Seriously considering throwing in the towel

This week has been a really stressful one and this morning I got some pretty crappy news...

The mom of the little boy I care for just informed me this morning that she is 20 weeks pregnant. Nice, eh? 20 weeks and she's just telling me now..he's been with me for a little over two months so she was pregnant when he started. I'm happy for them, and a little jealous lol but it just sucks, because it means that this little boy who has been SO MUCH work is going to be taken out of daycare in the next few months. It's probably a blessing in disguise because I was thinking of letting him go anyhow, but I wanted to do it on my terms: ei have a full daycare and then replace him.

The only other little person I have is starting in July but it's contingent on her mom finding a job. She seems to have found a daycare for safety, for when she finds a job, but that if she doesn't find one before the end of her mat leave, she'll take her out.

I'm really starting to panic. I never realized how difficult it would be to find clients! I was a nanny and I always found work immediately. I thought daycare would be the same. I am considering going back to work but the thought of leaving my son breaks my heart...not to mention the cost.

If I could find 2 more clients, I would keep going, but it seems really impossible and I'm getting really stressed. I have a great website, i update my ad daily, but i never receive any emails.

I know that the little boy leaving is months away, and the little girl is starting regardless this coming july, her mom finishes mat leave in august, so i have till then to find some more kids, but I've been looking since February, and I only have two kids an have had three interviews (the third one may start in october, but i was really weary of the mom).

I'm so frustrated and discouraged. This is something I've always planned on doing, but it's proving to be a lot more difficult than I thought. If I didn't need my income to survive, I would continue, but we can't survive solely on my husband's salary.

Thanks for listening to me vent

I'm so sad :(

I am needing to post my ads but am almost too afraid to post them if that makes sense. There is so much competition out there right now and this morning I was checking kijiji and a person I know that has a fantastic program and has had an opening since Feb and another one opening end of June just renewed both ads meaning she still hasn't filled the Feb position. So I sit here thinking ok if she can't fill her spaces what makes me think I can and that is discouraging. I did 27 interviews last summer to fill spaces and do not want to go through that again and that doesn't include the calls I got that I didn't even allow to interview cause their demands were not in keeping with my wants list.

I know you don't want to leave daycare and I would encourage you to stick it out a bit longer if you could because things do pick up in the summer usually. If it really comes down to a major decision you might be able to find a good compromise. I thought about it when you said you had nanny experience. On kijiji especially under jobs-childcare as compared to services there are requests for nanny and I have seen some that say ok to bring your own child with the idea it gives the other child a playmate. That might be a way to go until things improve in your area - ie older people move out and younger families move in. That is basically what is happening on my street right now. Issue is I don't speak French and they do so still not any help to me daycare wise but at least there are little kids again and two more couples listed their houses for sale I saw on my walk the other day.

I know the feeling of being kept in the dark and surprised by a pregnancy. I started 2 one yr olds at the same time (within 2 weeks) and I didn't want to but because one of them was only here until Sept due to mom being pregnant again I figured it was short term. Little did I know that mom number 2 is pregnant too and didn't tell me before we started. It's hard to blame her as she was just newly pregnant at that time. She told me at 3 months, which is the norm I guess, but not I have the battle of started both of the one year olds siblings together. So I'm doing the whole thing over again in a year and a bit. UGH! Good for business, bad for my sanity.

Hang in there. September is a big time for people looking for care. I'm sure you'll have a wave of clients soon enough.

I'm sorry you're having a hard time right now....I don't have much help to offer but I feel your 'pain'.

Not sure if you remember me posting about dcg's mom who's expecting and has it all over FB including ultrasound pic as her profile pic and just last week was announcing that she had her OB appointment.....the baby is bigger than normal so they're moving her due date up a week & half..........she's now due OCTOBER 26!!! (YES I did creep her profile, it's the only way I know whats going on....she has nothing set to private, we're not FB friends but I see it all)

That means she's 18 weeks along, everyone on FB knows whats going and she STILL has NOT told me!!! It's getting pretty obvious, I'll give her another week - if nothing then I'm just going to ask "so when's the due date?" Like really, I'm not an idiot..

