Feeling Burnt

[Unregistered]

I feel horrible writing this but I can't keep pretending everything is ok. I've been doing daycare for about 2 years now. I have two children of my own, 6&2. I'm about 3 months pregnant too. It was a very surprised pregnancy but we are excited .
When I first found out I thought, ok I can do this. But as weeks go by I'm feeling so drained. I have 8 kids under 3 from 6am until 6pm. I am exhausted. My patience is wearing thin and I feel I'm not being the mom to my own kids because every once of energy is going into the dc.
We need to have my income to help with bills. I've tried getting helpers but so far no luck. I'm nervous how I'm going to make it to appointments, I don't want to have to close every month.
Everything seems to be stressing me out right now and I hate feeling this way. I wish I could see the light.

[Michael]

I see this a lot on this forum of those feeling overwhelmed or burnt out. Things do get better. Here are some previous threads that show you are not alone: https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.php?tag=burnt+out

[Laurel]

I feel horrible writing this but I can't keep pretending everything is ok. I've been doing daycare for about 2 years now. I have two children of my own, 6&2. I'm about 3 months pregnant too. It was a very surprised pregnancy but we are excited .
When I first found out I thought, ok I can do this. But as weeks go by I'm feeling so drained. I have 8 kids under 3 from 6am until 6pm. I am exhausted. My patience is wearing thin and I feel I'm not being the mom to my own kids because every once of energy is going into the dc.
We need to have my income to help with bills. I've tried getting helpers but so far no luck. I'm nervous how I'm going to make it to appointments, I don't want to have to close every month.
Everything seems to be stressing me out right now and I hate feeling this way. I wish I could see the light.

Could you reduce the number of children you watch? That seems like an awful lot of children. We are only allowed to have 6 here. If so, maybe change to fewer hours and some of them might have to leave so you don't have to choose. Then you'll also have shorter hours. How about 7 to 5 or 5:30?

That is rough. I'm sure others will have some good suggestions.

Laurel

[Familycare71]

:hug:
Congrats on your pregnancy!! happyface

Could you maybe cut your numbers back? I'm assuming if you have to work you want to continue at home... I love when I have small #'s! If it is with the right families I can live my life like I would if I had a bunch of young kids of my own- take them to apt, groc shop, park, etc... I know not everyone would be comfortable doing this but it worked for me.
Maybe figure out your min and keep one extra for cushion.
What ever the solution I hope you feel better about things soon . I know my first 4 month of my pregnancy is when I was just exhausted and hormonal- that part always seemed to last forever!::

[Unregistered]

We're you feeling burnt out before your pregnancy? If not it could just be due to your pregnancy. My second pregnancy I was doing daycare. It was soooo hard! The beginning it was the morning sickness all day and the major fatigue!! Before my second trimester I was about to quit daycare! I changed some things, one being I had a meeting with all my parents and told them I can't survive the day I am so tired. Daycare kids leave and I have no energy for my own child. All my parents were more than happy to give me their blessing to take a nap when the children did. That really helped. My second trimester was easier but still hard. By my third trimester I wasn't so tired by that point it was just harder to move All my parents were very understanding and helped me anyway they could. I would talk to your parents. If you were feeling burnt out before your pregnancy, then maybe it's time to move on to the next chapter in your life.
Good luck!

[Familycare71]

We're you feeling burnt out before your pregnancy? If not it could just be due to your pregnancy. My second pregnancy I was doing daycare. It was soooo hard! The beginning it was the morning sickness all day and the major fatigue!! Before my second trimester I was about to quit daycare! I changed some things, one being I had a meeting with all my parents and told them I can't survive the day I am so tired. Daycare kids leave and I have no energy for my own child. All my parents were more than happy to give me their blessing to take a nap when the children did. That really helped. My second trimester was easier but still hard. By my third trimester I wasn't so tired by that point it was just harder to move All my parents were very understanding and helped me anyway they could. I would talk to your parents. If you were feeling burnt out before your pregnancy, then maybe it's time to move on to the next chapter in your life.
Good luck!

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will end up reducing my numbers and possibly my hours if I'm able. It would be great to take a nap with the kids but we legally are not allowed. I of course had "rough" days but have never felt like this before. I know it's pregnancy related and not really the kids or anyone else's fault.

[Blackcat31]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will end up reducing my numbers and possibly my hours if I'm able. It would be great to take a nap with the kids but we legally are not allowed. I of course had "rough" days but have never felt like this before. I know it's pregnancy related and not really the kids or anyone else's fault.

If reducing the number of kids you have is not a option or not what you want to do, you could look into hiring an assistant. That way you could assign some of the more stressful tasks to them for the time being.

Most of all, keep talking to others. Vent, share, chat... We're all here everyday.. You aren't alone. This job IS hard and stressful at times but when push comes to shove, we are all here for each other.

:hug:

[cheerfuldom]

I would reduce the kids AND the hours you are working. Let go of the kids that are showing up the earliest or leaving the latest. your 12 hour work days are enough to drive anyone bonkers, let alone of pregnant mom of two-soon to be three.

If you can let go of one or two kids that will also shorten your day, that would be ideal OR if you have one or two that are the most troublesome, that would also be a big help!

[Play Care]

I agree with the others - way too many hours and way too many kids! Cut back where you can. I know some other providers have had good luck calling colleges with ECE programs to get some help, or if you have a moms group put the word out that you are looking for some help. Even a few hours a week might help.
I would never nap when I had dck's (even if it was allowed) but I would absolutely enforce quiet time and put my feet up for an hour or so every afternoon.

But you know that the exhaustion that comes with pregnancy is somewhat short lived (I say somewhat because soon there will be the infant exhaustion :: ). When I was pregnant with my second, I would pass older child off to DH as he got home and head upstairs to bed. I was with my kids all day (and make sure to get extra cuddles in with them during the dc day) he could take over when he got home.

Congrats on your pregnancy and good luck!

[coolconfidentme]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will end up reducing my numbers and possibly my hours if I'm able. It would be great to take a nap with the kids but we legally are not allowed. I of course had "rough" days but have never felt like this before. I know it's pregnancy related and not really the kids or anyone else's fault.

Contact the local college & see if they have an intern program. That's FREE help!

[Unregistered]

So I had it all planned out starting with letting go of my most problem child. When I went to talk to mom about the behaiviors ( I mentioned things before so that part wasn't a shock ) mom was so willing to work with the child and I couldn't do it. I'm normally one who doesn't give up on a child so letting someone go is a little out if my comfort zone. I know something needs to be done because I'm not feeling any better about the situation but how do you nicely let someone go and how do you choose?

[Luna]

I would choose the ones who arrive at 6 a.m. and/or the ones who leave at 6 p.m. For me, I think the hours would be the biggest problem for me so that's what I would be looking at. Think about what is draining you the most...hours, a particular family or age, and go from there.