How old are your children and how do your child feel about having a child care in your house? Do they see it as fun and they like having friends around all the time? Or do they think it's a nuisance?

Just wondering.

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My 4yo is happy with it, my SAs don't like it at all.

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Nope mine do not like it at all. They are 6 and my oldest will be 8 in two weeks. They are very excited that I have a new job outside the home with mothers hours

I think they dont like it because I cant talk to them about their day when they get home from school because there is always someone fighting or constantly saying my name as they try to talk to me. It makes me sad that my own kids want to have playdates instead of coming home after school So very soon they will have their mom back and their house.

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My kids are 14, 12, and 9. They used to like daycare when they were little, but not anymore. They do like the clothes on their backs, shoes on their feet, food on their table and activities they get to do. So, it is what it is!
I told them I would be happy to quite when they no longer want things to want to do things.

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my kids are 3 -13-15. They don't dislike it, I know they dislike certain kids in the care. The older ones really don't do too much with the kids and they know that they are just kids so they overlook the ones they don't like.

I am really lucky I guess. The only thing that they dont like is that they have to help me clean the DC room from top to bottom every sunday...

but they like that they get $15 each for helping.

my 3year old loves it. He cries when the kids leave because he wants his friends to stay and play.

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My DD7 still likes it. She is homeschooling next year, partly because she feels like she is missing out on all of our activities by going to school.

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THIS, this right here!

Have I mentioned how happy I am for you and your family!!!

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My daughter is 2.5 yo. She gets upset when I leave the house sometimes and before doing daycare she never did. She has fun and plays with the kids but sometimes she gets aggressive, which she never was before. I think it is hard for her to share a lot of toys that used to be just hers. Somedays she is excited to see dcks and other days she is not.

I think it is a positive thing that I am home with her and if I could be a stay at home mom instead I would not because I think playmates are important.

I hope once I get the daycare downstairs it will help separate her toys and daycare toys and our family time and daycare time.

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My mom did daycare and I HATED it when I was a teenager...but did not know that my mom paid for all of our clothes and extras with it until I was older. But what I didn't like the most was typical teenager things...I couldn't sleep in in the morning during the summer, I had to help my mom with the kids...

Now I am grateful for all of the help she made me do because I don't think I would have transitioned into my daycare career as easily. I love it now and I think my 20 month old DS loves it.

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This is similar to my daughter as well. She's just over 2 and she says that she likes it and that she likes her friends and she always gets excited when they come over, but the past couple of weeks she's been getting aggressive (she seems to be picking on certain children) and she's mad about sharing toys).

For ex, I bought a toy for preschool last night and this morning before everyone came I was playing it with her and then when kiddos came she got really upset. Usually she does well if I tell her first that something is for preschool, then she understands, but my mistake, I didn't think to say that before her and I started playing it.

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Thank you . I am so excited

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when I started dc I divided the toys. Preschool toys and my sons toys. I have a unique setup, so I was able to provide a dedicated DC room and then was able to put nice leather toy chest in my front room with my sons toys in them.
I can see my living room from my DC room no problem. So the living room is off limits to DC kids and so are the toys that are in it. My son did not ask to have the dc here so I did not feel that it was fair to ask him to be in DC 12 hours a day. When he starts to bump heads with the other kids or does not want to participate in something I can ask him to go to the front room and play. If he brings the toys from the front room to the DC they become free game. He is 3

This has worked well and I don't really have too many issues with it....

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I think my kids have mixed feelings on it. They are 2, 5, 8, 10, and I am due again this summer.

Now that we have designated daycare spaces, they are much better. When I had the oldest two and a baby, we were in a a little house where the entire house had some sort of daycare function. My kids had no personal space. That was hard. Now, we have a house where the daycare kids have never even seen any of our bedrooms. My kids know to keep their things upstairs and they never have to worry about a child being in their bedrooms or playing with their toys. My younger ones still have a harder time though because they are basically spending their days watching other kids play with their toys. I really feel bad for them after christmas or their birthdays. It doesn't seem fair that they have to share their new things, but they also don't want to not play with them all day.

Sometimes I don't like that I have a daycare for my own kids sake. There are days when I feel guilty that my time and enegry are spread further than my own. I often fantasize about the things I would do if I only had my kids home, but I also lesson plan for daycare and my kids participate in that. So I believe there are things we all give up, and others we gain.

I also make my kids help clean up after daycare. Sometimes they complain and I ask them if they like our home, having food to eat, and getting to do all the activities they enjoy. Well, the daycare is part of what makes all this possible for our family, so we all help to take care of all that that entails.

