Just curious if there is anyone who still reads the forum who may have closed their daycare and was able to get a job doing something else? I closed mine in 2014 after 9yrs of the craziness and was completely burned out. I opened a store and had quite a bit of success with it until everyone decided to do the same and ultimately, I had to close the store due to lack of sales. I still do some custom work from home. In the meantime, I foolishly thought watching a friend's baby pt would fill in until I could find something else. I have had absolutely NO luck. I might get an interview here or there, but they always choose someone else. I have a ton of great experience, as I've always had a side business along with the daycare. The last time I have worked for someone else was 17yrs ago though, so I suppose it is far easier to choose someone with current work history that is not self-employment.

I need to do something, as I am a single mom and my cushion has run out and my exhusband decided to quit his job last month so I did not get child support from him. I have thought long and hard about reopening my daycare since I already have a baby in care and I never had a problem getting people before...but I just can't do it. The stress is too much. Heck, just with the one I have, the mom asks for an extra hour at least one out of three days...and baby is held a lot at home so nothing has changed in the two years I was away from daycare. Parents still push boundaries and whatnot...I can't go back to more of that. I would like to be done with the one that I do have and let someone else be the boss for a while. Am I crazy?

Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

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Regardless of his employment status, your ex should still pay child support. Sorry. Have you considered being a nanny ? I love it and the money is pretty good.

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Yes, he should pay, but if there is no money, there is no money. I will eventually get it when he gets a job and they collect the arrears owed.

I have never considered being a nanny. There would still be all the same parent and child issues as caring for one in my house and I'd rather stay home then. I'd really like to be done with childcare completely. I did shipping and inventory control before kids and would love to get back into that.

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Have you considered working from home? Places like uh ail and amazon hire customer service rep to work out their home.
Fancy hands and lion bridge are more task job (making calls or computer work for virtual clients) take longer to get into but pay well.

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I was a provider for 15 yrs. Then took my father-in-law (alzhiemers)and special needs adult sister inlaw to live with us. I thought I could care for them and run the childcare. No. So I closed down and spent 2 yrs as a caretaker. Then he passed away and I sent her to adult DC. I took a job as a nanny for 2 families. I did not like being a worker instead of my own boss. Then I got a job at a daycare center and worked mothers hours. That was a little better but not great money and my children were home alone when sick. So I reopened after my SIL passed away. I only closed last year after a heart attack and that was 15 more years of family childcare. I liked being home for my kids then my grandsons attended the daycare it worked out. Depending on how old your son is you could make DC work to your advantage. Start of with a good contract and hours you can live with. You are already caring for 2 children whats a few more (LOL). there IS A LOT TO BE SAID FOR BEING YOUR OWN BOSS. YOU COULD PUT A 5 YR plan in effect. Do it for that long and train for something else when you want. Good luck

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Do you have a bachelor's degree? Subject doesn't matter.

I do online teaching in the mornings before the daycare opens. It's really fun. If you have reliable Internet and a bachelor's degree, pm me!

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I will look into these! Thank you!

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I wish I did, but I just wanted to be a stay at home mom so never went to college. I have taught painting and scrapbooking classes, which I could do again. Thanks for the inspiration.

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I just have one right now. My kids are jr high and high school age so they are not at home except in the summer, which really would be hard to give up. I have a contract and do contracted hours for the baby I care for. You make good points about not having to work for someone else, but sometimes I feel like I have to decide and take care of EVERYTHING....where a regular job could just be done at the end of the day. Right now, I care for 3 acres of yard and run a household on my own, plus I have this daycare baby who is a little high maintenance, a painting business that I do when baby is not here, and I hold 2 offices for our booster club, and I am organizing two fundraisers this year with that. I go to bed exhausted and wake up the same. A regular job seems like it would be a vacation! The only things I can drop would be the 2nd fundraiser and the baby...but sometimes he is all the money Inget for the week so I feel like I need to keep him until I figure something else out. It's a vicious circle!

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Should be "I get" not Inget. Fat fingers!

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Has anyone signed up with Fancy Hands or Lion Bridge? Looks interesting, but makes me nervous when I'm not familiar with the sites.

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Can I PM you about this? One day I'd like to do daycare less (maybe I'll only accept teacher's children and close during the summer) and this might help!

I have my bachelor's, I'm two classes away from my master's, and I'm a certified teacher.

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