Opinions on my ideas for maternity leave w/ my daycare biz?

[StarMama]

I've never posted here in the WAHM section of mdc, but I'm guessing this would be a good place to post.

I run a home daycare, 6 children including my 4 year old son. And I'm pregnant, due Dec 19th.

So I'm thinking that it would be way easier for the daycare parents to deal with me being closed on set dates (I'm trying to do this in a manner that keeps as many of my current clients as possible) rather than close on the date when the baby chooses to come (or when labor starts).

I'm due on dec 19th (a friday), and Orion was born on his due date (granted I was induced, but it was after I had two days of early labor on my own, he would have been born within a few days without intervention I believe).

I'm always closed christmas eve/christmas day and new years eve/new years day (and its always a paid holiday for me).

So I'm thinking of telling the parents I'm going to be closed for 11 days, having Dec 19th be my last day and reopen January 12th. Then I would have 3 weeks without the daycare running in my home. MIL is going to be working 40 hours a week after that for a month (not my ideal situation, but its part of the compromise for the homebirth, I won't loose so much income in jan. if she's here) and I will be hiring a part time assistant around october (to assist me prior to birth, to fill in the extra hours while I'm still on maternity leave and to help me when I start working again).

I'm loving the idea of being closed 3 weeks without putting the parents out of place for 15 days since they already know via contract that I'm closed for those holidays. And having a set date for them.

I'm a bit nervous because really the baby could come anywhere from the 5th of Dec until the 2nd of Jan, and I'd hate to be looking at having my house filled with children just a couple of days later if I go into labor super late, but I would have MIL here to care for them and we (Dh, I, new babe, Orion when he wants) can hole up in the bedroom (that's what I intend to do while MIL is here anyways so I can cope because she'll drive me crazy otherwise, expecting me to help her out if I'm out here). And then if I go earlier I'll have to close early of course, and would flip the weeks closed so I would open back up Jan 2nd.

My contract states that I will take 6-8 weeks maternity leave, so I'd be within my contractual rights to take that time, but I also know I'll loose more clients if I do that. I thought this was a nice compromise, *I* would still have my full maternity leave but not be closed the entire time. It would give my family time to have the house to ourselves, and time for me to labor and birth at home as well (I'm sure MIL is going to say 'just don't be closed at all! You go to the hospital and I'll watch the kids!' ...little does she know ).

At least I'll have 2+ years of running the daycare under my belt once the baby is born, but I will also have less under 2 spots, and I know that parents interviewing will take into consideration that I have a newborn when deciding to use my care or not, so I'd love to not loose many clients if I can manage that.

So what would you think as a client of this idea? Good idea to have a set time off (and if the baby comes sooner well of course I'd have to close sooner and would be open to being open sooner as well with MIL working)? Does the time period seem so long you'd look for alternative care, or would you likely be able to make something work for that time I would be closed? What should I do about the holidays I'm usually paid? I think not charging would be nice of me, and it would give the families about a $100-$125 break per child in paying me to have those funds available for alternative care.. but having an extra about $500 would sure be nice for me! My maternity leave via contract is not paid, so I'm heavily leaning towards not charging for that time.

I could also take the time as vacation time instead too, I've used 2 vacation days this year so far (and have only been out sick 2 days this year as well) with another 5 planned for August for our vacation with the IL's, and I get 14 days total a year (so it would be using up 5 days in dec, and 6 days in jan). I get paid half rate for vacations. But then I feel like the parents wouldn't take that very well. So then I should use the vacation days where I need them this year anyways. Or shouldn't I to limit time closed? I want to both be flexible and accommodating to my clients while also not burning out and being a pushover and not getting what I need out of the situation too, yk?

So please let me know what you think. Other ideas are welcome too. I'm 13 weeks, and I'd really like to let the parents know before I get to 20 weeks, I want to find a good time for both them and I to tell (enough time to make plans, and as late as reasonable/not showing in case people decide to leave my care due to the baby coming). So yeah if you have opinions about when to tell them too I'd love to hear that as well (I didn't start showing with Orion until 24 weeks, I know I might show sooner now, I weigh a bit less, like 30 pounds less, and my uterus is bigger already at this point that before... but I figure 20 weeks is the earliest I'd be showing).

So I'm really leaning towards not charging for any of the time I take off, but I wanted to throw the other options up there too.

[deuxceleste]

I noticed that no one's responded to this yet. I was curious... do you think that that short amount of time will be enough for you? I realize you'll have great help and will risk losing clients if you don't come back to work soon (yes, I understand that contractual business, they do nothing but help cover clients' backsides, usually... blah)

The only reason I ask is because I'm sure there could be someone in the area, even a family member, who could take over the daycare for you for a few weeks. I know you said you have help, and maybe I missed something in there.

I just remember that after having DS I was *exhausted* for weeks. And you've already got kiddos to take care of, as well as a newborn.

Just my thoughts for you.

Hugs and congratulations!

[StarMama]

Oh I will be taking a full 6 week leave, my MIL will be covering the daycare for the next 3-4 weeks after I reopen my doors I won't be working, I'll be hiding in our bedroom that we're working on setting up to be a really nice place to hang out

I had back labor with Orion and my lower back hurt for weeks after he was born, no way do I want to have to try to run around after a lot of other little ones.

