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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Your Hours- New Provider
trix23 04:10 PM 03-28-2017
I'm curious - when all of you were new providers, would you work any hours/days, 24/7 care, or do only specific hours on M-F, etc?
Have a family wanting to do 11am-8pm for a 4 year old and I am considering it- currently only have drop-in kids and need income. But I also don't want to be working crazy long days.
Would you do this if new?
Have a family wanting to do 11am-8pm for a 4 year old and I am considering it- currently only have drop-in kids and need income. But I also don't want to be working crazy long days.
Would you do this if new?
Kajada 04:21 PM 03-28-2017
I wouldn't, but it's up to you! Your business, your decision. I've been running my daycare for less than a year (I know, so green) and my hours are 7:30 - 5:30. However, individual contracts are based on work hours. The parents drop off their kid(s) on the way to work, and pick them up on the way home. I have one kid who is in care 10 hours a day (based on mom's work schedule and my personal max), the others are here 8 or 9 hours. I'm just not interested in providing evening or weekend care right now. That's family time for us.
Pestle 04:24 PM 03-28-2017
I'm new and no way. I've read enough horror stories on here to know I don't want the behavioral issues that come with such long hours. A 4yo needs to be asleep by 8pm so I'd expect trouble on that front, and if I had any other kids at all I'd basically be working 14- or 15-hr days.
JackandJill 04:29 PM 03-28-2017
I worked 6-6 when I first opened. I have found that daycare kids in the house after 5 feels really intrusive to my family. Everyone is ready to unwind and relax and that is hard to do with clients still in the house, no matter how laid back they claim to be.
I watched my friend's girls in the evening while she took a class for 6 weeks, and even then I was burnt out, kids are a lot of work in the evenings!
If you are on the fence, maybe do it for a trial period before you decide to commit to it.
I watched my friend's girls in the evening while she took a class for 6 weeks, and even then I was burnt out, kids are a lot of work in the evenings!
If you are on the fence, maybe do it for a trial period before you decide to commit to it.
Ariana 04:39 PM 03-28-2017
I would do it if I needed the money. Do you habe to put them to bed or do the kids wait to be picked up?
With your other drop in kids it will end up being a long 12+ hour day but again if you need the money its the kind of thing you need to do. Lots of parents work shift work and need weird hours, nothing wrong with it. I provide part time care to parents because many don't do it.
With your other drop in kids it will end up being a long 12+ hour day but again if you need the money its the kind of thing you need to do. Lots of parents work shift work and need weird hours, nothing wrong with it. I provide part time care to parents because many don't do it.
Mike 05:14 PM 03-28-2017
I haven't made any final decisions for when I start up yet, but seriously considering starting with 24/7 care to have a broader market, then once I get a couple clients, decide on my real hours based on what the market seems to need the most.
Unregistered 05:27 PM 03-28-2017
For 10 years I was open 6am-5:30pm and it didn't bother me a bit. I have an addition so child care is/was completely separate, which I feel made it easier. For awhile during this time I had two sweet little girls during second shift-I think till 10:00pm, but possibly it was till 8:00. It was a long time ago!!
Again I needed the $. Small rural area. It didn't bother me at all. My girls were late grade school/early middle school so they were not super young and part of my child care.
It could easily burn you out. It just depends on your situation, your personality, etc.
I wouldn't do it now. Things change.
Again I needed the $. Small rural area. It didn't bother me at all. My girls were late grade school/early middle school so they were not super young and part of my child care.
It could easily burn you out. It just depends on your situation, your personality, etc.
I wouldn't do it now. Things change.
Unregistered 05:49 PM 03-28-2017
No I would not work long hours or weekends. When I first opened I was open M-F 7am-4:30pm since that's about the same hours as preschools and other providers were offering here. Families did enroll but I found I was getting burnt out fast and started not not like what I did even though I closed for holidays. I eventually started shorting my hours as new families enrolled and picked up earlier. I even increased my rates. I have been open for five years now and am now open M-Thurs 8am-3pm and only offer part time care, take more vacation days, and still have families enrolled/ interested in enrolling.
