Would you consider working at a Daycare with your LO's still being a SAHM

lostmarbles29

I'm mostly a lurker but I figured I would post on here to kinda vent. I've always been a SAHM since my daughter was born but my MIL runs a daycare and she needs help because she's getting some more kids so she offered me the job and I said yes. Because I thought it would be great to have to extra cash plus I get to be with my LO's all day but for some reason I'm just not that happy about it.

I like being on my own schedule with them, its so much easier. I don't like the idea at all of having to wake them up and drag them over to my MIL's every day. I also don't like all the germs because my little guy is so young still. But on the other side of things I like the idea of my 3 year old getting my social interaction because she really needs it. Plus I like said before I get some extra cash, and who couldn't use that. Another down side is that I will be with my MIL more than I would want to sometimes most of the time we have a great relationship but sometimes she just really gets under my skin. I just hope it goes alright. So do you consider working at a Daycare with your LO's still being a SAHM?

MrsBalletStar05

ha - I guess I kinda do.  I work about 4 hours a day at a drop-in center at the YMCA and bring my boys (although starting Monday it will just be one, the other is going to school).  Right now, I really enjoy it.  There was a time in the past though, that I definitely wouldn't have liked it.  It takes the right kind of person and right frame of mind to work with other people's children, IMO.  If you don't want to do it - don't do it! 

mabma80

No.  I tried it by taking care of my friend's kids and my two boys, and it was he11.  I didn't like it, nor will I ever do it again.

jenny1980

No. You're still working. To me, being a SAHM means you make up your own schedule and routine and plan things around your children.

 

pinksweetpea2

Does it matter?  It just seems like semantics to me.  You are still caring for your children exclusively so IMO you are very much still a SAHM.  My Mom ran a daycare out of her home for 10 years (several of them as a single mother) and I always viewed her as a SAHM.  After daycare she sold Tupperware for 8 years and even then I viewed her as a SAHM because she was only out in the evenings for parties.   

Would your MIL consider a trial run- for maybe 3 months or so?  I know it is not ideal, but that way you could see what it is like and your MIL and you could figure out if you like working together or not.  Who knows, she might not like taking on more kids or working with someone else.  

 

MrsBalletStar05

haha, so according to one poster - a whole lot of you here are not SAHMs ;-)

But like the other poster said, does it really matter if you'd call it SAH or not?  

zebrastripes

I think my pros and cons would be pretty similar to yours. I would probably tell my MIL that your not 100% sure if you want to help her permanently with her day care and would like to do a trial run. If things don't work out, you could help her until she could find someone to hire on. Another option would be to help her part of the time. Maybe in the evenings if your not a morning person or maybe 3x a week.

Pros to working at day care

My 3 year old would get some social time.

The extra cash would be nice.

 

Cons to working at a day care 

Being on another schedule would be a lil overwhelming to me since I am used to my own schedule and I love that I make my own schedule.

I would not like having to drag the lil ones over to my MIL house.

Me and my MIL also get along just fine but I don't think I could work with her without opening my mouth and ruining our relationship. 

zebrastripes

Oh haha, I guess I read your q wrong.... Yes I would still consider working at your MIL's daycare with your LO still be a SAHM. Many SAHM find ways to bring in a little extra cash while still being able to SAH with their LOs. My mom was a SAHM and she sold Avon until my dad passed away and she had to have a steady income.