I Want Out

[Valerie928]

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!!

When you do/say things for fear of how others react or how it effects them, you are giving them to the power to control you and your business.

Take the power from them and you will find your happy place.

This is so very TRUE!

[Rockgirl]

Your advice and encouragement has been a life-saver! They kept her home today and the air feels lighter in my home. I have to just protect my headspace and my the vibe in my house.

I’m giving them notice. I don’t thknk Mom wants to be away from her baby anyway. I think that’s a lot of the problem.

Thanks again.

Good for you! It will be a huge relief, being rid of them. Now going forward with new families, confidently enforce your policies. It sounds like with the lack of available child care in your area, that you can be choosy in who you enroll.

[Ariana]

Your advice and encouragement has been a life-saver! They kept her home today and the air feels lighter in my home. I have to just protect my headspace and my the vibe in my house.

I’m giving them notice. I don’t thknk Mom wants to be away from her baby anyway. I think that’s a lot of the problem.

Thanks again.

I think I have only termed 3 times. I never regretted it!

Another thing I had to come to terms with is how little parents actually care about their kid, or at least they do not care about them as much as I did. When you get to the point where you care more than they do it is either time to let go of them or let go of your idea that you can help them. Basically just let go of all expectations and run your business the way you want.

[Unregistered]

I did it. Thanks again

I let her know today. I did find her a spot with a new provider. The ONLY spot I could find. I just didn’t want to impact her job that way.

My husband and I talked to over and I love the other parents I have my so for now I’m not filling that final spot. When I’m ready to risk it again, I will. If I ever am. I’m quite content with who is left.

Thanks again for the reminder that I can’t be responsible for everyone else!

[Josiegirl]

I let her know today. I did find her a spot with a new provider. The ONLY spot I could find. I just didn’t want to impact her job that way.

My husband and I talked to over and I love the other parents I have my so for now I’m not filling that final spot. When I’m ready to risk it again, I will. If I ever am. I’m quite content with who is left.

Thanks again for the reminder that I can’t be responsible for everyone else!

Here's hoping your job improves greatly now and you can feel much better about it!!

[Araem910]

I just started in October and I already want out. I’m not sure how all of you do this, but I have even more respect for you all now. It’s not the kids. It’s the parents. The hours ****, too. By the time I’m done and clean up, cook, and put my child to bed it’s time to sleep and do it all over again.
Today a parent said their child “barely gets like that at home” as if I was the reason her child was super fussy. Forget that she came in telling me her child is super fussy and had Tylenol in her bag and is teething.
I pointed that out and she backtracked to saying sometimes her daughter got so upset that she got chocked crying so hard. (5 months old) Well I have never seen that here, I told her. But feel free to come get her if you’re concerned.
She wasn’t concerned enough to tell me the dosage for Tylenol thought I asked all day. Said she couldn’t remember and never managed to get with doctors office. I won’t give it without the parent telling me on writing the dosage and then me double checking it, just in case.
The poor thing was miserable all day. Had a hemorrhoid but they forgot her cream AGAIN. I said come get her. Her phone just happens to die right then and isn’t miraculously back on until right before pick up.
Then she complains about a pic I sent of her child’s red face from where she’d been upset. (Wasn’t the point of the pic, just an after effect of crying.)
She also paid late the last two weeks in a row. Before that I had to curtail insane messaging amounts through the day.
There are no other childcare places here. We all have waiting listsx I don’t want to cost someone their job but I don’t want to lose my sanity either. I open fifteen minutes early for this woman who is never actually here then. She’s always running late. Fifteen minutes in the morning can equal it or cold (or no) coffee in the morning.
I’m so exhausted. I’m tired of parents being entitled. I have two amazing parents and I’d love to drop everyone else.
My husband could use the help though and I don’t want to let him or the family down. I don’t want to seem like a quitter or failure. I have just never been paid so little for such hard work and long hours.
I get lip service appreciation but blatant disrespect that lets me know it’s just that- lip service. Don’t tell me you respect me and what o do and not pay me on time.
Plus, I’m a jerk. I don’t set out to be, but I don’t mind being one either if it’s needed. I am biting my tongue in half more often than my woth these adults. I adore the kids.
If I term this mom, she will lose her job and I don’t think I can live with that. I don’t know if I can live with not terming her either.
I flat out addressed it when she came in saying it was weird that she felt bad today because she wasn’t at all like this yesterday. I said are you implying that I’m not doing my job when you make those comments because that’s how it’s coming across! Oh no, she claimed. She’s tell me if she thought that. Bull. You’d make more passive aggressive comments and backtrack when called out. She did complain about the pic and how t upset her, but as I took a deep breath to let it all out she said it
was her own fault for not bringing her medicine and having Tylenol without knowing her dosage. (This 5 month old weighs a few pounds less than my two year old so I wouldn’t even want to guess. Having it k writing from mom is just a liability thing for me.)
I did tell her that in the future, if she’s fussy and I’m not gonna have what I need to help her - she needs to stay home. Period.
I know I’m rambling. Im just exhausted and so sick of it. I’m thinking of giving her like a months notice or something, though the idea of that makes me want to cry. This mom is always forgetting this kids cream or whatever. Twice last week alone she showed up in the same outfit she’s left in the day before. I was crying mad the second morning. The excuse being they don’t wanna dry her skin out for a bath every day.
Her ears are always so dirty after she’s been home a few days without me. Behind her ears and under her neck always need a good scrub when she comes back to me. I just stay upset about it. Today she said she couldn’t focus on work because of the picture and worrying. Yet she didn’t worry enough to get the dosage from doc or pick her up early. I’m gonna end up snapping.
How do you all stay sane? After work and family there is no time for balance.

I know you have many replies so this might sound redundant... but, I totally get everything you’re going through. It’s a hard job and parents can make or break the deal especially if the child is more difficult. I have been in childcare for 17 years, mainly so I can be available to our own kids when needed and I enjoy the kids. however, the padt 2 years have thought me a valuable lesson - If a child is difficult, let them go before you lose your sanity ( trust me, if you are stressed, it’s unhealthy for you and your own family- nobody wins). Sometimes getting a new family can help if the parents are more responsible and the kids are a joy. But if you find yourself unhappy again, you need to make a change again. It just isn’t worth it. After 17 years, I am calling it quits and closing my doors permanently. The past 2 years I just haven’t had the best situations ( parent wanting pick up late all the time and another child who is way too hyper and annoys the other kids in my care). I just took a part time job a couple days ago ( start next month) and I couldn’t be happier! I tried to push myself for 2 years now and have only really suffered frustration- no more. my happiness and sanity is just as valuable as everyone elses in my family. how can you care for your own family when your health is gping downhill? just a thought.