Providers With Their Own Infants - How On Earth Do You Do It?

[cheerfuldom]

Thanks for the advice. I know I would regret it if I didn't take time off, but why is it so hard to actually do it?! Growing a backbone is the hardest part of having a daycare .

totally agree! but that is why you have this forum. you will have multiple providers supporting your decision, helping you figure out what to do and what to say so you will not be alone in this!

[Unregistered]

I'm half way through my pregnancy. At first I told my dcf I would remain open after one week off where I was planning on hiring an assistant for. So no days missed for them. I regretted the decision and actually just amended it. My dh and I discussed and we are able to close. I will keep on one pt dck with a flexible schedule and understanding parents. I'm planning to close for six months then start up the dc again. When I opened I never thought I would close due to financial reasons and commitment to the families. Things change. My dh was able to obtain a second pt job and we decided if we could do it we should.

[Rachel]

Can I join the support club? I have no idea how I'm going to cope. My ds was also born with a congenital heart defect, so there will be followups even once I go back to work. And I didn't exactly get to relax right after the birth (he had open heart surgery, we didn't get home until he was almost 3 weeks old, but now thank goodness he's home and doing great).

Here they do daycare by age groups, so I'll have babies. Up to 5 of them (including mine). I have 3 signed up, so I will have four. I have paid leave and I'm going back December 2nd. I have no idea how I'm going to manage, but I will just have to.

[mom2many]

After I had my second child, I was only watching 3 kids and they were all 3 yo (the same age as my oldest) They were his playmates and it actually made it easier having someone for him to play with! I did preschool activities with them and my baby was 6 wks premature, so he slept a lot. We depended on my income...it wasn't much, but it helped a lot. I didn't have the luxury to take much time off, even if I wanted to and somehow it all worked out!

When my third child was born, I was watching two 2 yo & two 4 yo. I had to let one of the younger ones go to stay within capacity. I continued doing preschool activities with that little group and my middle child had playmates close to his age. Also, my oldest started kindergarten, so I had one less for half of the day. It all went smoothly for the most part. I had days when I was tired, but thankfully I was a young mom...so my energy level was high.

I just did what I did without much thought to it and enjoyed the fact that I was able to stay home with my own kids! They didn't go to away to preschool and my days were centered around teaching them social skills and preparing them for kindergarten.

[mom2many]

Can I join the support club? I have no idea how I'm going to cope. My ds was also born with a congenital heart defect, so there will be followups even once I go back to work. And I didn't exactly get to relax right after the birth (he had open heart surgery, we didn't get home until he was almost 3 weeks old, but now thank goodness he's home and doing great).

Here they do daycare by age groups, so I'll have babies. Up to 5 of them (including mine). I have 3 signed up, so I will have four. I have paid leave and I'm going back December 2nd. I have no idea how I'm going to manage, but I will just have to.

This would have been a challenge! Having more than one baby is hard enough, I cannot imagine 4...especially with my own infant to care for at night.

I'm so glad your baby is doing great now and hope you can rest up and enjoy your time off till you go back in December!

Best of luck to you!

[Rachel]

This would have been a challenge! Having more than one baby is hard enough, I cannot imagine 4...especially with my own infant to care for at night.

I'm so glad your baby is doing great now and hope you can rest up and enjoy your time off till you go back in December!

Best of luck to you!

Yes, it's the way things are "done" here, by age groups. Cutoff is December, so the ages for daycare are infants (oldest turning 1 in Jan), one year olds, and 2 year olds. They try very hard to keep the kids in the same age group. In some ways it's actually easier. I won't be juggling infants and trying the second they go for a nap to do an art project with the 2 year old, but in other ways... yeah... 4 infants will be a challenge, at least until I get to know them.