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MommaL
11-16-2015, 06:18 PM
I have worked out of the house for many years and have always enjoyed my job. I have a university degree, I make good money, have full benefits and a pension, vacation and sick time, work normal 8 hour days, and get along well with the people I work with. So, it's probably not surprising that when people hear that I want to open a home-based daycare, they think I'm a little crazy. After all, less money, no benefits or pension, long hours, no adult conversations and being cooped up most days in the house with a bunch of kids. Yet, I feel like it's the right role for me.

Am I crazy?? Will I regret this decision? People say to me that it will probably be harder to get back into my current line of work if I leave it for a few years. Has anyone else been in this position (e.g. chosen to be a daycare provider after being in a completely different profession (which is well paying and has lots of perks) for several years? Are you happy that you did it?

Lee-Bee
11-16-2015, 06:29 PM
Yes, it sounds a bit crazy!

WHY are you making this change? Are you unhappy at your current job? Trying to be home with your kids? Want to be working with a small group of children? Avoiding a crappy daily commute?

What is the reason for leaving a pension, well paying job and benefits etc behind?

Are you married..will you have benefits through your husband once working at home? Will you be able to afford mortgage and living expenses when you are not full? It can take up to a year in some areas to reach full capacity do you have the means to be without your income that long?

I know many prefer this career because they can be home, don't have to travel, are their own boss etc but it isn't an easy career. Parents will drive you nuts, children will have you pulling your hair out. There will be periods where you don't have a full house etc.

What did you determine was the pay off for leaving your current career to run a home daycare?
What will you do once retired (with no pension)?

5 Little Monkeys
11-16-2015, 07:24 PM
I worked out of the home, made good money, had benefits, sick time, vacation, pension, yada yada yada. But I wasn't HAPPY!!! I didn't enjoy my job and from very early on, always knew that my dream was to have my own daycare. I had worked in centres before but quit to go into healthcare due to the money. This allowed me to realize my dream even harder...I knew that childcare was what I wanted to do. I don't have children but this is the next best thing!! Staying home to be with your children is a common reason to open but frankly, I don't think it's a good enough reason to open and stay open. This is a job that requires us to be stable and hopefully long term for most clients. Open a hdc only if it's TRULY what you want to do with your life. It's not fair to the other children if it isn't.

I've been open 4 years and don't regret it at all!! I'm happier and that is what counts! I do actually make enough money to not worry so I'm sure that helps but I have had periods where I needed to fill spots ASAP so I do know that stress. I would still choose that stress over my "better" job though.

Do what makes you happy...life is too short to do anything but!! :)

Lee-Bee
11-17-2015, 07:25 AM
I just question the WHY since at no time in her post did she mention she really want to work with children, that she has a passion to be with children, that she feels she will happier with children than in her current career or anything to that sort.

SLM you mention knowing it was your dream that you wanted to work with children. in which case way to go with making the leap. I am curious as to why the OP is deciding to do it. Her post didn't really say.

MommaL
11-17-2015, 09:00 AM
I just question the WHY since at no time in her post did she mention she really want to work with children, that she has a passion to be with children, that she feels she will happier with children than in her current career or anything to that sort.

SLM you mention knowing it was your dream that you wanted to work with children. in which case way to go with making the leap. I am curious as to why the OP is deciding to do it. Her post didn't really say.

Oh goodness. I feel like I'm being interrogated with your posts Lee-Bee. :)

Of course I enjoy children. I wouldn't even consider it if I didn't. My current job was good for many years. But I'm at a point where I don't feel like have any more to offer to it and I no longer have any motivation to come into work each day. I've looked at other jobs in my field, but I find myself continuing to come back to the idea of a daycare. Actually, it's all I seem to think about these days. I feel like I have so much to give. I love children and enjoy being with them, but I also have other characteristics and interests that I think are important for the role. I'm calm and patient, very organized, creative, am a good communicator, am professional, have a good business sense, love to cook nutritious foods, and keep a clean house. When I talk to others about what they are looking for in a home daycare and I think about what was important to me when searching for one for my children, I feel like encompass everything. Plus, the thought of being able to spend more time with my own two children is very appealing, though it's not the main reason for considering daycare.

