Skip to content
Sign in
Artwork for The Daycare Sisters
Kids & FamilyParenting

The Daycare Sisters

The Daycare Sisters

Running a home daycare is isolating, exhausting, and a lot harder than anyone admits, especially when you can’t afford to quit.

The Daycare Sisters Podcast, hosted by two sisters with 30+ years of real in-home daycare experience, says the things you think but never say out loud so you can stop beating yourself up and feel less alone in this job.

Play
Open in
  • 31 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 1 hr 10 min
  • English

Episodes 31

NewestOldestLongest
All20Unplayed20In progress0Played0
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • Yesterday · 1 hr 15 min

    You Left Voicemails About Illegal Daycares, Maternity Leave, And A $4,000 Licensing Requirement

    Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. We are tackling your home daycare questions in this latest episode. Get real advice on managing parent expectations and burnout. Being an in-home daycare provider can feel isolating, especially when you are balancing business needs with the demands of parenting. We are opening up the listener voicemail line to address the hurdles that come with this profession, from setting professional boundaries to handling difficult feedback from families. Whether you are a veteran provider looking for community or a parent wanting to learn how to be a supportive client, we share our honest experiences to help you protect your peace. We discuss how to handle common daycare provider struggles so you can feel more confident and less overwhelmed in your daily work. What is the biggest challenge you are facing in your program right now? Subscribe for our weekly podcast episodes to keep growing your business. CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome 00:53 Please subscribe on YouTube 01:34 Our week: costumes and extra-fussy kids 05:46 The painter's tape leg cast 09:24 We lost the dog at a scrimmage 17:49 Voicemail: Is running a home daycare worth it? 22:43 Can you do home daycare forever? 24:38 Giving notice before you change or close 27:56 Voicemail: Unlicensed daycares, startup costs, and young parents 30:54 Home daycare startup costs 35:14 How do unlicensed daycares get caught? 37:10 Why licensed providers feel nitpicked 40:27 Younger parents and a different generation 47:12 Voicemail: Don't give up, you got this 49:33 Voicemail: Maternity leave as a new provider 53:36 Fear of losing families 56:57 Finding coverage while you're out 1:03:00 Voicemail: Can you be friends with daycare families? 1:05:48 Loving daycare kids who will leave 1:07:16 Why daycare for family and friends gets tricky 1:09:21 Keeping a life outside daycare 1:12:31 Wrap-up: calling longtime providers KEY TAKEAWAYS - For many providers, the hard part is not the kids. It is the rules, the paperwork, and running a business in your own home. - Give families plenty of notice before you change your hours or close, and be financially ready in case they leave early. - Most startup costs go into getting your house ready. Toys and supplies can come from garage sales and buy nothing groups. - A three-week maternity leave is easier for families to cover than six, especially with help from grandparents and other providers. - You can love your daycare kids and still keep a life outside daycare. Friendships with families can wait until they leave your care. TELL US IN THE COMMENTS - How do unlicensed daycares get caught where you live? - How much maternity leave did you take as a provider? - Are you friends with your daycare families? CONNECT Website: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com #homedaycare #inhomedaycare #daycareprovider #daycarelife #dayhome #childminder #familydaycare #toddleractivities #toddlerlearning #toddlermom #momlife #momhumor #canadianmom #ukmums #aussiemum

  • October 19 · 1 hr 10 min

    Providers tear each other down and our own families call this job babysitting

    Dealing with daycare critics? We're answering your voicemails about cameras, the 'babysitting' label, and provider boundaries. Being an in-home daycare provider can feel isolating, especially when family members or parents dismiss your hard work as just babysitting. Today, we are opening up the listener voicemail line to tackle the tough questions you sent in. We’re discussing how to handle negative comments and the complicated feelings that come with having cameras in your daycare space.It is frustrating when other providers undermine your business practices or when parents push boundaries. You aren't alone in these struggles with provider burnout. We share our honest take on these situations to help you protect your peace and your daycare business. We want to support you through the long work weeks and remind you that your expertise is real.Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277—your question could help thousands of providers. CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome 01:05 Please subscribe on YouTube 01:42 Our week: MEA fall break and half the kids gone 10:39 Voicemail: Cameras in home daycare 25:15 Voicemail: Why do providers put each other down? 40:44 Building a positive local provider group 51:48 Voicemail: Family thinks home daycare is just babysitting 1:09:04 Leave a voicemail and what's next KEY TAKEAWAYS - Cameras do not make a daycare safe, and they cannot replace choosing a provider you feel comfortable with. - Footage without context can be misread, so decide how cameras will be used before parents ask. - Kindness among providers starts with scrolling past, or speaking up for the person who asked. - Provider nights out, conferences and social media can help you find your people. - Framing home daycare as your own business can change how family sees it. CONNECT Website: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com #homedaycare #inhomedaycare #daycareprovider #daycarelife #dayhome #childminder #familydaycare #toddleractivities #toddlerlearning #toddlermom #momlife #momhumor #canadianmom #ukmums #aussiemum

  • October 12 · 56 min

    Burnout vs. Boundaries: How Small Favors Impact Your Daycare

    Are small favors from parents impacting your daycare business? We are breaking down where to draw the line to protect your sanity. As home daycare providers, we often want to be helpful, but constant requests for little extras can quickly lead to burnout. In this episode, we talk about the difference between being a supportive partner to parents and overextending yourself to the point of exhaustion. If you have ever felt guilty for saying no, you are not alone. We discuss how to set professional boundaries while maintaining a great relationship with your daycare families. Whether you are a provider struggling with isolation or a parent wanting to become your provider's favorite client, understanding the impact of these small favors is essential for a sustainable childcare arrangement. Subscribe for weekly home daycare conversations and honest talk about the profession. What is one "small favor" you have had to stop doing in your daycare? Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. Can you skip nap? Wake them up early? Keep them clean for pictures? We talk through the small favors daycare parents ask for and why some of them affect the whole group. If you run a home daycare, or you're a parent who wants to be your provider's favorite family, this one's for you. CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to the Daycare Sisters 01:35 Our week: fewer kids and family chaos 19:47 Small requests from daycare parents 21:36 Can you skip nap? 24:23 Why one nap exception snowballs 28:01 Waking kids early for early pickup 32:55 Family pictures: can you keep them clean? 35:25 Coming back late for lunch 38:45 Potty training every 30 minutes 40:31 Why we make kids dress themselves 45:55 How small requests add up 47:33 Opening early and closing late 54:26 It's okay to say no 55:06 Share your small request with us KEY TAKEAWAYS One child skipping nap can snowball into a whole room that won't nap A set age rule for dropping nap beats case-by-case exceptions Early pickup requests only help if pickup actually happens on time Bringing fast food in mid-day leaves a table full of kids asking for fries Potty breaks every 30 minutes don't fit a group of kids learning to dress themselves Opening early or closing late cuts into the provider's own family time Providers can say no, and parents can help by giving grace when a request slips WATCH NEXT Full Episodes playlist: NEEDED ABOUT THE DAYCARE SISTERS Two sisters, nine kids, and over 30 years of in-home daycare experience between us. A chatty podcast for providers and parents to keep on in the background. CONNECT Website: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.comEmail Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com Voicemail: 651-300-2277 #homedaycare #inhomedaycare #daycareprovider #daycarelife #dayhome #childminder #familydaycare #toddleractivities #toddlerlearning #toddlermom #momlife #momhumor #canadianmom #ukmums #aussiemum

  • October 5 · 53 min

    Daycare Providers: To Camera or Not to Camera?

