Why Is Daycare A Bump In The Road?

[jessrlee]

I read a thread on another forum. Out of 27 replies 22 of them planned to quit daycare the second their Kindy child set foot on that bus. I have to wonder why? I chose home daycare as a career. I plan to run my program until we retire. I am only 27 so that will be quite some time. I'm going on year 5 and love this job as much as I did on week 1. Quite a bit more actually! So tell me...

1. If you are in for the long haul, why?

2. If you plan to quit the minute you can, why?

(Sorry I'm nosey)

[lil angels]

I am not sure yet I am on the fence I started daycare almost 11 yrs ago. I thought at the time I would do it forever and now I am not sure My own kids are 4 and 8 and I am keeping my options open. I am ready to have my house back to not have all the people in and out things getting broke, going to get all the groc, ect. But I am not going to take a job that I think I will not enjoy I would still like to be around kids just maybe not out of my house.

[Danielle]

My plan is to do fulltime daycare until my kids start grade school (or a little higher). Then switch to just before and after school. This is b/c I will be homeschooling my kids and want all my attention to be on them.

[SilverSabre25]

My plan is to keep doing daycare until our finances and DH"s income are such that I don't need to work anymore for us to survive. At that point, I'll re-evaluate my position, and might quit to be a regular stay-at-home mom. I might keep going for the extra cash, but with fewer kids. I'm still looking forward to that day where I don't have to feel locked into it, though.

[MommyMuffin]

I did it to be home with my children and I got sick of the corporate world and stress of the boss. I prefer being home with my kids and I have fun watching others children grow and play.

It is not a forever thing for me because I can make more money outside of the home and I want to build a retirement fund that will be matched. I want to be able to get a day off without feeling horrible to the parents. And like many others I want my home back.

And I need more intellectual stimulation.

[momofboys]

2. If you plan to quit the minute you can, why?

I have a four year degree & plan to find a job when my youngest starts K or first grade. I worked in the editorial field & would like to get back to that. However, with 3 kids of my own it makes no sense for me to have a FT job outside of the home now. My paycheck (even a good-sized one) would be gobbled up by daycare for my preschooler, B & A school care for my 2 school-agers, taxes, gas, etc. I LOVE caring for kids but it is not my ultimate goal. For me it was a way to earn some money doing some things I was already doing with my own kid/s.

[Little People]

I am in it for the long haul. I have been doing daycare for 25+ years. Why? I love children, I love the rewards I get from the CHILDREN, when I see them learn something new and they are so proud of themselves, that make my heart happy.

When I see children sit at a table with books and read that book (they think they are) and the words and actions they put into it, makes my heart happy.

When that child finally learns the words to a song and their so proud of themselves, makes my heart happy.

I am a great provider and parents know they can go to work or school and their child is happy and loved by me. That I run a fun and loving daycare, BUT I am also run a VERY structured environment.

I may not be rich, but I can sit down when I want, I don't have a boss. I can make my own hours. I can act silly. I can color. I can play play doh. I can sneak in a load of laundry. I can go outside. Make a quick phone call. Or I can just watch the children play and read a book.

I really try to NOT focus on to much negativity in my daycare . I know we all have bad days, screaming children, parents that TRY to give us stress but my main concern is always the children and to give them happiness and love.

I try to fill my daycare with parents and children that are a great fit. In the last 5 years I have only has 1 baby that was not a fit, or should I say the parent did not do what she was supposed to do.

[Cat Herder]

I read a thread on another forum. Out of 27 replies 22 of them planned to quit daycare the second their Kindy child set foot on that bus. I have to wonder why? I chose home daycare as a career. I plan to run my program until we retire. I am only 27 so that will be quite some time. I'm going on year 5 and love this job as much as I did on week 1. Quite a bit more actually! So tell me...

1. If you are in for the long haul, why?

2. If you plan to quit the minute you can, why?

(Sorry I'm nosey)

1. I am in it until all 3 of my kids graduate high school. I opened 3 years before I got pregnant to make sure this plan was stable enough to rely on. My kids are now in junior high.