I do still worry about the financial aspect of things, since I will want to put money aside each month for disability insurance, RRSPS or tax-free savings for retirement, income tax, and CPP. However, I don't think it will be too difficult to fill spots as there is a need for more home daycares in my area. I am also married and can use my husband's benefits and he can support us for a few months if needed.

I guess I'm just looking for some encouragement that following my heart is a good thing or experiences from others who did something similar.

Crayola kiddies
11-17-2015, 09:08 AM
Yup your crazy ....

babydom
11-17-2015, 09:10 AM
Yay ur crazy! :p

ebhappydc
11-17-2015, 10:07 AM
OP - perhaps spend some time going through the categories and posts on this forum to get a feel for how the daycare world is. Pros and cons to everything.

MsBell
11-17-2015, 10:33 AM
Completely Crazy!! lol

For sure there are many many pros for doing daycare out of your home, but sometimes what we think will be a wonderful benefit, is actually not that great. Yes I am home for my kids, BUT I can not really spend more time with them. For example, my daughter is in grade 9 with a mountain of homework every night, I can not sit and help her until all the daycare kids are gone which works out the same as if I worked outside the home. I can not go on school trips with my son unless I book a whole day off, doctor appts, dentist, etc same deal. With Bill 10 in Ontario, my son cant even have friends over after school (unless daycare kids go home early) So I really don't get to do more with my kids, especially now that they are growing.
I like a clean house too, but with day care, you will clean endlessly, it is so much more then for your own family. There is constantly dirty fingers touching everything. your washroom will soon become a public washroom, with little ones that canmt wipe their bums clean before they slide off the tiolet, leaving a poop trail. Or I had one little guy that insisted on taking his pants right off, then sitting on my bathmat while putting then back on, everyday there was a poop smear. Toys will invade a lot of your home (unless you are lucky enough to have a completely seperate area) Your home with take a real kicking, chipped wall paint, stained carpet, scratched hardwood, broken door knobs etc
Those healthy meals you love to cook (I do too! ) the kids I have will all just turn their noses at it and say yuck.
And lets just touch on the parents that you will have to deal with (put up with!) the ones that dont pay on time, pick up on time, dont provide the basic supples for their kids, want this and that and the moon, whine about how expensive daycare is, send their child sick, get upset when you then are too sick to work, leave without notice......I am sure the other ladies can add a lot more.
Dont get me wrong, this can be a good gig, but it is also a ton more work then most people think, way less money and it is rare that you feel as appreciated as you should. And I warn, if you are going into this with a passion to be loving and caring and make a big difference in some familys life, you will be really hurt when you dont get that feed back. It always feels personal in this business, and that can be really hard to deal with. I think it would be better to go into it as a business, with as little emotion invested as possible. You WILL be used, and you will feel terrible when it happens
My honest opinion, if I had a job that was okay, but paid well, and had all those perks, I would keep it, try to work with kids some other way (volunteer at a nursery school, library, youth centre etc)

Van
11-17-2015, 11:31 AM
I went to ECE in Toronto and on the first night a woman said she was leaving a good job at a BANK to open up her own daycare and the Teacher said NO DON'T DO IT !!!!!'
Also the weather is a big factor in this job as it is a cold windy wet day in BC- How is it where you are?

Van
11-17-2015, 11:38 AM
Also add a crying kid into the mix and she is upsetting all the kids so they all end up crying- Just another day at daycare,......... another day another dollar

5 Little Monkeys
11-17-2015, 11:56 AM
I definitely have moments/days where I find this job hard but for the most part, it's fantastic! I think it also depends on what your past employment was like. For myself, I would much rather take this jobs pros and cons instead of my previous 2 places of employment. (One was a poorly run dc centre and the other was an overworked, under appreciated healthcare living area) The other 2 places I worked (different dc centre and a different area of that same healthcare place) showed me that I could be happy with these jobs but that there were so many other variables than just the money and benefits. I knew that I needed out of those places if I wanted to be happy.

