Finally Cutting Down My 12-Hour Days!

[godiva83]

That is great- stick to your guns! It is so important to have our own family time and if we can get it some 'me' time too. No wonder why so many day care providers burn out--working 12hrs is hard enough and add children on top of that wow. I am lucky I only work from 8:30-5:30 and on occasion I open early if parents request it with 24hrs notice but that rarely happens. My hours are better now that I am doing HDC then when I was a supervisor at my old center. There I usually ended up working 12hr days-which was fine because I didn't have a family to care for. And I choose to do those hours so my staff wouldn't burn out! I got to sit in my office most days I have really stated to remember what it is like to work on the front lines

[TBird]

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.

Did she know your hours before she called??? I really can't stand this...if someone advertises for certain hours why call if those aren't the hours that fit your lifestyle???

Anyway, I'd be very cautious with this one...they shouldn't be looking for two extra hours if dh could "easily" pick up. For me, I have most of the popular work areas mapped out....I tell parents that if they work more than 40/45 minutes away, I am not the daycare for them! Good luck and let us know how the interview goes!

[momma2girls]

I cut back my hrs. once I moved. I used to work 12 hrs. now it is 9 hrs. and I and my family love it!! I can make practices, swimming lessons, ballgames, gymnastics, basketball, appts. suppers, etc. etc. Everyone out there, you will be so happy you did this!!! Plus I was charging the same for a 12 hr. day then I do now, at a 9 hr. day. It really changes everything!!! I suggest this to every daycare provider out there!!!!

[momma2girls]

Just to add another note to this. Never give your hrs. over an email or a phone call, always, always ask what time they need! Then contract for those hrs. only!! I changed this about 4 yrs. ago, and it works wonderfully!!

[countrymom]

Did she know your hours before she called??? I really can't stand this...if someone advertises for certain hours why call if those aren't the hours that fit your lifestyle???

Anyway, I'd be very cautious with this one...they shouldn't be looking for two extra hours if dh could "easily" pick up. For me, I have most of the popular work areas mapped out....I tell parents that if they work more than 40/45 minutes away, I am not the daycare for them! Good luck and let us know how the interview goes!

funny, when I got off the phone I had a weird feeling so I was telling dh about it, I just don't know. I will see on monday, but you know when you get a weird feeling its usually correct.

[momma2girls]

funny, when I got off the phone I had a weird feeling so I was telling dh about it, I just don't know. I will see on monday, but you know when you get a weird feeling its usually correct.

Yep, almost all the time, if you have a weird feeling on someone, you are usually always correct!!