    Thinking about installing cameras in daycare? We're breaking down the pros, cons, and reality for home providers. As home daycare providers, we constantly navigate the balance between transparency and our own privacy. It is easy to feel the pressure when parents ask for constant access, especially when our workplace is also our personal living space. We are talking about whether cameras in daycare are a standard expectation or a boundary we need to protect. This conversation is about more than just equipment; it is about the reality of daycare monitoring and what it means for your business relationship. We weigh the benefits of increased childcare safety against the invasion of privacy that comes with being watched in your own home. Subscribe for weekly home daycare conversations and honest talk about the profession. Let us know: would you run a home daycare with cameras installed, or is that a hard line for you? Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. Should home daycares have cameras? We dig into the comments from our camera clip and talk privacy, trust, cost, and where the business ends and the home begins. Whether you're a home daycare provider weighing cameras or a parent choosing care, this one helps you figure out what fits your family. CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to the Daycare Sisters 01:32 Our week and the start of sick season 02:28 "I'm working, Brandee" 03:58 Duplo frustration 05:40 Should home daycares have cameras? 06:42 What parents said in the comments 08:45 Cost, storage, and logistics 10:35 Recording our own families 13:09 How providers use cameras for incidents 15:40 Parents watching cameras all day 22:34 First-time parent nerves 23:33 It's a business, but it's still our home 24:48 Other parents watching your child 27:22 Trust and listening to your gut 30:09 When parents text all day 32:51 Open door policy 36:18 Incidents yes, live feed no 37:16 Proving something didn't happen 40:48 The worst camera text 43:34 Why centers are different 46:09 The slippery slope 51:17 Where do you land? KEY TAKEAWAYS Cameras aren't required in home daycare, and providers and parents can each choose what fits Live feeds raise real privacy issues: the provider's own family, other people's children, and shared logins Cameras for incident review, with no live feed, was the most-liked view in our comments Cameras cost money in equipment, subscriptions, and provider time Interviews, trust, and your gut tell you more than camera angles WATCH NEXT Full Episodes playlist: NEEDED CONNECT Website: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com ABOUT THE DAYCARE SISTERS We're Brandee and Erin, two sisters and business owners parenting nine kids with over 30 years of home daycare experience between us. A chatty podcast for providers and the moms who love them. Subscribe for real talk about running a home daycare. #homedaycare #inhomedaycare #daycareprovider #daycarelife #dayhome #childminder #familydaycare #toddleractivities #toddlerlearning #toddlermom #momlife #momhumor #canadianmom #ukmums #aussiemum

  • September 28 · 1 hr 23 min

    You Called Saying Fight The Correction Order, I'm Scared Of Retaliation

    Should you fight a licensing correction order? We’re breaking down how to handle surprise inspections and daycare stress.Getting a licensing correction order can feel like a direct hit to your confidence, especially when you’re already an isolated home daycare provider. We’re talking through the reality of visits that flag things that have passed for years, and whether it’s actually worth the fight to push back.Whether you’re dealing with provider burnout or just trying to navigate the complex world of daycare licensing, you aren't alone. We’re two sisters with 30 years of experience, and we know exactly how heavy it feels when you're caught between business demands and the fear of losing your license.Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277 with your own licensing stories. Subscribe for weekly home daycare conversations and honest talk about the profession.0:00 Navigating the Daycare Life1:24 When the Kids Are Just Off2:30 Sickness and Pain Tolerance5:36 The Struggle of Rainy Days7:41 Panic Cleaning for Homecoming12:07 Planning Outfits Years in Advance14:04 The Voicemail That Changed Everything23:37 The Fear of the Licenser52:53 The Shift Toward Childcare CentersKEY TAKEAWAYS- You have 20 days to request reconsideration of a correction order. The request goes to the state, and the state questions your licensor before it asks for your side.- Send your story with pictures and measurements: where the kids are, who is supervising, and why the item was out of reach.- You can dispute a correction order on the spot when the licensor tells you about it.- "Small hazards" are not defined in the rules. Supervision is the real question.- This is a Minnesota home daycare. Check your own state's process before you act.WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOUProviders: have you appealed a correction order? How did it go, and was there any fallout later? Gen Z moms: are you choosing a center or a home daycare, and why? Call 651-300-2277.WATCH NEXTFull Episodes playlist: NEEDED (playlist link)Related episode: NEEDED (link)ABOUT THE DAYCARE SISTERSBrandee and Erin are sisters, business owners, and home daycare providers parenting nine kids with over 30 years of experience between them. A chatty podcast to have on while you make lunch, tidy up, or answer a spam call just to talk to a grown-up.CONNECTWebsite: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.comEmail: info@thedaycaresisters.comVoicemail: 651-300-2277#homedaycare #inhomedaycare #daycareprovider #daycarelife #dayhome #childminder #familydaycare #toddleractivities #toddlerlearning #toddlermom #momlife #momhumor #canadianmom #ukmums #aussiemum

  • September 21 · 1 hr 12 min

    Minnesota Lost Half Its Home Daycares Since 2010, After 30 Years We'd Leave Too If We Could

    Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. Why are child care providers leaving the profession? We talk through a surprise correction order for paper clips and bobby pins, licensing cuts, empty enrollment spots, and whether we'd quit if we could. If you run a home daycare or family child care program and feel the pressure building, you're not alone. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:30 Our week and how one kid changes the whole group 04:00 Sick week and a diaper disaster 08:34 Licensing visit and when a second adult matters 17:34 A correction order for paper clips and bobby pins 28:07 Warning or write-up? 35:55 Licensers are being cut 38:44 Minnesota keeps losing family child care providers 41:44 Rules vs enforcement 44:01 Could more write-ups hurt every provider? 48:44 Why enrollment calls slowed down 52:12 Rates, nanny shares, and grandparents 53:40 Are Gen Z parents choosing centers? 57:41 Would we quit if we could? 1:02:40 Struggling to fill spots 1:07:40 Does provider age matter to parents? 1:10:33 Is your waitlist still long? 1:12:15 Outro KEY TAKEAWAYS - One child can shift the whole group, even when your numbers drop. - A licensing visit can flag things that passed inspection for years. - Correction orders use broad labels like "small hazards," so parents can't see what was actually found. - Softer enrollment may come from free preschool, remote work, rising costs, and families having fewer kids. - Providers, tell us whether your waitlist is still long or quietly disappeared. CONNECT Website: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com #homedaycare #inhomedaycare #daycareprovider #daycarelife #dayhome #childminder #familydaycare #toddleractivities #toddlerlearning #toddlermom #momlife #momhumor #canadianmom #ukmums #aussiemum

  • September 14 · 1 hr 24 min

    You Left Voicemails, A New Daycare Teacher Feels She Messes Up Constantly, After 30 Years So Do We

    Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. Brandee and Erin answer three voicemails: a brand new daycare teacher who feels like she makes mistakes over and over, a Massachusetts provider comparing her playground and infant supervision rules to Minnesota's new ones, and a preschool teacher with a three year old who calmly flips and throws furniture. If you run a home daycare, work in a center, or you are in your first months with kids, this one covers mistakes, rules that do not make sense, and behavior nobody prepared you for. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro and the voicemail format 01:55 Call 1 setup: starting out in a center 06:33 I feel like I mess up constantly 07:29 Why that feeling is normal in your first year 11:36 Maybe it is the age group, not you 13:16 Ask your lead teacher what to work on 17:57 It might not be the right center 18:28 Mindset shift: you are still learning 20:14 Trainings build confidence 26:56 Call 2: Massachusetts rules vs Minnesota 30:56 Fall zones, mulch depth, and swing set clearance 33:43 Why we got rid of the swings 38:44 Baby monitors and wording nobody can explain 45:06 Under six months, direct sight, first six weeks 52:58 Fire drill timing trick with a lock screen screenshot 55:00 Doorbell camera as an attendance backup 58:16 Call 3: the calm explosion 1:00:33 Does she need to move up a room? 1:05:21 Scripts, choices, and getting ahead of it 1:09:24 Why the director needs to step in 1:14:46 When parents need to hear it from someone else 1:17:23 Document it and find the pattern 1:21:01 Tell us what you would do 1:23:56 Outro KEY TAKEAWAYS - Feeling like you constantly mess up in your first months of child care is normal, and experienced providers still make mistakes - The age group matters, some people are built for infants and others for preschool - Ask your lead teacher or director what to work on instead of guessing - Playground fall zones and swing set clearance are why a lot of providers pull their equipment - Minnesota's new infant supervision wording is still unclear and providers are waiting on clarification - Screenshot your phone lock screen at the start and end of a fire drill to log the time - A doorbell camera fills in attendance times when a parent forgets to sign in - Behavior that only shows up at daycare needs the director involved, not just the teacher - Documenting the pattern is what turns a behavior complaint into a solvable problem ABOUT The Daycare Sisters are Brandee and Erin, two sisters and home daycare providers with over 30 years of combined experience. They talk through the real parts of the job for providers who spend all day with kids and no time with other adults. CONNECT Website: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com Voicemail: 651-300-2277 Subscribe for home daycare conversations, provider advice, and honest talk about child care. #homedaycare #inhomedaycare #daycareprovider #daycarelife #dayhome #childminder #familydaycare #toddleractivities #toddlerlearning #toddlermom #momlife #momhumor #canadianmom #ukmums #aussiemum

  • September 8 · 1 hr 10 min

    I Lost 5 Daycare Kids in One Week. Same 50 hours, half the pay.

    Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. One of us lost five daycare kids in two weeks, four to kindergarten and one who only comes in summer, and almost half her income went with them. Same hours, longer days, smaller paycheck. This episode is what we actually do when that happens. If you run a home daycare or family child care program, this one is about planning for the next enrollment drop before it lands: saving while you are full, building a three-month emergency fund, cutting the food bill, and filling spots. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro: lost five kids, and what to do when it happens to you 01:20 Housekeeping: yes, we talk over each other 02:22 This week: down to five kids, and why five is harder than six 07:21 It was planned. It still hits: almost half the income, same hours 11:39 Ratio math: no under-twos until October, no working alone until January 13:19 Planned vs unplanned: losing four kids at the end of COVID 14:26 Save while you are full: retirement, emergency money, $800 brakes 16:22 Parents, tell your provider early 16:51 Bonus weeks and provider networking for extra income 18:24 Pay housing before food 20:27 Grocery strategy: only what you need, bulk, buy ahead, teenagers 24:12 Garden, CSA pick-your-own, and a farm-to-table grant 28:59 Eat the freezer and cheap vegetarian meals 31:46 Homemade tortillas, pasta, and bread at nap time 34:22 Emergency fund: automated weekly savings, three months minimum, prepay summer 37:22 Budget from what you spend, not what you make 39:29 College apartment heat and rotating streaming subscriptions 44:26 You can make plans, but plans can change 46:05 Filling spots: Facebook groups, location, yard signs 47:53 No panic, just budget conscious (come on, chickens) 51:36 Fewer kids, same work: the food program math 54:44 Parent Aware and grants: not free money 57:38 You need less than you think: the toy purge 58:47 What parents don't see: expenses stay the same 1:01:55 Narrow margins: this is a business, and we deserve nice things too 1:04:41 The truck died, then the battery died 1:06:57 Cheap resources: library, food shelf, phone, internet 1:08:56 Call the voicemail: how are you filling spots? KEY TAKEAWAYS - Fewer kids does not mean less work. Hours, expenses, and food program paperwork stay the same. - Save while you are full. Automate a weekly transfer, cover at least three months of what you spend, prepay summer. - Pay housing first. Food help is easier to find than housing help. - Cut the food bill: buy only what you need, eat the freezer, cook from scratch at nap time, grow what you can. - Parents, give notice early. It lets your provider plan. - Network with nearby providers. Their summer kids can fill your open weeks. - Filling spots: local Facebook groups worked for a brand-new provider. Results depend on location. RESOURCES MENTIONED - Think Small provider grants, Minnesota (regional, start-up, emergency, Parent Aware): https://www.thinksmall.org/providers/ - Parent Aware, Minnesota's early childhood quality rating and improvement system: https://www.parentaware.org/programs/ - Farm-to-table food grant through Think Small: NEEDED grant name and link WATCH NEXT - Full Episodes playlist: NEEDED link - Related episode: NEEDED link ABOUT THE DAYCARE SISTERS Brandee and Erin are two sisters, business owners, and home daycare providers with over 30 years of experience between them, parenting nine kids of their own. Isolation is the dirty little secret of home daycare, and nobody should feel alone doing the work they love. Subscribe for home daycare real talk, provider business tips, and the stuff nobody tells you about running child care from your house. Website: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com #homedaycare #inhomedaycare #daycareprovider #daycarelife #dayhome #childminder #familydaycare #toddleractivities #toddlerlearning #toddlermom #momlife #momhumor #canadianmom #ukmums #aussiemum

