Providers who have done this for years, got a question.

[Unregistered]

I am at a cross roads in my life. I have a business degree and worked in corporate america for 13yrs before walking away and starting my own successful in home daycare.

I am going on 4 years with the daycare and to be honest there have been many times I have wanted to just walk away. But I have been in it long enough to see the kids start to move on grow up and also remember me, love me. All the pictures of the kids I have, the thanks for my former parents. I have never done anything that has had this much of an impact or kept me doing the same job for that long. I am getting better at dealing with the kids and their behavior issues or the crying. But I get immense satisfaction from helping raise a child.

My concern is long term. I don't know if I am just antsy for a change or if I am burned out. I look at jobs in corporate american and driving, traffic, more taxes, bs with bosses, heels, corporate restructuring layoffs etc. I dread going back to cubicle land after being my own boss so many years.

I really need to focus on long term retirement but as we all know in daycare it can be a financial roller coaster. I am looking to move to another city, to my old house and starting the daycare over again with some major changes taking what I have learned. May take a year of planning but wondering if that would help, needed change, city I love etc..

Did you all just decide one day that you were going to stick with this career path and that was it?

Or has it always been a 6 more months and I am gone. And then you can't find another job so you are stuck? I know every job has it's problems just trying to decide what to do.

Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks

[Blackcat31]

I am sorry you are going through such a tough time. Daycare is definitely a roller coaster, not only financially but mentally, emotionally and physically as well.

For me, I knew going in on day one that I would do child care until I retired (or died ) because it wasn't so much my need or desire to work with kids but my issues with working for someone else. I had worked in many different areas/fields before child care and I struggled with being tied to a work schedule and not being the one in charge of me...kwim?

I think that anyone in this business long term has periods of "burn-out" or times where you wonder how much longer you can do this or IF you even want to anymore. I think that is pretty normal with any career or job position you have long term.

What I do to make it through those times is network with other providers for new ideas, fresh perspectives, and maybe different ways of doing things so that everything isn't always the same day in and day out.

It IS hard sometimes but looking back now, I don't think I could have made a different choice and been happy with it or with myself. I don't regret my career choice at all. What I do regret is the fact that it took me so long to become enlightened about certain aspects of this job....but I guess that is what is considered the school of hard knocks and as long as I learned something and moved forward...it's all good!

HTH

[Country Kids]

Mine was a 5 year plan and 17 years later guess what-I'm still here. I think another 5 and then its time reasses but who knows.

I'm not sure how much time/effort I really want to put into it as I get older physically and if I will be able. Also, I see how different children are then even when mine were younger, and some days I just don't have the energy to put up with it.

Then there are alot of other factors-Rating systems being put into place, Universal Preschool, and then sinking some money into it for different things. Right now I need a new deck ($7,000), would like to do some different things to the backyard ($5,000), and its all mainly for the childcare. For the rating system, Preschool I'm going to need to go back to school and not sure how to do that and work full-time as our ECE here requires practicums during the day and well, I'm working so not sure how to do that. Then most places are asking for BA's, so realistically I would probably be schooling for 8 years and then I'm in my mid 50's, not sure if thats the route I want to go.

For me personally time flew, kids grew and now I'm kinda at a crossroads and not sure which road to take.

[Heidi]

I am sorry you are going through such a tough time. Daycare is definitely a roller coaster, not only financially but mentally, emotionally and physically as well.

For me, I knew going in on day one that I would do child care until I retired (or died ) because it wasn't so much my need or desire to work with kids but my issues with working for someone else. I had worked in many different areas/fields before child care and I struggled with being tied to a work schedule and not being the one in charge of me...kwim?

I think that anyone in this business long term has periods of "burn-out" or times where you wonder how much longer you can do this or IF you even want to anymore. I think that is pretty normal with any career or job position you have long term.

What I do to make it through those times is network with other providers for new ideas, fresh perspectives, and maybe different ways of doing things so that everything isn't always the same day in and day out.

It IS hard sometimes but looking back now, I don't think I could have made a different choice and been happy with it or with myself. I don't regret my career choice at all. What I do regret is the fact that it took me so long to become enlightened about certain aspects of this job....but I guess that is what is considered the school of hard knocks and as long as I learned something and moved forward...it's all good!