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I have a preteen who disikes it. He is embarrased to have friends come over even on weekends(all the daycare stuff). He has openly told me that it takes my time away from him. Breaks my heart. Sadly at this time we can't change things. I do wonder every night if I am giving my children as much as I give others. I wonder if my children will grow up and resent(sp?) that I chose to do daycare. I pray that when the preteen stages pass they all realize I do this so that CAN be here to watch them grow too

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My girls are ages 13, 11, 7, and 5. My older 2 REALLY dislike me doing daycare...it is not easy for them at all, they want their own space and hate being cooped up in their rooms just to get that personal space and even then, the kids get loud...my house is one story and pretty wide open so they hear everything. They don't get much of my attention because I have to take care of the thousand needs the younger kids seem to want/need. To my older 2, it's a nightmare and I'm thinking after this summer I will be keeping my eyes open for a daytime/no weekend job. I often fantasize what it would be like to have my house back with ONLY my kids.

My younger 2 have a love/hate relationship with daycare. They really do enjoy playing with the kids...but on the flip side they get annoyed with them a lot of time.

I don't know, there are pluses to daycare, but lately I'm finding more minuses...mostly seeing how this is negatively effecting my older 2 is crushing me. They want piece and quiet after school and it never is with all the younger kids. I wish I were rich and didn't need a second income, but that's not reality.

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my kids are 12,10,8,6 they don't complain. I have a 2 storey house so they can go upstairs if they want, and we have a seperate tv room too. I think its more, that they can't stand some kids (like the 2 I have now, but I don't like them either long story) but other wise they are good with the kids. I think it helps that I have so many of my own kids that they are use to always having kids, and they have said on many occasions that when I don't have kids over that its too quiet. Heck, my own children invite their friends over too, its never ending here

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UGH!!! My kids are 12, 10 & 7 and they like it to the point that they get on my nerves!!!

They SWEAR they work for me and have to tell me exactly what needs to be done and how to do it (they think I work for them rather). My oldest calls me on her bus ride home to see who's here and what's what. If the parents are not following the rules, she lets me know (in her opinion) that I need to get rid of them, LOL!!! The 10 and 7 year old are my activity directors as well as clean up crew.

I think they like it so far because my daycare is separate from our living quarters...it's upstairs in what used to be our family room. They don't have to share their rooms, living room, toys or anything. If they want to be involved they just pop in and pop back out when they're ready. Will it last??? Not sure, but I can't complain for now......

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Yeh, I agree with this. I do have most of the toys divided and she's usually really really good if I let her know ahead of time that something is for preschool, I just forgot to tell her yesterday morning .

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nope, not after age 4

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I think they like it most days. My 8 year old is big help with the kids. My 6 year old like playing in the childcare but I think as she gets older she won't like it. This will be our first summer since they are school age with me doing childcare (I did it went they were toddlers/preschoolers but took a break for a few years until this year)


My Biggest thing is I hate that I have to miss some school things as I don't get paid if I close. I try to make as many as I can though.

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I understand the resentment (SP?). I did feel like that for a long time, but I grew up. It might be a battle for a while, but in the end I knew that my mom was doing what was best for our family. Also, I realize now that since she did daycare she was able to be around me more and not less. I quit my job, to do daycare and one of the reasons was to be with my son more.

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Thank you! That makes me feel a lot better

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I swear pre-teens just look for ways to make their parents feel guilty. If you weren't doing child care, he'd probably be upset that you were working outside the house and were never home for him. If you were home with him and not working, he'd be upset that you were with him too much and he'd want more space.

My kids are 20 and 17. Although we've always had a very close, loving relationship with each other, there were times when they were pre-treens when it seemed we could do no right as far as they were concerned. Just the fact that we drew breathe annoyed and embarrassed them some days!

Try not to buy into the guilt. You know why you're doing day care and one of these days, he will understand, too. It may take until he's grown and a dad himself but there will come a time when he will get it.

For the record, my kids would throw a party if I decided to close the day care. They've never been thrilled about sharing our home with the dc kids but their complaints have lessened over the years. We've had many discussions over the years about the fact that I had to work to contribute financially to the family and that this job allowed me to be home for them when they needed me most. When they were younger, I would explain that they had a choice: they could be in someone else's day care (because I would have to find a job outside the home) or they could stay at home and be with me at my day care. Not that they ever had a real choice but they always chose to be at home. Once they hit preteen stage, I explained that my job was paying for their food, heat, electricity, tv, clothing, computer/internet, DVD's, etc, but if they were ready to give that all up, they should let me know. They got over it. Once in awhile, the 20yr old will say something about closing the day care. Now I just tell him that as soon as he graduates from college, gets a full-time job and can pay the bills I'm paying now, I'll consider it. Like I said, I don't hear as many complaints as I once did.

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My girls used to be love to share and play with the kids when they were little. Now my daughters are 8 1/2 years old and 10 years old don't like it at all. They need me the most and they are tired of me staying home all the time to do my job for the daycare kids until 6:30pm. I used to be having fun with my girls all the time if I am not working. I feel bad about this but I have decided I will be closing my daycare this summer since we are paying a lot of bills off. I will be out the house to have a lot of fun with my girls this whole summer and going back to college this fall when my girls go back to school. They can have their space back (no more daycare room) and I can be there for my girls more.

Truth is, I am soo tired to be staying in the house all the time. I have been doing daycare for 9 1/2 years. I think enough is enough.

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