OP, I think if you've thought about it and considered all the pros and cons of both staying where you are and opening a hdc and you feel that a hdc is what would make you happiest, than you should go for it!! This industry needs more people who WANT to be in it versus just those that feel stuck/that this is all they can do. I'm really passionate about my chosen career and wish more would view it as important as it is. We are helping develop early minds and are co-raising these children to become productive, responsible, caring adults!! We need to be the best cheerleader/motivator/educator they can have!!

People tend to associate success with money but that's just not the case...IMO anyways :) Life is so much more than just what your wage is. Do what makes you feel good, proud and happy! Believe in yourself and you can do it!! :)

MommaL
11-17-2015, 12:10 PM
I went to ECE in Toronto and on the first night a woman said she was leaving a good job at a BANK to open up her own daycare and the Teacher said NO DON'T DO IT !!!!!'
Also the weather is a big factor in this job as it is a cold windy wet day in BC- How is it where you are?

We definitely get cold winters here, but are used to it - you just bundle up real warm. :)

So other than 5 Little Monkeys, it seems like no one is real happy with their job? That's so sad. When I hear about difficult children and difficult parents, it honestly doesn't phase me. I deal with difficult people everyday in my work. It's all about how you handle it, trial and error, having a good support system and finding ways to not let it get to you. I don't think there's any job out there that doesn't have its pros and cons. I know people who makes six figures, have 6 weeks of vacation time, and seem to have it all who are absolutely miserable in their jobs. I guess I just see so many more pros than cons when it comes to daycare. But it does worry me when other daycare providers think that it's a bit crazy for me to think about doing this...

torontokids
11-17-2015, 12:19 PM
I left a very promising career as a child and family therapist to open a home daycare 3 years a go. I did it because I really wanted to be home with my girls who were both daycare aged. I have actually loved it. It is extremely challenging and all my years working with children couldn't have prepared me for the job. I am extremely organized and love to do programming and although these skills have come in very handy, I still feel sometimes like I am just treading water with all the work that is involved. This job can be very draining and it requires you to always "be on." I have one of those "go, go go" personalities and I am the person at my previous job that wouldn't take a lunch but keep working and was always doing something. That being said, I find this job pretty exhausting at times. I have learned as I have gone how to make things better e.g. doing most of my cleaning during daycare hours etc but the hours are still long. I agree that although you get to be with your kids, the quality of time spent is not the same as when 1:1. My eldest found it very difficult to share me and her behaviour could be pretty horrible at times as a result. She is now in school and I can't attend any of her field trips or in class activities because I knew it wouldn't "fly" with my clients. I have been very fortunate and have had amazing parents in my daycare (with few exceptions) and I know they respect and care about me. I am 6 mos pregnant and I do not think I will reopen after my mat leave with my new little one. I have enjoyed this but I think with Bill 10 and just pure exhaustion I will look into something else. I am torn because I don't want to place my child in daycare after the year so this is something I will have to figure out!

torontokids
11-17-2015, 12:25 PM
Momma L- don't confuse people warning you not to go into the field as people not liking the job. I think they are looking at it from the perspective of this job is a lot harder than people realize and they are just warning you.

It can be hard to get an exit strategy with this job and I would worry about you reentering the workforce. I say this mainly because the profession is not respected. I look at job listings when I have a bad day but I'll be honest nothing else has appealed to me. My husband thinks I like it more than I realize which may be true. Sometimes when you're in it it can be hard to see all the good aspects of the job. But like I said, I do like my job but I think I am recognizing it is time for a change.

Lee-Bee
11-17-2015, 12:46 PM
Certainly not trying to interrogate you :-) I do believe that before one takes such a big move they need to consider everything and when we are left to our own thoughts we can often make our future dream all rosy and pink and pretty and sometimes need someone to bring the realities into sight for us to consider too!

