Any Mamas Who HS & Work PT?

I work PT doing home daycare. I take children ages 5 and older, so I have some family time in the morning, which is ideal for me. I usually have daycare children here 6:30am-8am, and then 12:15-5pm. 2-3 times a week I'll have kids here until 7:30pm. I'm able to make a decent PT income while providing "socialization" for my own kids and usually do some of our more open ended activities to do during daycare with the other kids.

A daily routine, or even a set schedule, can help to keep things running smoothly. It would be helpful for everyone to know when you will be focusing on schooling and when you will be working, and everything in between. Most families use about 1 hour for each grade, so K would be about 1 hr a day(maybe not even 5 days a week) while 2nd may take up to 2-3 hrs a day, which does not have to be all at once.

My kids are young too (2 yo and 1 yo). They really want to play with just me (and dh) but because my sister has been around so much they've grown to like playing with her. She's a young teenager so she's a different kind of fun than me, kwim? At first, they were reserved with her, they'd only seen her every few weeks or so before I started hsing her. But as time has gone on, they've grown to love playing with her. So, my suggestion if you're going to get a mother's helper is to work into it gently. Have her come over and play with the kids while you're playing too. Let her be the one to break out the really "fun" toys (whatever toy is most loved) and games a couple times. After the second or third time, start "going to the bathroom" for a few minutes at a time. Still be available, just remove yourself from the room. They'll get used to her and the next thing you know, they'll be running to say hi when she walks in. Of course, it's likely that they'll still want you but at least you'll be able to have some help so you can get some work done.

I work part time as an RN. We just moved here, previously dh was in a 4 on 4 off job, I was a casual (no guarenteed hours...work vacation and sick time, or those OMG it is so busy can you come in NOW type calls to work) but I would only take those shifts on his days off, so we NEVER needed childcare. My children are now 6 and 3 so that was quite an accomplishment! Now, I have a set schedule, 10 twelve hour shifts in every 6 weeks. Dh works a night job Thurs to Sat every week, 11:30 pm to noon coming home Sun at noon and off till Thurs nite. Alot of my shifts fall in the days he is working though. MIL babysits and so far it is working out but it is a real hassle. My guarenteed hours end in July as I am covering a mat leave, I am hoping to be casual and cross my fingers that I can get enough work on dh's days off and avoid as much babysitting as possible...including the weird hours like a bit in the afternoon so both of us can sleep if I am working nights as well, then needing babysitting all night and well into the next afternoon...if I didn't have family I don;t know who would be willing to do that kind of stuff.

We just work things out as we go, dh wants to go to school either this fall or next spring, so hopefully things will still work out. I do find all the juggling stressful and hard to get used to though, even though we are relaxed and homeschool without a curriculum ie-unschool.

Good to read everyone else's stories...I don't feel like such an oddball for working!

Tina