HTH

Ditto this....I am a terrible employee.... I just have too many opinions and even when I keep them to myself, I still feel the stress of having them. So, last job (banking), I voted MYSELF off the island..::

I sometimes miss getting dressed up for work, especially when I get a catalog with nice dresses or work clothes. But, that lasts about 4 minutes. Besides in our area, only attornies or pharmacuetical sales people where "dress" clothes anyway.

As someone who did daycare for 11 years, then left, and came back after another 10, I can tell you I am MUCH happier now being "my own boss". I do wish the income where better, though. I do like it more now than when my children were young (they are mostly grown now), because I used to feel like I was always working. That's made a difference.

If you need a corporate-type outlet, but love childcare, why not get involved with a charity that you can eventually manage? Some sort of charity work that involves children would end up being another advertising tool as well.

[itlw8]

If I was 6 more months and then I am gone I would start looking at my options. Look for work, open your own business, do something to keep your business skills fresh. SOMETHING If you are staying because you can't find something else it will burn you out.

[Unregistered]

Well so am I understanding that most of us in daycare are opinionated, homebodies that don't take direction well from others

Those are some of the reasons I left corporate america. There is too much waste and I at least can multi task at home and get all my laundry cleaning etc done during the day so I am not spending my weekends doing it. I have more free time with the daycare and my expenses are lower than working outside the home.

Hmm I feel so indecisive. But like right now I just got done crawling through a kid tunnel with a toddler giggling like crazy. Nothing like sheer happiness and giggles. They remind you to think like a kid at times

[Blackcat31]

Well so am I understanding that most of us in daycare are opinionated, homebodies that don't take direction well from others

Those are some of the reasons I left corporate america. There is too much waste and I at least can multi task at home and get all my laundry cleaning etc done during the day so I am not spending my weekends doing it. I have more free time with the daycare and my expenses are lower than working outside the home.

Hmm I feel so indecisive. But like right now I just got done crawling through a kid tunnel with a toddler giggling like crazy. Nothing like sheer happiness and giggles. They remind you to think like a kid at times

I agree that there are times when the money from doing child care is not nearly as consistent or reliable as working for someone else but once you accept the mind-set that money is NOT the cure all for everything and that happiness and money really do not have any correlation, things in the daycare world are great!

When other people ask me what I do for a living, I usually respond "I color and play make believe all day, why? what do you do?"

Beside not being able to take directions well from others , I think that there really is no other job on the face of the earth that allows you to adapt your day to your mood and disposition. If I feel like having a crazy busy structured day, I can. If I want to pop some pop corn and watch some feel good movies all day in my PJ's, I can do that too.

You really can't beat that.

[Country Kids]

Well so am I understanding that most of us in daycare are opinionated, homebodies that don't take direction well from others

Those are some of the reasons I left corporate america. There is too much waste and I at least can multi task at home and get all my laundry cleaning etc done during the day so I am not spending my weekends doing it. I have more free time with the daycare and my expenses are lower than working outside the home.

Hmm I feel so indecisive. But like right now I just got done crawling through a kid tunnel with a toddler giggling like crazy. Nothing like sheer happiness and giggles. They remind you to think like a kid at times

Actually I am definetly not a homebody and I don't have a problem working outside the home. I never had an issue with bosses/authoritive figures and loved working outside the home. I worked retail and it was crazy, crazy scheduling so that is what decided me more to go this route. In fact even after my second child-I worked childcare and evenings weekend retail because I did like it.

Now though, I would like to go into the schools and work so I would have the same schedule as my children. That is actually a goal I would love to work for but getting us to take a 75% paycut keeps me from doing that!

[NeedaVaca]

I did it as a necessity to stay with my DS with a severe language problem. I also really wanted to be home with my kids until they were in school. My DS will start Kindergarten in the Fall, I always thought once they were in school all day I would find another job but now that is on hold...I want to make sure he is doing well in school first. I am so worried about it that I am starting to look into homeschool for him if it doesn't go well. I will keep doing this as long as it makes sense for my family.

[countrymom]

well, I was a nurse before so I had a good job and it payed well. My problem was that I missed holidays with my kids, weekends with my kids. and really I was more stressed when I went to work then anything else. I had to think what to cook for dinner because I wasn't going to be home, when to do the laundry, when to clean the house.

well now years later, the only jobs out there would be part time with crazy hours that wouldn't pay me much. And then my kids would have to be juggled, along with their activities and who would help with their homework.....I just don't think its fesable to ever go back to work outside the house.

oh the bestest part of this job is that I don't have to work weekends or holidays. I get to be with my kids, I think this job kinda spoils us because we work our own hours.

when will I retire, who knows, maybe when the last kid enters university, who knows.