Any chance your current job would allow a 1 yr sabbatical. No pay, but the chance to return in a year if this isn't working for you?

torontokids
11-17-2015, 12:54 PM
Certainly not trying to interrogate you :-) I do believe that before one takes such a big move they need to consider everything and when we are left to our own thoughts we can often make our future dream all rosy and pink and pretty and sometimes need someone to bring the realities into sight for us to consider too!

Any chance your current job would allow a 1 yr sabbatical. No pay, but the chance to return in a year if this isn't working for you?

That's a good point Lee Bee. I actually did that with my job as a safety net. I took a year leave without pay to test the waters and ended up staying on for another 2 yrs.

babywhisperer
11-17-2015, 01:08 PM
Hi all, I have not posted in a very long time, but do come on to read once in a while. I feel the need to put my 2 cents in here.
I started hdc in 1989, yup, before some of you were born :laugh: I did not have children yet, but had gone for my ece and thought it was a good idea when we bought a house. As others have said, there are highs and lows in this job. It is wearing on your body and mind. Burnout happens often. I am in my 50's now, my children are young adults, one in uni, one finished and starting own business. My point is both my children grew up in a daycare and both have said it wasn't great. They had to share me all day, at night I was so tired of "playing" I had nothing left for my kids. My kids did not have after school activities because I just couldn't get them there (it is good to hear most of you are managing that aspect!). Daycare was good for me, but not for my kids. So if you are starting hdc to be home with your kids, they may appreciate it more if you spend quality time with them after an outside job. If you open a daycare keep up your other skills! You likely do not want to be 50ish and struggling to lug kids around, with no other options.
I have enjoyed my daycare years, I have helped to raise over 240 kids. I also wish I had spent more quality time with my kids, they grow up fast:(
Sorry, this sounds so down, I am experiencing burnout yet again. Think carefully about the impact on your family. It could be a great experience, it
may not.

5 Little Monkeys
11-17-2015, 01:39 PM
We definitely get cold winters here, but are used to it - you just bundle up real warm. :)

So other than 5 Little Monkeys, it seems like no one is real happy with their job? That's so sad. When I hear about difficult children and difficult parents, it honestly doesn't phase me. I deal with difficult people everyday in my work. It's all about how you handle it, trial and error, having a good support system and finding ways to not let it get to you. I don't think there's any job out there that doesn't have its pros and cons. I know people who makes six figures, have 6 weeks of vacation time, and seem to have it all who are absolutely miserable in their jobs. I guess I just see so many more pros than cons when it comes to daycare. But it does worry me when other daycare providers think that it's a bit crazy for me to think about doing this...

I think it will also depend on your personality. I am, for the most part, a "glass half full" type. I try to see the best in everything and look at ways that I can address the situation to make everyone happy. (Or at least the majority happy lol) If I'm having a crappy day due to a child or parents, I remind myself that I CHOSE this job. Like any other job, there are of course issues but I need to suck it up and deal with it as best as I can. It's easy to complain about our current situation but forget the issues we had in previous jobs. For myself, I have never worked in a place that would allow me to leave to attend my children's (if I had any lol) functions so if/when I have kids, I will already be used to that. Sure, it was easier to take time off before (with pay and I had a replacement) but there was also limitations (seniority got first dibs, only one week at a time, summer time was limited etc) With owning my own business I get to decide when and how long I want to take off. I get to decide my hours. I get to decide my pay. I get a 2 hour break every day. I get to have a lazy day if I want. I get to do what I want when I want (within reason!)

Yes, this job is exhausting but so are many other jobs! For myself, this job is more mentally exhausting than physical like at my old job.....and for me, I prefer that. I also needed that. I was killing my back at my old job and now, I can take it easy when needed without feeling like I'm letting my coworkers pick up my slack.

Every one is different so there is no easy or right answer. Just do what you feel is best for YOU and your family!! Good luck to you either way :)

mickyc
11-17-2015, 02:11 PM
Personally I would not do it if I was you. I totally agree with MsBell.

I began this job when my daughter was 8 months old. Like everything I do I give it my all. I have been doing it for over 5 years now and I know I am soon ready to move on. I won't just take any job as I don't hate what I do but I do know I am not in this for the long haul.

