This daycare stuff is not for me! Huge rant.

I think after this school year I won`t be re-opening. This gig is not for me.

I only run before and afterschool care and most days I dread it. I am down to only 1 kid here before and after school and I am at my wits end. I seem to have picked up the neighbourhood waste that have been turned away and its really has me at a spot where I do not want to offer this anymore.

The parents are a nightmare. The pay is crap. Your service is unappreciated and I really just want my house back to myself. My kids hate it. The fighting between my 4 yr old and the ONE kid I have who is 7 is UNBELIVEABLE, no matter what I do. I can`t leave the room for a second. It feels like every space is invaded no matter what rules I set in place. The mess and screaming, running, not listening and I pull my hair out cause its basically 30 minutes in the morning and an hour at night. Cooking food that doesnt get eaten. Attitudes, rudeness etc. Those who said they would take a dozen toddlers over schoolage kids was right. But mainly watching my kid be bullied every day, or bossed around is pushing me to the edge.

So to all you that do this every day ALL DAY .. I tip my hat to you.

I am now starting to get inquiries about next September from new families and I am wondering what to say. Since a decision has not been FULLY made, I would rather keep the conversation open than not between families.

I am torn. Maybe its just the kids that I got this year, maybe next year will be better ... I really am on the fence about it. :(

Sorry about your experience. Doesn't sound fun to me. If it's not for you, it's not for you. You have to do what's best for you.....but maybe it's just 1 bad apple. Do you have a feeling about the new inquiries? If we follow our gut and find families with similar morals and values as our own, it can be a piece of cake.

And what about daycare instead of before/after school. Maybe it would better suit you....?

Good luck in whatever you decide.

I agree...before and after sucks! I have one and I'm lucky she get's along with my kids otherwise it wouldn't be any good. I dread PD days. But I love my little ones. Everyone under 2.5!

I'm sorry you've had such a rough run. If you still want to give it a shot I would suggest dropping the before after and just go with a few full time good hours. Better money and easier kids to deal with.

This is my first year and it is not easy I believe you 100% and I run a all day !! The past summer with my own girls (school age) here as well full day with the little daycare kids was the worst, constant fitting... what the... ?!?! My grown daughter fitting with a three year old, like... yah !!

The parents thing, the food thing, the pay thing, the space in our home thing, our own family around thing... there is a lot more to consider then just taking care of children... very overwhelming :\

Nobody can tell you it will get better. I did read once that this job is not for everyone. You have to be happy in what you do, that its daycare or that its something else. If you are set on keeping this and trying with new kids next year, then you'll see if it gets better ?!?

If you want to go one with your daycare and you need help with certain issues, take it step by step and find solutions for each I guess. Like how to make snack easier, how to have parents trust and most importantly... respect, how the children can play nicely etc etc...

The new year is coming... new year, new start no ?!?

;)

Hi .... Before and after kids really are the worst and your right the pay for that is crap .... I only have one b and a and I wouldn't be disappointed if they left ..... However I have 5 full timers ranging in ages from 10 months to 3 .... Even the 3 yr old gets on my last nerve but I know he's only here till the end of June ( mom is a teacher) so I tolerate. The summers when I have my own school age home is very trying. Why not try toddlers for awoke and see if that's better. Good luck

Thanks ladies.

I have never wanted to do full-day care. My house is not equipped for that kind of set-up and I know that my own personality is not one-on-one care, teaching, constant entertainer for little ones all day long. I was hoping before and after school care would be ideal since my children are in school anyways and I was going there and my kids could have some little friends over after school to play with, have snack and I could open my home to help parents with the need for care for their kids.

I have been working during the day, doing office help while my kids are at school and can work from home. What I can make in 1 hour is the same as B&A for 1 kid, so of course this is much more desirable in the summer when I can work a couple of hours and then still have the rest of the day with just my kids. The idea of other kids here all summer is not desirable at all.

It boggles my mind that a couple of primary and intermediate grade kids just cant come here and hang out for a hour, have something to eat, chill out till their parents get here. The running and climbing on furniture, chaos, jumping, getting into things is unbelivable for a bunch of older kids who techincally are visitors in someone elses house.

Sorry you have had a poor experience ~ I agree that school age care takes a specific skill set and patience for sure .... I cannot manage that age group and keep my hair give me a house full of two year olds any day!

Life is too short to do something you DREAD each day ... my advice is to find something from home to off set the income ... can you do computer data entry work from home for company and so forth?

I'm sorry that things are so miserable for you. You hit the nail on the head though when you commented on two things: the pay, and the child. Both are very important. The pay for Before and After School care is miserable, and it's one of the most labour intensive forms of childcare out there - unless the child is of an age where they can walk themselves to your home. Especially on those inclement days. Bleh ! By the time you provide a snack and factor in the other costs involved in entertaining them (craft materials, books, etc) I've never been able to make the numbers work with it. So, you may be coming to the same realization. Another important point to consider before you throw in the towel - the wrong clients/kids can make this job (any job for that matter) horrible. If the dynamics between your child and this daycare child are as poor as you say they are, my advice would be to terminate care. There are some children who are just holy terrors - I've met a few of them over the years - and if you're lucky you can weed them out in the interview stage - before they even become clients. Sometimes though, you wind up with one of these "problems" Don't beat yourself up for not seeing it coming. This is your business, and you are allowed to decide who you will and won't care for. Once the troublemaker is removed from the situation you can then decide if you want to continue providing care, and you can sort through the other stuff that's bugging you: do you need to earn more money to make things financially viable (maybe you move from being a "full service" provider - someone who offers Part Time, BA School care, causual care - to one who only offers full time, care) do you just need a child who isn't bringing so much toxicity into your home, or are you truly just not happy with being a home daycare provider (which is okay too) and you need a new career path. Good luck with all of this stuff - hope things get sorted out !

Before and after school is the worst IMO, only do it for school closings with kids I took care of for years and even then they can drive me a little up the wall sometimes, I no longer take kids for summer months of school age, it causes too much stress for me and my kids (9 and 11) not fair to them when they have to deal with a school aged kid wanting them to be their playmate every day. Just not a good gig IMO, that being said, it may not be Day care that frustrates you but the route you chose in the field. Either way, you give it a whirl and if you don't like it, do something else, this is def a job you have to enjoy, otherwise you will burn out fast and easy. Contrary to many peoples beliefs....this is not an easy job, and it takes a lot out of any person, especially if you don't truly enjoy it!