CityGarden 05:50 PM 03-28-2017
I am new and would not do it. You have to personally know what your limits are and what you are willing to compromise as a new provider "paying your dues" ---- for me I am taking children not potty trained and a little younger than my ideal.
You also have to think about your program will you have the energy to give children in the day if you kept a child until 8pm the night prior.
You also have to think about your program will you have the energy to give children in the day if you kept a child until 8pm the night prior.
jenboo 06:36 PM 03-28-2017
From personal experience, you will regret it within a couple months.
It takes time but you will find kids for the hours you want to work.
It takes time but you will find kids for the hours you want to work.
CityGarden 08:21 PM 03-28-2017
Originally Posted by jenboo:
From personal experience, you will regret it within a couple months.
It takes time but you will find kids for the hours you want to work.
From personal experience, you will regret it within a couple months.
It takes time but you will find kids for the hours you want to work.
I agree with this and needed the reminder tonight.
Pandaluver21 09:11 PM 03-28-2017
I did 24 hr drop in care for a while. NEVER again :P I absolutely love my job, but it was insane. We ended up going to 7am-5pm (ish) but also had my nephews living with us (3 and 4yrs old at the time) We are now 7:45am-5:15pm, but offer "out of hour" care on a case by case basis with additional fees.
Aussiedaycare 09:51 PM 03-28-2017
About 6 months after I started I would start with a 9 year old boy at 3am. He would come in and go straight back to bed and so would I, then I would get up at 7am, wake everyone up, have all my other children arrive at 7.30am and take the 3am start to school at 8.30am. I would then work until 3pm with my under school age children before going to pick up a 7 year old girl from school.
I would then have all the children until 6pm when the under school age would all go home and I would have the 7 year old until 11pm. I lasted 3 months
I have also worked 7 until 7, 7 until 6, 6 until 6 and everything else in between. If nothing else it lets you 'trial' what works for you - now I will NOT start before 8am no matter the amount of money and I will NOT go past 5.00 in Winter but am happy to go until 6pm in the Summer - all trial and error
I would then have all the children until 6pm when the under school age would all go home and I would have the 7 year old until 11pm. I lasted 3 months
I have also worked 7 until 7, 7 until 6, 6 until 6 and everything else in between. If nothing else it lets you 'trial' what works for you - now I will NOT start before 8am no matter the amount of money and I will NOT go past 5.00 in Winter but am happy to go until 6pm in the Summer - all trial and error
Josiegirl 04:10 AM 03-29-2017
For awhile I 'needed' the income so I happily took 3 boys on Saturdays. BIG mistake. I'd rather do without until the right dcfs come along. Even a few extra hours can be exhausting, irritating, take much-needed time away from you, your family, much needed down time(which to me equals mental breaks). I think I'd figure out how much $ I'd make and try to do without instead of adding on. But JMO
Jupadia 05:13 AM 03-29-2017
I work 7am till 6pm. If I could I would stop at 5pm but I have to many requests till 6pm.
When I first started I was doing some Saturday s for a family basically two on two off. But I had a contract with family that it was consisted "family time" so we would take DK with us if we went to beach or supermarket or where ever. I did put a stop to them when I was 8 months pregnant with my last cause 6 day weeks were to much.
I also offer additional time outside care hours but it's 10 per hour so parents don't realy ask about it.
When I first started I was doing some Saturday s for a family basically two on two off. But I had a contract with family that it was consisted "family time" so we would take DK with us if we went to beach or supermarket or where ever. I did put a stop to them when I was 8 months pregnant with my last cause 6 day weeks were to much.
I also offer additional time outside care hours but it's 10 per hour so parents don't realy ask about it.
