I'm so tired!

I am fairly new to this and I'm SHOCKED at how exhausted I am. Honestly, I am ready to crash at 9:00 at night! Usually I have so much to do though I don't make it til 11 and then I'm up at 6:30 to start the day. I'm a single parent so I don't have any help with the day-to-day household stuff. I've been trying to get all the housecleaning/grocery shopping/running errands done on weekday evenings, so that I can spend the weekend just relaxing with my own child. I knew going into this that it would be consuming, but wow.

Uhh, I hear ya! My first year I was in bed at 9 every night as well (earlier sometimes, lol). I found once I got into a routine that really helped. As well as when you have established families it takes the stress away of not being sure if you are going to have income coming in....

Sticking to something that is for yourself is really important too so you do not go crazy working 24/7.

Best of luck and I hope you get some sleep soon!

Oh the first few years are so exhausting - the interviewing, the stress, the worry, trying to do everything 110% - yes I remember it well. It's a learning curve to get great routines down pat and every year I still change so many things, especially as the ages of the group in care changes.

But I have learned to get the children to help get all the toys cleaned up before they leave, to get the dishes started in the late afternoon so they get done a bit earlier, to sweep if I can while the children freeplay. Whatever you can get done while the children eat or play is helpful or you just feel like there is no downtime at all in your day.

This is NOT an easy job and it's frustrating when other people think you have it easy because you get to stay at home. We run a business and work hard. We just get the perks of the hugs and giggles most days.

I have also learned that I don't have to be 'on' all day long and that it's ok to let the children play and learn with roleplaying and using their imaginations with the toys while I relax a bit or get a chore done in the room like dusting the furniture. Experiment and find what works for you.

Also, I suggest playdates with other home daycare providers at parks or your community centres because being with other adults once a week or so while watching your children play is a lifesaver too.

I hear ya! I've been doing this for a few months, but this week I had TWO new kids - one who has never been in care before and one older one. It was an adjustment, and it was NONE stop but I found times in my day where I was STRICTLY relaxing. Usually, I would spend nap times cleaning, coming on here or doing my ads for more clients. But I've found a bit of a routine - doing dishes while the kids eat (morning snack dishes at lunch, lunch dishes at afternoon snack), having a set "quiet time" in the morning where the older kids play alone and the babies sleep, which is when I do my ads and come on here. And then during afternoon nap I do NOTHING. I sit on my ass and watch TV/read a book and munch. I start supper while the kids are eating their afternoon snack, eat supper at 5:30 after everyone has left. Then, i play with my son for about a half hour, give him a bath and he is in bed by 7. After that, I finish the dishes, sweep, put laundry away and I am usuall done everything by 8. Then I have all that time (usually till about 10) to myself. I do a full house clean (sweep, mop, vacuum) on Friday afternoons and then I can spend the whole weekend doing what I want. I am lucky that I have a wonderful husband who does the laundry, but I'm sure you can sneak one load in a day while the kids play.

It's just building a routine, where you pretty much work like a robot and do the same thing every day. Yes, it's tiring, but you get used to it. And the more on top of it you are, the easier it is to do it, you know? Cause if you let it pile up, then you really don't wanna do it.

Good luck and hang in there! Routine is KEY.

I should also mention that it's not IMPERATIVE that you be with the children ALL DAY. It's beneficial for them to play together, to try and resolve their own conflicts, and learn by themselves. You can take this time to get the little things done that can't wait :)

I agree ~ as rewarding as this can be it can be physically demanding as well and the key to sanity is organization and time management for sure .... I agree with breaking chores up into small 10 minute blocks and than doing them during the DAY on various days when the kids are engaged or during nap time or when you are down to 1 daycare kid and your own at the end of the day getting them to help with putting everything away so when your day is 'done' the daycare chores are done to and so forth!

Yes! Exhausting is right! I don't find the work so exhausting, but the responsibility. You have to constantly be aware and alert with 5 little ones running around. I'm thankful that my kids go elsewhere sat morning. So when I close Friday I drop everything... no cleaning... no cooking... no dishes... nothing! I need that time other wise I burn out way to quickly! I'm not as physcially exhausted as I am mentally by the time I hit the weekend.