Am I Wrong??

[akpayne]

if you compromise your hours this time, whats going to stop from doing it again, and again, and again? you are just going to burn out that way...i use to be open to 6pm and hated it...changed my hours to 5:30 and plan to go to 5:00 in September....my own well being and time with my family at the end of the day is too important. there is a perfect family out there for you, you just have to find them

[saved4always]

When I did daycare in my home, I would start earlier for some families for extra money, but I never compromised on my end time. If they needed later hours for pick up, they were not a fit for my care.

[MarinaVanessa]

When I did daycare in my home, I would start earlier for some families for extra money, but I never compromised on my end time. If they needed later hours for pick up, they were not a fit for my care.

Ditto here too. Just this morning I took 2 DCK's WAY earlier than usual (one at 5:30am and one at 6:30am) when my usual opening time is 7am but my first scheduled client isn't until 7:30am. I did it because all of the other DCK's would be home with their families today except these two and these 2 kids have short hours anyway. Earlier pick drop-offs meant even earlier pick ups ... so at 12:30pm my last daycare kid got picked up and here I am twiddling my thumbs while I kick up my feet. But I wouldn't commit myself to closing later on a regular basis for a family.

[itlw8]

My problem with working later is I need to sit down before I start dinner..So if dinner takes30 minutes to get ready wewould eat at best 7:30 each night.

[providerandmomof4]

I made an exception for one family who came later and needed a late pick up. This ended up not working out because the pick ups just got later and later and my family was resentful of this too. I finally had to end up terming. Another problem I had with this late pick up was that one of my other dcf that was contracted until 5pm would see us playing outside with other dck's at pick up and guess what? They started trying to pick up later and later...it was a big mess. Even though I spoke with dcm and advised that her scheduled pick up was 5 and the other family had a later schedule......she asked, "well, would it be okay if I dropped my kids later and picked them up later?" Ummmm, no. I don't want a whole house full of kids after 5. She didn't get it until I wasn't watching any kids and it truly appeared like I was closed! Now I have one family that stays until 5:15. It takes dcd about 15 mins to get here and they are my last pick up.

[Kaddidle Care]

You were not wrong. Maybe tomorrow you really shouldn't do anything after 6pm and see how your dh feels
K

Does HE work an 11 1/2 hour day? Sorry, my hubby would be waking up bruised if he said that. ::

[williams2008]

I open at 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. I have a family where both the parents work the same hours I am open. I give them 30 minutes to get here, I only do it for this one family because they really appreciate my services and they have been with me since the day my doors opened!!

[itlw8]

I need to add , over the years I have done things I normally would not do ( like weekend care)Why becausewe were broke. But here I can always get an infant spot filled fast.They are in short supply. So while I may help out a family with a 2 yr old, I would not do the same for an infant because I could take another infant.

[williams2008]

I need to add , over the years I have done things I normally would not do ( like weekend care)Why becausewe were broke. But here I can always get an infant spot filled fast.They are in short supply. So while I may help out a family with a 2 yr old, I would not do the same for an infant because I could take another infant.

I don't blame you at all. When I first started daycare I stayed open until 11:30 pm for almost a year because we needed the money, and it burned me out!!

I had a mom call me on Saturday wanting to re-enroll her 2 boys. She already knew my hours, but thought I would bend a little since her kids had been here before.The mom work a week of 5 am-2 pm, then a week of 2 pm- 11 pm. I will not open before 6 and I am not staying open past 6:30.

[Mom&Provider]

OMGoodness you are not wrong at all for saying no! We all make our hours for a reason and they should be enforced 100%!

My SIL decided she would make an exception for a family and she wishes she NEVER agreed to it. More then once this family has caused her to be late for things, caused her added stress since she is also trying to get her own dinner made while this child is still in her home and she's even had to take this DCK to appointments etc. because for her it just dosen't work and now she feels stuck.

You also have to consider the odd time this family might be late, stuck in traffic etc., pushing this already late pick-up even later. Think of the days you are over tired with your own illness etc. and the fact that you'd have to wait the extra time until pick-up when you are ready to call it a day! I'd imagine over time it could turn into some resentment towards this family and that's not good for you or them.

Regardless, 6:30 is a late pick-up time IMO to begin with and I would never agree to it - hubby or no hubby saying his piece!

[Mikeman45]

You Aren't Wrong

Your are not wrong at all. What does he mean that you aren't doing anything after six? You need to have some tie for yourself, your hours are long enough already, no need in overworking yourself

[kitykids3]

Wrong? No, you weren't. Your business, your hours, forget what dh says. My hours are 7 -6 and I work 7:45-6pm. That 6pm is late enough! I would not make it any later unless you REALLY needed the money, but you also gotta have your downtime.

[daycarediva]

My husband wouldn't DARE. In fact, he usually says the opposite, and he is usually right. I took on a family 90+minutes earlier than all of my other drop offs. I stuck it out for 2 years/until they aged up but it was TORTURE. My hours are 6-6 and I currently work 7:30-5:30. By 6pm I am done. I won't interview outside that time frame.

[My3cents]

I just don't want to let people walk all over me. And when my dh said, "You're not doing anything after 6" I thought to myself Really?? Is it fun in that bubble you're living in? Well, I just looked at him and walked away and he didn't say anything after that

My reply to my hubby would have been neither are you, so you can take that on if you want. You will need tons of training, background checks etc....

I feel your hours are long. If this parent really wanted to come to you, she would have found someone that could pick up for that last half hour for her. She needs a Center where they do longer hours. Don't feel better.

Your business your rules. Hubby should stay out of it unless he is employed by you or vise versa-

Another baby will come your way that will fit better-

[hgonzalez]

This all really depends on how badly you need to fill the spot and how badly you need the income.

My experience has been that the people that want the later or earlier pickups are going to continue to want 'more'. I had a family with an infant that wanted a 6:15 am drop off once in awhile (I open at 7). She guaranteed that she would pick up early at 3:15 on those days.. I went ahead with it, thinking it would work out because I would not have to bring him outside with us at the end of the day.

Well, the once in awhile ended up being 3 times a week, then every day due to her husband 'traveling'. Next thing you know, she needs a 3:30 pickup, then 4 pm. I ended up drawing the line at 4:15 as it was then 10 hours. What a pain....I went out of my way for this family and all they did was take, take, take as much as they could from me.

Then the Mom would come at 4:15 and then want to use my bathroom. She would sit in there for 20 minutes or more. Drove me NUTSSSSS!

Then to top it all off, they moved!!! I went out of my way thinking I was gaining a long term client, then they use me up and leave.

You will get a better client with better hours...hang in there.