  • August 31 · 1 hr 5 min

    After 30 Years In Home Daycare, The Comment That Finally Set Us Off

    Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. Brandee and Erin posted a short clip asking parents to pick their kids up by closing time. The comments turned into an argument between providers and parents. In this episode they read through what people actually said and talk about what respect looks like at the end of a daycare day. If you run a home daycare or a family child care program, this one covers closing time boundaries, late pickup, communication with parents, and why "out the door" and "in the door" are not the same thing. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:49 Subscribe and Channel Update 01:49 Kids Coming Back After Summer 03:42 Minnesota State Fair Traditions 08:28 The Pickup Time Reel Went Viral 09:24 Providers Choose Their Own Hours 11:10 Leaving While Parents Buckle Up 12:20 Getting Our Own Kids to Activities 14:20 Parents Who Chat at Closing Time 16:00 Parents Who Wait in the Car 18:26 Communication and Kids Who Wait 21:29 Bold Ways Providers Handle Late Pickups 23:46 Sports Nights and Carpool Juggling 27:07 Nudging Late Parents Out the Door 29:31 The Work After Closing Time 31:00 Early Pickups and Closing Time 34:29 When You Need Longer Daycare Hours 36:25 Grace for Parents Who Are Trying 37:42 Parents Work 8 Hours, Providers Work 10 40:33 You Agreed to These Hours 41:12 Providers and Parents Need Each Other 42:36 Should Daycare Be More Flexible 43:55 Does Rushing Mean You Don't Care 45:25 Contracts and Opening Times 47:52 A Single Mom Asks for Grace 50:54 When a Heads Up Would Have Helped 52:50 Late Fees and Pickup Policies 54:40 Appreciation Goes a Long Way 55:43 The Kid Who Is Always Last 57:44 What Providers Are Asking For 1:00:06 Providers Have Places to Be Too 1:01:50 Respect in Other Professions 1:02:45 Running Home Daycare Like a Business 1:03:55 Voicemail and Final Thoughts KEY TAKEAWAYS - Closing time should mean the family is out the door, not walking in the door - Home daycare providers are business owners, and the hours parents agreed to are in the contract they signed - A heads up about a late pickup changes what a provider can plan around - Sitting in the driveway before pickup disrupts nap time and unsettles the kids waiting inside - Providers still have cleanup, trash, and their own family obligations after the last pickup - If a provider's hours do not fit your schedule, centers and longer day programs exist CONNECT www.TheDaycareSisters.com info@thedaycaresisters.com Voicemail: 651-300-2277 #homedaycare #inhomedaycare #daycareprovider #daycarelife #dayhome #childminder #familydaycare #toddleractivities #toddlerlearning #toddlermom #momlife #momhumor #canadianmom #ukmums #aussiemum

  • August 24 · 1 hr 10 min

    Bored School Agers, No Naps, And The Slow Build Of Summer Burnout

    Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. Summer is supposed to be the break that fixes everything. It is not. Brandee and Erin talk about late summer burnout in home daycare: the stretch where kids leave for kindergarten, the school calendar takes over, the licensor is coming, and the income drops right when the work feels heaviest. If you run a home daycare or family child care program, this one is for the season you are in right now. CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Intro: never alone but always lonely 00:02:30 Subscribe ask and how to use these chapters 00:04:30 Why we picked summer burnout this week 00:07:30 Kids leaving for kindergarten and the ones left behind 00:11:00 Minnesota school calendars and the pre Labor Day start 00:16:00 Stuck at home: camps, drop off windows, and your own kids 00:22:00 Bored school agers and the same toys for five years 00:28:00 Licensor visits and the stress of being watched 00:34:00 Self destructing emails and paperwork that will not open 00:38:30 Parents on vacation who still send their kids 00:42:00 Working right up to every holiday 00:46:00 Open houses at four, sports, and the fall pileup 00:50:30 Getting parents out the door on time 00:54:00 Packing the car for every season and reusing last year's notebooks 00:57:30 Why a week off does not fix burnout 01:00:30 Losing five kids and the income hit nobody sees 01:03:30 Recap: caretakers, take care of yourselves KEY TAKEAWAYS A summer break does not cure burnout. It postpones it. School age kids get bored fast when you cannot leave the house and cannot run a school age program alongside infants and toddlers. The stress of a licensing visit is mostly anticipation, not preparation. Losing several kids to kindergarten at once is a schedule change and an income change at the same time. Fall open houses, sports, and band schedules collide with daycare closing time. Tell parents early and repeat it. The mental load of planning, paperwork, and prep is real labor even when nobody sees it. ABOUT THE SHOW Two sisters, both home daycare owners, parenting nine kids between them with over 30 years of family child care experience. Honest conversation for providers who are never alone but often lonely. Put it on while you make lunch. CONNECT https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com info@thedaycaresisters.com Voicemail: 651-300-2277 #daycareprovider #daycarelife #homedaycare #momlife #childcareproviders