I chose this after my first son died in daycare while I was "Providing for his future" and I realized I gave away what little time I had with him to someone else. I will also always be haunted with not knowing exactly what he died of..... SIDS = We don't know.

2. Because I chose this job to be with children, and I love them. The reality is that the majority of this job is adult care and government politics and I am more than annoyed by that.

[momofboys]

My plan is to keep doing daycare until our finances and DH"s income are such that I don't need to work anymore for us to survive. At that point, I'll re-evaluate my position, and might quit to be a regular stay-at-home mom. I might keep going for the extra cash, but with fewer kids. I'm still looking forward to that day where I don't have to feel locked into it, though.

This is sort of where we are at, too. I had tried being a typical SAHM & we found we just could not make it financially. My DH would get paid & 6 days before he got paid again we would be broke. So this was when I started doing daycare. It has helped us so much & will hopefully enable us to save more $$ & come to a point where I can have more options instead of feeling like I have to do this. I currently watch onnly one family & though I would like more $$$ it is great to have small numbers.

[momofboys]

1. I am in it until all 3 of my kids graduate high school. I opened 3 years before I got pregnant to make sure this plan was stable enough to rely on. My kids are now in junior high.

I chose this after my first son died in daycare while I was "Providing for his future" and I realized I gave away what little time I had with him to someone else. I will also always be haunted with not knowing exactly what he died of..... SIDS = We don't know.

2. Because I chose this job to be with children, and I love them. The reality is that the majority of this job is adult care and government politics and I am more than annoyed by that.

I am so sorry about your son. Hugs to you!!!

[Cat Herder]

I am so sorry about your son. Hugs to you!!!

Thank you, he would be 21 this year...

[cillybean83]

1. If you are in for the long haul, why?

I see home daycare as a stepping stone, not the highest rung of my career, if that makes sense. I have worthless degrees and I"m back in school getting a teaching degree. My goals are:

a. establish a profitable home daycare
b. finish my early childhood education degree
c. transition my daycare to a preschool
d. start teaching preschool at a "real" school
e. move up to teaching kindergarten, and do that until I retire



2. If you plan to quit the minute you can, why?

When I quit working permanently, it will be because I'm dead ...I don't think I'll have enough savings to retire, and I'm pretty sure that social security won't be around when I'm old enough to qualify

[nannyde]

I've already done the long haul ::

I started doing child care twenty years before my kid was born. I did home child care seven years before he was born. He's now in fifth grade.

I started a child care consulting business last year and as long as it remains highly profitable I will move towards building that company here in the next few years.

I haven't had much experience with Centers so working with them has been an amazing learning curve for me. The Center owners, directors, and supervisors have been fabulous to work with. It's been an awesome experience where I can put my Nursing Degree and long child care career together.

I've also tiptoeing into media work and continue doing consulting with providers and parents.

It's an extension of my career but it adds a new dimension to my work. Growing into other aspects of child care interests me so I will follow that as time goes on.

[MommyMuffin]

I've already done the long haul ::

I started doing child care twenty years before my kid was born. I did home child care seven years before he was born. He's now in fifth grade.

I started a child care consulting business last year and as long as it remains highly profitable I will move towards building that company here in the next few years.

I haven't had much experience with Centers so working with them has been an amazing learning curve for me. The Center owners, directors, and supervisors have been fabulous to work with. It's been an awesome experience where I can put my Nursing Degree and long child care career together.

I've also tiptoeing into media work and continue doing consulting with providers and parents.

It's an extension of my career but it adds a new dimension to my work. Growing into other aspects of child care interests me so I will follow that as time goes on.

That sounds really interesting and fun nannyde. You should elaborate and write a post about it.

[Lilbutterflie]

I did it to be home with my children and I got sick of the corporate world and stress of the boss. I prefer being home with my kids and I have fun watching others children grow and play.

It is not a forever thing for me because I can make more money outside of the home and I want to build a retirement fund that will be matched. I want to be able to get a day off without feeling horrible to the parents. And like many others I want my home back.

And I need more intellectual stimulation.

MommyMuffin, it's as if I wrote this myself!!!