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spedmommy4 09:50 PM 05-22-2015
To the OP, I have read through many of the threads and I have seen both positive and negative. IMO, it is the nature of what we do. I worked in childcare centers for years at the beginning of my career, before I got my Master's Degree.

Working in a center is challenging in it's own right. There are still challenging behaviors and challenging parents, but I had support. I could refer an angry parent to the director. I didn't have to worry about my paycheck. And I could go home at the end of the day and stop working. I miss the 40 hour work week and talking to my co workers.

Since I started my own home based preschool and childcare, typically, I work from 6:30 a.m-6:00 pm providing direct services to kids. I spend an additional 15-20 hours a week outside of these hours updating my website, marketing, returning potential client calls, preparing paperwork for client packets, working on payroll, filing for taxes, food program paperwork, lesson planning, billing, and more. My work weeks are long so I do vent. Daycare.com is an amazing resource for providers and has helped me to troubleshoot more than one difficult situation with a client.

Are there negative threads on here? I am sure. We all have rough weeks. And 70-80 hour work weeks take a toll. Working with young children is exceptionally rewarding work, but it is also challenging at times. Having a community to share the good and bad with, whether online or off, helps caregivers continue to do the important work they do each day.
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