Your Hours- New Provider

[trix23]

I'm curious - when all of you were new providers, would you work any hours/days, 24/7 care, or do only specific hours on M-F, etc?

Have a family wanting to do 11am-8pm for a 4 year old and I am considering it- currently only have drop-in kids and need income. But I also don't want to be working crazy long days.

Would you do this if new?

[Kajada]

I wouldn't, but it's up to you! Your business, your decision. I've been running my daycare for less than a year (I know, so green) and my hours are 7:30 - 5:30. However, individual contracts are based on work hours. The parents drop off their kid(s) on the way to work, and pick them up on the way home. I have one kid who is in care 10 hours a day (based on mom's work schedule and my personal max), the others are here 8 or 9 hours. I'm just not interested in providing evening or weekend care right now. That's family time for us.

[Pestle]

I'm new and no way. I've read enough horror stories on here to know I don't want the behavioral issues that come with such long hours. A 4yo needs to be asleep by 8pm so I'd expect trouble on that front, and if I had any other kids at all I'd basically be working 14- or 15-hr days.

[JackandJill]

I worked 6-6 when I first opened. I have found that daycare kids in the house after 5 feels really intrusive to my family. Everyone is ready to unwind and relax and that is hard to do with clients still in the house, no matter how laid back they claim to be.

I watched my friend's girls in the evening while she took a class for 6 weeks, and even then I was burnt out, kids are a lot of work in the evenings!

If you are on the fence, maybe do it for a trial period before you decide to commit to it.

[Ariana]

I would do it if I needed the money. Do you habe to put them to bed or do the kids wait to be picked up?

With your other drop in kids it will end up being a long 12+ hour day but again if you need the money its the kind of thing you need to do. Lots of parents work shift work and need weird hours, nothing wrong with it. I provide part time care to parents because many don't do it.

[Mike]

I haven't made any final decisions for when I start up yet, but seriously considering starting with 24/7 care to have a broader market, then once I get a couple clients, decide on my real hours based on what the market seems to need the most.

[Unregistered]

For 10 years I was open 6am-5:30pm and it didn't bother me a bit. I have an addition so child care is/was completely separate, which I feel made it easier. For awhile during this time I had two sweet little girls during second shift-I think till 10:00pm, but possibly it was till 8:00. It was a long time ago!!

Again I needed the $. Small rural area. It didn't bother me at all. My girls were late grade school/early middle school so they were not super young and part of my child care.

It could easily burn you out. It just depends on your situation, your personality, etc.

I wouldn't do it now. Things change.

[Unregistered]

No I would not work long hours or weekends. When I first opened I was open M-F 7am-4:30pm since that's about the same hours as preschools and other providers were offering here. Families did enroll but I found I was getting burnt out fast and started not not like what I did even though I closed for holidays. I eventually started shorting my hours as new families enrolled and picked up earlier. I even increased my rates. I have been open for five years now and am now open M-Thurs 8am-3pm and only offer part time care, take more vacation days, and still have families enrolled/ interested in enrolling.

[CityGarden]

I am new and would not do it. You have to personally know what your limits are and what you are willing to compromise as a new provider "paying your dues" ---- for me I am taking children not potty trained and a little younger than my ideal.

You also have to think about your program will you have the energy to give children in the day if you kept a child until 8pm the night prior.

[jenboo]

From personal experience, you will regret it within a couple months.
It takes time but you will find kids for the hours you want to work.

[CityGarden]

From personal experience, you will regret it within a couple months.
It takes time but you will find kids for the hours you want to work.

I agree with this and needed the reminder tonight.

[Pandaluver21]

I did 24 hr drop in care for a while. NEVER again :P I absolutely love my job, but it was insane. We ended up going to 7am-5pm (ish) but also had my nephews living with us (3 and 4yrs old at the time) We are now 7:45am-5:15pm, but offer "out of hour" care on a case by case basis with additional fees.

[Aussiedaycare]

About 6 months after I started I would start with a 9 year old boy at 3am. He would come in and go straight back to bed and so would I, then I would get up at 7am, wake everyone up, have all my other children arrive at 7.30am and take the 3am start to school at 8.30am. I would then work until 3pm with my under school age children before going to pick up a 7 year old girl from school.

I would then have all the children until 6pm when the under school age would all go home and I would have the 7 year old until 11pm. I lasted 3 months ::::

I have also worked 7 until 7, 7 until 6, 6 until 6 and everything else in between. If nothing else it lets you 'trial' what works for you - now I will NOT start before 8am no matter the amount of money and I will NOT go past 5.00 in Winter but am happy to go until 6pm in the Summer - all trial and error

[Josiegirl]

For awhile I 'needed' the income so I happily took 3 boys on Saturdays. BIG mistake. I'd rather do without until the right dcfs come along. Even a few extra hours can be exhausting, irritating, take much-needed time away from you, your family, much needed down time(which to me equals mental breaks). I think I'd figure out how much $ I'd make and try to do without instead of adding on. But JMO

[Jupadia]

I work 7am till 6pm. If I could I would stop at 5pm but I have to many requests till 6pm.

When I first started I was doing some Saturday s for a family basically two on two off. But I had a contract with family that it was consisted "family time" so we would take DK with us if we went to beach or supermarket or where ever. I did put a stop to them when I was 8 months pregnant with my last cause 6 day weeks were to much.

I also offer additional time outside care hours but it's 10 per hour so parents don't realy ask about it.