Ready for a Career Change? I Did It - Read How!

[jenniferlynne]

I am so ready for a change in my career! I babysit and I just can't stand it anymore!! My house is being torn apart. The kids fight and scream and yell. The parents are not any better. I hear "Oh darn, I forgot the diaper bag, hope you have some diapers and wipes" or "Oh, I forgot my checkbook, I will have to pay you next week" or "My son doesn't like a stopper in his sippy cup, so I quit putting it in there" (I now have chocolate milk stains on furniture and carpet) or how about the mother that only puts pull-ups on her son. Even though he is asleep when she brings him over and knows he will sleep for a few hours after she drops him off. You know how many times he has peed on my couch because the pull-ups don't absorb as much as diapers? Or what about the time my husband's Grandmother passed away and I asked everyone to have their kids picked up a couple hours early so I could go to the showing. I was told by one mother too bad. Neither her or her husband could take off work. And even though her Mother-in-Law probably could do it, she didn't want to ask her because they had already asked her to watch the kids a few times that week.

I'm sick of it!!!! I started selling PC in May and started out doing really well. Well, I was too afraid to step out of my comfort zone, so I let the booking dry up. Well, guess what!! I'm back!!! A couple of weeks ago, I had NOTHING in my datebook and now I have 5 shows in February and 1 for March. I just picked up the phone and got busy.

I also just got done making "free show" certificates. I am going to mail them to a few people that I know would probably have a show if it wasn't for financial reasons. I have offered to pay for everything (ingredients, plates, cups, napkins, utensils and postage for invites) if they host in February. If they host in March I will pay for the ingredients. If this works well, I may start sending out a couple of these each month.

Wish me luck

 

[janel kelly]

I don't blame you. I used to work in childcare(not in my own home though) and I swore I would never do it at my home. I had people try to get me too but I said no way. Sometimes the parents can be harder to deal with than the kids. Good luck with starting PC over. It sounds like you're on the right track.

 

[heat123]

I soo need to change my ways as well!I have the phone phobia and I know if I can just get past it I can get more bookings on those "maybe" info slips that were checked off! If I don't my business will dry up soon!
Good for you! Hope you are on your way to SUCCESS!

 

[luvs2sellit]

wow!!! I have kept children in my home for years. YOU ARE THE BOSS!!! You can't let them run you over like that. If you give them an inch they go a mile. I have had it all happen to me as well. ONE TIME!!! By my reaction they knew I was not happy. I have a file full of letters from parents telling me what a great job I do. When they know you are in control they respect you. You have to be in control and run your business like a business. I would love to chat with you through email and help you out. Maybe send you my daycare papers that I have the parents sign. It sounds like your in need of a break. Let me know if I can help in any way.

 

[kcjodih]

Been there, done that!I did childcare for 10 years and quit about 3 years ago. I started as a 'favor' for a friend and it escalated into a full blown business with 5 full time and some before and after school. It eventually came down to parents not paying on time, taking excessive days off with no pay for me, sending sick children regularly, etc. etc.

For the last 3 years of my business I had a contract that each parent had to sign and return to me within 48 hours. It stated my holiday rules, sick day rules, hours of operation, late fees, policy for illnesses etc. Worked GREAT!! There was one set of parents greatly offended but of course they were the ones causing most of the problems. They got over it though and once they had to pay through the nose a couple of times for being late, or using up sick days they too stuck to the rules.

Congratulations on your awesome calendar! Keep pumping up your PC and hopefully one day too, your daycare days will be history.

 

[jenniferlynne]

wow!!! I have kept children in my home for years. YOU ARE THE BOSS!!! You can't let them run you over like that. If you give them an inch they go a mile. I have had it all happen to me as well. ONE TIME!!! By my reaction they knew I was not happy. I have a file full of letters from parents telling me what a great job I do. When they know you are in control they respect you. You have to be in control and run your business like a business. I would love to chat with you through email and help you out. Maybe send you my daycare papers that I have the parents sign. It sounds like your in need of a break. Let me know if I can help in any way.

The thing is, I have told them. I have told the one who's kid keeps peeing on my couch and not putting the stopper in the sippy cup that it is a problem. She will stop it for a little while and then go right back to it. Today he only came a half day (in the afternoon) and when he got here, he was soaking wet. Ha! He peed in their car on the way. Maybe now she will learn a lesson. But, when I opened his cup up, I saw no stopper. So, I dumped the chocolate milk out and he is going to get water the rest of the day. I think part of the problem is, one of the parents is my cousin and the other is a girl I used to work with. The cousin definately takes more advantage of me than the other girl, but she is a problem sometimes too (no diaper bag, forgets to put a coat on her kids in the mornings ). I actually did quit for awhile during the summer because my PC shows were picking up and I was making more than what I was babysitting. But, the shows went away, which was my fault, so I started watching them again. And yes, I do have to deal with the sick kids too. I even told them I was going to start a fever, diarrhea, throwing up rule. I will call them and say hey, your kid is sick. They will say ok I will call the doctor, but then never come and get them!! The one girl (not the cousin) told me this when I called her and I never heard back from her the rest of the day!! She never even called back to see how her kid was doing! That just blows my mind that a parent would do that. I NEVER sent my kid to daycare when he was sick (he only went for 6 months before I couldn't stand it and quit to stay home).