Maybe be closing soon....

[aDCProvider]

Nannyde was right when she said most providers only last 2 years. I've been licensed for 2.5 and I'm DONE!!!

I have had so much trouble with every family I enrolled except for one. I am now going to be losing 1 of my 2 remaining kids in a few weeks, and it may be a nice way to phase out daycare. I have multiple interviews for jobs where I would work less and make more happyface and be able to bring my infant to work with me (nanny jobs).

I don't know how anyone does this for as long as some of you ladies do. Hats off to the longtime vets! I love working with kids, love working at home, but can't stand the parents or ridiculous regulations.

Hopefully, I'll be positing my closing countdown after I get a job offer from my interview this evening!

Wish me luck!

[MarinaVanessa]

Well congratulations to your possible job change happyface

And I think it takes a special kind of person to do this for a long time ... like a special kind of crazy or something ::

[Cat Herder]

Good luck :hug:

The first two years are the worst . The next 7 are blah....

Year 10 they seem to have changed almost every rule so you feel like you are starting over (see year two ).

Year 12-19.... you can do this in your sleep.... Year 20 (see year 10)... rinse/repeat.

At least that is my view of this... ::::

[Annalee]

Good luck :hug:

The first two years are the worst . The next 7 are blah....

Year 10 they seem to have changed almost every rule so you feel like you are starting over (see year two ).

Year 12-19.... you can do this in your sleep.... Year 20 (see year 10)... rinse/repeat.

At least that is my view of this... ::::

:::: Rolling with the change is the key and like MV says, it is a kind of CRAZY that makes it work day in and day out! ::

[Cat Herder]

:::: Rolling with the change is the key and like MV says, it is a kind of CRAZY that makes it work day in and day out! ::

Crazy it is... lovethis

IMHO, If it weren't for the time spent with the kids, themselves, nobody could tolerate the BUSINESS of childcare.

My favorite part of childcare is after the last arrival and before the first pick-up. lovethis The first and last hours of the day (and Licensing stuff goes without saying ).... I could do without. ::::

[Annalee]

Crazy it is... lovethis

IMHO, If it weren't for the time spent with the kids, themselves, nobody could tolerate the BUSINESS of childcare.

My favorite part of childcare is after the last arrival and before the first pick-up. lovethis The first and last hours of the day (and Licensing stuff goes without saying ).... I could do without. ::::

I agree! I have been in child care since I was 16 and I am now 47, had my own FCC for 22 plus years and obtained AS degree, CDA,etc....BUT, as much as I LOVE my job, FCC is NOT something to get into currently as a new provider....

[AmyKidsCo]

My favorite part of childcare is after the last arrival and before the first pick-up. lovethis The first and last hours of the day (and Licensing stuff goes without saying ).... I could do without. ::::

Ditto!

I do think it takes a certain type of person to do this long term. For one, you have to like being home all. the. time.

[Cat Herder]

Ditto!

I do think it takes a certain type of person to do this long term. For one, you have to like being home all. the. time.

You have made THE biggest point I think EVER in Family Child Care. happyface

Having the space, equipment, emotional support, financial security, physical comfort, emotional security, stress management skills, social life, etc., etc. etc. of HOME makes running a successful family childcare possible.

If your home is not your safe zone, is a stressful environment or does not have enough space for a separation of work/rest it is going to be THAT much harder. IMHO, of course.

[KidGrind]

Well congratulations to your possible job change happyface

And I think it takes a special kind of person to do this for a long time ... like a special kind of crazy or something ::

Crazy is the pot of gold at the end of my rainbow.

[Blackcat31]

Ditto!

I do think it takes a certain type of person to do this long term. For one, you have to like being home all. the. time.

You have made THE biggest point I think EVER in Family Child Care. happyface

Having the space, equipment, emotional support, financial security, physical comfort, emotional security, stress management skills, social life, etc., etc. etc. of HOME makes running a successful family childcare possible.

If your home is not your safe zone, is a stressful environment or does not have enough space for a separation of work/rest it is going to be THAT much harder. IMHO, of course.

That is true.

If I did this in my own home, I would have been done at least 7 years ago.

As far as crazy goes...well that's all in the eye of the beholder.

For some crazy is just normal.

[mom2many]

When I began this career, I had no idea I'd still be at it 28 years later! ::
It was awesome being able to be home to raise my own 3 kids and have "paid" play dates, while they were growing up.

Now they are in their 20's and I continue to enjoy having little ones in my home and doing those fun activities that I did with my own. It's very rewarding and I am thankful to have a successful business that I enjoy.

However, I have known quite a few providers that do burn out after just a few years & I had my own hurdles and challenges to overcome over the years... Especially in the beginning! It was NOT always easy!!! There were days & still are those times, I wish I could win the lottery and quit!!!! ::

Hope it goes well OP at your interview tonight! :hug:

[midaycare]

Maybe I'm in a honeymoon phase, but I've been open about 6 months and love, love, love it. But as was mentioned, I love my home and my daycare setup, too. I prefer working from home. I also spent 6 months researching everything home daycare before I opened. It really helped! I waited to find the right fit for me parent and child wise.

Back to OP, good luck on your interview!!!

[Solandia]

I loved it. My dh HATED the daycare. With a passion beyond a normal person. Still, I was a licensed home daycare for 10 years, licensed-exempt another 2....and i don't want to participate in whatever rating system that is required now (my anal-personality cannot allow a 1 star --- is seems so negative, and I don't agree with the philosophies behind a 5-star).

So, i was done a year ago. I have been kind of at loose ends, we planned for me to be a sahm when the kids got to high school(I have a sophmore, a 7th grader and 2 preschoolers)....but i miss my extra kids. I have been bugging dh for more kids --ours or foster, how sad is that?!

OP, good luck on your job offer!

[aDCProvider]

I loved it. My dh HATED the daycare. With a passion beyond a normal person. Still, I was a licensed home daycare for 10 years, licensed-exempt another 2....and i don't want to participate in whatever rating system that is required now (my anal-personality cannot allow a 1 star --- is seems so negative, and I don't agree with the philosophies behind a 5-star).

So, i was done a year ago. I have been kind of at loose ends, we planned for me to be a sahm when the kids got to high school(I have a sophmore, a 7th grader and 2 preschoolers)....but i miss my extra kids. I have been bugging dh for more kids --ours or foster, how sad is that?!

OP, good luck on your job offer!

My DH hates the DC with a passion too! It's gotten even worse in the last couple months since we had an incident where my son (6 months old at the time) was intentionally injured by a DCK. Daycare has been a constant source of argument between me and hubby. I'm stressed, anxious, and have a very short fuse (with DH only) lately, and DH is sick of not having free reign of his home which he works very hard to pay for!

Update on the job hunt...
Interview went very well, was offered a 2nd interview, which was this morning. Just checking references and running a background check, but looks like I'll be starting in 5 weeks. Also, the pay is $75 more a week than I was making in daycare for HALF the amount of hours!!!!!

I plan to give the DCPs 4 weeks notice on this coming Friday, and take a week off in between closing my daycare and starting my new job to decompress and de-daycare my home!

[nannyde]

There is NOTHING WRONG with doing two years. It's a huge part of the daycare economy.

I love my house. I love being home. I've ALWAYS had a secondary job going on to keep my head somewhere else. I wouldn't have been able to do two decades if it is all I did.