Am I crazy?

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?

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)?

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!! :)

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.

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Originally Posted by Lee-Bee

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.

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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.

Yup your crazy ....

Yay ur crazy! :p

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.

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)

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?