And the extra great thing is during daycare hours MIL will be available so she can watch Orion too if he doesn't want to hang out with mommy and new baby.

[phathui5]

Have you checked with the childcare parents about your MIL being your backup? Also, if she's up to running it and not having you do anything, why take the three weeks?

[StarMama]

Yes she's been my back up for doctor and dentist visits as well as running errands now for over 6 months, the parents know her well and she has passed everything she needs to be a legal backup here for the children.

I want to take time off so I don't have my house filled with other children and parents (and MIL all the time ) during out first weeks bonding as a new family. And to give me time to birth in my own space as well. I will have to squirrel away in our bedroom when she comes, and won't be able to really use the rest of my house without getting dressed and such, yk? We don't have a private living room or anything. Also colds and flus travel a lot around children in the winter and I would rather keep my newborn away from that for at least a few weeks.

[wednesday]

Honestly if I were one of your parents I would be very nervous about you maybe delivering a few weeks earlier than expected and me suddenly not having any care for my child. I know you said you had your first on your due date but that doesn't really guarantee anything. I was sure I'd go to 41 weeks with my DS -- but then my water broke at just 37 weeks and he was born later that day.

I also wouldn't really feel good about bringing my small child to be cared for, with a number of other babies/children, by a 38- or 39-weeks pregnant mama. So in all honesty I would probably try to make my own arrangements since I would feel like you were not being realistic. (Sorry to be so blunt! Not trying to put you down or say you can't handle it...it would just not be what I would consider ideal.) Maybe if there were a plan for your MIL to be available from say Dec. 1st onward I'd feel better about it.

[StarMama]

Yes it is going to be a bit tricky doing all the work when I'm so far along, I do intend to hire a part time assistant around the end of october, so I would have them here part time.

And yes, I could definately go earlier, there is no way of knowing. I'm just trying to decide if having a set time to be closed would be a better option than "I'll be taking maternity leave when I go into labor" y/k?

It really isn't the ideal, I'd love to close for december and january but financially its just too much of a stretch. I know I can do it though, I only take one under one at a time and wouldn't be looking into having another itty bitty around that time (right now I have a 4 month old in my care who could still be here when I'm ready to birth who knows)...

Thanks for your opinion Wednesday I do appreciate it

[Aubergine68]

My younger two children were born when I was running my home childcare business. (both induced in 42nd week for being overdue. With my oldest, my water broke on the due date and planned home birth ended up in hospital induction 3 days later when we just got too tired).

I did not have extra help during late pregnancy, but I did drop down one or two children, by not replacing those who left as I normally would. I was going to need the space for the baby anyway. I found the first trimester tiredness and morning sickness MUCH harder to work through than the ninth month, but ymmv. I did not run at full capacity again until the babies were about 6 months old, and the financial loss was a fair tradeoff for the easier schedule. The children that I kept were like family to me -- it was just like having four siblings and a newborn, really.

I was closed for a week each time, but dh was able to take a good chunk of parental leave time off after the births, so he helped out afterwards.

I found being closed for a shorter time was good for my older child(ren). Having the dayhome routine going with all their friends coming in as usual was the BEST thing for them. I got more time with my newborn that way, honestly.

I never had parents question my ability to manage the children when I was pg. I talked to all of them frankly about my contingency plans, that my previous pg was/were healthy but that anything could happen. They understood and had backup plans in place with their own family or I helped find backup care for them I actually had parents telling me to take the week off. I had planned to work right through like a friend of mine who had her baby on Sat and welcomed her daycare back on Mon., albeit in her bathrobe.

I found it hard to totally hole up in my room and avoid the children as I'd planned, too, even while my dh was in charge, and I felt well enough to greet parents sometimes, read stories while dh did meal prep, etc. I was drawn to the needs of my own older child(ren) too. It is hard to separate oneself from one's older child(ren) to have a real babymoon like one does with the first, I found.

Looking back on it, I think dh and I worried more about money than we needed to, more about the needs of the childcare parents than we needed to, and more about due dates than we needed to, too. It all worked itself out ok. I didn't lose any families.

The one thing, looking back on it -- I think I gave in to the inductions too easily with my younger children. I just felt such pressure (from within myself) for the babies to come within a certain time frame because of my anxiety about backup care arrangements, etc.

[StarMama]

Thank you so much for your personal experience Aubergine!

Yes the 1st trimester was awful, I've lost 14 pounds and the nausea is waning now but for awhile there ugh!

Right now I've got many itty bitties, who knows what it will look like closer to the date, but with 3 under 2 and one just over its definately a lot of running around

Your experiences help me feel better about our upcoming birth Thanks!

[Aubergine68]

You're welcome. Enjoy your pregnancy and your baby

Btw, I never charge parents if I close the childcare, except for stat holidays. Agency policy.

I take six weeks off every summer, unpaid, and most of my families have been schoolteachers or students and that works well all around.

You have 4 in your home who are quite small -- you could have moms coming to your door already every day who are pg themselves and worried about telling you and juggling their own schedules and births.

How would it work if a mom using your home was going to have another baby but wanted to use your childcare again after a mat. leave?

[StarMama]

I do actually have one mom who is pregnant, she's due about 6 weeks before I am. She hasn't brought up anything about wanting care or a maternity leave yet.

A parent can take up to 6 weeks leave due to job loss, maternity leave, seasonal jobs and I will hold their place for half of the weekly rate.