Need advice

**Ashley01** · 02-17-2011, 01:04 PM

I'm not really sure if this belongs here but it involves my income. Right now I take it kids, the most I could make in a month was 1600-1900. I had to drop my price and I lost two kids because their mom was off work. I know have two new kids and looks like I'll be making about 1500-1600 a month. If I get all the kids full time it'll be 1800. I've been doing this for 2 years to stay home with my daughter and avoid Childcare costs. It's starting to get to be a little much though, I have anywhere from 2-6 kids a day sometimes I'll have them from 7-7. Not all them but one might get dropped off at 7 and stay till 4 and other 3-7 type thing. It's me and my dd so I have her full time every day of the week and don't get much help. I feel like I have absolutely no time for myself. I want to go back to work but I don't have any schooling (one year of college didn't finish my second) so id more then likely only get minimum wage which is 9$ an hour. Before taxes would be 1440. I could get subsidized Childcare but I'd feel MUCH more comfortable with her in private. So that would be 500-550 a month. My grocery bill would go down, but my gas would likely go up. I do get child tax of 385 a month. My bills with groceries, gas, and snow removal, Christmas fund are about 1600 a month. That doesn't include misc, eating out, going out, activities, anything that may come up. So I'd still be getting by and ahead a little but not by much. I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I mean I really love having the kids here, staying home with dd. But ALL I do is cook clean watch kids. Repeat. The thought of getting up going to work sounds so good getting out of the house having some kid free time even if I would be working. I guess what I'm trying to ask is what would you do? Would you stop doing it even if it meant less money or suck it up? If you read through all that and have any advice it would really be appriciated!!

**pollypurebred39** · 02-17-2011, 02:11 PM

I'd probably stick it out and take classes online to complete my education.

**Wendy99** · 02-17-2011, 02:31 PM

childcare can be very stressfull and you're feeling the need to get out, i would suggest trying something else or setting hours for yourself ie. open 8am - 6pm. it may mean losing some children, but if your going to lose money anyway if you switch jobs. that will allow you more down time to be with your daughter and do some adult things as well. i think your hours are too long for that type of work in your home. i've been there done that.

**Cares** · 02-17-2011, 02:36 PM

I would go to an employment service agency, and see a counsellor. I'm one in Canada (Ontario) and we have programs available to help people pay for school, and basic living costs while in school. There may be something available to you that you haven't heard about before.
I would also look in to online courses and see what you can do in the evenings, in case you do need to work while attending school.
If you're not happy and feeling like you need an "out", like you're going to burn out... it's likely time for some sort of change.
Good luck!

**porembam** · 02-17-2011, 02:55 PM

it sounds like you are going to burn out, I agree with what what said - you need to set some boundaries.
Do you get 4-5 hours alone time a week - that could help

**Ashley01** · 02-17-2011, 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by pollypurebred39

I'd probably stick it out and take classes online to complete my education.

I would do that but I'm not sure where I'd find the time and I don't really want to finish my course that I took before I had my dd.

Originally Posted by Wendy99

childcare can be very stressfull and you're feeling the need to get out, i would suggest trying something else or setting hours for yourself ie. open 8am - 6pm. it may mean losing some children, but if your going to lose money anyway if you switch jobs. that will allow you more down time to be with your daughter and do some adult things as well. i think your hours are too long for that type of work in your home. i've been there done that.

If I set the hours I would definitley lose kids, I would lose two of them meaning near 800+ of my income. I'm hoping the long hours won't last to long.

Originally Posted by Cares

I would go to an employment service agency, and see a counsellor. I'm one in Canada (Ontario) and we have programs available to help people pay for school, and basic living costs while in school. There may be something available to you that you haven't heard about before.
I would also look in to online courses and see what you can do in the evenings, in case you do need to work while attending school.
If you're not happy and feeling like you need an "out", like you're going to burn out... it's likely time for some sort of change.
Good luck!

Thats something I really want to look into but I'm not sure if I'll have to go back to work and get enough hours to go on EI again so I can get the funding, next day without kiddos I'm going to check it out! Thank you!

Originally Posted by porembam

it sounds like you are going to burn out, I agree with what what said - you need to set some boundaries.
Do you get 4-5 hours alone time a week - that could help

The only alone time I get is when DD goes to bed at 830/9, then by the time I clean I am beat. I could get a babysitter but I hate leaving her when thats are only one on one time. I suppose I just have to get use to it and take a break.

I'll think I'll stick it out for now finanially it makes more sence until I have my EF built up. I'll just have to try and not let the stress get to me!

**kita** · 02-18-2011, 09:41 AM

If you are spending your only alone time cleaning...why don't you hire a housekeeper. Do you think you could find a married or mother of older kids who would love to come in at 9 PM when she has child care and clean for an hour. Ten bucks a day and I have found that you clean someone else's house faster than your own. Two hundred bucks a month (probably tax free) for someone...