The money is good, I love the write offs every year, I for the most part enjoy the kids.

I do crave more though. I do look forward to the day I get my home back! When I clean it and it stays that way. Now that my daughter is in school I feel like my job gets in the way of things sometimes. My previous job was very flexible so it's hard to not have that. I don't want my career choice to affect my daughter and it already has. I have no desire for play dates, I do not take my nieces because I don't want additional children on my off time. I work when I am sick, take minimal time off etc.

I am good at what I do, don't hate my job (right now anyways lol) but know I can't do this for much longer. I wouldn't have done it any differently though but I certainly didn't have a good wage or lots of perks at my previous job either. I am making more now than I did then so the choice was easy.

ottawamommy
11-17-2015, 02:24 PM
You are not crazy at all! if you want to run a home daycare you want to run a home daycare lol and if that's what makes you happy then go for it. A friend of mine is like 5 Little Monkeys she doesn't have children and she runs a wonderful home daycare and makes more money then I do lol Not everyone does this job to be with their kids, there are providers out there who do this job because the choose it vs something else. Some people seem to complain about this job a lot and those are the type of people that are not cut out for this business. The reality of is you don't get the perks of everything and you figure out what perks work more for you and your life style. For me its simple I love children and working from home so everything else I can deal with.

pink
11-17-2015, 02:25 PM
I ran a home daycare for 8 years, I went back to work in July. Lots of advantages from being at home, I am always going back and forth should I stay home and do daycare and then I come to my sense no. The new rules killed my business and three license daycare centers in my neighborhood. I do miss my kids a lot and not liking the commute at all and I make less money but I do have benefits. They are way more babies than over 2 children that require care in my neighborhood and as soon as they have a spot in the daycare centers they leave. I would not recommend starting a daycare with the new rules.

MommaL
11-18-2015, 10:15 AM
Thank you everyone for your posts, for sharing your experiences and for your honesty. I think I'm more confused than ever. But you all certainly gave me some important things to consider.

It's just interesting because for many of the reasons provided for not starting a daycare, I can say something similar about working outside of the house. I guess the grass always looks a bit greener on the other side. :)

Lee-Bee
11-18-2015, 11:11 AM
Thank you everyone for your posts, for sharing your experiences and for your honesty. I think I'm more confused than ever. But you all certainly gave me some important things to consider.

It's just interesting because for many of the reasons provided for not starting a daycare, I can say something similar about working outside of the house. I guess the grass always looks a bit greener on the other side. :)

It is always greener on the other side. So ultimately the question is...is your grass green enough at your current job and will you have enough fertilizer to keep it green for years to come in a home daycare?

Van
11-18-2015, 12:41 PM
Don't get us wrong as a lot of us love working with children, I do for sure , but we were just being honest to you about a lot of the cons of this job that we did not consider when we went into this kind of work and it is good to see it from all different ways pros and cons.
now you have more info, maybe more than you wanted LOL but I think you will have a better idea of want you will be getting into if you choose daycare and leave your career behind and know it is not all just sitting in the park with the kids on a sunny day and you did put it under the title of AM I CRAZY ? lol

flowerchild
11-18-2015, 06:44 PM
My point is both my children grew up in a daycare and both have said it wasn't great. They had to share me all day, at night I was so tired of "playing" I had nothing left for my kids. My kids did not have after school activities because I just couldn't get them there (it is good to hear most of you are managing that aspect!). Daycare was good for me, but not for my kids.


I just wanted to highlight this.

People are always saying how nice is it that I can do daycare and be home with my kids. The truth is, its not always nice for my kids. Sure they enjoy playing with their friends all the time, but they share their mom, they share their toys, they share their home. If one of them is feeling a little crummy (but not full out sick) and just wants to spend a day snuggling with their mommy, they can't because there is a house full of kids that mommy needs to attend to. They get bitten and hit a lot. This past summer, my daughter was crying to me one morning that she "didn't want DCK to come because she hits me." It broke my heart.

mickyc
11-18-2015, 09:01 PM
Flower child- that was the exact reason why I have a designated daycare space (basement) and the rest of my home is daycare free. My daughter never has to share her toys. I also let her play upstairs by herself if she wants to. My daycare is not her choice it's mine.

