Oh yes, are you right about learning so much in the first year! Thankfully I met a wonderful group of established caregivers who helped me or I don't think I would still be here. That's why I'm very happy to give any advice I possibly can now to help others who are learning and struggling to get established. Of course I still learn something new every day in the business and am always eager for good advice and ideas to improve my daycare experience constantly.

What I've learned: I took on clients in my first year that I had to terminate, but that hasn't happened in 3 years so I learned to interview properly and to make sure I don't take on any clients who will cause me grief. I learned that a fantastic contract is really important. I learned that it is important to take vacations and budget for those weeks without any pay because it is important to take care of myself so I don't burn out. I learned how to organize my daycare days into field trip days, crafting days and mostly freeplay days so there is a great variety for the children and also a variety for me. I learned to organize the food I'm going to serve and how to get the children to help me clean up all the toys before they go home so at least that is done at the end of business hours.

I could go on and on, but most of all, I learned to be confident in my ability to do be the best caregiver possible for the families that are a good match with my philosophies on childrearing. I know I run a great business and I now have a long waiting list to prove it. My clients have recommended me to lots of people, but since I have the children here from 10 months to JK there is a long wait until a space opens (thank goodness)!