Pregnancy vs daycare ?

[admin]

Hi everyone,

Here is a situation someone wanted help with:



My husband and I want to start trying for a 3rd child in a few months, I have also come to the realization that running a home daycare is just not for me. I really enjoy being home with my own kids and we have a great playroom/set up here but I am just not finding it enjoyable for many reasons (I have a great group of kids even and I am still having a hard time loving this).

I am willing to give it my all for the next year and continue to provide an amazing program and care for the kids (I have my ECE and other schooling so lots of time goes into planning great days for these kiddies) but I am worried if I do become pregnant AND am not planning on continuing care after the baby arrives, that I will lose my current clients…it is understandable, why would they stick around when they know they will need to find new care, just to help me pay my bills?! I know once they start looking for care, that if a spot opens for them in another daycare, that they will want to take it immediately.

SO, what do I do? Do I just start looking for new “work” now, put my own kids in daycare, so I can get mat leave or do I just hope that parents will stick around until my due date? I am paying into the EI for self employed people, so I would get a full year mat leave through them, but it won’t be much if I am not bringing in anything or much in the few months before baby is due if everyone leaves!

I am so stressed about this, I want a large family but really didn’t think about it when I gave up my other career to stay home and do home daycare so I could be with my kids. I have zero desire to keep my program open while I have a newborn, perhaps I would reopen down the road but it wouldn’t be for a minimum 6 months! Help!

[playfelt]

If you have the option of going back to work now consider that if you do work long enough you would qualify for maternity leave with benefits. Otherwise you will need to keep the daycare open for the year you are off with your newborn or be prepared to live without that income.

[torontokids]

I would keep up and running while you are trying and once you get pregnant. After you tell dc families you are expecting you don't have to disclose your long term plans until later. Most I would guess would stay until the end of your pregnancy and have something set up for your due date once you tell them your plans. I would leave that till the end (one month notice is plenty or whatever your contract states) where you send them a letter that you will not be offering daycare after new baby arrives. If they ask why you can just say you are only now realizing that it will be too demanding to care for your own 3 children and run a daycare.

[DaycareLady]

that's tough!! No advice but following, interested in responses!