Before You Were A DC Provider, If You Had Kids In DC...

[spud912]

I had to return to work after my first daughter, but luckfully my mom eagerly volunteered to watch her. Granted, it wasn't an actual daycare and we didn't have to pay her, but I cringe at some of thoughts I had back then.

First, we would frequently show up earlier than the scheduled drop off time (so we could get to work early) or pick up late (due to traffic).

Second, I used to get a little irritated when my mom wasn't available to watch her because then one of us would have to take off time from work. I was pregnant at the time so anytime off of work was less paid maternity leave when I had our second child. She took about 2 weeks off for vacations and about 1 day off per month otherwise for a doctor's appointment or due to an illness. With that being said, I did absolutely love taking time off to spend with my daughter. Every time she would act out of character or develop a minor cough, I would call off of work. It was the week long vacations that would kill us!

Third (and really dumb, I know ), I would really wish that my mom would occasionally offer us to stay for dinner. Her dinners smelled so good and she always seemed to be making one of my favorite dishes.

[BumbleBee]

I can't speak as a dcp, but I can speak as a dck.

I was THAT child. The one who pushes buttons just to get a reaction, has to be in everybodies business, can't play alone, can't play with others, has to be the providers shadow, breaks all the rules just because, bullies the little ones, gets the big ones going. Yeah-I was Satan's Spawn.

I was there for 4 years. My poor providers. I sent them a "sorry" card not to long ago.

[LittleD]

Same sort of situation here.

My youngest son was with a home provider for about a year when I asked her about how to open my own. She was very helpful with the process but her husband apparently was irritated with me and said I was her competition now.

We still talk, sometimes we go to ce courses together.

When ds was there,I did forget to pay on Fridays a few times. she would text and see if she could come get it and I always felt horrible and told her yes, I'll come to you or you can come here. So sorry!

Ds loved it there,I was sad to take him out. But starting my own DC has been better than the horrible field I was in before.

This is me to a "T" with my last provider. My kids had 2 others previous to her.

I am embarrassed to say I broke all sorts of policies, except payments. I see now why they had them in place!

[HomeMADE]

We paid late one time, totally forgot, her assistant asked me for it, really nasty. But I was so apologetic that I think it made us grow closer. I am still really close with her, she is much older than me, but we clicked.

She put up with two of my kids that were absolute cry babies. She had two out of four of my kids as infants to 3. Wow, I am getting emotional just thinking about it.

I think when I get a drop of child I am going to send a card and the extra cash to her as a serious thank you.