Open Hours Now vs When You Started

[BumbleBee]

Just out of curiosity, when you began home daycare; what were your hours of operation? What are your hours of operation now? And why did you increase/decrease your open hours? (If you did)

[blandino]

With our first clients my mom, who started the daycare, worked M-Th 7:30-5:30.

Now we are open M-F, 7:30-5:30. We have help come in 3 days a week at 3:00/5:30, so one of us can leave.

Her original 4 day a week schedule looks great now, but considering the difference in income - I would still take our current schedule.

[BumbleBee]

When I opened just over a year ago, I was open for 12 hours a day (6am - 6pm) and worked every one of those hours. I was burning out

Then I got smart and changed my opening time to 7am, so now I was open for 11 hours. (7am - 6pm) No more burn out!

Next I got stupid and agreed to keep a sibling set until 7pm a few days a week. Now I'm burning out again.

In the works currently is the next change. 7:15am - 5:45pm (1 dcf needs to drop off at 7:15am, another dcf needs to pick up at 5:45pm) so I'd be 'open' 10.5 hrs a day.

[momofboys]

My hours have always been close to 7:30-5; however last year I took on a PT family who needed unusual hours - 2 days/week from 9:30 a.m. - 6:30. I regretted the loss of family time & no longer hve that family. My hours now are 7:00 a.m. until 4:30, & they work very well for my family. I won't work past 5:00 again as it it fringes on dinner and evening activities

[Maria2013]

When I first opened I would have taken in ANYONE!! I was on call 24/7 and I was making less than I make now

I did that for a while (5yrs) then decided it was just too much, the kids thought they were mine and the parents started taking me for granted ( neglect to ask me "can you?")
today, I no longer do overnights, I no longer work weekends or holidays and I don't enroll kids that need to be dropped off before 6:00am, or picked up after 7:00pm (I still do occasional emergency care but that happens once in a blue moon)

[Crazy8]

I always did contracted hours but would take almost anything - I went as much as 6:00am - 5:30pm (not for one family) now I do about 7:30-5:00. Would do earlier in the am if needed since my kids go to school at 7, but I really wanted to get my closing down to 4:30 this year but it didn't happen.

[Angelsj]

I WILL operate and always have been willing to operate 24 hours.
However, I do have limits. I need my sleep, and I need to study.

I have balanced my needs with parents needs and kids. For example, I would take one family's three boys because they arrive at 8:30 pm and leave about 2 pm the next day. During school, the older two go to school. They don't need me right now, because they are working opposite schedules, but I WOULD take them. The boys sleep through the night with no issues and go to bed by 9pm like troupers.

I would NOT take an infant or any child that would not sleep through the night right now, because that does not meet the needs of everyone. (Mostly me )

I don't really do "set hours" and never have. I have nothing against those that do, it just doesn't work for me.

[SunflowerMama]

When I first opened: 6am - 6pm

Now: 7:45a - 5pm

I reduced hours for my own sanity and the longer hours were primarily for one client that was a single momma so I was willing to help.

[snbauser]

When I first started 11 years ago I was 6:30-6. About 6 years ago I changed to 7-5:30. This school year I changed to cater to school employees. So now I am open 6:30-5 because most of our elementary schools start early and teachers need to be there at 7.

[e.j.]

When I first opened, my hours were 7:30 - 5, M-F. Once my own kids started school, I changed my hours to 8-4 so they could get ready for school and get on the bus before the dc kids showed up. I also wanted them to have me and the house to themselves after school so they could wind down and get homework started without having to compete with dc kids.

At about the same time, my Fridays opened up. I liked having my Fridays off so I could get housework done, schedule dr. and dentist appointments, attend IEP meetings, etc so I only took families who only needed M-Th.

Currently my official hours are 8 - 4, M-Th but I have one family who needs to drop off at 7:30 and another who leaves at 4:30. Once those families move on, I hope to go back to 8-4 but we'll see what happens.

[Cradle2crayons]

When I first started this time around, I nannied a family with two girls rot down the road from me. I went to their house, got them off the bus with my daughter and stayed until 600 pm. Monday through Friday. I had them holidays and all day in the summers. They grew up and moved.

Then I started another afternoon family and then a day shift family. I really did not enjoy day shift at ALL.

now I'm back to mostly afternoon shift. Wich I love. And while I do work weekends, they don't get here until 300 or 400 pm and are in bed same time as my kids at 830pm. And that also means 2-3 days a week off usually in a row which is great because I can participate in school functions as well. S I get the best of both worlds. My special dcg and her brother are afternoon as well but two days a week they come earlier because mom has a second job. I get full time pay but at least with the three sibling set, I have them awake for four hours a day. Even when they get here early, like at 100 pm, they go down for nap u til 300 pm and then are back in bed at 830. So 20 awake hours a week for them. And I'm a night person anyway.

I love afternoon shift because I get to spend time with my kids in the mornings, I get plenty of days during the week for school activities and me time. And on the weekends I get to sleep in with the kids.

It works for me. But it may not for some.

[LK5kids]

When I did child care the first time around my hours were 5:30 am to 5:30 pm. It didn't bother me a bit. The kids layed down and went back to sleep.It was just one family that came that early. It lasted a few years.

Now my hours are 7:00am-5:30pm. Only one almost 5 yr old comes at 7:00 a few times a week. I love the days when no one comes till 7:30/7:45.

I would HATE to have kids before 7:00! I have been really lucky ......small town & it can be hard to fill if you are too choosy about ages or hours. I am truly blessed right now with my dck's, parents, hours, etc. I have a wonderful group and I am always thankful!

[mema]

When I first started, I was open 6a-5p. My 6a drop off either showed up 20 min late or 20 min early. My next drop didn't come until 745. When the first one moved away, I changed my hours to 7a-5p. I will go past 5p on occassion, with advance notice and approval. I would love to go from 600-330 for all the first shift workers at the local plants and hospital/clinic because then I would be done as my kids were either getting off the bus or getting out of school.

[Familycare71]

When I first started I was open 7am - 6pm. Not too long into it I changed to 5:30 closing time. I am strict with my closing time- I would love it to be 5pm but I live in a small community and the clients just aren't there.
I am more flexible with my opening time tho the average is 7:15 am. I won't do before 6:30am anymore- I am not a morning person! ::
I have always done M-F with the exception of one family I did weekend care for. It is too much and it would really have to be one time and well paid for me to consider it again!

[CrackerJacks]

When I first opened (6yrs ago) my hours were 7:30a-6p...Now my hours are 8:30a-5:30p. I've just started the 8:30a start time in order to accommodate taking my DD to school, we have no buses here, last year she hitched a ride with neighbors all year, but I just feel like its no ones responsibility to take her to school but mine. Plus, I like spending that little amt of time we have together before school just the two of us. Eventually I'd also like to have a 4:30p/5p close time. In a perfect world, we all can dream right?