DaveA 05:26 AM 03-29-2017
My hours are 6a-5pm M-F. It's all I'm licensed for and I don't watch children outside of daycare hours.
debbiedoeszip 05:32 AM 03-29-2017
Originally Posted by trix23:
I'm curious - when all of you were new providers, would you work any hours/days, 24/7 care, or do only specific hours on M-F, etc?
Have a family wanting to do 11am-8pm for a 4 year old and I am considering it- currently only have drop-in kids and need income. But I also don't want to be working crazy long days.
Would you do this if new?
There is a provider in my area who provides 24/7 care but as a parent I'd be worried about her stress levels and burnout. I'd not want my child with someone who never has scheduled/regular down time.I'm curious - when all of you were new providers, would you work any hours/days, 24/7 care, or do only specific hours on M-F, etc?
Have a family wanting to do 11am-8pm for a 4 year old and I am considering it- currently only have drop-in kids and need income. But I also don't want to be working crazy long days.
Would you do this if new?
My hours are 6:30am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. I've had no problems filling spaces. I guess it depends on your area and what the workplaces hours are. In my area, there is a large Air Force base and day shift hours are 7:30-4:00. There is also a lot of manufacturing and day shift for most plants (unless they have 12hr shifts) is 7:00-3:30. My opening hours covers both types of work places, and also the 9-5er.
Many of the AF spouses work later shifts and sometimes I'll have mom drop off around 8 or so, and then dad picks up around 4:30. Love that! Not as much full time need, though. I have only one child who is FT, the others are PT.
momofsix 05:55 AM 03-29-2017
I have done extended hours in the past, but won't any longer, just because I don't need to.
I had two separate families that stayed through dinner until about 8pm. One family ft for about a year until moms work hours changed. The other family pt until they aged out of my care. Both families were really good kids, and were kids that my own dd's loved and helped with. I think if my kids were annoyed by the dckids it would have been much different. My kids were all 12+ at that time, I think it would have been too much if they were younger.
I think it depends on what you feel you need to do financially and if you think you will be ok with the hours. We're all wired differently
I had two separate families that stayed through dinner until about 8pm. One family ft for about a year until moms work hours changed. The other family pt until they aged out of my care. Both families were really good kids, and were kids that my own dd's loved and helped with. I think if my kids were annoyed by the dckids it would have been much different. My kids were all 12+ at that time, I think it would have been too much if they were younger.
I think it depends on what you feel you need to do financially and if you think you will be ok with the hours. We're all wired differently
Blackcat31 06:16 AM 03-29-2017
As a new provider I took kids on odd shifts.
It wasn't a huge deal as I had small kids of my own so I was already always in caretaker mode anyways. Plus my DH worked long hours away from home so it was a good way to get my name out there, gain some experience and earn some income.
After a few months of doing that I shored up my hours to 6PM at night and NO WEEKENDS. I still took kids early in the morning though (had a DCK dropped off at 5 a.m.) and still worked until 6.
By the end of my first year in business I was FULL! Like REALLY FULL! I think in hindsight, it was because I took all the part time, odd hour families but either way it helped alot both financially and business-wise/advertising.
After the 3rd year, I had enough clients that I was able to start weaning out the things I simply could no longer deal with.....first change was changing my closing time to 5:30 vs 6 and changed my opening time to 6:30. Made a HUGE difference.
Then I changed my rate structure and rather than charge hourly, I started charging daily no matter how many hours a child attended. That change decreases ALOT of my stress from having a part time kid in the morning and another part timer in the afternoon.... that over sharing caused overlapping attendance and ratios issues so I just couldn't do it....switching to whole days for rates eliminated the issue all together which in turn eliminated my stress too.
Over the years since then, I've shored up and tightened ALOT of things. Most of them rooted in MY PERSONAL need to be with my own family, have time away from work and simply not be so overworked.
I've also let go of some things too so the changes happen both ways in my opinion. You realize what makes you happy as a person, as a family and you realize what things are worth putting up with for the money and what things are not worth it and you adjust accordingly.
Daycare is an forever evolving business and when you make a change, there is always fall out from that change (both good and bad as well as personal and business changes) but bottom line is I truly believe that you must work FOR your business before your business will ever work FOR you.
