Back In The Swing Of Things...

[busymommy0420]

Okay...I opened my in-home full time daycare in March 2011. I had full enrollments up until I CLOSED in June 2012 to pursue other interests. I am now teaching M-F (8:45-11:45) and opened an after school program. I thankfully maintained my licence and again have had no issues getting clients.

The main issue I am having is I AM TIRED... How does everyone get enough rest? I am a Mommy to six, 3 teen boys & 3 little girls. Between dinner, homework, cleaning, school bag prep, paying bills, baths, ect I can't find a moment to myself.

I am doing an active after school program including snack & outdoor time.

I hired a cleaning service to start weekly. Any other tips for this busy daycare mom??

[CraftyMom]

I have no tips, I just take it day by day.

I am always tired and have zero "me" time

[daycare]

Lots of coffee in the AM.

Go to bed early and take care of yourself by getting plenty of physical exercise. Eat well and take your vitamins

[LysesKids]

Lots of coffee in the AM.

Go to bed early and take care of yourself by getting plenty of physical exercise. Eat well and take your vitamins

Make sure you have a day or two of NO CHILDCARE every single week... my weekends are mine. I always did this when the kids were home, still do it even though youngest is away at College and I am an empty nester

[Controlled Chaos]

Drink lots of water...and coffee .
Hang in there

[Play Care]

I keep my working hours as short as I can possibly get away with.
I try to make sure any work I do is during working hours, and nothing after hours.
I still feel tired and crabby But I think that would be the case no matter what I did for a living::

[NightOwl]

You have 3 teenage sons? FREE LABOR. :: I am so serious. They should have household chores daily including daycare responsibilities, such as cleaning up toys at the end of the day, sweeping / mopping the floors, or cleaning the kitchen. My 3 do one of these everyday on a rotating schedule. NOT just taking out the trash or something. They are plenty old enough. It takes no more than 20 minutes for each one. But if I did them all, that's another hour (20 min x 3) gone from my day that could be spent on something else.

Believe me, when they're not home one evening, I see a big difference in how long it takes me to wind down from the day because I'm responsible for all chores.

[BrooklynM]

I think the best way to manage everything is to prepare anything you can ahead of schedule. I use the Flylady's methods and they work really well for me. I'm not always perfect, but I do feel more relaxed going to bed knowing that when I wake up in the morning I don't have any dishes in the sink, I have wiped down my counters, picked up the daycare, wiped down the bathrooms and checked my schedule for the next day. I have a Monday-Sunday bin in my closet so I layout all of my clothes and PJ's for the week for myself every Sunday and I put all of my vitamins in my vitamin case for the week. The trick really is to keep up on everything day by day and make sure that the weekends are set aside for rest as much as possible.

With that all said- 6 kids...yeah, you need to put them to work and lead by example. Make sure that they all layout their clothes for the week, that they are responsible for doing their own laundry, cleaning up after themselves, etc. Planning and preparation is my key to sanity!

[busymommy0420]

My 3 sons do their own laundry and each have a daily chore. One does the dinner dishes, one does the playroom and one mops the floor. They are super busy with college, work and other stuff. I went from this summer having no daycare kids, not teaching and working about 10 hours a week outside the home to now teaching 15 hours a week, working 10 hours a week outside the home and running daycare 13 hours a week. In the summer we did whatever we wanted and now our schedule is packed. I am feeling overwhelmed. The money is needed to support our family so cutting it out is not an option.

7:30 am ( Wake up and get my 3 daughters ages 5,4 & 2 ready)
8:15am (Breakfast)
8:35 (Get 5yo on bus)
8:45 (Drop 4 & 2yo off to classrooms)
8:45 to 11:45 (Teach at local Pre-School)
12:00 to 2:45 (On Tuesday and Thursdays I work outside the home and my daughters are watched by a friend. On MWF this is our lunch and nap time)
3:00 Daycare opens (1st School Age child arrives)
3:35 (Another school age child arrives along with my 5yo daughter)
3:55 (Another school age child arrives)
4:00 (Snack Time)
4:10 to 5:20 (Bike, Trike, Outdoor Play, Arts & Crafts)
5:30 (Daycare Closes)
5:45 (Husband and 13yo son arrives home) (I start dinner)
6:30 (Dinner)
7:15 (Bath and Bed Prep for 3 girls)
8:00 (Storytime)
8:15 (Next Day Prep...outfits laid out, snacks packed, back packs packed)
8:45 ( Visit with teen sons, hubby, work on bills or paperwork, fold laundry, clean bathrooms, complete what needs to be done)
11:00 (Bed)

** Repeat M-F. On Sat I work 9 to 4 outside the home! On Sun we have family day and attend church 10 to 12.

[daycare]

My 3 sons do their own laundry and each have a daily chore. One does the dinner dishes, one does the playroom and one mops the floor. They are super busy with college, work and other stuff. I went from this summer having no daycare kids, not teaching and working about 10 hours a week outside the home to now teaching 15 hours a week, working 10 hours a week outside the home and running daycare 13 hours a week. In the summer we did whatever we wanted and now our schedule is packed. I am feeling overwhelmed. The money is needed to support our family so cutting it out is not an option.

7:30 am ( Wake up and get my 3 daughters ages 5,4 & 2 ready)
8:15am (Breakfast)
8:35 (Get 5yo on bus)
8:45 (Drop 4 & 2yo off to classrooms)
8:45 to 11:45 (Teach at local Pre-School)
12:00 to 2:45 (On Tuesday and Thursdays I work outside the home and my daughters are watched by a friend. On MWF this is our lunch and nap time)
3:00 Daycare opens (1st School Age child arrives)
3:35 (Another school age child arrives along with my 5yo daughter)
3:55 (Another school age child arrives)
4:00 (Snack Time)
4:10 to 5:20 (Bike, Trike, Outdoor Play, Arts & Crafts)
5:30 (Daycare Closes)
5:45 (Husband and 13yo son arrives home) (I start dinner)
6:30 (Dinner)
7:15 (Bath and Bed Prep for 3 girls)
8:00 (Storytime)
8:15 (Next Day Prep...outfits laid out, snacks packed, back packs packed)
8:45 ( Visit with teen sons, hubby, work on bills or paperwork, fold laundry, clean bathrooms, complete what needs to be done)
11:00 (Bed)

** Repeat M-F. On Sat I work 9 to 4 outside the home! On Sun we have family day and attend church 10 to 12.

You need a clone