I Want To Change My Hours.... I Am Tired And Miserable

[MrsCoffee]

What are your hours?
I want to change mine from 7am-5pm that's 10 hours and doable. But is it reasonable?


So I posted yesterday about how I have a family that is pushing limits with their contracted hours...I have another family that leaves their children here just under 11 hours a day. I close at 5:45pm I was told by this family that I should stay open until 6:00pm I am open from 7:00am-5:45pm and they are here from open to close. I told them no, that I had stayed open later to help them originally because I was never open past 5:00pm and now they work closer to home and they still don't get here any earlier. I told them that a center may be a better option because I just cannot and will bit do that. I wasn't trying to be unreasonable but if I don't look out for myself no one will and this family doesn't care about my families needs.

ugh.... I am tired ladies. I was up sick all night about this and other things. I wish I weren't so complaining but I am also going to school full time online and it is also very demanding. I have been getting up at 4:00am to keep up with the coarse load and studying during nap time. I have great kids, even my new ones are on board and down with the routine.

Just feel pulled in every direction, how much more can I give?? and for what $2.80 an hour?? (That is the infant broken down hourly.) I know this is what I wanted but I need to make some adjustments to make it worth it again. I understand the more children we watch the more we make and Praise God I am maxed out but so under appreciated and walked on. I feel badly for my own kids.

Thanks for any advise, I need it!

[BentleysBands]

you def. need to think of YOU and do whats good for YOU not the families!! we extend ourselves over and beyound for most times, NOTHING..not even a thank you!! I would change back your hours if thats what works for YOU. if the parents do not like, they can find alternate care. personally here , i'm open from 6-6p cuz parents need till 6 .i couldnt pull off 5p but wish i could!! you have to remember to take care of you or u will tire and not enjoy doing daycare, or having those particular kids in care. stand up for yourself!! HUGS

[DancingQueen]

My hours are 8-4:30 but I make acceptions.
I DO take a b/a school child at 7am but he's just there til 7:20 and NO work for me at all.
And I do allow a dad to pick up at 4:50 but his daughter comes with me to do family stuff at 4:30 and dad usually meets me where ever I am at.

I won't allow any one child to spend more than 10 hours in my daycare - ever. It is TOO long for them to be away from their parents. Period - and regardless of what my hours are.

[MyAngels]

I am open 7-5, and have been for many, many years. I'm very strict about my 5 p.m. closing time and can't even remember the last time someone picked up late. Most of the time they are here by 4:45 at the latest. I just always make sure when interviewing that their schedule will work with mine, and make it very clear that I will not tolerate late pick ups. I'm also normally full and take new kids on referrals for the most part, so that helps too.

I know there are other providers who are open later, and earlier than I am, so they can be the ones to take the kids whose parents need those extended hours.

So yes, you should definitely change your hours if it will make your life better. Remember, the reason we all work is to improve the quality of our lives, right?!

[Lilbutterflie]

I think 7a - 5p hours are perfectly reasonable. You have to do what works for you. Just keep in mind if you are changing your hours for your existing clients, you may lose them. As long as you're okay with that, go for it! I am open from 7am to 5:30 pm, but most of the daycare providers around here are open 6a - 6p! I am also lucky to only watch one family of 3, so everyone comes together and leaves together.
Although I agree that anything over 10 hours is too long for kids to be away from the their parents, it's unfortunately a fact of life these days. Most families must have both parents working in order to make ends meet. You figure an 8 hr day plus one hour lunch, & some parents also commute an hour each way to work. That's 12 hours. That's not even including the mandatory overtime that some companies implement b/c they have laid off so much of the workforce that the employees have a bigger work load. I understand it, b/c I was gone 12 hrs a day before I decided to do daycare. Just wanted to offer the parent perspective.

[momofsix]

I'm open from 6:45 to 6:15 but a lot of times it goes until 6:30. I so wish I could close at 5, but with my families it just wouldn't work.
You need to do whatever you need to do for your health-physically and mentally- and if that means reducing hours them that is what you need to do. I know a provider that decided she wasn't going to work on fri's anymore, and her families even worked around that!