So doing things now that you might not be willing to do later is okay. It's okay to change things when they no longer work. If the money is good (and/or needed) then I would do it. I would however agree to things with the mindset that you WILL change it when it no longer works for you/your family. Even if that means you are inconveniencing a client or upsetting them.
THAT is the beauty of self-employment.
It wasn't a huge deal as I had small kids of my own so I was already always in caretaker mode anyways. Plus my DH worked long hours away from home so it was a good way to get my name out there, gain some experience and earn some income.
After a few months of doing that I shored up my hours to 6PM at night and NO WEEKENDS. I still took kids early in the morning though (had a DCK dropped off at 5 a.m.) and still worked until 6.
By the end of my first year in business I was FULL! Like REALLY FULL! I think in hindsight, it was because I took all the part time, odd hour families but either way it helped alot both financially and business-wise/advertising.
After the 3rd year, I had enough clients that I was able to start weaning out the things I simply could no longer deal with.....first change was changing my closing time to 5:30 vs 6 and changed my opening time to 6:30. Made a HUGE difference.
Then I changed my rate structure and rather than charge hourly, I started charging daily no matter how many hours a child attended. That change decreases ALOT of my stress from having a part time kid in the morning and another part timer in the afternoon.... that over sharing caused overlapping attendance and ratios issues so I just couldn't do it....switching to whole days for rates eliminated the issue all together which in turn eliminated my stress too.
Over the years since then, I've shored up and tightened ALOT of things. Most of them rooted in MY PERSONAL need to be with my own family, have time away from work and simply not be so overworked.
I've also let go of some things too so the changes happen both ways in my opinion. You realize what makes you happy as a person, as a family and you realize what things are worth putting up with for the money and what things are not worth it and you adjust accordingly.
Daycare is an forever evolving business and when you make a change, there is always fall out from that change (both good and bad as well as personal and business changes) but bottom line is I truly believe that you must work FOR your business before your business will ever work FOR you.
So doing things now that you might not be willing to do later is okay. It's okay to change things when they no longer work. If the money is good (and/or needed) then I would do it. I would however agree to things with the mindset that you WILL change it when it no longer works for you/your family. Even if that means you are inconveniencing a client or upsetting them.
THAT is the beauty of self-employment.
Mike 07:08 AM 03-29-2017
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
As a new provider I took kids on odd shifts.
It wasn't a huge deal as I had small kids of my own so I was already always in caretaker mode anyways. Plus my DH worked long hours away from home so it was a good way to get my name out there, gain some experience and earn some income.
After a few months of doing that I shored up my hours to 6PM at night and NO WEEKENDS. I still took kids early in the morning though (had a DCK dropped off at 5 a.m.) and still worked until 6.
By the end of my first year in business I was FULL! Like REALLY FULL! I think in hindsight, it was because I took all the part time, odd hour families but either way it helped alot both financially and business-wise/advertising.
After the 3rd year, I had enough clients that I was able to start weaning out the things I simply could no longer deal with.....first change was changing my closing time to 5:30 vs 6 and changed my opening time to 6:30. Made a HUGE difference.
Then I changed my rate structure and rather than charge hourly, I started charging daily no matter how many hours a child attended. That change decreases ALOT of my stress from having a part time kid in the morning and another part timer in the afternoon.... that over sharing caused overlapping attendance and ratios issues so I just couldn't do it....switching to whole days for rates eliminated the issue all together which in turn eliminated my stress too.
Over the years since then, I've shored up and tightened ALOT of things. Most of them rooted in MY PERSONAL need to be with my own family, have time away from work and simply not be so overworked.
I've also let go of some things too so the changes happen both ways in my opinion. You realize what makes you happy as a person, as a family and you realize what things are worth putting up with for the money and what things are not worth it and you adjust accordingly.
