tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342465696392045865.post901066911234405068..comments2009-12-14T14:21:31.714-05:00Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14460225455700518314noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342465696392045865.post-72999353776883430732009-12-14T14:21:31.714-05:002009-12-14T14:21:31.714-05:00I am just in my 3rd month of running a home daycare. I already have a list of what not to do... and find some quiet times during the day occasionally. I have new little ones starting after the holidays so I will be at full capacity and will need to relearn everything from that vantage point! I never dreamed I would end up in this business but chose to do so after my 2nd was born and couldn&#39;t imagine someone else getting to spend the day with my kids. The most surprising things so far are: the amazing lack of respect for doing this work; the incredibley long days and the joy in watching the development process. Thanks for this site and forum!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342465696392045865.post-30922382133306800462009-12-04T18:13:18.065-05:002009-12-04T18:13:18.065-05:00I consider myself lucky that before I opened my home day care I had 10 years working in center based care. I developed a back bone, strategies to working with up to 24 crazy rampant children at a time and an understanding through managing a few centers of what parents would try to &#39;pull&#39; in terms of payments etc.<br />When I did open my day home there was a bit of a learning curve, but not as much as there could have been.<br />I am now used as a &#39;mentor&#39; for new providers in our agency. They come shadow me for a few hours, chat and get some &#39;tips&#39; to make their new career choice smoother. I am glad to help out...I remeber being a &#39;newbie&#39; too!<br /><br />dmansmommyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342465696392045865.post-12048765909344856842009-12-04T09:42:33.137-05:002009-12-04T09:42:33.137-05:00Very well said Judy!!<br />I continue to change and evolve as new daycare experiences happen! But, that said.... years of experience has made me able to bounce back from something within daycare a lot faster than I did in those 1st years. A snotty comment made from a parent 16 yrs ago would have sent me fuming and hurt and crying. A snotty comment from a parent this week has turned into a joke in my house, and just put one more nail in their daycare coffin because once holidays are over, money woes are back to normal I will be posting an ad and they will get notice!<br />An old daycare client had a baby and decided to branch out and open her own daycare. I wished her well, gave her tons of stuff to help her get started and every time I talk to her.... it is chaos. She cannot get on computer, no time. Kids are running her rampant, house is trashed, she is a mess, etc. and she cannot understand HOW I do it. Ummm, years of experience! I didnt always look like this, have this backbone, etc. I was once like you(not really... but...) and I tell her that she too will get there!<br />EVOLUTION!Aandwsmomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342465696392045865.post-85590695955740298172009-12-03T16:20:37.372-05:002009-12-03T16:20:37.372-05:00That was awesome! I was thinking about this very topic today. Never was I as good at this job as I am today and only hoping to get better. I called a friend of mine (who is a provider) today to chat but it wasn&#39;t going to happen as chaos was resonating from the background. Here, everything was peaceful and running smoothly. I hope these days come for her soon....<br />QwertyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com