How Long Have You Had Your Daycare?

[Blackcat31]

5 years in a Head Start classroom and just shy of 25 yrs of home child care.

The #1 thing that has kept me sane and still in this business is the separation of responsibilities (mine/parents) and physical space (literally).

[laundrymom]

Fall of 1987 for me.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

4 years. Right now it is parents who are frustrating me. Working through it...

[Annalee]

Isn't it AMAZING at the child care experience on this forum and in the child care world in general, but on local/state/national levels we are given very little credit for our professional choice! :confused:

[Maggie]

As a career since 1996 and for 10 years off and on before that. I'm retiring this year June 10th is my last day. How did I do it? Lots of coffee and vodka!

[NillaWafers]

It'll be a year in June.

I think making it through my first year (with a pregnancy no less) can really be credited to this forum. I learned the best policies to have right off the bat - did have a few crazies but sticking to my policies and everyone's advice avoided so much drama.

I don't know how long I want to go but I know long term I want to move to ID with my husband so I'll have to start all over there (and probably buy a house first, since it isn't protected like it is here in CA).

[Unregistered]

Licensed since June 1, 1980.
36 years in a few weeks!
And still going strong. Always had a policy, since day one. Included a contract as part of the policy book a few years later and then separated the contract (all financial arrangements) a few years after that. Began attaching fees related to contracted hours about 19 years ago as an experiment, since contracted hours with no fees attached didn't work. The experiment was a success - prospective clients don't even question it.

[HL0605]

It will be 8 years next month. I see myself doing this for at least 3 more years until my youngest goes to kindergarten. I'm unsure after that. I may do before and after care only and go back to school during the day.

[Controlled Chaos]

As a career since 1996 and for 10 years off and on before that. I'm retiring this year June 10th is my last day. How did I do it? Lots of coffee and vodka!

Lol yes coffee and booze ::

[Mariahsaint]

I will be coming on 11 years in October.

[DanceMom]

10 years and last week I turned in my license. I'm legally unlicensed now with 1 family. Cannot deal with this generation of parents anymore

[e.j.]

I began watching kids in May 1996 and was licensed in Sept of that same year so unofficially, it will be 20 years for me at the end of this month. I think I've been very lucky to have had some really wonderful families throughout the years. I've had a few doozies but most have been respectful and supportive.

[Boymom]

I don't know if I can make it 10, 20, 30 years! I need two things: a backbone and a huge amount of patience daily ha! I look up to you all and I am very thankful for this forum because you all have helped me so much already. (End of June will be a year for me.)

[sahm1225]

It's 7 years this week for me! I started daycare when I was unexpectedly laid off during the real estate bust. I was 6 months pregnant and decided I would do home daycare until my baby was old enough for daycare. I loved my home daycare so much! So I said I would do it until she started kindergarten. Well, she's in 1st grade now and I had another little one who will be in kindergarten in about 2 years. I have no plans of stopping, I love my job!!

To keep sane, I separated the daycare from my home area and created the lower level entirely for daycare. Then I became a large daycare and hired an employee. Having someone to work with helps with the loneliness of this job and also helps when you're sharing the work load.

I just kept tweeting what I liked and what I didn't like and I've become more picky with the families I enroll.

Good luck!

[Ariana]

I had 4 years in daycare centres and 6 years in home daycare. I am already burnt out! Lol