Daycare is an forever evolving business and when you make a change, there is always fall out from that change (both good and bad as well as personal and business changes) but bottom line is I truly believe that you must work FOR your business before your business will ever work FOR you.
So doing things now that you might not be willing to do later is okay. It's okay to change things when they no longer work. If the money is good (and/or needed) then I would do it. I would however agree to things with the mindset that you WILL change it when it no longer works for you/your family. Even if that means you are inconveniencing a client or upsetting them.
THAT is the beauty of self-employment.
That's why I've been self-employed most of my life. Always equals longer hours because actual work time isn't all there is to self-employment, but the hours are pretty much under my control. As a new provider I took kids on odd shifts.
It wasn't a huge deal as I had small kids of my own so I was already always in caretaker mode anyways. Plus my DH worked long hours away from home so it was a good way to get my name out there, gain some experience and earn some income.
After a few months of doing that I shored up my hours to 6PM at night and NO WEEKENDS. I still took kids early in the morning though (had a DCK dropped off at 5 a.m.) and still worked until 6.
By the end of my first year in business I was FULL! Like REALLY FULL! I think in hindsight, it was because I took all the part time, odd hour families but either way it helped alot both financially and business-wise/advertising.
After the 3rd year, I had enough clients that I was able to start weaning out the things I simply could no longer deal with.....first change was changing my closing time to 5:30 vs 6 and changed my opening time to 6:30. Made a HUGE difference.
Then I changed my rate structure and rather than charge hourly, I started charging daily no matter how many hours a child attended. That change decreases ALOT of my stress from having a part time kid in the morning and another part timer in the afternoon.... that over sharing caused overlapping attendance and ratios issues so I just couldn't do it....switching to whole days for rates eliminated the issue all together which in turn eliminated my stress too.
Over the years since then, I've shored up and tightened ALOT of things. Most of them rooted in MY PERSONAL need to be with my own family, have time away from work and simply not be so overworked.
I've also let go of some things too so the changes happen both ways in my opinion. You realize what makes you happy as a person, as a family and you realize what things are worth putting up with for the money and what things are not worth it and you adjust accordingly.
Daycare is an forever evolving business and when you make a change, there is always fall out from that change (both good and bad as well as personal and business changes) but bottom line is I truly believe that you must work FOR your business before your business will ever work FOR you.
So doing things now that you might not be willing to do later is okay. It's okay to change things when they no longer work. If the money is good (and/or needed) then I would do it. I would however agree to things with the mindset that you WILL change it when it no longer works for you/your family. Even if that means you are inconveniencing a client or upsetting them.
THAT is the beauty of self-employment.
childcaremom 08:33 AM 03-29-2017
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
As a new provider I took kids on odd shifts.
It wasn't a huge deal as I had small kids of my own so I was already always in caretaker mode anyways. Plus my DH worked long hours away from home so it was a good way to get my name out there, gain some experience and earn some income.
After a few months of doing that I shored up my hours to 6PM at night and NO WEEKENDS. I still took kids early in the morning though (had a DCK dropped off at 5 a.m.) and still worked until 6.
By the end of my first year in business I was FULL! Like REALLY FULL! I think in hindsight, it was because I took all the part time, odd hour families but either way it helped alot both financially and business-wise/advertising.
After the 3rd year, I had enough clients that I was able to start weaning out the things I simply could no longer deal with.....first change was changing my closing time to 5:30 vs 6 and changed my opening time to 6:30. Made a HUGE difference.
Then I changed my rate structure and rather than charge hourly, I started charging daily no matter how many hours a child attended. That change decreases ALOT of my stress from having a part time kid in the morning and another part timer in the afternoon.... that over sharing caused overlapping attendance and ratios issues so I just couldn't do it....switching to whole days for rates eliminated the issue all together which in turn eliminated my stress too.
Over the years since then, I've shored up and tightened ALOT of things. Most of them rooted in MY PERSONAL need to be with my own family, have time away from work and simply not be so overworked.
