How Long?

[DarthLaurie]

Hi everyone, I've been lurking on this site for a couple of months now and really enjoyed reading everything and now I have my own question
How long have you been doing daycare and have you ever thought of stopping and returning to your previous career or starting a new career? I've been doing daycare for 9 1/2 yrs and still love it but every so often I panic a little and wonder if maybe I should retrain in the evenings just incase one morning I wake up and actually think that I'm done with daycare!!! I do have the odd day when I wonder if I'm doing the right job and then I get an unexpected compliment or hug from one of my dck/dcp.

[Monday 2 Friday Mama]

Hi DarthLaurie - I love your handle by the way - wish I had thought of it. =) I've been doing home daycare now for almost 3 years. I "think" about returning to the world of complete sentences, cubicles and adults all the time. LOL Unfortunately, I am a generalist. I have two degree's and a graduate degree in Human Resources. A position in my field would probably pay me between 35,000 and 40,000 dollars a year. If I had to take a generalized, office admin kind of position I'd make even less - maybe 30,000 dollars a year. That's not a lot of money. While I wouldn't need to pay childcare dues for all of my kids, my youngest two (ages 10 and 5) would need childcare - to the tune of (approximately) a thousand dollars a month. For me, the decision to run my own daycare was a financial one. I make better money doing this than I would if I worked outside of my home. Even allowing for a certain amount of economic uncertainty (i.e. maybe I don't have a full crew of kids for all 12 months of the year) As long as I have four daycare kids I can make 45,000 annually. As I mentioned in another post, there are all sorts of other expenses associated with working outside the home (lunches/clothing/parking/transportation/office "donations" i.e. baby shower, co-worker's charity run, birthday lunches for co-workers) Frequently these little "nibbles" really eat away at what we bring home. =( While it's true that I don't have the other economic perks of a traditional job (i.e. pension plan, medical/dental benefits etc.) my husband has those through his job so we're covered. And as far as pension plans go, it seems like most employers are getting out of that racket anyways. Besides, I'd rather decide my own financial future - the whole Nortel thing spooked me. =)

[Momof4]

DarthLaurie, that's an awesome name! Welcome!

I have lots of college education, worked in a few different fields over the years and I've never been happier since I became self-employed. I had some horrible bosses and co-workers in the past, sometimes I liked the work, sometimes not. But in this business I have a great boss, hehe, make the policies, choose the families I can work with, or not.

Sometimes I get low but I take it easy on myself for a while and get through it, usually at this time of the year when we've been housebound too much. As soon as the nice weather arrives and we can get outside everyday I know I'll be happier. Hey, I get to go to the park for a living instead of sitting at a desk or standing and racing around like a madwoman to make somebody else money. Now I'm investing in myself and my business and my future.

Do you think you are in a low spot right now and feeling a little burned out? Do you find that happens at this time of the year? If you have been doing this for over 9 years I can understand how you might be questioning your career path. Luck!

[DarthLaurie]

Ha ha, DarthLaurie is my nickname that my loving husband gave me years ago....right after he tried teaching our oldest daughter when she was three how to say "ominous leader"!!

Yeah I think I'm in a bit of a slump right now. I still love what I do and you can't beat working from home and being the boss!! I just wanted to see how long everyone else on here had being doing daycare!!

[playfelt]

Iin my 28th year now and yes have considered stopping a few times but then I pour myself a cup of tea, kick off my shoes and sit down while the "little darlings play nicely" and think nope I got it good.

We had three kids and when my third was heading off to school I considered ok what do I do next year when he is full time as in do I go back to work during school hours at least or do I keep doing daycare - then I found out I was pregnant end of story. Since then the tea method works fine.

I think a lot has to do with what you were in a previous life too. I was in teaching and since hubby is military I spent most of the first few years on supply lists in several provinces which is also no way to live. Daycare allowed me to move my job with me which I loved. I would be trading my freedom for the current Ontario education disaster - nope never happening. But if you had a job that you reallly loved or one that you wished you could have done but never did then for sure you might want to at least take some of the training required just to see if you still like it. Besides, the odd night class would also give you a personal outlet - adults and everything.

[Momof4]

Oh sorry, I forgot to answer that question. I've been running my daycare for 5 years and I'm very happy and have no plans for any changes for many years to come. I'm quite successful at this career it turns out!