Burnout is Quickly Approaching!

[KristinsHomeCC]

Hello all!

Haven't had any issues for a good minute, so that's been lovely Great kids, great parents who pay on time, it's nice!

However -- I'm finding myself wanting to do other things to make money. I opened an etsy shop and am going to try to do a side hustle. I'm finding myself very unhappy with what I'm doing. After 5 minutes of a fussy baby or two, I'm starting to get instantly overwhelmed and on the verge of crying and screaming. I think I'm approaching provider burn out that so many speak of and warn against.

I have weird anxieties about my home (previously posted, few months back) so I really wouldn't be comfortable being around a 'helper' or assistant all day. It's not my work load that's stressful, it's the actual job I find I don't really want to do anymore. I am open 60 hours a week and work every one of those hours by myself with 4 children.

I found someone who is willing to come and fill in for me every Friday from 8am-12pm. I figure this would be a nice little break for me in the mornings where I could also schedule doctor appointments, dentist appts, run errands etc.

FL daycare registration requirements says I cannot work outside of the home. I'm having a hard time finding out if me leaving for those 4 hours is acceptable if it is an every Friday thing. My substitute that will be filling in for me is just as certified as I am in child care classes, she just works for a facility instead of running a home daycare.

Is this OK to do? Does anyone else take half days off but remain open with a substitute? I think it'll give me a little more time off each week in addition to my weekends to prevent me from getting completely burnt out to the point of closing. Just wondering others thoughts. 60 hours a week after 1.5 years -- Didn't think the burn out would hit me THAT quick!

[KiwiKids]

Is there anyway to tighten up your hours? Even if it means losing a family? I try to stay under 48hrs a week. I market to school employees that are finished earlier in the day and have more breaks so I get more breaks. I've also taken breaks from infant care for a year here and there.

The closest I ever came to burnout was with a high needs baby who co-slept and ran the show at home. She was literally held 24-7 at home and it made daycare miserable for her, this poor child felt something was truly wrong if she wasn't being held. Never again.

[Unregistered]

I would definitely reduce those hours. Try going down to 10 hours a day for starters. Maybe even change to 4 days a week. Is that plausible?

[JackandJill]

I would try and cut back your hours, if you can. I came so lose to closing a while back, and then decided to first cut back my hours, it made a HUGE difference! I had been Monday through Friday, 7am to 6pm. First I changed my hours to 8-5, and then 8 months later closed on Fridays.

I also worked really hard on getting everyone on the same sleep schedule, and adjusted to quiet mat time, so I always have a break, everyday. I used to try to accommodate nap times for parents, I never had any break to myself! Regular nap time also made the work day much better.

Good luck, hope you can figure out what works best for you!!

[Unregistered]

I would try and cut back your hours, if you can. I came so lose to closing a while back, and then decided to first cut back my hours, it made a HUGE difference! I had been Monday through Friday, 7am to 6pm. First I changed my hours to 8-5, and then 8 months later closed on Fridays.

I also worked really hard on getting everyone on the same sleep schedule, and adjusted to quiet mat time, so I always have a break, everyday. I used to try to accommodate nap times for parents, I never had any break to myself! Regular nap time also made the work day much better.

Good luck, hope you can figure out what works best for you!!

I am thisclose to cuttingdown to 4 days a week. Maybe a year or 2 off yet. But close enough that ot seems a reality still!

[Laurel]

Hello all!

Haven't had any issues for a good minute, so that's been lovely Great kids, great parents who pay on time, it's nice!

However -- I'm finding myself wanting to do other things to make money. I opened an etsy shop and am going to try to do a side hustle. I'm finding myself very unhappy with what I'm doing. After 5 minutes of a fussy baby or two, I'm starting to get instantly overwhelmed and on the verge of crying and screaming. I think I'm approaching provider burn out that so many speak of and warn against.

I have weird anxieties about my home (previously posted, few months back) so I really wouldn't be comfortable being around a 'helper' or assistant all day. It's not my work load that's stressful, it's the actual job I find I don't really want to do anymore. I am open 60 hours a week and work every one of those hours by myself with 4 children.

I found someone who is willing to come and fill in for me every Friday from 8am-12pm. I figure this would be a nice little break for me in the mornings where I could also schedule doctor appointments, dentist appts, run errands etc.

FL daycare registration requirements says I cannot work outside of the home. I'm having a hard time finding out if me leaving for those 4 hours is acceptable if it is an every Friday thing. My substitute that will be filling in for me is just as certified as I am in child care classes, she just works for a facility instead of running a home daycare.

Is this OK to do? Does anyone else take half days off but remain open with a substitute? I think it'll give me a little more time off each week in addition to my weekends to prevent me from getting completely burnt out to the point of closing. Just wondering others thoughts. 60 hours a week after 1.5 years -- Didn't think the burn out would hit me THAT quick!

I think the Florida law says that you can't work outside the home 'during daycare hours'. In other words, you can't work at a paying job and let someone else run your daycare during that time. You can work another job if it isn't during your daycare hours. You can take off time, even weekly, if you are not making money doing another business. You can just take off, go for doctor's appointments, etc. That is the way I understand it. I knew a provider who hired someone else to run her daycare part-time while she worked at another job so she had to stop doing both and pick one.

[Unregistered]

A vote here to take off each Friday morning! I love the time I take off. Don't just use it to run errands. Do something for you. Go to lunch with a friend, get a pedicure, or anything that is relaxing or fun for you!

I also think you are working too many hours each day!

Good luck!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I would try and cut back your hours, if you can. I came so lose to closing a while back, and then decided to first cut back my hours, it made a HUGE difference! I had been Monday through Friday, 7am to 6pm. First I changed my hours to 8-5, and then 8 months later closed on Fridays.

I also worked really hard on getting everyone on the same sleep schedule, and adjusted to quiet mat time, so I always have a break, everyday. I used to try to accommodate nap times for parents, I never had any break to myself! Regular nap time also made the work day much better.

Good luck, hope you can figure out what works best for you!!

This definitely helps! I did something very similar (stopped accepting early pre-scheduled drop offs...only accept late day kids pre-paid until 5:30...) and I close on Fridays. It's harder to get clients. BUT, it really did help.

Now I'm trying to regain the pep to my step at work again since I really wish I could just be a stay at home mom.

[Unregistered]

This definitely helps! I did something very similar (stopped accepting early pre-scheduled drop offs...only accept late day kids pre-paid until 5:30...) and I close on Fridays. It's harder to get clients. BUT, it really did help.

Now I'm trying to regain the pep to my step at work again since I really wish I could just be a stay at home mom.

I'm right there with you. And my child is in school all day. But being home working until 5:30, not being able to take my son to practice or go to any of his elementary parties really stinks.

[AmyKidsCo]

ITA with everyone else - reduce your open hours. I started out open 12 hours a day and almost burned out too. Now I'm open 10 hours a day but am going to 9.5 hours this fall.

Also make sure you're taking time off regularly. I'm doing a better job of that this past year and can tell I have more patience.