I've also let go of some things too so the changes happen both ways in my opinion. You realize what makes you happy as a person, as a family and you realize what things are worth putting up with for the money and what things are not worth it and you adjust accordingly.
Daycare is an forever evolving business and when you make a change, there is always fall out from that change (both good and bad as well as personal and business changes) but bottom line is I truly believe that you must work FOR your business before your business will ever work FOR you.
So doing things now that you might not be willing to do later is okay. It's okay to change things when they no longer work. If the money is good (and/or needed) then I would do it. I would however agree to things with the mindset that you WILL change it when it no longer works for you/your family. Even if that means you are inconveniencing a client or upsetting them.
THAT is the beauty of self-employment.
This is good advice. I worked odd hours when I first opened. Then once I was full, advertised to replace with clients who fit in the hours that I wanted to be open.As a new provider I took kids on odd shifts.
It wasn't a huge deal as I had small kids of my own so I was already always in caretaker mode anyways. Plus my DH worked long hours away from home so it was a good way to get my name out there, gain some experience and earn some income.
After a few months of doing that I shored up my hours to 6PM at night and NO WEEKENDS. I still took kids early in the morning though (had a DCK dropped off at 5 a.m.) and still worked until 6.
By the end of my first year in business I was FULL! Like REALLY FULL! I think in hindsight, it was because I took all the part time, odd hour families but either way it helped alot both financially and business-wise/advertising.
After the 3rd year, I had enough clients that I was able to start weaning out the things I simply could no longer deal with.....first change was changing my closing time to 5:30 vs 6 and changed my opening time to 6:30. Made a HUGE difference.
Then I changed my rate structure and rather than charge hourly, I started charging daily no matter how many hours a child attended. That change decreases ALOT of my stress from having a part time kid in the morning and another part timer in the afternoon.... that over sharing caused overlapping attendance and ratios issues so I just couldn't do it....switching to whole days for rates eliminated the issue all together which in turn eliminated my stress too.
Over the years since then, I've shored up and tightened ALOT of things. Most of them rooted in MY PERSONAL need to be with my own family, have time away from work and simply not be so overworked.
I've also let go of some things too so the changes happen both ways in my opinion. You realize what makes you happy as a person, as a family and you realize what things are worth putting up with for the money and what things are not worth it and you adjust accordingly.
Daycare is an forever evolving business and when you make a change, there is always fall out from that change (both good and bad as well as personal and business changes) but bottom line is I truly believe that you must work FOR your business before your business will ever work FOR you.
So doing things now that you might not be willing to do later is okay. It's okay to change things when they no longer work. If the money is good (and/or needed) then I would do it. I would however agree to things with the mindset that you WILL change it when it no longer works for you/your family. Even if that means you are inconveniencing a client or upsetting them.
THAT is the beauty of self-employment.
I continuously adapt my business to my personal life now. I chose daycare so that I was here for my family and my own children. Those needs have changed over the years and my business has changed along with those needs.
In other words, just because you have x hours right now, doesn't mean you have to keep them forever. Changes are allowed.
Laurie 10:20 AM 03-29-2017
I was going to post pretty much the same thing Blackcat posted. All of us who have had our daycare for years have changed and evolved over time. Start out with what you're comfortable taking on. If you need the money and don't mind the hours, then go for it. It's not set in stone and you can change once that child's gone. I personally would never do 24/7 since I do have a life outside of my daycare! lol
When I started 24yrs ago, my hours were 7am-7pm! I kept those hours for a while and then changed them once I figured what hours most were coming and going. I currently have my hours set at 7:30am-5:30pm.
When I started 24yrs ago, my hours were 7am-7pm! I kept those hours for a while and then changed them once I figured what hours most were coming and going. I currently have my hours set at 7:30am-5:30pm.
daycarediva 11:18 AM 03-29-2017
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
As a new provider I took kids on odd shifts.
It wasn't a huge deal as I had small kids of my own so I was already always in caretaker mode anyways. Plus my DH worked long hours away from home so it was a good way to get my name out there, gain some experience and earn some income.