The part that bothers me the most is the lack of flexibility. Luckily my MIL doesn't mind running my daughter places but sometimes I wish I could

torontokids
11-18-2015, 09:03 PM
My eldest liked being in the daycare but mostly because she was home with me. She really had a hard time sharing me and struggled a lot towards the end. My second loves the daycare but has her days where I hear "mom, I don't like daycare anymore." I've recently started letting her have more freedom and this has helped. She is excited that I am closing in Feb for a mat leave and although she will miss her friends, I think ultimately she likes daycare because I am there...not for all the other aspects which makes it harder when as mentioned above I can't be spend the day cuddling with her or just "hanging out" because there is a program to run. There is definitely a lot of guilt with this job but I don't know if it is anymore than I experienced when my eldest went to a daycare centre and I was away from her.

MommaL
11-18-2015, 09:10 PM
I just wanted to highlight this.

People are always saying how nice is it that I can do daycare and be home with my kids. The truth is, its not always nice for my kids. Sure they enjoy playing with their friends all the time, but they share their mom, they share their toys, they share their home. If one of them is feeling a little crummy (but not full out sick) and just wants to spend a day snuggling with their mommy, they can't because there is a house full of kids that mommy needs to attend to. They get bitten and hit a lot. This past summer, my daughter was crying to me one morning that she "didn't want DCK to come because she hits me." It broke my heart.

I've thought a lot about how being a DCP would affect my children. The thing is, the situation right now isn't great. My work day might only be 8 hours, but that doesn't include all the driving and daycare drop-offs and pick-ups. My kids are at daycare by 7:30 and we're not home until 5:30. By the time we cook, eat dinner and tidy up, there's very little time in the evenings before it's time for them to go to bed. I too can't get my kids to after school activities unless it's after 6:00 (at the earliest) and that means coming home, changing and rushing out the door with a sandwich for dinner. There's a perception that working parents can easily leave work during the day for school events or leave early to take their kids to their activities. That's not the case for me.

If I have a daycare, I have many plans to ensure that my kids aren't affected too negatively. Perhaps some are unrealistic but it's important for me to at least try. My basement will be dedicated daycare space. Kids will nap in our extra bedroom or in my bedroom if needed. They will not nap in my kids rooms. There will be daycare toys and my kids toys. Anything special that my kids don't want to share will be kept upstairs or in their rooms during daycare hours. I will be able to see my children off to the school bus and be there when they come home. I certainly am unable to do that now. For times when I want to attend a school event, I will have a reliable family member that both the daycare kids and their parents will have met before to come look after the kids for a short time while I am away. The good news is that the school is just a few minutes from our house (versus a 30 minute drive from my current workplace). I also think that evenings when we have activities will feel less rushed because I will close at 5:00 and can have dinner ready (or close to being ready) to go (even if it's just leftovers from lunch).

So I guess I'd like to think that after being in a daycare away from me all this time, my kids will appreciate the extra time with me and the opportunity to do things that we couldn't easily do before.

5 Little Monkeys
11-18-2015, 10:34 PM
There are pros and cons to having your own children in your hdc or another dc. I don't have kids but from my experience in working in both home and centre daycares.....I am almost 100% sure that I'd prefer to have my kids in my own dc. Centre kids are just different than hdc kids and the issues between kids is a lot every day in centres. Bullying and ganging up on kids is something that we as staff had to stay on top of. Staff there also couldn't leave if they needed to pick up a sick child of their own from school ( which I always thought was ironic because a sick dc child was expected to leave ASAP lol)

Like mickyc, if I had kids, there would be no mixing personal toys with dc, my children's rooms would never be used for dc and I would find the time in each day for special one on one time (I already do this just for my dck's as I feel it's important) Any day that my husband had off would also be spent with our kids to give them a break and to experience what other kids get when their parents have a day off.

