Throwback Thursday: My New Life-Childcare
Typically on Thursday I pick up an old blog post and reintroduce it to you. This Thursday I’m doing something a little different. I am throwing you back to my old life. Here’s me, cute as can be playing with my childcare kids.
From 2000 until 2008 I was an in home childcare provider. I have to say, it’s hard work but it was my most fun job ever.
After careful consideration, I’ve decided to go back to it.
Don’t worry…I’ll still be here on the blog every day. Kelli and I will still have quilts in magazines sometimes but we won’t be chasing and chasing deadlines anymore and for that, we are both really happy. Too many times Kelli and I found ourselves just wishing for a minute that we could sew things simply because we wanted to sew it. We found ourselves wanting to cross stitch, punch needle or rug hook and just didn’t have the time for it as deadlines were always looming.
Sadly, our hobby of quilting became work. We had trouble leaving work out of our personal relationship and it wasn’t quite as fun as it used to be. It wasn’t that much fun for the family either. Being creative on demand takes the fun out of being creative. Plus the income is strange and sporadic. It is definitely a feast or famine way of life.
I am happily going back to a regular pay check with day to day people contact. I miss that-the regular paychecks…but mostly the people. As fun as it seems to be able to hang out in jammies all day if you want to, it can loose it’s appeal after awhile.
I debated about getting a job in town but my heart isn’t in that. I still want to be a stay at home mom and wife. Here there is a big shortage of child care providers so I’m hoping I can fill a need in our community and provide quality care for the families.
Hubby and I have plans to make the basement into a childcare space keeping the mess of it all away from our living space. I will likely start out doing care on the main floor and once the basement is finished, I’ll move operations there. I’ve been drawing things out and testing ideas trying to make the best use of our space.
I’ll have a 24′ x 28′ space but that has the stairs, a tiny 1/2 bath and a closet in it. I can see the kids having LOTS of fun on the platform on the bottom of the stairs. It’s screaming dress up clothes and a stage to me!
Under the stairs I am hoping to put a “playing house” area. I have a doll bed and highchair along with a little cupboard that will work there. In fact, I kept many of my favorite things from doing childcare the first time. I always thought I might do it again.
I think we will wall off a little room so that two cribs can fit there so we have a quite place for infants to sleep-I’ve thought about putting a plexi-glass window in so I can see them sleeping.
I’ll be watching sales for a couch, television, desk and file cabinet….little by little we’ll get what we need.
I am super excited about all of the upcoming changes. I can’t wait to get into the house and can’t wait to get back to a job that I love and I can’t wait to get back to being just a hobby quilter and blogger. There is something really comforting about it all!!