Tired of my job

[Unregistered]

I am logged out for privacy. I just wanted to vent that I really do not enjoy doing daycare anymore. I am constantly breaking up fights between 2 year olds, my own son is high maintenance, and I am tired of the disrescpectful parents. I was open 24 hours but now I am transitioning to close at 5:30 pm. I have parents that are upset because they are like well, why do you want evenings off. Because I have kids already 12 hours a day, thats why! I have my own kids and I am also heavily pregnant. The thing that really keeps me doing it is mostly financial. I would make half as much going back to work plus pay daycare. Daycare for two young children will be quite expensive and we are hardly making it as it is. My husband works sometimes very late at night so I can't take a job opposite his hours. I am in school right now but I do not graduate for another year so I am sticking it out until then. I have some children that have behavioral issues and will hit others and the parents work with me for a week or two and the behavior improves but then it just goes back to the way it was. I am just hoping that with summer coming and lots of fun outings going to happen that it will get better. If not, then its just a waiting game.

[godiva83]

Well, to me it seems like you have way too much on your plate - no wonder you hate it!
First off good for you for cutting hours down even though 12hrs is still a long day and being pregnant on top of that, wow!

Remember you are not 'super woman' and you can't do it all. If the kids behaviour is getting you down and you have tried to fix it perhaps it's time to ask them to leave, or get serious about helping fix the behaviour.

Good luck

[Unregistered]

I'm registered but logged out for privacy.

I just want you to know you arent alone. I'm not open 24 hours like you, but I hate my job too. I'm really good at my job, but I am tired of sick kids and direspectful parents pushing every rule that I have to the max. I hate working overtime every week for not-overtime pay, I hate not getting benefits, I hate that I feel like I have to do this job just to make ends meet. I hate that I have over $70k in student loans and an education higher than any of my daycare parents but that I am stuck doing this. I love the kids, but I pretty much hate everything else. Crappy parents have ruined this job for me. Inconsiderate, lazy, penny pinching, non-caring parents. We make projects and the parents say nothing. I bend over backwards and get nothing extra in return, even though they all want extra for themselves. I'm so over it.

[DCP]

:( I feel for you!!!
While I am not "currently" in a bad financial situation..I HAVE been time and time again and that alone can send someone over the edge.
However I can not believe that people are so arrogant as to complain about you having your "own" family time!! Actually i take that back...I do believe it because I have some parents that are just as thick!!

I go through bouts where I think I just can not do this anymore..between my own personal issues, then the ones that hit the business and I get the arrogance from parents, then the kids that seem to be raised by animals...and then "those" parents where you wonder what planet they are from and why they brought kids into this world!!

With the behavior issues - if you noticed they help and it gets better..then you most likely will have to stay on top of them!! "Thank you for assisting me on this, so n so was so much better last week" "just curious if anything has changed at home, so and so is back to his old behavior" etc

Wish you the best of luck!!!

[cheerfuldom]

oh girl, I was exactly where you are at.....pregnant, other bio kids to care for, having a hard time with the daycare parents, in college, hubby working long jobs.....I could swear this was an old post of mine! I feel so bad for you but there are things you could change. You have to do daycare and your husband has to work (and you have to keep your son, ha ha) so your options are to cut back on the number of daycare kids for now and take a break from school till the baby is around 6 months or a more manageable age. In my case, I did both, cut down the number of daycare kids and took a break from school. It felt awful at first and I cried for so many hours over this decision but now, a year later, I can see clearly that it was the right thing to do. Nothing is more important than your health, sanity, and family. not even school, not even money. no one can make those hard decisions but you. Please make some changes soon!

[temom]

I'm registered but logged out for privacy.

I just want you to know you arent alone. I'm not open 24 hours like you, but I hate my job too. I'm really good at my job, but I am tired of sick kids and direspectful parents pushing every rule that I have to the max. I hate working overtime every week for not-overtime pay, I hate not getting benefits, I hate that I feel like I have to do this job just to make ends meet. I hate that I have over $70k in student loans and an education higher than any of my daycare parents but that I am stuck doing this. I love the kids, but I pretty much hate everything else. Crappy parents have ruined this job for me. Inconsiderate, lazy, penny pinching, non-caring parents. We make projects and the parents say nothing. I bend over backwards and get nothing extra in return, even though they all want extra for themselves. I'm so over it.

This was like reading my own thoughts, i have always loved kids and thought this would be an excellent idea to stay home as well as enjoy what i do. But in this year i have had two such bad experiences that i am now torn between going back to work or sticking it out for another year till my younger one goes to school. I see the difference i have made in my kids life by staying home vs the friends that have put there kids in DC. I love the fact that the DCKs don't want to go home when the parents come to pick them but what i can't stand are the lazy, inconsiderate, penny pinching parents. Well i wish you the best of luck with whatever you decide.

[Beach Baby]

I just want you to know you arent alone. I'm not open 24 hours like you, but I hate my job too. I'm really good at my job, but I am tired of sick kids and direspectful parents pushing every rule that I have to the max. I hate working overtime every week for not-overtime pay, I hate not getting benefits, I hate that I feel like I have to do this job just to make ends meet. I hate that I have over $70k in student loans and an education higher than any of my daycare parents but that I am stuck doing this. I love the kids, but I pretty much hate everything else. Crappy parents have ruined this job for me. Inconsiderate, lazy, penny pinching, non-caring parents. We make projects and the parents say nothing. I bend over backwards and get nothing extra in return, even though they all want extra for themselves. I'm so over it.