  • August 21 · 1 hr 19 min

    She Built A Duplex Daycare In Her Backyard And Filled Every Spot Opening Day

    Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. Linda Hopkins has run a home daycare in Indiana for 26 years. She started on Halloween day, grew from one child to 32 across a licensed duplex she built off her back door, and in a few months she will be running the daycare alone for the first time since she opened. In this conversation she talks about the burnout that sent her to a counselor, the crying baby she should have been honest with a parent about, why she stopped giving out her personal phone number, and the regret she still carries about the time she gave away. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro0:29 How She Got Started in Child Care2:50 Indiana Licensing and 32 Kids4:44 Building a Daycare Duplex6:25 Scaling Down After 20207:34 Getting Her GED and CDA12:06 Online vs In-Person Training13:37 Losing Privacy in a Home Daycare16:47 Staffing a Home Daycare19:33 Losing Staff and Working Alone21:34 Putting Yourself First as a Provider22:44 Burnout and a Crying Baby24:18 Terminating a Family and What Changed26:34 Preventing Burnout With Boundaries29:40 Parents Who Show Up Early32:39 The Lunch Problem Behind Body Bib34:42 Turning an Idea Into a Product37:35 Childcare Conferences and Travel39:05 The Food Program for Providers40:33 Relicensing and Running Two Businesses43:46 Daycare Contracts and Handbooks44:46 Daycare Taxes and Business Expenses48:19 Retirement Planning for Providers49:53 Selling a Home Daycare Business53:04 Loneliness in Home Daycare55:02 Provider Support on Social Media58:14 Treating Daycare Like a Business59:24 Parking Lot Safety and House Rules1:02:39 Advice for New Daycare Providers1:04:11 Getting a Separate Daycare Phone1:09:06 Her Biggest Regret as a Provider1:11:08 Parents Who Respect Your Time1:13:10 What Providers Carry Behind the Smile1:16:45 Balancing Family and Daycare1:18:28 Where to Find Linda Online KEY TAKEAWAYS - Enforce your contract from day one, before the heartstrings get pulled - Burnout is often coming from the thing you have not said out loud yet - A child who cries all day affects every other child in the room, and terminating is sometimes the right call - A separate daycare phone protects your evenings, weekends, and vacations - If you run a home daycare you are a business, licensed or not, and you have deductible expenses - Losing your only assistant changes how you handle appointments, conferences, and time off RESOURCES MENTIONED - BodyBib, the full body bib Linda invented: https://bodybib.com - Mileage tracking app she uses: MileIQ - Tom Copeland, family child care business author and trainer FOLLOW LINDA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daycareprovidersunlimitedlindahopkins Website: https://www.daycareprovidersunlimited.com BodyBib: https://bodybib.com CONNECT Website: www.TheDaycareSisters.com Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com #daycareprovider #daycarelife #homedaycare #momlife #childcareproviders

  • August 17 · 57 min

    Chatting About The New Minnesota Laws Part 2 — No More Microwaving Plastic Bottles Or Containers

    For easier ways to listen: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com Chatting About The New Minnesota Laws Part 2 — No More Microwaving Plastic Bottles Or Containers Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. This episode starts with a heavy topic. We talk about the murder-suicide at a Hopkins, Minnesota home daycare that took the life of provider Kristen Brown and her young daughter, and we share domestic violence hotline numbers for the US, Australia, and Canada. Then we get back into part two of our breakdown of Minnesota's new family child care licensing rules, covering attendance, paperwork, firearm storage, sick child policy, well water and radon disclosure, food safety, and pets. If you run a home daycare or family child care program in Minnesota, or anywhere providers are watching new rules roll out, this episode will help you figure out what's actually changing and what's still unclear. CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro1:10 Minnesota Daycare Tragedy2:52 Remembering Kristen and Eevee4:17 Domestic Violence Hotline Numbers6:24 New Minnesota Daycare Law6:57 New Attendance Requirements9:10 Late Pickup Story10:29 Updating the Policy Handbook10:52 Screen Time Policies14:36 Firearms and Social Media Rules16:57 New Fire and Storm Drill Rules18:47 Confusion Over Documenting Drill Times24:04 Required Parent Access Rules24:48 New Firearm Storage Law27:09 Care of Sick Children29:39 Reportable Disease Requirements32:03 Reporting to the Commissioner33:50 COVID Reporting Comparisons37:44 Compliance Timeline and Costs41:58 Well Water Testing Rules43:16 Radon Testing Rules44:52 Food and Plastic Container Rules48:32 Pet Rules During Mealtime51:52 Wrapping Up New Rules54:03 Health Update and Recovery57:29 Closing and Contact Info KEY TAKEAWAYS Everyone will be required to take daily attendance with check in and check out times, not just providers who take grant funding Firearm and ammunition storage rules changed, guns and ammo can be stored together but must be unloaded and in a locked area inaccessible to children Fire and storm drills now require logging the caregiver's name and how long evacuation took, which raised real questions the hosts couldn't fully answer Providers can no longer restrict when parents access the daycare during care hours Sick child exclusion is now tied to Minnesota's reportable disease rules and commissioner of health guidance, which the hosts found vague in places Plastic bottles, sippy cups, and food containers can no longer be warmed in the microwave Pets must be kept away from food prep, storage, and serving areas unless caged or kenneled RESOURCES MENTIONED Minnesota Day One Crisis Line: call 1-866-223-1111 or text 612-399-9995 National Domestic Violence Hotline: call 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788 1800RESPECT (Australia): call 1800 737 732 or text 0458 737 732, chat at https://www.1800respect.org.au Sheltersafe (Canada): https://www.sheltersafe.ca ABOUT DAYCARE SISTERS Brandee and Erin are sisters, home daycare business owners, and parents to nine kids between them, with over 30 years of home daycare experience. They talk through the real, unfiltered side of running a home daycare, for providers who want honest conversation instead of polished advice. Subscribe for daycare operator tips, home daycare conversations, and real talk about child care. CONNECT Website: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.comEmail: info@thedaycaresisters.com #daycareprovider #daycarelife #homedaycare #momlife #childcareproviders

  • August 4 · 1 hr 26 min

    The New Minnesota Laws Part 1: Inside The 56 Pages That Change Home Daycare Next July

    Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. Minnesota's family child care licensing standards are being rewritten, and the new rules take effect July 1, 2027. Brandee and Erin read all 56 pages of Article 13 and pulled out the changes that will actually land on home daycare providers. This is part one. We get into capacity classes, training hours, outdoor play space and fencing, water hazards, supervision, and sleeping infant checks. Part two covers what needs to change in your policy handbook. We are providers, not lawyers. Some of this language is genuinely unclear and we say so when we are not sure. If you read it differently, leave a comment or call the voicemail line. 00:00 Intro00:56 The New Minnesota Daycare Law02:42 Our Interpretation, Not Legal Advice04:31 How the Bill Passed and Where to Find It07:00 Daycare Capacity Changes08:14 New License Categories C1 to C509:09 What the C5 License Requires12:32 Taking School Agers in Home Daycare13:20 Would the C5 Work for Us15:40 What Counts as Ground Level17:58 Indoor and Outdoor Space Requirements19:13 How Other States Handle Staff21:39 Using a Helper as a Second Adult22:48 Training Hours Drop to 1024:05 Required Annual Trainings25:06 New Fire Safety Training29:20 The Same Trainings Every Year31:17 Tracking Training Hours in Develop32:53 Licensing Year Changes to January35:00 Training Confusion Before July37:34 Car Seat Training Requirement43:05 Outdoor Play Space Rules44:18 Fences and Traffic Hazards46:26 Decks, Gates, and Playground Barriers51:45 Laws Written Without Provider Input55:17 Pools, Hot Tubs, and Water Hazards1:01:00 What These Changes Cost Providers1:03:30 New Supervision Rules1:04:47 What Immediately Means1:06:49 How Will These Rules Be Monitored1:09:22 Household Members and Your Own Kids1:10:24 Sleeping Baby Checks Now Encouraged1:13:39 Rules for Baby Monitors1:20:22 Advice for New Daycare Providers1:22:51 Part Two Preview and Final Thoughts KEY TAKEAWAYS - The new family child care licensing standards were enacted in 2026 as Chapter 127, Article 13, and the tentative effective date is July 1, 2027 - Capacity classes are restructured from A, B, C1 to C3, and D into A and C1 through C5, with more infants and toddlers allowed in the middle classes - The top class requires a second adult, added experience or credentials, and care on a single ground level, which limits basement and upper level use - A helper can substitute for a second adult caregiver only when there is no more than one infant, one newborn, or one toddler - Annual training drops from 16 hours to 10, with required annual trainings in child development, supervision, SUID, and abusive head trauma - Fire safety and fire marshal training is added on a five year cycle, along with health and safety training - Everyone moves to a January 1 through December 31 licensing year, which makes the 2027 transition year confusing - Outdoor play areas must be protected from traffic and hazards, and a continuous fence or natural barrier is required where hazards are present - Platforms 30 inches or higher need a continuous protective barrier, and openings between 3.5 and 9 inches are not allowed - Water hazards including pools, hot tubs, stationary wading pools, and fish ponds need a permanent barrier at least four feet high, and a locking hot tub cover no longer count RESOURCES MENTIONED Full session law, Laws of Minnesota 2026, Chapter 127. Scroll to Article 13 for family child care: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/2026/0/Session+Law/Chapter/127/ DCYF family child care licensing hub: https://dcyf.mn.gov/family-child-care-licensing DCYF Child Care Regulation Modernization Project, including the legislative report and the summary of changes: https://dcyf.mn.gov/child-care-regulation-modernization-project CONNECT www.TheDaycareSisters.com info@thedaycaresisters.com #daycareprovider #daycarelife #homedaycare #momlife #childcareproviders

  • July 31 · 1 hr 24 min

    He Left Microsoft, She Left US Bank, Now They Run A Home Daycare Together (Oh, And He's In A Rock Band)

    Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. For the first time on the podcast, Brandee and Erin sit down with a husband and wife team who run a licensed home daycare together in North Dakota. Twelve and a half years in, they have cut their hours twice, dropped curriculum entirely, and moved to a two day a week summer schedule that most providers assume families would never accept. They walk through how they split the day between them, how they told parents a full year before the schedule change, what they charge for summer care, why they price below everyone around them, and why they have never once had a payment problem. KEY TAKEAWAYS - A two day a week summer schedule can hold your families if you give them enough notice - Charging a percentage of the weekly rate keeps summer pricing fair when you cut days - Long hours are usually a boundary problem, not a demand problem - Play based care and everyday conversation teach more than worksheets for kids under five - Kindergarten teachers want manners, independence, and the ability to ask for help without crying - Referrals fill spots faster than advertising when families trust you - Two adults in one program only works if you talk all day and back each other up in front of parents FOLLOW OUR GUESTS Ditching Delmer on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DitchingDelmer Daycare page: NEEDED CONNECT Website: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com Voicemail: 651-300-2277 #daycareprovider #daycarelife #homedaycare #momlife #childcareproviders

  • July 28 · 1 hr 15 min

    Our First Daycare Parent Voicemail, And What She Noticed That Parents Never Say Out Loud

    Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. Our first voicemail from a daycare parent, plus three provider questions we did not sugarcoat. A new provider two months in with a child who is cussing, breaking things, and throwing her cat. A provider with 10 kids whose parents keep saying they will come early and then do not. And a parent asking whether kids really did get sicker after COVID, or whether it was just her family. If you run a home daycare or family child care program, this one covers documentation, behavior plans, licensor conversations, playroom resets, contract trial periods, and how to stop opening your door early for free. KEY TAKEAWAYS - Document destructive behavior in a dedicated notebook with dates, times, and what happened. Have parents sign written notices and keep a copy. - Reset the physical space before you reset the child. Crayons up high, hard toys away, soft toys out, one activity at a time. - Ask your licensor for advice before you terminate. If the family reports you afterward, your licensor already knows the history. - Write a behavior plan with a set timeline, have both parents sign it, then follow it exactly so termination is documented, not emotional. - A trial period clause in your contract gives you an exit before you are stuck. - Provider Appreciation Day is the Friday before Mother's Day. A card or a kid drawn picture is enough. - Leave before close, not at close. A minute or two late every day adds up to real unpaid hours. - Set fixed hours and stop opening early for free. If a family wants an early drop off, charge for it and take payment before you set the alarm. - A doorbell camera and individual garage codes solve random arrivals during nap time. - Both sisters saw the same post COVID illness surge, and both say it has been tapering off since 2024 into 2025 and 2026. 00:00 Intro01:10 Family Reunion Week02:31 Minnesota Daycare Laws Coming Next Week03:55 Daycare Parents Reaching Out04:35 Provider and Parent Partnership05:22 Voicemail From a Daycare Parent08:31 Provider Appreciation Day09:18 Leave Before Closing Time10:00 Late Pickups and Provider Life12:32 Noise and Hearing Loss13:56 Voicemail About Daycare Illness16:33 Kids Getting Sicker After COVID17:29 A Sick Infant and Trusting Your Gut18:34 Running Daycare During COVID19:22 Cleaning and Toy Rotation22:48 Norovirus and Stomach Bugs26:07 Illnesses Getting Better Now28:38 Closing Daycare for the Flu30:58 Voicemail About a Destructive Child32:16 Terminating and Documenting36:06 Resetting Your Daycare Space40:43 Giving Kids a Physical Outlet43:20 Getting Parents on Board45:45 When a Child Needs an Evaluation49:36 Asking Your Licensor for Advice51:14 Making a Written Behavior Plan53:53 Trial Periods in Daycare Policies55:30 Burnout for New Providers56:47 Voicemail About Early Drop Offs59:19 Setting Your Daycare Hours01:01:00 How to Talk to Parents01:04:04 Doorbells and Door Codes01:08:29 Charging for Early Drop Offs01:13:14 Final Thoughts MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE - Provider Appreciation Day - the Friday before Mother's Day - A doorbell camera for driveway alerts - Individual garage entry codes per family - A small one person trampoline or rebounder for active kids - Washable window markers as a redirect - Next week: Minnesota's new daycare laws WATCH NEXT Full episodes playlist: NEEDED - playlist URL CONNECT Website: https://thedaycaresisters.com Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com Voicemail: 651-300-2277 ABOUT Brandee and Erin are sisters, business owners, and moms of nine with over 30 years of combined home daycare experience. Home daycare is a job where you are never alone but always lonely, and this is the conversation nobody else is having out loud. Subscribe for honest home daycare conversations, provider advice, and real talk about family child care. #daycareprovider #daycarelife #homedaycare #momlife #childcareproviders