MommaL
11-19-2015, 08:32 AM
[QUOTE=flowerchild;81 051
They get bitten and hit a lot. This past summer, my daughter was crying to me one morning that she "didn't want DCK to come because she hits me." It broke my heart.[/QUOTE]

I just wanted to say that my kids get hit, bitten and kicked at the daycare they are at now too. Both of my kids have cried about not wanting to go to daycare because they don't like a particular kid there or because they'd rather stay home. When it comes to daycare, I don't think this can ever be completely avoided, no matter whether it's your own daycare or somewhere else. At least when it's my own daycare, I can hug my child if they are hurting and deal with the situation as I see fit. Right now, I have no control over it.

flowerchild
11-19-2015, 08:55 AM
I just wanted to say that my kids get hit, bitten and kicked at the daycare they are at now too. Both of my kids have cried about not wanting to go to daycare because they don't like a particular kid there or because they'd rather stay home. When it comes to daycare, I don't think this can ever be completely avoided, no matter whether it's your own daycare or somewhere else. At least when it's my own daycare, I can hug my child if they are hurting and deal with the situation as I see fit. Right now, I have no control over it.

I realize that my kids would have to deal with stuff like that regardless of what childcare situation they were in. I've had kids in daycare too.

I deal with those types of behaviours as I see fit and I comfort my kids when it happens, but it doesn't change the fact that it happens to them and in their own home which is suppose to be their safe place. I don't know how old your children are, but if they are young, they don't understand the business/daycare aspect of it - they just see that mom lets these kids come over and these kids keep hurting them. When one of my daycare kids was going through a particularly brutal biting/hitting phase, my daughter started acting out too. A lot of anger and aggression towards me. When we had holidays shortly after and there was no daycare kids, all of that went away.

I'm glad you have a separate space for your daycare. My home is not big enough to have a dedicated daycare space nor is it big enough to have two sets of toys, so my home is my daycare. I have the upstairs off limits except for nap times, so my kids can go up to their rooms if they need their own space and they can keep their "special" toys up there. Its the best that I can do for them that way.

I know it sounds like I'm being really negative and that I think this job is horrible. I don't. There are lots of aspects of it that I love, but I just don't want you to go into this thinking that it is going to be perfect. It's a great job but a tough job. I could be wrong, but I'm getting a bit of a vibe from your posts that you may think starting your daycare will be a fix-all and that all the frustration etc you have with being a working parent at your current job will go away. If you start a HDC, you will still be a working parent, you will just have your children with you at work.

MommaL
11-19-2015, 09:44 AM
I could be wrong, but I'm getting a bit of a vibe from your posts that you may think starting your daycare will be a fix-all and that all the frustration etc you have with being a working parent at your current job will go away. If you start a HDC, you will still be a working parent, you will just have your children with you at work.

I don't feel this way at all. That's why my initial post was asking if I'm crazy LOL. I know it's a tough job with its own set of challenges. I know that for every pro, there's going to be a con. I truly admire all the daycare providers out there. I guess I'm just thinking out loud (or in this case writing down) how I hope to deal with some of the challenges that so many daycare providers face.

Thanks again to everyone for posting. It's honestly been very helpful to me.

Wonderwiper
11-19-2015, 09:55 AM
Of course you're crazy ha ha!!!

Totally kidding! No one can know how you will feel except you!!

I love my daycare but a big factor in that is probably the fact that I don't have to pay the bills in my household. Money stress has a major effect on job satisfaction.

What this means for me is that I can be and am extremely fussy about who I take on as clients. Your clients will make or break you. I have never chased a payment, terminated, disliked or felt unappreciated by a client. It also means that I would not hesitate for a second to end things with a client if I was ever disrespected.

Also, I personally would never be able to have my daycare in my families space. It just doesn't work for me. My basement daycare is massive and filled with toys that are mine, not my childrens. Even nap time is downstairs. If I don't want to tidy up I just go upstairs and shut the door!! Daycare is closed when we are upstairs. My kids never come down in the evening or weekends.

