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  1. #1

    Wanting to quit..

    Has anyone wanted to quit in the beginning and now are happy doing home daycare? I am having a really hard time. I opened a home daycare to stay home with my 2 kids and plus going back to work I would have broke even after paying daycare for them. I have one temporary child who I got in the beginning of this month and I have her for 2 months. I have another pt 12 month old who cries alot! She wants to be held all of the time which I can't do. I'm just not enjoying it. I feel like I have no other option tho Any advise??

  2. #2
    Starting to feel at home...
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    I wanted to quit every day in the first three months of opening....I was head strong and took on four to start...it was overload for sure. Over time though, I developed a good routine for the kids, myself, and preparation for the week ahead in order to make things go smoother.....eventua lly once the kids and I adjusted to our routine everything started turning out to be so worth it! Transitioning for some kids is harder for some, and don't forget that it's also a transition for you too! I also found that since joining this forum was a great help to me ...lots of good advice and tips! Good luck

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  4. #3
    Outgoing
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    First of all, keep coming here to get support!!!! I started last September, and while I enjoy it for the most part, there have been days when I questioned the wisdom of doing this..... like in February when we couldn't go outside. I kept picturing the alternative: going back into a high-powered academic position with lots of professional jealousy, bullying, politics, whiny students, having to possibly take a job in the GTA (2 hour commute even without traffic), new vehicle (mine is 14 years old with 200,000 km on it), wouldn't see my grandbabies except on weekends, and the list goes on. It takes me about 5 minutes to decide to be happy doing this LOL! I'm my own boss, make a decent income, I'm home for my grandchildren, gardening etc., get my chores done during the day so I can relax or do fun stuff after 5:30 pm in a quiet house, kids are cute, parents appreciate me, when the weather is nice I walk for over an hour with the kids in the quad stroller, spend time at the park with my friends all morning, come home and put the kids to bed after lunch.... this is so much better than my career as a professor!
    The support here on this site got me started and keeps me going. That said, this may not be the career for you, and that's okay too. I would suggest you make a list of the pros and cons. You say that if you work elsewhere you will break even after daycare. That is important to remember. You might be better off staying home and working part-time somewhere so that you wouldn't need daycare. Lots of options! You may just need to do some brainstorming and deep thinking about your family's needs, your needs etc. Or you may just need a few sunny days at the park to help you like this again!

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  6. #4
    apples and bananas
    Guest
    Yes! I wanted to quit in my first little bit doing this. I didn't know how to handle parents, I spent too much focus on making everybody happy doing things their way. I worked whatever hours people needed me in fear I'd loose my clients and it sucked!

    I think it takes time to develop the business you want. You need to set hours and stick with them. Take a day off here and there so you can regain your sanity. And focus on the good stuff. You're home with the kids are home from school. You book vacay whenever you want and you don't have to wait for the person with higher seniority to decide. You set your own fees. You write off a ton of stuff when it comes to taxes.

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  8. #5
    Euphoric ! Sandbox Sally's Avatar
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    I hope that you learn to enjoy the job, but I want to say that it really isn't for everyone. I have spoken with a few people who were at home with their own kids, and were looking for a way to have an income, so they started a daycare and ended up hating it. There's no shame in that. I think it's important to admit if you're in this boat, and possibly find something else.

    I'm not saying that this is you, but it's better for everyone to kind of look at it and try to evaluate honestly whether you're "cut out" to care for other peoples' kids.

    Good luck.

  9. #6
    Starting to feel at home...
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    I was there too at the beginning. The first 3 months the kids would walk out the door and I would turn to my husband and burst into tears (my poor husband). But every time I thought about calling it quits I would look at my son and it would remind me of why I chose this profession in the first place. I'm coming up to my 1 yr anniversary of running my day home in July and I can honestly say that things have gotten so much better. I have a routine, the kids and myself have gotten to know and understand each other, I've learned what I need to do in order to take care of myself, and so on. Even still I go through those junky phases where I want to quit (this was a long cooped up winter) but then i sit down and ask myself why I started in the first place. For me the pros totally out weigh the cons. Keep plugged into this forum as somedays these ladies are the only thing that keep us sane. It's comforting knowing that we have people in our lives that are going through the exact same thing as you are. *hugs*

  10. #7
    Euphoric !
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    I am always going back and forth. Those days when a kid is screaming during nap time or when you have to constantly repeat yourself. I think when you look at the big picture it can become clear to you whether it's a fit or not. I have sometimes said to myself, "OK you're going back to work (outside the home)then" or I look at job boards online and those times I did that I didn't feel relief in saying this or a desire to take one of the jobs. Instead I felt panicked and that made me realize that this is a fit for me right now.

  11. #8
    Expansive... Artsand crafts's Avatar
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    When I started I got 2 wonderful kids, but after a couple of months an 11 month old enrolled and terrorized the others (pulling hair,hitting, etc). He was strong enough to try to fight the 2 year old! He cried a lot during the morning when mom left for a couple of hours. He was the first to come and the last to go home (from 7:00 to 6:00PM) and very often the mom will even pick up after business hours. During that time I was even considering to close, because I feel I wasn't good enough for this job. I am glad I did not. After a few months of hell they decided to leave and life was so much pleasant. It has been close to 6 years since and so much has changed. I can even go out during the whole morning out as a perk =)... Hang in there with the experience you will find what works best for you and your groups...

  12. #9
    Starting to feel at home...
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    Great advice- I"m also just starting - I start officially next week- I will have 2 1year olds! Feeling excited and nervous- I'm a teacher (primary) and a daycare teacher by profession but 1st time running my own daycare at home- Thank goodness for this forum!!

  13. #10
    Euphoric ! Sandbox Sally's Avatar
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    Congrats, fearless!! Welcome to the ranks of the self employed, and good luck!

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