  • July 24 · 1 hr 11 min

    We talked to random providers at the NAFCC conference about running daycare out of their own homes

    Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. We brought a microphone to the NAFCC National Annual Conference in Chicago and sat down with family child care providers from seven states. Ratios, curriculum, burnout, staffing, selling a program, and what they would tell someone opening their doors tomorrow. Heads up on the audio. We recorded these on an iPhone in a busy conference hall. IN THIS EPISODE Providers from North Carolina, Michigan, New York, California, Ohio, Oregon, and Illinois talk about how differently this job looks depending on where you live, and how much of it is exactly the same everywhere. CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Why this one is late and why the audio is rough 00:01:00 Maureen Brown, Charlotte NC, 32 years in 00:04:00 Switching to Experience Early Learning 00:06:30 Licensed for 12 to 17, but capping at 10 on purpose 00:09:00 Supportive husbands and gardening with the kids 00:12:30 Amy, Michigan, 25 years in a small in-home space 00:15:30 What her own three kids thought about growing up in daycare 00:19:30 Advice for new providers: policies first, and give yourself grace 00:22:00 Ari Hawkins, Syracuse NY, activity director 00:26:00 Second shift, no junk food, and staying in your lane with parents 00:30:00 The creek story 00:33:00 Yvonne, California, running family child care 24 hours a day 00:37:00 Selling the daycare without losing the legacy 00:40:00 Unionized child care in California and what it actually changed 00:45:00 Delegating and letting your staff run their own age group 00:48:00 Taniyah Holmes, Cincinnati OH, licensed for 14 with 19 enrolled 00:50:30 Preventing burnout and staying gold rated 00:52:30 Brooke McDonald, Oregon, running a program with her mother in law 00:55:30 Monique, Illinois, field trips with eight kids under five 00:59:00 Manners, Broadway, and finding a local provider group 01:03:00 Closing thoughts KEY TAKEAWAYS Your license number is not your capacity number. Several providers run below their limit on purpose to avoid staffing they cannot sustain. Policies belong in writing before you open, not after your first hard parent. Nobody warns you about wear and tear on your own house. Door handles, floors, walls. Burnout prevention is not a mindset. It is a ten minute break, a second adult, or a hard stop at the end of your shift. Selling a family child care program takes years, not months, if you care what happens to it after you leave. Isolation is the through line. Almost every provider said the same thing: they did not know anyone else doing this until they found a group. GUESTS IN THIS EPISODE Maureen Brown, Charlotte, North Carolina Amy, Amy's Daycare, Michigan Ari Hawkins, Syracuse, New York Yvonne, formerly of California, now consulting from Kansas Taniyah Holmes, Cincinnati, Ohio Brooke McDonald, Oregon Monique, Illinois FOLLOW OUR GUESTS NEEDED: confirmed business names and social handles before this block goes live. Do not publish placeholder handles. RESOURCES MENTIONED National Association for Family Child Care: https://nafcc.org Experience Early Learning, formerly Mother Goose Time: https://www.mothergoosetime.com Experience Curriculum inside brightwheel: https://mybrightwheel.com/experience-curriculum CONNECT Website: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com Voicemail: 651-300-2277 #daycareprovider #daycarelife #homedaycare #momlife #childcareproviders

  • July 20 · 49 min

    Inside our first national home daycare conference after 30 years as providers

    Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. We packed up the podcast and spent four days exhibiting at the NAFCC National Conference in Chicago, our first family child care conference ever. This is the full recap: the sweltering plane, one 30,000-step day of Chicago tourism, and what it was actually like to sit at a booth talking with providers, trainers, and advocates from all over the country. We get into how different licensing, ratios, pay, and benefits look from state to state, why so many providers can afford staff, the debate over whether anyone should say "daycare" anymore, and the stories we cannot stop thinking about, including the daycare families who renovated a provider's basement while she was at the conference. Plus our first pod swap, the best compliment this podcast has ever received, and our giveaway winner announcement. Coming soon: a finance and retirement episode for providers, and a walkthrough of Minnesota's new licensing rules. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro: never alone, always lonely 00:51 We exhibited at the NAFCC conference in Chicago 01:45 Travel day: the sweltering plane 06:16 One big Chicago day: Skydeck, deep dish, fireworks 11:11 What exhibiting was actually like 12:03 Providers from all over the country 14:39 "You shouldn't call yourselves the Daycare Sisters" 16:55 Provider stories that stuck with us 18:06 Burnout, feeling inadequate, getting re-energized 22:02 Staff, subsidies, and benefits state by state 25:52 The conference app and the chatting chair 30:45 Wildfire smoke and the no-pool hotel 31:49 Meetups, badge scans, and exhibitor exhaustion 39:49 Our first pod swap and the SNL compliment 43:05 What we'd change next time 46:32 What's next on the podcast 47:28 Giveaway winner 48:16 Outro KEY TAKEAWAYS - Licensing, ratios, subsidies, and benefits for family child care vary enormously from state to state - Providers in states with stronger subsidies or benefit programs are far more likely to afford staff, including homes offering 24/7 care - Slower conference traffic meant longer, more meaningful conversations with providers, trainers, and advocacy leaders - The field is debating the word "daycare," with some preferring terms like family educator, but we are keeping our name - Getting back into the provider community can be a real antidote to burnout RESOURCES MENTIONED - NAFCC (National Association for Family Child Care): https://nafcc.org - Brightwheel and its curriculum, formerly Mother Goose Time: https://mybrightwheel.com - Parent Aware, Minnesota's quality rating system: https://www.parentaware.org - The Child Care Directors Chair Podcast with Erica Saccoccio: https://childcaredirectorschair.buzzsprout.com - TRAILS, West Virginia's traveling toy and book lending program for providers: http://www.wvdhhr.org/choices/for-providers/trails.html ABOUT THE DAYCARE SISTERS Brandee and Erin are two sisters, moms to nine kids between them, and home daycare owners with over 30 years of combined experience. This podcast is the adult conversation providers never get during the day. CONNECT Website: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com Voicemail: 651-300-2277 #daycareprovider #daycarelife #homedaycare #momlife #childcareproviders

