Closing Down My Daycare... How?

[Creek]

I have decided to close down my daycare. I have one daughter who is school age and I have been wanting to have another baby for a few years but I feel that I can't because of my DC. I started having a bunch of infants in care, saw them grow and head to school, and I got all of their younger siblings. I feel like I am putting my daycare families lives ahead of my own. There is so much guilt involved though because I truly love my DC families. However, my family matters too. How do you share the news with the families? I am sick to my stomach that they will be upset/mad. I have to look at it's daycare for them, but this is my life. It's still hard though.

Taking a few weeks/months off and returning isn't an option either. I feel like I am done.

Has anyone had to do this?
Any advice?

[cheerfuldom]

There is nothing wrong with putting your family first!

First of all, have you considered trying to conceive and then seeing what you can handle once you are pregnant? Just a thought although you dont have to do this at all!

Secondly, I will be very blunt here.....I think sometimes we providers really overestimate how much we "matter" to our daycare families. There are literally hundreds of daycare options in my town of about 100,000 people. I have recently had to let two part timers go and will most likely revamp my daycare back to full timers only once the new year comes around. Part of me does feel bad especially since one of the kids had only been here for about 8 or 10 weeks. But you know what? I let them go this week and both have already set up interviews with other providers and life goes on. You cant do daycare forever and constantly put your life on hold for fear people will be mad. Is it more important to make these parents happy or is it more important to fulfill your dream of adding to your family? Even IF the parents are upset, you deal with that for a few days and then you are done with it forever. I would give one months notice and let the parents leave asap if they find another provider sooner (which 90% of them probably will). Everything WILL be fine. I have had to let several kids go over the years and the parents just find someone else and never look back. I have had parents go on and on about how attached their kids are and then they move and never even answer an email from me in the future. I am betting that most of these parents will just find someone else and you will be the one that is stressing about the transition way more than they would.

[DBug]

Secondly, I will be very blunt here.....I think sometimes we providers really overestimate how much we "matter" to our daycare families. There are literally hundreds of daycare options in my town of about 100,000 people. I have recently had to let two part timers go and will most likely revamp my daycare back to full timers only once the new year comes around. Part of me does feel bad especially since one of the kids had only been here for about 8 or 10 weeks. But you know what? I let them go this week and both have already set up interviews with other providers and life goes on. You cant do daycare forever and constantly put your life on hold for fear people will be mad. Is it more important to make these parents happy or is it more important to fulfill your dream of adding to your family? Even IF the parents are upset, you deal with that for a few days and then you are done with it forever. I would give one months notice and let the parents leave asap if they find another provider sooner (which 90% of them probably will). Everything WILL be fine. I have had to let several kids go over the years and the parents just find someone else and never look back. I have had parents go on and on about how attached their kids are and then they move and never even answer an email from me in the future. I am betting that most of these parents will just find someone else and you will be the one that is stressing about the transition way more than they would.

This has nothing to do with the OP (although I'm in the same boat she is), but THANK YOU for the reality check . You are so right, and I think because we're watching kids for a living, we attach more to them and assume that they and their families attach to us in the same way. It doesn't usually end up that way in real life though, and in a year, my daycare kids probably won't remember me (they're all 3 and under). It's kind of depressing, but also important to remember when we have to make decisions that are in the best interests of our OWN family.

[Michael]

Some other threads: https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.p...losing+daycare

[clep]

I am in somewhat of the same boat you are in. I have another job from home so I don't financially need my day home. I am having a hard time personally closing down though as I won't see two of my children anymore that I have had for years. I also have their younger siblings.

I decided to just set the date and close but the time came and I couldn't do it. I have decided to hire someone very soon to start part time so I can ensure I have just the right person. I will job share so I will still make a good amount off of my day home and be able to see the children. I can see my own son more and work my other business more. Win, win. At least it seems like it for me.

My day home has a dedicated floor so it doesn't interrupt my daily life in the two upper floors of my house so it isn't a big deal. Will see how that works out.

I may just be back in a few months to share that it didn't work and I have to close down after all.