Ohhh..the mistakes you make in your first year. I'm on year 2 of doing daycare and have learned soooo much in the last 18 months. when I first started I did not have a contract. My second family to sign on with me (my "golden" family) enrolled their then 2 year old. She is a delight. Continues to be a wonderful child, the best I've had to date! She is now 3.5yrs old and starting Kindergarten in Sept. Last year DCD lost his job. So she went down to 3 days a week and then 1 day a week. I held on hoping they would go full time when DCD got a job. I kept their spot open and did not fill it. (mistake # 1). Mistake #2...not giving them a contract when I finally got my act together and realized thru trial and error that this is a business and I need to protect myself.

Fast forward to today. DCD got a temp. full time position. They enrolled DCD full time into my program. DCM asked me for my new paperwork. I gave her my contract...She returned it 3 days later signed. But she took me aside at pick up time and told me how it was too harsh !! WTH? Seriously. It's a pretty straight forward contract. Nothing harsh in there. Lists all my stat holidays, late fees, etc. It is 10 pages that stipulates out everything. Protects the parents/protects the provider (me). then she said.."I understand you want to do this..but...do we really need this paperwork (contract) for babysitting OMG..I nearly lost it.. Ummm..yes. You are now full time, no longer drop in once a week. This is my business. I am NOT a babysitter (this is actually in my contract) I do scheduled activities, preschool, crafts, etc. Then she TELLS me, not asks....I will be dropping off DCD at 7:00am on thursday cause I need to take my son to the hospital for his pre-op (ear tubes going in). I tell her that I will make an exception this time, but I open @ 7:30am!" She was taken back.

So much for my golden family. I'm this close to terming. Ugh.