  • July 16 · 48 min

    How a social worker's phone call put a foster child in her home daycare

    Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. A 15 year home daycare provider shares what she wishes new providers knew: how to write and actually enforce a contract, handle rough drop offs, and protect your own home and family. If you run a home daycare or family child care program, this conversation covers burnout, difficult parents, boundaries, play based curriculum, and caring for foster families through the county. CHAPTERS 0:00 Welcome and meet Megan 0:16 Inside her farm based play daycare 2:23 Her own kids and her home setup 4:44 Ages she takes and dropping school age 10:18 Burnout after 15 years 11:50 Closures, sick days, and Grandma Anna 16:43 Why every provider needs an ironclad contract 18:07 The divorce clause she added to her contract 20:44 Rough drop offs and the two week adjustment 25:00 Play based vs a paid curriculum 26:45 Winters, heat waves, and indoor days 28:40 Caring for foster families through the county 31:54 The loneliness of home daycare 34:54 Funny things the kids have said 39:39 What keeps her going on the hard weeks 41:59 Difficult parents and setting boundaries 43:57 Red flags to watch for in interviews 46:27 How social media changed home daycare 48:08 Where to find Megan KEY TAKEAWAYS - An ironclad contract is the thing most new providers skip, and learning to enforce it takes time and a bit of backbone - Rough drop offs are normal; most kids are fine within minutes, and a quick video can reassure a worried parent - Burnout is real after years in this job, and taking a personal day is necessary, not a

  • July 13 · 1 hr 33 min

    "Enforce Your Policy" Doesn't Work When You Can't Afford to Lose Families

    Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. Brandee and Erin answer the last two listener voicemails. A 64-year-old single mom runs her home daycare from a two-bedroom apartment and can't keep up with the toys, laundry, dishes, and late payments. A rural Minnesota provider with three young kids at home is deep in burnout and wants to quit, but won't. The sisters get honest about tight margins, why "just enforce your policy" is easier said than done, and the small changes that actually help. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:34 Week catch-up and iron infusion prep 07:36 Voicemail 1: running an apartment daycare alone at 64 09:44 Fewer toys, kid cleanup, and guilt-free screen time 16:02 Toys from home and lost items 18:47 Late payments: Vanco, Venmo, and the awkward talk 21:21 Laundry shortcuts and paper plate survival mode 27:56 When you can't afford to lose families 34:05 Speaking up and changing your hours 41:53 Doing this job as you get older 47:07 Voicemail 2: rural provider burnout 50:05 Rural realities and the teachers-only daycare path 56:01 Permission to just play 58:04 Splitting the mental load at home 01:07:42 Saving for summers off and budgeting 01:12:31 Burnout is the mental load 01:21:01 Survival mode seasons 01:26:45 Cut 15 minutes and delegate whole categories 01:31:38 Coming up: Minnesota laws episode, a provider tool, and Chicago 01:32:56 Outro KEY TAKEAWAYS - Cut toys down to open-ended basics, store the rest in totes, and have the kids help pick up before pickup time - Put toys from home in one designated spot the moment parents leave so nothing gets lost at the door - Automate tuition with direct deposit through a service like Vanco, or send Venmo requests, so you never have to chase payments - Screen time, paper plates, and simple meals are survival tools, not failures - Enforcing policies is harder when losing one family breaks your budget; change hours for incoming families first and give current families a heads up - A teachers-only daycare takes years to build; start enrolling teacher families now and save all school year to cover summers off - Burnout is mostly mental load; hand off entire categories at home, like all food or all laundry, instead of asking for one-time help CONNECT Website: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com #daycareprovider #daycarelife #homedaycare #momlife #childcareproviders Feeling lonely while running your home daycare? Discover how to overcome the isolation that comes with being a professional childcare provider. Running a home daycare is a unique job where you are constantly surrounded by children but often lack adult interaction. If you feel like the only person who truly understands the challenges of balancing a childcare business with your own personal life, you are not alone. This podcast is for providers who need a community that gets the daily grind. We are Brandy and Aaron, two sisters with over 30 years of combined experience in the field. We created this space to talk about the reality of daycare provider isolation and share our experiences managing our own businesses while parenting. We want to ensure that no one feels like they have to do this work by themselves. Subscribe for weekly home daycare support and insights. Tell us in the comments what the hardest part of your day is so we can discuss it next.

  • July 9 · 1 hr

    After 15 Years in Child Care Centers, She Turned Her Townhouse Basement Into a Daycare

    Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. We will weigh in on the podcast, and so will the community. Your question could help thousands of providers. Rebekah spent 15 years in child care centers, most recently as a director, then opened a home daycare in the basement of her Maryland townhouse. She and Brandee get into small-space setup, running mixed ages from 14 months to 7 years, homeschooling her own daughter during nap time, quiet time boxes, and the 4:30 closing time that keeps burnout away. If you run a home daycare or family child care program, this one covers starting up, daily structure, and protecting your energy. CHAPTERS00:00 Meet Rebekah: center director to home daycare02:03 Themes and planning without a purchased curriculum04:44 Her own kids and homeschooling while running daycare13:16 Making a townhouse work for daycare15:57 Maryland licensing and ratios18:04 Subs: husband, Oma, and summer help20:55 Field trips in a minivan31:47 Running a mixed-age group36:26 Nap time and quiet time boxes43:01 Structured vs play-based48:41 Burnout and the car-ride-home reset55:15 Advice for new providers: free programs and Maryland EXCELS01:00:08 Wrap-up KEY TAKEAWAYS - A townhouse or condo can work for family child care if you are strategic with layout and furniture - Plan activities for the oldest kids, then simplify the same activity for the younger ones - Quiet time boxes keep school-age kids busy during nap so you still get your midday break - Free local child care association programs and state quality ratings like Maryland EXCELS can pay providers real money - Closing at 4:30 protects your evening, and families who fit your program will still enroll RESOURCES MENTIONED - Brickit (the brick pile scanning app): https://brickit.app FOLLOW REBEKAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dailydoseofbek Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beebrightcare CONNECT Website: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com Subscribe for real conversations for home daycare and family child care providers. #daycareprovider #daycarelife #homedaycare #momlife #childcareproviders #inhomedaycare #daycaresisters

Showing 1–20 of 31 episodes