The Joys of Running a Home Daycare

Running a home daycare is a very rewarding occupation. In addition to being able to earn money without leaving my son, there are many other benefits for me and my family. It can be a time-consuming and exhausting career, but so can parenthood. My child and I have learned so much from this experience. I really love my job and hope to continue doing it.

My son always has a playmate. He has so much fun when other kids are around. It can be hard to get to play dates, so having other children here gives him social time. He has so many friends. He is an only child right now, but he is not lonely or spoiled because of this.

He has learned to interact with boys and girls of various ages and personalities. He knows how to stick up for himself. More importantly, he knows to share with others. One of the best lessons he has learned from being around other children is to be careful around smaller children.

He is better prepared for brotherhood. He is used to not being the only child all the time. He doesn't get my full undivided attention every moment of the day. He knows that when there are other kids here, I have to take care of their needs too. He knows he can't always be in the spotlight.

Moreover, he knows how to share food, toys, and space. It's something he must do 3-4 days a week, so he's used to it. That will minimize the impact of having to share with a sibling. He knows to be careful around babies, so he'll be gentle with his new sibling.

My son loves to help out. He has learned many ways to do this, from helping to pick up toys to simply being kind to others. He knows to bring his dishes and trash to me when he is done. He also enjoys helping with the other kids. One of the cuter things he has learned to do is rock babies to sleep in the bouncer seat. He also sometimes sneaks downstairs during naptime to put toys in the play pin for whomever is sleeping there.

Running a home daycare has prepared me to become a mother again. I know what it's like to care for 2-5 kids at a time, even with large age differences. I have babysat kids with many different personalities. I'm accustomed to getting to know new children, learning how to reach them, and figuring out what to expect. I can't just have one approach to everything. I have practice handling many situations that I'll face as a parent, especially of siblings. I've even cared for twins.

Of course I know nothing can truly prepare my son and me for this change. It will be a big adjustment for all of us. Caring for a newborn 24/7, who is yours, is different from caring for someone else's child a few days a week. I know that. But I know our experiences with home daycare have made us more prepared than we would have been. It will lessen the impact and make adjusting somewhat easier.

Running a home daycare has improved my skills at disciplining and communicating, taught me about child development and how every kid is different, and made me better at multitasking. Having a schedule makes things easier on us all, and I've had to become more organized. The parents I've encountered have taught me tips and tricks. Even the children have been my educators, teaching me not to fret over small things or cry over spilled milk, to stop and play, that sometimes you need a little irrationality to be sane. These lessons have an impact on my lifestyle and parenting.

My son has learned to deal with people coming and going in his life. He is not afraid of new people. He's also used to having people around for only a while, staying a few months or even weeks and then going. Corbin has become accustomed to it. That prepares him for life, for few things are constant, and people will come and go. He knows no matter what that his mom and dad are here. He knows what will stay constant (unless tragedy occurs).

I also get to influence these children. I know I have a responsibility to do so in a positive way. I get to teach them things and help them learn. I am a part of their lives, if only for a while. Hopefully I can be a small part of who they'll become.

I also get to witness firsts, like words and steps. It's touching when a child does something new for the first time. I feel a sense of love and pride for all my kids, and I take joy in their accomplishments. It's always special when a child first walks, ties his shoes, or says please. You could call it inspirational. Kids inspire. They keep trying until they succeed.

My husband has become accustomed to having the kids around and helping out with him. Even my dogs and cats must deal with them and have learned. My whole family has benefited, my son and me most of all. My job is to be a mother when mothers cannot be there. I try to care for my daycare kids as I do my son. I don't have just one child. Sometimes I have two, or three. Once I had five. My family is ever-changing, and I don't mind one bit.