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ChiChiKinks
03-19-2004, 10:29 PM
Since I became a mother 7 months ago, my whole life has changed. My child is my # one priority and I hate having to be away from her and send her to a daycare center everyday. We are paying $210 dollars a week for her daycare. In a 4 week month, we pay $840.00. I am not pleased with the way they handle the children at her daycare center so I have been looking to place her in an in home family day care.

The problem is that my time is no longer as flexible as my job requires it to be. I have to come in to the office at all odd hours of the nights and weekends when I am on call and even when I am not on call I have to come in to do server maintenance like today. I have to work until 5AM Saturday morning because we are doing server maintenance. I've discussed this with my manager several times but he says that there’s nothing he can do as those are my job requirements.

I've tried looking for another job for the past one month, but have gotten no calls due to the economy issues. Since I have had no luck with changing my duties at my present job or finding a new job, I am thinking about quitting my job and working for myself in my own business. I am thinking about becoming a license in home daycare provider. The average price per child in my area is like $150 per week and you are allowed to have up to 8 kids per one adult provider which would be around $1200 dollars a week or $4800 a month which is more than what I bring home (net) in a month at my present job. But apart from the money, this would allow me to stay at home with my daughter and take care of her while taking care of other children at my home. Plus we would be saving money on daycare costs as well as saving money on gas for my car which I have to fill up every 2 days for $20.00 because I have to make a 1 hour and 15 minutes commute.

Also, I have learned that the corporate America is not very family friendly so I know it will become more difficult if I wanted to have more children in the future, which I do. I’ve been an IT professional for the past 7 years and I don’t want to make the wrong decision because once I quite my job, I know it would be very hard to find another one in my present salary range. But of course, if I do decide to go ahead and do it, I’ll make sure that everything is done and ready to go before I actually quite my present job. So what do you think? My DH is a bit unsure about the idea.

saga30311
03-19-2004, 11:09 PM
I think that if you can make this work, and it'll improve the quality of you & your family's (child's) life, you should go for it. Matter of fact, even if you can't make the $4800/month, but can make something, your should still go for it. The money you'd save from not working (daycare expenses, gas, lunches@work, etc) may be worth looking for a more viable alternative, esp. if the job's not family-friendly.

I'm working toward the same thing - at some point starting my own biz so I can stay home with my son. I know I'll have to cut back on some expenses, alter my lifestyle, etc. But I'm looking for something more satisfying than the corporate mambo. :rolling I know it ain't for me, and I'd love to be able to stay home with my son. :blab

Hope it works out for you :thumbsup

Ameka
03-19-2004, 11:19 PM
I don't see why it wouldn't work! My nephew had a babysitter that lived on my street. I thought she was just a regular ole' baby sitter but she got her liscense through the state. So the government pays her a certain amount for every kid she sits. She also gets a voucher for food, games, trips etc....... So if that is something you want to do, go for it. There ain't nothing to it but to do it. If you know that the coporate world is not for you, then a change is needed. You will be unhappy, stressed, and your son can not reap the benefits of his mother if she is unhappy and stressed! So I say go for it.

Ameka
03-19-2004, 11:32 PM
I also wanted to add that I do think that the parents that bring their kids to her don't have to pay. It all comes through the government.

Ameka
03-19-2004, 11:36 PM
Originally posted by redbutterfly@Mar 19 2004, 10:29 PM
having to be away from her and send her to a
I am SO sorry, I don't know where I got "son" from. I meant say your daughter! :doh

ChiChiKinks
03-20-2004, 12:08 AM
It's Ok. Thanks to everyone for their replies.

Lagina
03-20-2004, 03:30 AM
I would also agree to spend the time with your child. You can't put a price on that :thumbsup

ChiChiKinks
03-21-2004, 05:47 AM
Bump

Cami213
03-21-2004, 07:20 AM
REDBUTTERFLY....I quit my job (making $40,000) this Feb. mainly to pursue a career in the medical field. I can honestly say it has been hard for me in the fact that I can't do certain things that I was use to doing (shopping on a whim, etc.) But the smiles I get my my son and daughter's face when I get to pick them up from school everyday is priceless. I get to spend time with them that I didn't have when I was working and I'm also not stressed out like I use to be, to were I just wanted to come home and go to bed (kids don't understand that at all)...And having a DH that doesn't mind working a few extra jobs helps to make ends meet so it all will work out in the end for you, just like it did for me!

BEST WISHES :thumbsup

niki000
03-21-2004, 02:44 PM
I would say try to see how many other options you have before you make any changes.

- do you have the option of working part-time

-maybe there is a prson who can watch your child from your home, a friend of mine has a college student who watches her daughter, which menas she is availble at random hours and fairly fleixble and inexpensive.. and shes studying early childhood education

-continue to look for other companys also, someting may come up... not all corporate america orgs are unfriendly to family life

-also read "the Price of motherhood" http://www.anncrittenden.com/ it may be inspiring

-keep asking your manager to help you problem solve through the situation also, contact HR and ask if they could provide mediation or something to help you make some changes... and if you can't work anything out from there, then try your other options