I have had my daycare running since July, with a full house from September on. To be completely honest, I am not enjoying it. It's a culmination of a whole bunch of small things, and I've tried to fix individual things that are making me dislike what I'm doing, but nothing is really making a difference.

I have started job hunting, but we live in a small working-class city where most of the jobs available are 12-hour factory jobs, which I can't do with 3 young kids of my own. I have an obscure degree that is essentially useless outside of a big city, and we're certainly not moving any time soon. For all of it's downfalls, this city is affordable and my husband's job is here. He manages a retail store, so his hours are strange and usually involve weekends, further limiting the jobs I can take-I have to find a M-F, 9-5 job if I want to bring home ANY money after daycare costs.

All of this brings me back to doing childcare, plus being able to be home with my youngest and be here when my kids are out sick from school or on school holidays.

So here's my question for you guys who have been doing this a long time: does it get better? Has anyone ever had a poor experience their first year and kept at it and had it pay off?