Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Pregnant and No Maternity Leave as a DCP
Unregistered 05:48 AM 10-22-2009
I am due in February 2010 and I am not really able to close my day care or take off after I deliver the baby. I have found a substitute that is only able to work for me for 2 weeks. I am praying that there are no complications and everything should run smoothly after delivery, but I am concerned that my newborn will be exposed to other children and possible germs without having the full 6 weeks of shots that are required. I am choosing between the health of my baby and the income of having a full enrollment after she is born.
I have made my parents aware of my pregnancy, but I am very afraid of losing enrollment if I close down for maternity leave. I have only been in business for a year and a half and I can see that my parents didn't like it too much when I took a 1 week vacation in the summer. I am so discouraged now. Please offer plenty of advice because I am losing faith.
Reply
GretasLittleFriends 04:21 PM 10-22-2009
I am also pregnant and due in May 2010. I understand completely about not closing, as I don't plan to close either. I am not at all worried about my newborn getting germs from the other children. I read your post and gave it some thought, but realistically, I have a large family and everyone will come with their children/grandchildren to see our newborn. They're going to bring germs from all over Minneapolis/St Paul (we live in a very rural area). I figure my baby will be exposed to more germs from visiting friends and family then the baby will by my daycare children. Our other two children are in school and will also be bringing germs home, as school children do.

Maybe I'm a bad mother, but thinking back to when my 5yr old was an infant... I was in the National Guard. He was born on Thursday and Sunday afternoon I took him to a National Guard picnic at a park in the Portland (OR) Metro area. Germs were something that had never crossed my mind.

I guess I figure expose the germs early and the child will build it's immune system faster??
Reply
laundryduchess@yahoo.com 04:26 PM 10-22-2009
I took off days, mine are fine, no worries. I had one on a fri, sat was at a wedding.
Reply
tinytotzdaycare 05:16 AM 10-23-2009
Even if you can take of a few days and the weekend following that will be the best. It will give you time to rest up and get casught up on things as well before having the dc kiddos back into your home.

Buy lots of hand sanitizer and be clear that they are not to touch the baby, I would also send home a notice about illness and be firm on this!!

Good Luck with everything and remember...parents may get angry BUT if they care about you at all they will understand that you need time off as well, they for sure took time off when they had their babies!! I am amazed at how many parents forget that WE ARE PEOPLE TOO!!!

I thank god everyday for the families I have in my care, understanding, polite, and most of all they respect me and my family!!
Reply
jen 07:18 AM 10-23-2009
Contratulations on your pregnancy!!!

When I had my daughter, I did take off 8 weeks. What I did was call several providers in my area and explain the situation and ask if they would be willing to be put on a list of alternate providers that I passed on to my parents. ALL of my families came back after my maternity leave.

Financially it was difficult but definitely worth it. We saved a bit each week to cover maternity leave. You could also have a few PTO's...the Holidays are a great time for that.

Good luck!!! You can do it!
Reply
mrs.meg 06:44 PM 10-24-2009
I had a baby in June and I told the parents of the kids I watch early enough and I took 4 weeks off. They made arrangements with family and it worked out well. It was summertime, so I wasn't as nervous about the germs, also breastfeeding helps with immunities.
Reply
judytrickett 05:17 AM 10-26-2009
Congrats!:

Yeah, it sucks from the benefits side of daycare. I am in Canada and here moms get ONE WHOLE YEAR off with 55% of their normal pay for maternity leave. BUT, when you are self employed here, as are all daycare providers, we have to pay IN to the system but can't use it ourselves. So much for social welfare.

All I can say is it's really up to you. Take the amount of time YOU need. Also take into account how long you think your dcfamilies will wait around for you to return or how abundant the daycare market is in your area.

Good luck!
Reply
SimpleMom 11:11 AM 10-27-2009
I'm due in March. I'm taking 8 weeks off this time. Last time I took off only 4 thinking that was a marathon amount of time Turned out I was still exhausted and mentally/physically I wasn't ready for everyone back into my home so soon. I needed just a few more weeks to adjust and spend with my own kiddos.

