How long when you're not sure?

[apples and bananas]

I wanted to stop doing it several times in my first year. I think it takes about a year to really decide what you're doing, how you're doing it and what you want to do. I opened with crazy hours and burnt out real quick. I resented the parents because they dropped off early or picked up late, but didn't have the backbone to do anything about it. I turned a corner around the 6 - 8 month mark. I terminated care for some of those parents who did not respect me, I changed my hours and either the parents fell in line or they moved on. I wrote good policies and decided to run my business rather then let it run me. I realized that I was valuble to these families, and if they weren't happy with me they were welcome to move on. I created a business plan and knew what families I wanted to take on what hours and took those clients on rather then taking what ever came to me.

Hang in there... it's a great job when you control it.

Decide why you're doing it and what you want out of it. Then gain the confidence to find families that fit your vision.