[mom2many]

I began my daycare journey after having my first child almost 27 years ago... Yikes! I cannot believe it's been that long!

I had loved my job in Corporate America, but was excited & ready for a change after having my son. I couldn't afford to simply be a sahm, so I began watching a few kids part time to supplement our income.

I found this to be the perfect job for me while raising my family and cannot imagine working outside the home even now. I love being my own boss and not having to deal with the horrible traffic & commute people face around here.

It is such a rewarding job and constantly changing, so it is never boring or mundane! I have never really struggled with keeping spots filled, so the money has always remained pretty consistent.

I love teaching and caring for kids and seeing the delight in their eyes over the littlest things. Where else can you get paid to have fun?! Today I am looking forward to walking over to the park and enjoying a perfect spring like day outside with the little kiddos! Life doesn't get much better than that!

[cheerfuldom]

I strongly prefer to work outside the home and would take the chance right now if I could. However, that would mean a job with three children in full time care and one in part time. I dont have the skills necessary to pay for this amount of childcare so here I am, continuing 6th year of daycare. I dont mind having a boss. I am a very good employee and I enjoy the challenges of working in a business setting. I was always very good at it and look forward to when I can work outside the home again. At this point though, it will be a huge shift for me since I have been doing daycare for so long. I definitely dont want to do daycare forever but I wonder if daycare has spoiled me from being successful outside the home/

[canadiancare]

I've been doing it for 21 years. I trained as an early childhood educator, got married and worked in a school aged centre until my oldest was born (1991). In those days we got 6 months of mat leave and I knew I wasn't going to put my baby in daycare just so I could go and work in daycare to pay his daycare fees.

My husband has been off with me this week and he thinks I am very understimulated- which I probably am.

My baby has 2 years of high school left after this year and I am trying to think of what I can do when she goes to university but I have no idea what interests me anymore. I know I won't leave the home daycare business just to go work in daycare for someone else so it will probably be a complete field change.

Our house is paid off in just under 8 years, at which point I will be 52. Maybe I will just float along until then, who knows?

The kids here get good activities, are safe and well loved but I can do this in my sleep at this point and when I get that occasional challenging parent who can't see that their little one is in need of some extra support and doesn't take my opinion/experience into consideration, I feel like banging my head against a wall.

[Country Kids]

I strongly prefer to work outside the home and would take the chance right now if I could. However, that would mean a job with three children in full time care and one in part time. I dont have the skills necessary to pay for this amount of childcare so here I am, continuing 6th year of daycare. I dont mind having a boss. I am a very good employee and I enjoy the challenges of working in a business setting. I was always very good at it and look forward to when I can work outside the home again. At this point though, it will be a huge shift for me since I have been doing daycare for so long. I definitely dont want to do daycare forever but I wonder if daycare has spoiled me from being successful outside the home/

I wonder this also because putting on your resume childcare (however long), they tend to think you stayed home playing all day, losing social skills with adults, no skills for outside work, etc.

Thats why I think working in the schools would be great-awesome schedule (better hours then now), wonderful days off (no one complaining because you are taking them) , still working with kids, and you can dress up/down. The only downside is the pay.

[My3cents]

I am sorry you are going through such a tough time. Daycare is definitely a roller coaster, not only financially but mentally, emotionally and physically as well.

For me, I knew going in on day one that I would do child care until I retired (or died ) because it wasn't so much my need or desire to work with kids but my issues with working for someone else. I had worked in many different areas/fields before child care and I struggled with being tied to a work schedule and not being the one in charge of me...kwim?

I think that anyone in this business long term has periods of "burn-out" or times where you wonder how much longer you can do this or IF you even want to anymore. I think that is pretty normal with any career or job position you have long term.

What I do to make it through those times is network with other providers for new ideas, fresh perspectives, and maybe different ways of doing things so that everything isn't always the same day in and day out.

It IS hard sometimes but looking back now, I don't think I could have made a different choice and been happy with it or with myself. I don't regret my career choice at all. What I do regret is the fact that it took me so long to become enlightened about certain aspects of this job....but I guess that is what is considered the school of hard knocks and as long as I learned something and moved forward...it's all good!

HTH

wow how did you crawl into my mind. I could have wrote this too. It took me a while to get where I am today and I have those days but overall I love my job.