This...exactly. :(

[Blackcat31]

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes." ~ Charles Swindoll

[Unregistered]

Most of my parents are actually very awesome, except for one family, but I may just not get into contact with them after maternity leave ;) MOST of my parents pay on time but the others I harass a bit so I am mostly paid on time. I have been told by multiple parents that I am so awesome and they feel like their child is just safe with me. One of my parents suspected abuse at her old provider (it is a shady story) and she prayed to God to have someone come into her life to help her and she feels like I was sent by God for them. Talk about pressure! I do not know if they know how often I lose my patience everyday although I act the same when they pick up their kids. I will put their kids right in timeout with the parents there if they act up. It just seems like the kids fight a lot and plus my own child is a tantrum throwing screamer the WHOLE time daycare kids are here, but when there aren't any kids here he is very sweet and happy, laughing all the time. He is probably the single most stresser with this. I wish I could afford to just work part time and stay home with him but thats just not feasible. Maybe I just need to do things with them more but I am NOT and I emphasize NOT a crafty, artsy person. We used to go out everywhere but with me being heavily pregnant, that is on hold until the baby is born because I can't walk too much without having contractions. I just feel bad because I was feeling so down this morning then some of the kids came up to me and gave me a hug that usually aren't affectionate and a couple of the kids told their parents at home that I am their "friend" or "best friend".

[SunshineMama]

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes." ~ Charles Swindoll

I admire the people who can always have a positive attitude, and make the best out of every situation. When I am feeling bad or irritated I tell myself that it is a choice to feel that way, yet for some reason my brain will not allow me to overcome my emotions and I maintain that bad attitude.

Your post is a good reminder that attitude is a choice- but maybe I just don't have the tools to make that choice. I dunno, maybe I am not strong enough, maybe I have not lived enough years, maybe I am comfortable being a victim, maybe all of these things. :confused:

How do you make the choice to be happy and change your attitude? How do you flip on that switch?

[cheerfuldom]

I admire the people who can always have a positive attitude, and make the best out of every situation. When I am feeling bad or irritated I tell myself that it is a choice to feel that way, yet for some reason my brain will not allow me to overcome my emotions and I maintain that bad attitude.

Your post is a good reminder that attitude is a choice- but maybe I just don't have the tools to make that choice. I dunno, maybe I am not strong enough, maybe I have not lived enough years, maybe I am comfortable being a victim, maybe all of these things. :confused:

How do you make the choice to be happy and change your attitude? How do you flip on that switch?

I know what you mean.....sometimes being happy IS hard work but like the poster said, its a choice. I think its more of a process than just a switch that is flipped. Its not just some magical thing that happens, its making daily, even hourly choices that tell yourself "I will be happy and positive and no one is going to ruin that for me, even myself". Some things that might help....

*Prioritize your life and dont be afraid to get rid of things that dont fit in to those priorities

*Dont be afraid to tell others no and yourself yes

*Things about goals that you want for your life and actually plan and execute the journey to get there.

*Put your health as a priority. Treating your body well effects you mentally in a positive way

*Surround yourself with people that help support you in your goals and your happiness. Limit people who don't, even family.

*Dont be afraid to ask for help. On a personal note, finally getting counseling for a traumatic childhood changed my life completely. I was around 28 and I could not believe how much these things were effecting me on a daily basis. If you have things that you need to overcome, now is the time to do it! You dont have to know every step of the way, just take the first step.

[Blackcat31]

I know what you mean.....sometimes being happy IS hard work but like the poster said, its a choice. I think its more of a process than just a switch that is flipped. Its not just some magical thing that happens, its making daily, even hourly choices that tell yourself "I will be happy and positive and no one is going to ruin that for me, even myself". Some things that might help....

*Prioritize your life and dont be afraid to get rid of things that dont fit in to those priorities

*Dont be afraid to tell others no and yourself yes

*Things about goals that you want for your life and actually plan and execute the journey to get there.

*Put your health as a priority. Treating your body well effects you mentally in a positive way

*Surround yourself with people that help support you in your goals and your happiness. Limit people who don't, even family.

*Dont be afraid to ask for help. On a personal note, finally getting counseling for a traumatic childhood changed my life completely. I was around 28 and I could not believe how much these things were effecting me on a daily basis. If you have things that you need to overcome, now is the time to do it! You dont have to know every step of the way, just take the first step.

likethislikethis

This is wonderful advice. I think too many people simply expect that life will be good but fail to realize it doesn't just happen...YOU have to make it happen. No one else can make things right or good in your life as that responsibility falls solely on you and you alone. Even in relationships one must make yourself happy in order to do good or be good for someone else.

Personally for me, being positive is simply my natural dispostion and I can't help but be an optimist in most situations. However, I FULLy agree with what Cheer said and realizing that things don't change themselves or won't magically change overnight also helps.

A journey of a thousand miles does only begin with that first step. Break it down and take tiny steps each minute, hour or day if necessary until you start to see some progress. Soon, you will look back and reflect on the changes you have made and see that little things DO make a difference.

For example today, start with attitude. Tell yourself that you are going to approach EVERYTHING (good and bad) that happens with a positive attitude. Doesn't mean you ahve to say yes to people but atleast learn to say no with a positive attitude. ;)

If necessary, keep coming back here and we will keep giving you pep talks....:D