After a few months of doing that I shored up my hours to 6PM at night and NO WEEKENDS. I still took kids early in the morning though (had a DCK dropped off at 5 a.m.) and still worked until 6.
By the end of my first year in business I was FULL! Like REALLY FULL! I think in hindsight, it was because I took all the part time, odd hour families but either way it helped alot both financially and business-wise/advertising.
After the 3rd year, I had enough clients that I was able to start weaning out the things I simply could no longer deal with.....first change was changing my closing time to 5:30 vs 6 and changed my opening time to 6:30. Made a HUGE difference.
Then I changed my rate structure and rather than charge hourly, I started charging daily no matter how many hours a child attended. That change decreases ALOT of my stress from having a part time kid in the morning and another part timer in the afternoon.... that over sharing caused overlapping attendance and ratios issues so I just couldn't do it....switching to whole days for rates eliminated the issue all together which in turn eliminated my stress too.
Over the years since then, I've shored up and tightened ALOT of things. Most of them rooted in MY PERSONAL need to be with my own family, have time away from work and simply not be so overworked.
I've also let go of some things too so the changes happen both ways in my opinion. You realize what makes you happy as a person, as a family and you realize what things are worth putting up with for the money and what things are not worth it and you adjust accordingly.
Daycare is an forever evolving business and when you make a change, there is always fall out from that change (both good and bad as well as personal and business changes) but bottom line is I truly believe that you must work FOR your business before your business will ever work FOR you.
So doing things now that you might not be willing to do later is okay. It's okay to change things when they no longer work. If the money is good (and/or needed) then I would do it. I would however agree to things with the mindset that you WILL change it when it no longer works for you/your family. Even if that means you are inconveniencing a client or upsetting them.
THAT is the beauty of self-employment.
this, exactly. It took me a couple of years at our current location to even bother with licensing. I was full after those 2 years and rarely advertising. I started changing policies, tightening up hours, raised rates, etc. Now I work 7:45-5.As a new provider I took kids on odd shifts.
It wasn't a huge deal as I had small kids of my own so I was already always in caretaker mode anyways. Plus my DH worked long hours away from home so it was a good way to get my name out there, gain some experience and earn some income.
After a few months of doing that I shored up my hours to 6PM at night and NO WEEKENDS. I still took kids early in the morning though (had a DCK dropped off at 5 a.m.) and still worked until 6.
By the end of my first year in business I was FULL! Like REALLY FULL! I think in hindsight, it was because I took all the part time, odd hour families but either way it helped alot both financially and business-wise/advertising.
After the 3rd year, I had enough clients that I was able to start weaning out the things I simply could no longer deal with.....first change was changing my closing time to 5:30 vs 6 and changed my opening time to 6:30. Made a HUGE difference.
Then I changed my rate structure and rather than charge hourly, I started charging daily no matter how many hours a child attended. That change decreases ALOT of my stress from having a part time kid in the morning and another part timer in the afternoon.... that over sharing caused overlapping attendance and ratios issues so I just couldn't do it....switching to whole days for rates eliminated the issue all together which in turn eliminated my stress too.
Over the years since then, I've shored up and tightened ALOT of things. Most of them rooted in MY PERSONAL need to be with my own family, have time away from work and simply not be so overworked.
I've also let go of some things too so the changes happen both ways in my opinion. You realize what makes you happy as a person, as a family and you realize what things are worth putting up with for the money and what things are not worth it and you adjust accordingly.
Daycare is an forever evolving business and when you make a change, there is always fall out from that change (both good and bad as well as personal and business changes) but bottom line is I truly believe that you must work FOR your business before your business will ever work FOR you.
So doing things now that you might not be willing to do later is okay. It's okay to change things when they no longer work. If the money is good (and/or needed) then I would do it. I would however agree to things with the mindset that you WILL change it when it no longer works for you/your family. Even if that means you are inconveniencing a client or upsetting them.
THAT is the beauty of self-employment.