Watching a 2 Year Old

Hi D.

It depends on the kid, can you take him out with out to much of a problem? I am currently watching a..how to put it nicely...high demand 2 year old for my neighbor for a week. I would not dare venture outside with him. In my opinion 3 kids can be just as easy to take out as two but it really depends on how the child is. And another thing to think about is your friendship, if she dropped her son off and did not go to work but to lunch or something would you feel taken advantage of. With friends it can be hard to decide. Wanting to help out a friend is a nice thing to do and the fact that you have already been watching him for a week and you are still considering it must mean he is a pretty good kid :)

I have done this for a friend who also needed help, and I also needed the money at the time. If the child isn't too difficult for you to manage, try it out. Let your friend know that this is all new for you, and you may have to stop if you can't handle it. You may want to start off with just a definite month for now, and see how that works, and go from there. Whatever you do, DON'T sell yourself short!!!! (I know someone already told you that.) I did, and it just hurts you more in the long run. In the end, if your friend begins to start taking advantage of you, (as most of them do), you can let her know that you're not able to do it anymore and give her your two weeks notice, or something to that effect. After my friend fell behind in paying me, that's what I did. I may have lost out in money, but we managed to maintain our friendship. But, who knows? You may also find that you LIKE caring for your friend's child, and you may be one of those women that want to care for more!! Good Luck!

I did daycare when my boys were younger (14 mo & 3) and it was a great way for them to get some interaction with other kids. I think organization was the key for me and it worked quite well. The extra cash was nice and being able to still be at home was a bonus also. As far as doing it for a friend, it totally depends on the situation. Sometimes, it is too easy for the friend to take advantage of you and end up with hurt feelings on either side. Every person is different and as long as there is respect on both sides, it can work. I ran into a bad deal with a friend when she would leave the kids longer than she'd say, cancel at the last minute or drop by expecting me to watch her kids. There are some definate ups and downs but over all it was a good choice for me.

My grandma did daycare in her house for years. I saw kids come and go. She never seemed to have trouble as long as it stayed under three- me and two others. You can fit that many car seats in the car. And I do agree that temperament is a big part of it, but I think that as you and child come to know each other, it will be okay for you to take him out as well. Ultimately, if it stresses you, don't do it. And I have a friend who has done babysitting and nannying. The one thing I cannot stress enough.... get paid. If they agree to pay at the end of a week, get paid. Her friends screwed her over so bad. Write it down and stick to it. That way you won't have any interference in your friendship like she had in hers. :) I'm sure things will go smoothly between you and your friends no matter what you decide. If you can't do it, I'm sure they will understand your reasoning. And maybe a compromise can be made that you will continue watching him until a daycare can be found- but give a time line of two weeks or somethign so they don't take their time. Always be clear about things. That is the most commmon mistake you see in law suits, and I don't want to see you end up there, and I know you don't. So here's some practical tips for your sanity and for your friendship which I am sure is going to last years and years :)

Go for it! I did home daycare for 13 years. I started because I was a SAHM and wanted to earn some extra money. All of the kids I watched were my friends kids and they all got along. I was worried about them getting along and if I would have to change my out of home activities. I found that I had no problem. In total I had 5 kids 2 of my own and 3 that belonged to my friends. It was easy for me and because they were my friends kids I knew how they were being raised etc. I treated them as my own, I just included them in everything I did, grocery shopping, playing in the park, going out to eat, movies etc. Looking back we had alot of fun and to this day I am still friends with all of them and their parents. Just remember don't sell yourself short and put limits on when you are available. For instance Monday thru Friday 6am to 6pm. That way you can still have time to yourself and for your family.

I went through this situation with a good friend a couple of years ago. I am one who has a really hard time saying no to people, but in this case, I knew I had to. My girlfriend's Nanny quit, so she was stuck. Knowing that I was a stay at home mom, she asked me to take over until she had another nanny. I said yes. Now mind you, I am not crazy about her little girl, can you say spoiled brat? lol I had my usual routine with my 2 girls, so it did disrupt that. I found it a lot harder with 3, I think only because this child had no dicipline at home, so she thought she could have the run of the hous at my home. Not the case. 2 weeks went by, and it seemed my friend was no closer to finding anyone. I knew I had to go to her because I didn't want our friendship ruined over this. She was extending the times, adding a day here and there and I was begining to get resentful and it was driving my husband crazy. I made up a little fib. I told her we all had dr.'s appointments the next week and would be unable to watch her daughter. She took that okay, and hired a babysitter in the mean time. She didn't ask after that, I think she knew. We did manage to keep the friendship and she gets to keep her daughter! lol If you do decide to do it, make sure you have definite hours, definite pay rate, what happens if they are running late, if their child is sick, they shouldn't bring them over or your children could catch it. Just have all your ducks in a row! Best of luck.