The Good, the bad and the ugly!

[mattsmom]

Ok, here goes. These are some of my good and bad experiences.

- I find that dealing with the parents are the most frustrating part of this job. Sometimes I think that they think that we do this just for the fun of it and not to support our families.
You will have parents that totally disregard any of your policies, not respect your own time with YOUR family, pay late, etc. And having to chase them or confront them about something is the worst.

- That being said, some parents will treasure you and will tell you anytime they can, how much they are thankful that you are there to take care of their precious child. And some parents know that you go out of your way for them, so they show their appreciation in different ways.

- Cuddling a sweet baby or sitting with a bunch of toddlers on the couch reading a fascinating story are definitely good parts! Knowing that you are a huge part of their young lives is very rewarding. But as in every job, it has to come to an end, so when the children that you've had since the were infants are leaving, it is HEARTBREAKING!

- Some advice as well....don't let this business take over your family life. I found in the beginning that I needed to let parents know that showing up late for no good reason wasn't going to be put up with. And when I needed time off with my family, to just take it. Don't feel guilty about taking extra time for yourself or your family.

I hope this helps a bit!