This post is a little unconventional as I have already decided to stop providing in-home childcare. I suddenly lost my job of two and a half years earlier this year, and came to the conclusion that offering in-home childcare was my best option for work considering my own inability to find childcare we could afford and a number of other reasons. I did tons of research, I was experienced and had worked with kids in an educational environment for years, I had my own kids, I had worked very stressful jobs as a CNA before....I thought I was prepared and that I could make this work.
Boy was I wrong. I am 3 months in and this has been a nightmare. I went against everything I had read in the beginning and didn't require a contract or set any boundaries. After the first family did EVERYTHING wrong (didn't pay, had an unruly undisciplined child, sometimes dropped off at 6am/ sometimes noon - constantly asked for over-night care at the last minute and would get mad when I said no and asked for them to come pick up their child, and I could go on) and another family lead me on for a month stating their kids needed just a little more time before they'd start.....only to finally just not show up and never call or text, cheating me out of tons of money I could've made if I had found another family instead. After those issues (I know - my own fault for thinking you could trust people) I got really strict and made contracts and set clear rules.
So I get several more families to work with. Thought I had interviewed them well enough and they seemed trustworthy. I felt bad because they all seemed to have such a hard time finding care before me (I now know why). I soon realized I had ended up with a toddler who screams at the top of her lungs constantly throughout the day, she hits and kicks, and snatches toys from everyone - screaming when you discipline her in any way - even if it's just asking her to stop doing something. I have an older boy who pees in random places all over my bathroom (on purpose - I've watched him. He knows how to use the toilet). And a baby who screams any time you put her down for even a second, sometimes she screams even when you hold her- I've had two babies so I know they are hard sometimes, but this is next level. she WILL NOT NAP unless rocked in a completely dark and quiet room for 30 minutes to an hour (which I obviously can not do) - I have never seen a baby this age that would go days on end without taking a single nap during the day. I was supposed to start watching 2 other kids and had to tell them I couldn't watch them after all because these 3 ended up being so demanding.
I realized I would need to terminate care for at least 2 of them, but when I started thinking about finding new children to fill their spot I realized I just have no desire to do this. I'm traumatized now. And oh my gosh do people lie! I have realized now that all of these families were having a hard time finding care before because their children were being kicked out or refused services.
Anyway - this is mostly me venting, but also asking for support because I still have two weeks notice to get through. Like an idiot I put in my contract that I would provide a two weeks notice if I couldn't offer care anymore, with no exceptions or special circumstances. So I just need some emotional support for getting through these next 2 weeks, and then I'm done with this. To all of you who are doing this well and surviving - you're superheroes. This is definitely not a job for just anyone. So, what do you all do on your very worst days? How do you get through?
Additionally, if anyone does think I can somehow get out of a two weeks notice, I'd love to hear your thoughts. But since it's in my agreement and I'd feel bad, awful kids or not, leaving someone suddenly without any childcare.
Boy was I wrong. I am 3 months in and this has been a nightmare. I went against everything I had read in the beginning and didn't require a contract or set any boundaries. After the first family did EVERYTHING wrong (didn't pay, had an unruly undisciplined child, sometimes dropped off at 6am/ sometimes noon - constantly asked for over-night care at the last minute and would get mad when I said no and asked for them to come pick up their child, and I could go on) and another family lead me on for a month stating their kids needed just a little more time before they'd start.....only to finally just not show up and never call or text, cheating me out of tons of money I could've made if I had found another family instead. After those issues (I know - my own fault for thinking you could trust people) I got really strict and made contracts and set clear rules.
So I get several more families to work with. Thought I had interviewed them well enough and they seemed trustworthy. I felt bad because they all seemed to have such a hard time finding care before me (I now know why). I soon realized I had ended up with a toddler who screams at the top of her lungs constantly throughout the day, she hits and kicks, and snatches toys from everyone - screaming when you discipline her in any way - even if it's just asking her to stop doing something. I have an older boy who pees in random places all over my bathroom (on purpose - I've watched him. He knows how to use the toilet). And a baby who screams any time you put her down for even a second, sometimes she screams even when you hold her- I've had two babies so I know they are hard sometimes, but this is next level. she WILL NOT NAP unless rocked in a completely dark and quiet room for 30 minutes to an hour (which I obviously can not do) - I have never seen a baby this age that would go days on end without taking a single nap during the day. I was supposed to start watching 2 other kids and had to tell them I couldn't watch them after all because these 3 ended up being so demanding.
I realized I would need to terminate care for at least 2 of them, but when I started thinking about finding new children to fill their spot I realized I just have no desire to do this. I'm traumatized now. And oh my gosh do people lie! I have realized now that all of these families were having a hard time finding care before because their children were being kicked out or refused services.
Anyway - this is mostly me venting, but also asking for support because I still have two weeks notice to get through. Like an idiot I put in my contract that I would provide a two weeks notice if I couldn't offer care anymore, with no exceptions or special circumstances. So I just need some emotional support for getting through these next 2 weeks, and then I'm done with this. To all of you who are doing this well and surviving - you're superheroes. This is definitely not a job for just anyone. So, what do you all do on your very worst days? How do you get through?
Additionally, if anyone does think I can somehow get out of a two weeks notice, I'd love to hear your thoughts. But since it's in my agreement and I'd feel bad, awful kids or not, leaving someone suddenly without any childcare.
Comment