How long to accommodate a family?

[kindertime]

I think it is pretty common that people who start this business make decisions early on that seem like they will work, but ultimately don't. Live and learn. You are also in the right to be reconsidering a situation that is likely to cause you to burn out quickly. I felt like I was going to burn out in my first couple of years too, with the really long hours and extra hours during the week. I was often asleep on Fridays before 8! But now I am soon going to have my 11th anniversary and no longer so exhausted, so it does get better.

Do you have a written contract or agreement of any kind? It isn't strictly necessary, but can be helpful for situations where you need to set boundaries and expectations. Explain to the parents that your needs have changed and that going forward, you will need them to give you clearly defined hours and days of care and that you will be putting that in writing and then both of you should sign it, to make it formal.

It is a general practise that daycares have set hours and that parents can use any or all of the hours for a set fee. So a standard 10 hr day costs $XX. If they use 3hrs or 10hrs, parents pay the same. It is a nice sentiment to want to work with families and give them what they need and to be flexible, but I think what you have found now is that it is detrimental to you and your family to do too much of that. You are only one person after all! And you don't owe them anything more than great childcare for their children.