I wouldn't trade having my girls home with me for anything!! I don't think my daycare has taken anything way from them. I can and do snuggle with them all the time!

My oldest is in SK now. I make arrangements to attend very special things at school, just as I would if I worked out of the home. I can't go to everything. Most parents I know can't go to everything either....they can't just take days off all the time.

Like any job, one size does not fit all. You have to make everything work for you right from the start.

MsBell
11-19-2015, 10:42 AM
For sure one pro is the tiny commute! Especially in the winter months. But I will point out that for me, unless I just throw something in the oven of have a crockpot meal going, cooking/preparing dinner for my family during daycare hours is near impossible. It is the end of the day, and the kids are wanting to go home, I find the last hour of my day, the hardest and the hour that takes the most of my attention. I would LOVE to close at 5, but I dont think I would ever get enough clients, and I open at 730 am, I work out in the mornings and could not consider starting earlier so that I could close earlier.The same applies for cleaning, you can wipe up here and there, but real cleaning will have to be done after hours, and you will not believe how messy your house gets when you plus a number of kids are there all day.
A dedicated daycare space would be a dream, and very likely make a huge difference to how I feel about being "stuck" in this career. My work is always in my face, I MUST clean it constantly,(I would LOVE to just shut the door!) I do however keep my basement as family space, no dck allowed.My daycare space in on my main level, the main room is open with all the toys, but we use my dinning room, kitchen and bathroom for daycare.
I am glad that the impact that daycare has on your own children was brought up, I find that as my kids get older, the harder is can be for them (somedays harder then others)
Please keep in mind, I am a single mom, with two very active kids, and a dud ex . I find that I am stuck because the income is great, I am my own boss, and I am home for my kids, no commute. Cons, I work a least 60+ hours a week (50 daycare hours, plus shopping, organsizing and cleaning), I am always at work (Although I do have a rule that weekends are daycare free, I dont take on the phone, do paperwork, have interviews or anything that involves Daycare Fri afternoon until Monday morning), I find MOST people think my job is "easier" than it is, even teachers at my kids school will often say things like "Oh your at home all day..." as if I am sitting eating bon bons, I also have one parent that likes to say "you have the best job, you get to play all day!" to which, I let her know that she could do it to if she so desired.

also just wanted to ad, I do find parents can be rather invasive. I understand the desire to know that person you choose to leave your child with, but it can still be unsettling. I have had parents (both while I have their child in care, as well as just at interviews ) ask me personal health questions (like why? do I have a doc appt), about my dating life, questions about my extended family, my childrens school grades, my future plans, will I marry again, have more children etc (One father asked me "how good my birth control was" because they didn't want me to be pregnant while watching their boy, I told him my doctor assured me my tubal ligation was a success, needless to say, I didn't take them on. So that can be another CON to consider, you will have to open yourself up to these people as well as your spouse and children

babywhisperer
11-19-2015, 10:52 AM
Let me add, I have loved my home daycare career for the most part. There are a lot of challenges, but it can work. My biggest challenge has been the parents HAHA! I was the same age as the parents when I started out, now I am grandma age :laugh: The change in parenting styles has been crazy! Kids are on the most part allowed to rule their house, so getting them to conform at daycare is sometimes difficult. Routine, routine, routine!!!!! Take all the instructions parents give you with a grain of salt and do what works best for the group.
My kids were okay with the daycare as young ones (as I said I started about 3 years before I had kids, so they grew up from about 6 weeks with HDC). I think when they started to get older it became less appealing to them. They would have to wait until the dc kids went home to tell me about their day. Always noise in the house when trying to study or do homework. The days they do get to sleep in, parents knocking at the door at 6:30am. That kind of thing. We have an open concept home, so even though the daycare is separate (walkout basement) the noise travels.
Would I do it again, yes. It has been worth going through the cons. Will my kids ever run a HDC, no way HAHA!
Also, if you get a chance to put your kids into preschool, do it, they need to learn to take instruction from other adults before they start school.
Okay, I'm done....I think:D