Well the first year is the hardest and I too had several bumps along the way... My first client lasted three weeks and then she stiffed me a weeks pay ... Even though I kept telling her I need to be paid in advance she always forgot then she bolted... Then a month later I got a full time and a flex and an after school .... Then I coasted with that for awhile then I signed two more families and held their spots for 3.5 and 5.5 months with only a two week deposit and both sent thier kids for integration prior to start date and then both pulled before starting and my after school was done at the end if June so I was back to a ft and a flex ..... I was very discouraged
.... Then at the end of last summer I got another before and after And last Xmas my flex left .... But then a miracle happened and I got lots of hits on my ads and signed on 4 new families to start in Jan and I have been full ever since and I am just starting to interview for sept as I have one leaving for jk. It will happen when you least expect it.... just have faith.....and as Reggio would say .... Sending you filler up vibes....; )

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Originally Posted by Mamma_Mia

I'm sorry you're having a hard time right now....I don't have much help to offer but I feel your 'pain'.

Not sure if you remember me posting about dcg's mom who's expecting and has it all over FB including ultrasound pic as her profile pic and just last week was announcing that she had her OB appointment.....the baby is bigger than normal so they're moving her due date up a week & half..........she's now due OCTOBER 26!!! (YES I did creep her profile, it's the only way I know whats going on....she has nothing set to private, we're not FB friends but I see it all)

That means she's 18 weeks along, everyone on FB knows whats going and she STILL has NOT told me!!! It's getting pretty obvious, I'll give her another week - if nothing then I'm just going to ask "so when's the due date?" Like really, I'm not an idiot..

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Haha, I JUST commented on your post lol

And I did notice, a few days ago that she looked like she had a belly, and I'd noticed a few days before that she was either wearing a body suit (like spanx) or wearing maternity pants. I thought maybe she had a belly because she is a little chubby but spanx would round it out...you know? I thought of you right away. But I tried not think about it. Then this morning, they told me. I tried to act happy and surprised, but I wanted desperately to ask what that meant. I have to meet with them to go over their hours changing and their price going up (previous arrangement) so I wll be asking them about their plans. Good news is I have a few months to replace him, and I was thinking about letting him go anyways, but the new just came at a bad time.

There is also another way to look at this too. You had just said to us yesterday that you were looking at terminating. Now you won't have to go through the agony of figuring out when and how to do it and you have time to advertise and make alternate plans withouth feeling guilty about it as if you were doing it behind their backs. Sometimes things just work themselves out. Have faith.

Very nice of them to let you know in the beginning that she is pregnant!(sarcasm here:mad:) If I were you I honestly replace them ASAP! and tell them good luck! How dare they do this to you? They should have know that you have expenses to pay and any cut would effect you. I'm actually mad at them!:mad: Do what is best for YOU and replace them asap.

I hope you will find the replacement soon!

Oh man.... that is tough.
There are two ways you can go from here, as I see it.
Give the daycare a break. Can you work part time, and work around your hubby's schedule? Keep your ad up, but maybe for a date a little later in the future? I was advertising in Dec and having NO interest what so ever. I worked p/t outside the home for a little while, as I got things sorted out. It was not the worst thing in the world, as it gave me a little perspective, and since I wasn't completely invested in the job, I didn't stress too much. Now I am back, with my plans in place, and because I recharged a little, I feel like myself again. Do this so that you can save some money, and give yourself a buffer for when you re-open. Alternatively, you could take whatever kids you can get and work a p/t job in addition, but less hours. Just be super careful that it's not too much. You need down time too!
OR; you can advertise like you have never done before. Paper the neighborhood with flyers, maybe even expanding your range. You never know, you may snag someone who is willing to drive a bit. Door knock, talk to other moms at the McDonalds playplace, find out what it would cost to put an ad on your local radio station (if you live in a small-ish place, that is), put ads in every paper... and so on. Figure out what you can offer, without breaking yourself or burning out, that others can't. Extended hours? Fees paid weekly or biweekly instead of monthly? Are there a lot of providers around you that don't give receipts? I would promote that, if you do. Get insane and creative. Talk to all your friends and family, create a Facebook page, put it in your Twitter feed that you are looking. And most of all.... do your best NOT to stress over it. It's like a commissioned salesperson who hasn't closed in a while; if they (potential clients) see the dollar signs in your eyes, they are running the other way!
I hope that this works out for you. :glomp:

