Comments on What Do I Know; I'm Just The Babysitter: Scratch That Itch

It is the spring itch. I got it in every job I eve...

2010-03-05T22:28:46.832-05:00

It is the spring itch. I got it in every job I ever had, but daycare is more than just a job and the options and challenges and changes that come each year are more personal and wide sweeping. I actually enjoy this time, because I get to figure what I want to be doing in Sept and see if I can get there, and start planning and making changes. My kids needs change as they grow, the daycare kids change in skills and abilities,,, I have 3 confident walkers now in the fall none of them walked at all,,, so I am looking forward to less work and a lot of learning and exploring with my daycare children, but I have decided that I am only going to be adding this age or older from now on. I do not want to quit but I would love to ease out of this business when this group all go off to school fulltime. I know that I will not be doing this when all my own are in school full time. I would like to not have to work full time but maybe take a part time fun job and be a stay at home mom. I think my own children get less participation from me when they are in school. If my job was not at home with a group of children I could go on field trips and volunteer in the classroom, but I also can not imagine my youngest being taken care of by anyone else. So until he is in school full time I will be doing this, and the group I have will be ready to leave about the same time,, I should be able to do it as long as I do not take just one baby thinking I will not get attached and want to keep going.

my itch tells me a little more and more each year ...

2010-03-05T14:22:33.348-05:00

my itch tells me a little more and more each year that it is TIME to stop doing childcare altogether and one of these years I will finally give in to that itch. My kids are annoyed with little people invading their home, my husband is such an unhappy man he quit his job of ten years, abruptly to try something new and he starts Monday. That got me thinking of how jealous I am that HE gets to make a change, well what about me then. So soon, I will make that leap but it is a hard one to make. I have great kids and parents here right now all of who I know will still be happy for me because they like me even though they will be searching for new providers when I finally decide to go and do it! But until I know if this mid life crisis my husband is going thru at the moment is a good change I will stay focused on the fact that I NEED the income that this job provides our family.

I too have felt that itch. For me, it was a combin...

2010-03-05T13:31:46.871-05:00

I too have felt that itch. For me, it was a combination of needing change, not having enough space for breathing room, and condensing my normal plethora of necessary daily needs into 2 rooms of my house to make room for daycare and renovate our basement.

I truly love my job, and since the basement is done, I can finally stretch back out into my home. I can remodel the daycare space,finally by the furniture and items I need to create the perfect space, and breathe. I honestly feel this will be my "kitchen tongs"

I feel ya Judy. I am optimistic about this new chapter for my husband and I; and am looking into the future for spring!

Oh, I have that itch very badly too! I have been ...

2010-03-04T22:24:00.613-05:00

Oh, I have that itch very badly too!
I have been doing child care (center based and inhome) for a LOOOONNNGGGGG time and I think the itch gets worse every year.
I am currently counting down the days until my mat leave when I will have more time to myself to explore just what that itch means for me...but there have definitely been a few ideas floating around that at least temporarily calm the itch. Hopefully some real contemplation and a break from the 'rash' causing the itch will help me finally tame it.
Thanks for putting a term to my feelings...it definitely helps to know that I am not the only one experiencing the itch!
dmansmommy