[boysx5]

I"m open 6:30 6pm now if I didn't stay open til six I would lose some families so since I'm not willing to do that and lose income I have to have long days. NOw somedays they do pick up by five or 5:30 and it makes a bid difference. Good luck

[DanceMom]

I am open 7-5. but for one family I open at 6:45 as at the time of interview it was what they needed and it was my first family that I was going to sign so I said ok. There is no way I could work more than I do already...even being at home - 10 hours is a VERY long day with 8 kids. DO what is best for you ! You will burn out faster if you don't ( I am now realizing this and starting to change a few things for ME rather than THEM....)

[BentleysBands]

My hours are 8-4:30 but I make acceptions.
I DO take a b/a school child at 7am but he's just there til 7:20 and NO work for me at all.
And I do allow a dad to pick up at 4:50 but his daughter comes with me to do family stuff at 4:30 and dad usually meets me where ever I am at.

I won't allow any one child to spend more than 10 hours in my daycare - ever. It is TOO long for them to be away from their parents. Period - and regardless of what my hours are.

i agree! some parents over use daycare...drop off at open and p/u at close or try and be late

but here in Va the traffic is horrible and alot of my parents work in the military and have to drive over an hour away w/traffic so i have to have longer hours. but i must say most of my parents are awesome and even keep their kids on their days off

[Crystal]

If you can find clientele that those hours work for, it's doable. I know here that many providers with those hours struggle to stay full. Parents typically work 8-5, so they need a minimum of 7:30-5:30, but more like 7:15-5:45 because commute times can be ridiculous here. I say do a feasibility study and see if there is a need and a demand in your area for those hours and hen make a sound business decision.

[laundryduchess@yahoo.com]

I work 4 am to 530 to 6 p. I am tired, and put in a full week. But Im full on enrollment and that is worth it to me. I also go to school. Its hard, you just have to do what is right for YOU and everyone else will have to deal with it.

[tenderhearts]

My hours now are 6:30-5, however I have one family that picks up about 5:15I do get alot of people that say I should stay open until 6 because most people get off at 5 but during all my years I had been lucky (until this family I stay open for til 5:15) but one parent would drop off early the other parent would pick up so I was done by 4:30 no later than 5.

[Live and Learn]

I work mostly for teachers and follow their work schedule. 7am-4pm.
I don,t take paid holidays but I takeoff all of spring, winter and summer break with my own kids. I do get paid if the kids are absent for any reason sick or vacation. My own kids have lots of after school activities so I never work past 4:00.

[MrsCoffee]

Thanks ladies, I was having such a rough morning.... I love children and love what I do, I will not up and change on my families but will make my revisions on the 2011 contract to reflect the needs of my family and pray before doing so I know I can't act on emotion. Just needed to let off some steam

I think what would be good is to wait for a family to leave and then my new enrollments would be until 5pm only. I have a suspicion that I may loose a family very soon. I have to on the waiting list praise God! I know the one only needs me until 4 pm and with commute time 430. The family of 4 is hoping to go to full time days and also would pick up by 4pm.

Lord willing anyway

Thanks again, I really needed this. You know we can't complain to just anyone they don't understand how much we do. I had one person say to me "You have the easiest job in the world! Just sit around at home and watch babies" - Pure ignorance.

[laundryduchess@yahoo.com]

Krogers,.. YES we need someone to gripe to,..noone understands,... unless they are in the field . Yesterday I had quite a nice pat on the back from my community,..praising me and my accomplishments in the field front and center on the front page of our paper. They came out interviewed me and everything. Ive had flowers, texts, emails, phone calls and all kids of things last night and today from friends, fellow providers, local businesses. ,... however,... my mil who thinks of me as a baby sitter, still doesnt think I have a real job. and goes to great lengths to make me feel like a second class citizen and praise the crap out of my sil who hasnt had a job in over 10 years, is on assistance, and doesnt want to work. She started school part time last year and you would have thought she found atlantis! some people just dont get it.