Advertise on canadachildcaredirec tory.com. There is a fee to advertise on there, but it is minimal and she will provide a basic website. I have been on there for many, many years and I have not had one issue finding children since the day I went on there. The difference is amazing.....really.

Playfelt, your in Orleans right ?

I have just filled 2 of my 3 available spots for June and September with a almost 1yr old and a 21mth old . I've been getting quite a few calls/emails /and referals lately.

What is your criteria for taking a client ? Maybe I'm too easy going ?

I can pretty much work with any child. It is the parents I have to feel ok about.

Guess I should really get my ads posted then. Been a busy month with being away for my son's gradudation and then hubby is gone most of this month on military duty so been putting it off.

I take them mostly as babies so in a sense I get to mold the child the way I want them and unless mom's ideals of parenting are so offbase to mine it can be made to work. The hours have to fit mine as I am done working late since I started doing mornings - if you get any referrels for 6:30- 6:45 send them my way since that is when I open and will for the next two years at least till this child leaves.

I am looking for fulltime and plan to hold out. I have a family now wanting into care that does shift work so it works out to 10 days a month and of course doesn't want to pay even for 3 days a week let alone any more than that but expects the full space to be saved for them to use as needed. Would have been nice since it was a 15 month old but I am really trying to aim for just 5 kids next year and consistency. Been a couple years of 7-9 on the books and some as little as one day a week but it meant being full and since they pay more than the regular rate meant more money too just more headache.

Right now there are a lot of caregivers advertising which means parents are to a certain extent in the drivers seat in the sense of making demands and they will be able to find a caregiver that will accept them. Just make sure that you are setting the guidelines and not the parents. Yes we need to cater here and there and no two families are alike but at the end of the day if we aren't havaing a good day no one will.

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Originally Posted by clep

advertise on canadachildcaredirec tory.com. There is a fee to advertise on there, but it is minimal and she will provide a basic website. I have been on there for many, many years and i have not had one issue finding children since the day i went on there. The difference is amazing.....really.

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thanks you!!

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Originally Posted by lainey76

Playfelt, your in Orleans right ?

I have just filled 2 of my 3 available spots for June and September with a almost 1yr old and a 21mth old . I've been getting quite a few calls/emails /and referals lately.

What is your criteria for taking a client ? Maybe I'm too easy going ?

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I'm in Nepean - if you know of anyone lol SEND THEM MY WAY

I just checked all the daycares in my area that are on this website. I am the less expensive, open latest and earliest and my profile is the only one that is complete. I guess it's true when they say a lot of this is word of mouth. I wish I could find something.

I've decided to replace the little boy as soon as I find someone else. Their family is causing me too much stress. I've also applied for a work from home part time job (taking phone calls), so that'll help ease the stress, I hope :)

My hrs are 7:30-5:30 but the kids all arrive at 8 and are gone by 4:30/5pm the latest. I do have a contract and stick to it. I will be advertising for another available spot for Sept. ( I have 1 leaving for school but not in a super rush to fill )

Playfelt ... I had one of those families ... It was anywhere from 8-12 days a month I did but the deal I made with them was they had to pay ALL the stats regardless if it was their regularly scheduled day and they had to Pay my holidays in their entirety not just the days they would have been there ..... But it was 12 hours days I fed this child all three meals .... I didn't mind it at the time but they are gone now and I wouldn't take a family like that again.

Littledragon ... I'm in nepean also ; )