I’ve been a home child care provider for most of my life. I started in 1996, took a break for a few years and then started back up again. I had 4 of my own children and went back to work within a week of giving birth to the two youngest. I’ve gotten divorced, remarried, offered 24/7 care, had operating hours of 7:30-3:30, didn’t take infants, did take infants, didn’t take schoolagers etc. At one time I worked as a director for a before/after program while running my program and going to school. Now I finished my BS in ECE (non teaching) thanks to the TEACH program and will be closing in a few months to start a center director job. Everything has changed over the years except this one thing and it’s time.

I’m so scared and excited and petrified and all the other emotions. I will make less money and still have no benefits so I’m not exactly sure it’s a upward move career wise but this last year made me realize I needed a change.

I’m so grateful for this board over the years. There have been so many conversations and ideas that helped me adjust my policies, procedures and ideas so my program would run smoothly.

The 24/48 sick policy made it rare that children were brought to care sick.

The rates based on pick up time helped me shorten my work day AND make more money.

The having parents pay before care saved me from having to chase payments.

The charging more for part time helped my business be successful.

Nanny D’s book helped me put into words the types of parents I’ve experienced and to recognize which types would and wouldn’t be a good fit for my program.

I could go on and on. So many of these practices are becoming common place now but they didn’t used to be.

Most of all though, the posts helped me develop a backbone, trust my gut and look for red flags during interviews so a lot of the woes of running a home childcare were rare.

Gigi out...well kind of...I’m still in the business.

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