Lessons I've Learned

[Christina72684]

How long have you been opened, and what are some lessons you have learned?

I've been opened 3 months and already I've learned that I NEVER want to have 2 babies under 6 months old at the same time. WAY too much work to handle! I only did it this time because one is my daughter and one is my nephew, but he's a HUGE crier and takes up too much time.

I also learned that nap time doesn't mean down time, at least not every day and the whole time. Out of the 5 days this week, only during 1 of them did I have all the kids asleep, lunch cleaned up, and ready for the B&A school kids to come.

[cheerfuldom]

The biggest thing I learned my first year is that you cannot make every parent and every kid happy. Just because one or both of them are unhappy does not mean you are doing anything wrong.

[alysiav]

I've been open for 7 years and i've learned that the parents are much harder to deal with than the children. People are always telling me that they don't know how I do it and they could never do what I do but what they don't know is the children are the easy part!

[Sunshine44]

I've learned that you can be happy in your job if you get rid of the people that are making you unhappy! If you wake up dreading a certain parent or child, let them go. Life is too short.

[kendallina]

I've learned the importance of setting up expectations with both the kids AND the parents in the very very beginning. And to be tough in the beginning and not let anything slide (again, with both the kiddos and the parents), because if you do, then you may get taken advantage of.

[Luna]

I've learned that the less I know about the family's personal life the better. If I don't need to know, I don't want to know. And I totally agree that the children are the easy part!

[SilverSabre25]

I've learned not to take every client who walks through my door
I've learned to stand up for myself
I've learned that keeping a child/family that I just plain don't like because of the money isn't worth it in the long run

[momofboys]

Don't be a doormat - stand up for yourself early in the relationship b/c if you don't parents tend to take advantage!

[momma2girls]

I've learned that you can be happy in your job if you get rid of the people that are making you unhappy! If you wake up dreading a certain parent or child, let them go. Life is too short.

I totally agree with this statement!! I kept children way too long!!

[JaydensMommy]

I've been licensed for about 1 year and 1/2 but have only been doing daycare full-time about 4 months. I have learned that I do not want to take any children under 2 because it is just too hard to get any activities done with the older children. I have also learned that parents don't take it too well when you term no matter how nice you try to be about it!

[PitterPatter]

I have been certified for 5 years and I have learned a lot in that time. Most importantly if you give an inch they will take a mile. I will no longer allow payments to be skipped or fees to be forgiven because clients don't appreciate it and just expect that and more next time. DCMs better be bleeding out of their eyeballs before they leave without paying me next time!

I also learned that you can't give a bad report to certain angels parents or you become the bad guy! So now it has to be something really bad before I report anything negative. Myself on the other hand I would want to know everything my child did so that it could be corrected and worked with as a team. What happened to that way of thinking I have no clue.

Oh and I also learned when you get a child in care that listens MOST of the time and cooperates without an attitude, HANG ON to them no matter what!! ::

[PitterPatter]

I've learned that you can be happy in your job if you get rid of the people that are making you unhappy! If you wake up dreading a certain parent or child, let them go. Life is too short.

OH and THIS too!!! ^^^^

I had a child that literally beat me up many times and a disrespectful parent as well but I was desperate to be able to pay my bills so I hung on for over a year! 10-11 hour days!! Let me tell you when I termed a few months ago it was like the heavens opened up! I literally breathe easier every day! I close 2-3 hours earlier every day too. I still sit at my dinner table some days and listen to the quiet or nice conversation and enjoy food not being spit across the table. Most importantly I enjoy being able to take trips to the playground or go on walks and not getting slapped in the face or kicked in the stomach when it was time to go home. Life is good now!

[blessedmess8]

Having worked in a fancy center for years as a lead teacher, I though running a child care home would be a piece of cake! WRONG!!! 6 months in, I was ready to throw in the towel!!! But, it got better. First of all: get a good routine down! That is crucial! Also, lower your expectations of yourself! Sometimes at the end of the day, the house will be a wreck! Sometimes you get a lot done at naptime, sometimes by the time you get everyone down, the first one is back up!! Get a good recod jeeping system! I use minute menu. It is $60/year and worth every single penny!!! Ask, ask, ask! I have a few friends who do this and the first year I bugged them to death! One huge thing for me was creating a space for the daycare that I could "walk away from" at the end of the day and on weekends. I took over my poor husband's big, nice den. But, it was on the end of the house with french doors I can shut! He was reluctant at first, but seeing the difference it made in me and my mood has made it SO worth it to him!!
Here's a biggy: create some "me" time!! This profession is hard because we give so much of ourselves both physically and emotionally! Carve some time out just for yourself whether it is a long bubble bath here and there with the door dhut or putting back a little cash for a mani/pedi every other week when you get out of the house for your grocery shopping!!
Things will fall in to place more the longer you do this! Unfortunately a lot of things are just trial and error!!

[Abigail]

I agree with your original post about taking two young infants! I work in a group setting and we did have 2 babies start at 3 and at 4 months and for the next 3 months I dreaded working the last few hours of the day alone with two babies, they cried and cried to be held and I couldn't do ANYTHING with the couple of other kids I had still! Now one of the families moved and I LOVE work so much more knowing it's only one baby who is now 7 months and on the verge of crawling to more independence. All our other children are 13 months plus that I work with and I'm enjoying it!

My new rule is when I open my own daycare I will never take two non-mobile infants unless they're twins. This doesn't set an age limit, just a stage limit and the more independent the infant is the better!

[Mom_of_two]

I have learned the hours that work for me- I will Not deviate from them.
I have learned to rust my gut regarding clients and to Only take those I feel are a good fit. I do not have to take families that aren't. They may be great people, but I may not be what they are looking for and vice versa.
Also I will not change my schedule or accepted ages.
Basically the most important thing I have learned is that I have to stick to my policies and I will like my job!
And to have fun- play and learning to me is more important that any 'sit down' type learning.
And I have learned to take my vacation days when I need to!