WAH is so hard!

[ewp11100]

I'm tired and a bit overwhelmed I just opened a licened in hom daycare. At the same time I kept my part time job and my husband is going back to school full time. I can't keep up on the housework, which I did not forsee as a problem, I'm at home right? I don't have time to grocery shop. The laudry is stacking up because it's in the basement (unlicenced) part of the house where I can't take the kids, if I had 2 hands to get it done. My husband has "taken over" the dishes which means the dishwasher gets loaded and unloaded but my counters are stacked with pots and pans, not letting me attempt to clean the counter tops, something I can do one handed. I usually cook most our food from scratch but I am having trouble getting healthy meals on the table. The kids are my 1st priority, I would rather concentrate on them and let things go but I feel this looks bad to parents and it makes me frustrated and full of stress (yes I'm a bit of a neat freak).

sorry for typos, I'm typing while directing a craft and rocking a baby to sleep in the sling!

[corrie43]

I run a licensed home daycare as well and it got overwhelming, now I actually keep the house cleaner during the week rather than the weekends because have a routine.. First off, you have to get the kids on a good napping schedule. What are the ages of the kids you have. My schedule looks like this.. Kids arrive around 7am, breakfast at 730ish, get my kids off to school at 830, babies down for a nap. I do dishes and clean up while toddlersfree play. Circle time at 9am, playtime or crafty thing at 930. I sweep, or clean up while they play. Babies up around 10ish, we do more free play or go outside. 1130 lunch and then everyonenaps from 12-130 or later.I do laundry, clean, or go online or exercise while everyone naps. I prep snack and dinner thentoo.

My kids get home at 315 and we do snack and play until 530.Outside time is good then too to keep things clean inside..

I had the babies napping all over the place for 20 minutes here and there. Itwas awful. I asked the wise ladies on a daycare board how to changethis.They said make a very dark, quiet room, with some kid of white noise ormusic, and put the bby down no later than 1 and a half to two hours after last waking. They get overtired and will not sleep well any later than that. Itworked wonders nd now my babies sleep for at least an hour for each nap. They sometimes take 3 a day.. Also you have to get themto fall asleep ontheir own. No rocking, it takes too long and they won't sleep long because they wake upand wonder where you are and become frantic.....I did it with no crying it out.. If you need help, lt me know..

[ewp11100]

Hi Yes I understand and we do have a schedule. The problem is I have one TINY baby who is still too little to "schedule" a nap. The nap that is scheduled, I use to do school work with my oldest as he is homeschooled. We have an application in for the lottery next year at the local charter school, but like I said it is a lottery and if he doesn't get in we will continue to homeschool him. The whole point of this endeavor has been to be able to have an income while still homeschooling.

[corrie43]

Could your homeschooled child help with the household chores? Maybe pay a small amount for each chore? A school aged child can sort and fold laundry,load a dishwasher,pick up toys, ect.

[r&mmommy]

I'm a licensed provider. A few of things I do which help:

I care for only one infant (under 1) at a time. Legally I can have two.

Have a substitue/assistant come in a few days a week for an extra hand. In my state they need to get the background check, but don't need any of the classes that I have to take. This saves me if I have an infant and young toddler at the same time, or I need to grocery shop

Occasionally hire a cleaning woman to come and and deep clean (as a licensed provider this is a tax deductable expense!). My state has specific regulations against house cleaning during care hours, and morally, I don't feel right about it (I'm talking about deep cleaning, not the picking up that has to be done so we can function in the home) Also, from the beginning, I have made it clear that I am working, and REFUSE to do all the house work. So DH comes home from work and has to clean a bathroom or two and run some laundry. My hours are much longer than his.

All children help with clean up. No excuses. I won't let them take out more things if they are not cleaning up after themselves. They also clear their own plates/cups from the table.

DH and I meal plan and the crock pot is my friend (you can find healthy crockpot recipes). Or I'll triple batch my recipes on the weekends (not that much more work since I'm already cooking) and freeze.

I had to realize that I am working, and not *just* home, and make this clear to others. Good Luck!

[ewp11100]

Originally Posted by r&mmommy

I'm a licensed provider. A few of things I do which help:

I care for only one infant (under 1) at a time. Legally I can have two.

Have a substitue/assistant come in a few days a week for an extra hand. In my state they need to get the background check, but don't need any of the classes that I have to take. This saves me if I have an infant and young toddler at the same time, or I need to grocery shop

Occasionally hire a cleaning woman to come and and deep clean (as a licensed provider this is a tax deductable expense!). My state has specific regulations against house cleaning during care hours, and morally, I don't feel right about it (I'm talking about deep cleaning, not the picking up that has to be done so we can function in the home) Also, from the beginning, I have made it clear that I am working, and REFUSE to do all the house work. So DH comes home from work and has to clean a bathroom or two and run some laundry. My hours are much longer than his.

All children help with clean up. No excuses. I won't let them take out more things if they are not cleaning up after themselves. They also clear their own plates/cups from the table.

DH and I meal plan and the crock pot is my friend (you can find healthy crockpot recipes). Or I'll triple batch my recipes on the weekends (not that much more work since I'm already cooking) and freeze.

I had to realize that I am working, and not *just* home, and make this clear to others. Good Luck!

Yes I understand what you are saying about I'm not "just home". I had a big discussion with the hubby this weekend about this. We made a "chore chart" and he even elected to clean the bathrooms. My homeschooled 5.5yo cleans up better then my SO He sweeps the dinning room 1 or twice a day, he cleans the kitchen floor, dumps compost, takes out the trash, sets/clears the table, picks up toys, helps with laundry BUT can not do most of these things on his own. If I hired someone to clean for me in this area I might as well not take another child on, this is a high COL area. I was cleaning before this and was paid $20 per hour. The past 2 weeks I was taking in a family who had lost their nanny, had interviewed and found a new one but needed two weeks notice. I defiantly found out how much is too much. Even though I was with in my licenced amount of children (actually 1 less), it was too much for me, I did not feel I gave the children adequate attention. NOW I have my 2 (3yo+5.5yo), a 13mo and a 2 mo. Unfortunately around here their aren't many people looking for care for older kids, I wish I could get a playmate for my oldest. Taking only one infant would most likely mean only one child. Today has been much more calm then the past 2weeks. With chores worked out, prep food dished and cooked and less kids it has been much less stressful. Well that was my break, time to go do science!