Daycare With Your Own Kids

[boy_mom]

I closed my daycare about a year and a half ago when we moved houses. By the time I closed I was sooo burnt out, opening at the new house wasn't even an option for me. One of my biggest problems was my older son, he and I are very similiar and would butt heads OFTEN! There were other things that I struggled with but I felt like I was starting figure out.

I've been working for a nanny placement agency since closing and it's fine, but it doesn't pay nearly the same as having a home daycare.

I guess my question is, have any of you found it easier to work in child care without your children present? Both my kids will be in school next fall and I am thinking it maybe a good time to try a smaller scale, part time child care again. I cant tell if it is just time that has made me forget how stressed I was, or if it was the dynamic of dealing with my own kids as well as others.

Would love to hear anyone's advice or experience!

[DaveA]

It is different. You'll still be dealing with them, but not as much and in a different way. Plus you can tailor your program this time more to what you want to do simply because your family's needs have changed. If you wait till they start school to reopen that's over a 2 year break. Plenty of time to recharge the batteries so to speak.

[amberrose3dg]

Originally Posted by boy_mom

I closed my daycare about a year and a half ago when we moved houses. By the time I closed I was sooo burnt out, opening at the new house wasn't even an option for me. One of my biggest problems was my older son, he and I are very similiar and would butt heads OFTEN! There were other things that I struggled with but I felt like I was starting figure out.

I've been working for a nanny placement agency since closing and it's fine, but it doesn't pay nearly the same as having a home daycare.

I guess my question is, have any of you found it easier to work in child care without your children present? Both my kids will be in school next fall and I am thinking it maybe a good time to try a smaller scale, part time child care again. I cant tell if it is just time that has made me forget how stressed I was, or if it was the dynamic of dealing with my own kids as well as others.

Would love to hear anyone's advice or experience!

I have one in school and one who is not. The one not in school does push buttons at times. She however grew up with the kids and generally gets along. It is easier with your own kids out of the way so to speak. My kids are not my issue on why im burnt out. It is the parents issues that are doing me in. If your own children were the reason why you closed then yes it will probably get easier.

[Pestle]

My child started exhibiting some significant behavioral problems when I had her in my daycare.

[Jupadia]

I have one in care and one at school. Thd older one can drive me nuts when here all day. As well during his last year before school started but he was the oldest of the group so I think some of it came from that. The next closest to him was a year younger and he had to watch friends leave and go to school a year before him. (Due to cut off dates). My younger guy is so far doing fine but he has 2 other kids a 1/2 year older ghen him. They all be starting school at same time, though I dont think any will go to his school. As well he gets 1 to 2 days off of daycare per week. His nana takes him those days, and they get to go to a play group.
This year with the older one I also allow him to play away from the DJ, in his room or what not. (Not a problem to have him somewhere else in house with my regulations)

[CountryRoads]

My child (3yo) is a terror at my daycare!
No joke. He is my most difficult child for sure. I hate to say this, but my days go so much smoother when he isn't here - which is not often, unfortunately.

He can be the most sweet and caring boy, but when the other kids are here, he's different. He hits, he throws, and is just generally loud and whiney. My daycare is on a different floor, so no one is using his own toys or in his room or anything.

What's worse, is at pick-up, he tends to lose his mind. He acts out sometimes when the parents are here to pick up.

I will be sad and cry, but a part of me will do a happy dance when he starts school!

[hwichlaz]

I treated them exactly the same as the other kids, except rest time, and it went really well. I did send my son to another preschool twice a week so that he'd know how to take instruction from someone else.

At rest, once the other kids were laying down and asleep I'd go snuggle my kids in their own beds, read them an extra book, nurse them to sleep etc. A little bit extra to make up for sharing mom.

[Ariana]

My kids were great, well behaved and didn’t cause me any issues in terms of behavior BUT they did add stress to my day because I felt a lot more guilt about not providing them with good playmates who were normal. Also because it was their house and I wanted them to feel comfortable to do what they wanted it was difficult to sometimes manage that with the other kids. For example wanting to bring their own toys into the daycare space and then not wanting others to play with it...then when faced with the choice of sharing or going to their room to play privately, not wanting to play alone. Also having to manage other kids behavioral issues, they saw a lot more negative interactions which I hated.

Now that both kids are in school it is infinitely better!! They have a lot of friends at school to play with who are developmentally on the same level. My kids were above average (or what I see as normal) in language and imaginative play but none of my daycare kids were able to play except for one sibling set of girls I had when I first started (which I was so grateful for and put up with a lot of parental BS to keep them!)

[boy_mom]

Thanks for all the responses, its definitely something to mull over!