the daycare being operated in your home while you are going through your personal issues, and whether or not you think you will want to re-open when you have settled your personal issues.

If you do plan to re-open, especially if you will only need a couple of months to get your personal issues taken care of, you might want to stay open simply because it's often hard to get that first couple of kids. So, in a couple of months when your money is running out, your personal issues have calmed down, and you really need income, you might be a couple of more months before you even get a daycare kid.

If you do think you can handle the daycare being operated in your home, but know that you can not always be there to operate it, you can see if your assistant will work whatever hours/days you think will help you best. If you think you will need her every day all day, ask her if she will work that. If you think you will need her every day for the first month for recovery from surgery than only need her once a week or whatever for your son's doctor appts., see if she will be willing to work with the schedule you need her for. Then let your parents know your situation. Let them know that you will be working with your assistant some of the time or most of the time - whichever the case.

I have had an assistant a couple times. One worked for me every day, pretty much all day (she was only supposed to work in the morning for 2 hours then come back for afternoon shift for 2 hours, but she just came all day.) My parents loved it! They knew that with the both of us there, there was a better child/adult ratio. They knew that when I needed to leave work for personal issues -doctor, dentist, my child's school/sport, etc. That I never had to call them to tell them I had to close because my assistant would be there. So, if your parents really like your daycare, they might be understanding of your situation and be okay with you having your assistant work on a consistant basis.

[safechner]

I wish it was that! But no. The language delay is significant. He hasn't moved past the 6-9months checklist for Language and Social behaviors. He doesn't say Mama, dada, bye-bye. Nothing. He does babble a little. He has one sound he uses as speech.

He doesn't gesture for things he wants. If he wants something he just sits and cries. I have been unsuccessful in teaching him sign language, although all of my daycare babies have all learned at least 4 signs from me.

He is surrounded in a language enriched environment, even my 5 year old son now speaks and talks to him everyday. My other son started therapy about three months before he turned 3 years old. So we are catching this much earlier since we know what to look for.

Thanks for your well wishes.

I am sorry to hear what you are going through. Trust me, I know what are you going through. My almost 11 years old daughter has PDDNOS on autism spectrum.

If you were me, I would close the daycare for temporary if you can afford and work with your youngest son. It is very important to focus with him that you caught him early signs which is great! He is coming first. I would work with him sign language with pecs. Don't give up to teach him. I know, know that is hard things to do. I work with my daughter everyday no matter what that I have been so patient so long! If you have an ipad 2 and there are so great autism apps to help your son to learn. Check it out www.touchautism.com . Hire an OT therapy for your son. Your heath insurance should pay for it. Hope it helps.

[Growing1atime]

I am sorry to hear what you are going through. Trust me, I know what are you going through. My almost 11 years old daughter has PDDNOS on autism spectrum.

If you were me, I would close the daycare for temporary if you can afford and work with your youngest son. It is very important to focus with him that you caught him early signs which is great! He is coming first. I would work with him sign language with pecs. Don't give up to teach him. I know, know that is hard things to do. I work with my daughter everyday no matter what that I have been so patient so long! If you have an ipad 2 and there are so great autism apps to help your son to learn. Check it out www.touchautism.com . Hire an OT therapy for your son. Your heath insurance should pay for it. Hope it helps.

Thank you for your support. I can afford it. It will just mean adjusting some things in the budget. That is the hard part. My income is not necessary for us to make it month to month. My income helps pay for the extra's for the kids. Sports, classes, camp ect. things like that. I have always believed these things are important. When you have kids you want them to be active and involved. And we have four kids. That alot of extra curricular activities. My income is small, but I put it to really good use!

I need to slow my brain down and just start taking things one day at a time. I know the surgery is coming. I also know that some of the appointments are coming. I can get through the first part of the assessments and then make some decisions.