Finally Cutting Down My 12-Hour Days!

[DBug]

I've finally decided to cut back on my hours. I have been open from 6am to 6pm ever since I started 2.5 years ago. I've been feeling increasingly tired and even burnt out the last couple of months. I've been falling asleep or just plain mentally checking out at 6, as soon as the last kid is gone, which leaves NO time for my own kids. Not good.

So, in spite of the fact that it will change things dramatically for 3 or 4 of my 9 families, I've officially given notice that I'm going to a 10 hour day starting in May. It's been a mixed reaction so far and I really hate making things difficult for other people. But, I managed to find the intestinal fortitude to put my own family first ... for once!

And with a waiting list with 14 families on it, I shouldn't be too worried about the possibility of losing a family or two, but I still am. My families are all really great, pay on time, love their kids, etc. So I hate to do it, but I have to do what's best for my own family.

Has anybody else ever cut back on hours and lost a good family? I'm half expecting at least one family to leave ...

[lucky]

Good for you! I worked insanely long hours my first couple years too. Now my hours are 7-5. Makes for a much better balance and now 13 years later I still love what I do!

[lucky]

I did have one family leave, but they were my problem family anyway.

[momofboys]

Good for you! I hope you & your family benefits from this

[morgan24]

I don't blame you a bit for wanting a shorter day. I don't have an open and close time. I have contracted hours, that way I can choose if the hours parents are interested in are going to work for me or not. When I started I was open 6 to 6 and quickly found out some parents would drop off at 6 and picked up at 6 even if they didn't go to work later or got out early. That's when I switched to contracted hours. I did lose one family, she dropped off at 6 and picked up at 6 every day. Her actual work hours, including lunch was 8:30 to 4:30 with 1/2 hour travel time. She needed a 8 1/2 hour day and still used 12 hours everyday. You will find families that fit in your schedule.

[E Daycare]

Good job cutting back, I know the two hours will make a positive difference. I cut back 15 minutes with the start of the new year and just those 15 have made a HUGE difference!

I was open from 7a-5:30 p and while thats not a lot it still was 10.5 hrs a day and boy did some families use all that and then some. Now families are here to get their kids around 5 and if they go till 5:15 its not a big deal really but its better then closing at 5:30 and parents getting their kids at 5:45. What got me though is before when my closing time was 5:30 parents were hardly ever on time. Now that its 5:15 they come early even! What changed with the 15 minutes that they couldnt come get their kids on time at 5:30 before? The reason why I changed was to avoid the long good byes or late pick ups that run into my dinner and family time.

Now the kids are usually gone by 5 so I have a good 3hrs of family time with my son and hubby one on one. I didnt think it would be a big difference but getting that almost extra hour is nice! Saved a lot for my sanity.

On another note, I know if I said I was open from 6-6 these same parents wouldve jumped at that chance too. I want to save my life though so thatll never happen. ::

[cheerfuldom]

I actually added some time recently which hasn't been a huge deal. However, if I had a parent regularly dropping off before work hours and picking up long after than I would say something. I am here for a parent to go to work, not to take naps, get coffee, run around with friends. I wouldn't work with a parent like this because I can see them trying to take advantage in multiple ways. Not a family I want anyway.

[countrymom]

I too work from 7-5pm, on the rare occasion I will have a kid that may have to stay longer because something is happening, but omg is it ever long. I agree with the above poster, i'm here to watch the kids while the parents go to work not watch them so the parents can galavante thru town and then pick up late.

[Meyou]

I cut my hours last fall and I love it. It affected two families but one worked it out so they child could stay. The other complained and left but called me the other day wanted to come back because their current provider terminated. hahaha She has a hyper and loud but well behaved child. I don't mind him at all because my dd is the same way but others find him alot to take if that makes sense.

I love the shorter hours. I went from 6:30 to 6pm to 7:30 to 5:30.

[SilverSabre25]

I've never had set hours, but the times last summer when I was working 12 or 13 hour days were ROUGH. It was what I had to do to survive, but man...it ****ed. I'm glad that right now I only have kids 9 or 10 hours...much nicer.

Good luck! Even if you lose a couple families you'll feel better once you're down to a more reasonable number of hours!

[boysx5]

I think 10 hour days are long enough

[daysofelijah]

I cut my hours back from 6-6 to 6:30-5:15 about 4 years ago. All the good families made it work. The only one that left was the problem family anyway.

[lily22]

I also cut my hrs from 6am -6am to 6:30am-3pm...I have two groups..school age from 6:30a to 8am, to put on bus, preschool age from 8:30-3pm and no afterschool. I found that working 12 hr days eventually made it very difficult for me to attend to my own family. After the school age child was picked up 6pm-6:15pm.. I would rush with dinner, bath and no quality time with children. Homework was done with schoolage chilldren were still here. Lucky my child didn't need help with homework..saved me some time, however, made me feel I neglected and took it for granted. Not to mention that my laundry, cleaning, filing were all backed up all the time. At the end of day, while reading a story to my kids, I would fall asleep in bed with them and not wake up til the next morning. This is why I was so backed up. However, I was up and ready for my clients. I was always flexible with them, changing their hours/days when they needed. Until one day I realized, that I work for myself and cannot accommodate the parents and put by family on the back burner. Afterall, this is why I went into the family childcare business. To be able to stay home and be with my family. When the new school year came around, my new hours were in effect and my personal obligations to my home and family were back on track again. I learned through trail and error, you have to have a backbone when you are a provider So don't feel bad when you have to cut hours. Once you do it, families will adjust and you will always have people who need care the hours you are in operation.

[DBug]

Well, so far so good! I'm still waiting on two families to tell me what their arrangements will be to fit into my new hours (or, if they'll be leaving). But I didn't back down even when they pointed out how difficult it is for them to pick up by my closing time as it is now at 6pm. I almost gave in, but instead I said I could give them a list of teen sitters and they could have one of them come pick up at my new closing time .

Honestly, I can't wait to be able to have a sit down supper with my own family, without having to get up 5 times to tend to dc kids .

I really don't know why I didn't do this sooner!!

[countrymom]

so last night I get a call, she tells me that she needs care from 9am to 6pm. I tell her right away that I'm open from 730am to 5pm (530pm is pushing it) and suddenly she says, well that shouldn't be a problem, I double check again and she is like, oh her dh is done at 4pm and he could easily pick up, so I knew it had to do with that they didn't want to deal their kid, another sign was that it doesn't take an hour to get from the city to my house, half hour the most. They come for an interview on monday I will see.