My families have been really good about it. They all plan to come back as far as I know. I figure I will cross that bridge when I come to it.
Reply
GretasLittleFriends 02:22 PM 10-27-2009
I haven't talked to my own father yet (who is retired), but I have talked to my mother-in-law. She is retired from doing close to 30 years daycare. I kind of took for granted that she'd come and help me when the baby is born. I verified with her over the weekend, and she said she'd be more than willing to come to our house. She plans to bring their motor-home so she can still have her own space. It's what will work best for us. My husband will also be home for a couple of weeks in the beginning. I figure between the two that'll be 4 weeks, then if need be, my dad can come up. School will be out by then and my 14 yr old will be home each day too.

Not to mention I don't operate standard hours. Some days I only have an extra child or two. Honestly, there is only 1 day a week that would be hectic.
Reply
Chickenhauler 10:23 PM 10-27-2009
Originally Posted by GretasLittleFriends:
I haven't talked to my own father yet (who is retired), but I have talked to my mother-in-law. She is retired from doing close to 30 years daycare. I kind of took for granted that she'd come and help me when the baby is born. I verified with her over the weekend, and she said she'd be more than willing to come to our house. She plans to bring their motor-home so she can still have her own space. It's what will work best for us. My husband will also be home for a couple of weeks in the beginning. I figure between the two that'll be 4 weeks, then if need be, my dad can come up. School will be out by then and my 14 yr old will be home each day too.

Not to mention I don't operate standard hours. Some days I only have an extra child or two. Honestly, there is only 1 day a week that would be hectic.
You do realize that your mother in law will drag your father in law along (they're a package deal) and then your husband and your FIL will wander off on some project because they both have OCD?



(If you guys hadn't guessed it yet, she is my wife).


PS-your dad can stay home.....I'm not eating his chicken ketchup soup again.
Reply
mac60 03:04 AM 10-28-2009
So Chickenhauler and GrettasLittleFriends......you two are married. lol
Congratulations on the new baby to be.

I often wondered where Chickenhauler's other half was.
Reply
GretasLittleFriends 10:49 AM 10-28-2009
Yeah, I guess I'll claim him. Thanks for the congrats, Mac60.

As far as my dad coming up, I figured I'd have him come up once the house emptied out, after Ch goes back trucking, and the I-Ls go home; if need be.

My families all know about the upcoming baby, and they're all very supportive, at least so far. Each seemed overly relieved to know I planned to stay open. It is VERY difficult to find the hours I cover where we live. Most of my families are 2nd (ish) shift, one's shift changes frequently.
Reply
Chickenhauler 10:49 PM 10-28-2009
Originally Posted by mac60:
So Chickenhauler and GrettasLittleFriends......you two are married. lol
Congratulations on the new baby to be.

I often wondered where Chickenhauler's other half was.
It's not often she'll admit to me......sometimes I misbehave in public.

Like when people look you right in the eye in the store, and continue down the dead center of the aisle like you should somehow disappear? I stay to the right half, and ram their cart.

You know that guy that zips in and out of lanes like he's in a race and never signals? If I get up next to the guy at a red light, I have been known to very politely and neighborly like inform them "Hey, your turn signals are broke, they're not working, you might want to get that looked at".

Another one my favorites.....bus boy in a restaurant drops an entire pan of dishes (entire establishment goes silent).....I utter " Excuse me, I think you dropped something".
Reply
laundryduchess@yahoo.com 06:19 AM 10-29-2009
ok CH, I swear Ive seen your id somewhere else,... are you on rv.net?
and congrats, I figured out a couple weeks ago you guys were together. lol. but forget what exactly jarred my memory. maybe your defending her for long hours? or maybe the crazy gpa-mom situation? anyhoo,... I could swear Ive seen the id before. lol
Reply
GretasLittleFriends 06:29 AM 10-29-2009
Laundryduchess,
Ever heard of the site called Thumpertalk? It's a motorcycle/ATV site. They've recently expanded to include snowmobiles, and other things. He's on there a bit... The other one I know he frequents regularly is RedPower. It's a Farmall tractor website.

Oh, it was likely defending me for the long hours. As that conversation was going on I figured it seemed kind of obvious that we were married.
Reply
Chickenhauler 11:55 PM 10-29-2009
Originally Posted by GretasLittleFriends:
Laundryduchess,
Ever heard of the site called Thumpertalk? It's a motorcycle/ATV site. They've recently expanded to include snowmobiles, and other things. He's on there a bit...
Just a wee bit.......something like 14k posts is all.


The heart of the site is Four stroke off road motorcycles, but over time it has grown to cover on and off road bikes, atv's, sleds and jet ski's.
Reply
Tags:maternity, pregnant, substitute
Reply Up