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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.

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  • 23 episodes
  • a few times a week
  • Avg 1 hr 10 min
  • English

Episodes 23

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  • Monday · 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

  • July 6 · 1 hr 29 min

    Real Providers, Real Voicemails: Overstimulation, Hitting, and One Tough Termination

    Leave us a voicemail at 651-300-2277. Your question could help thousands of providers. Brandee and Erin answer your voicemails: how to cope with caregiver overstimulation, what to do about a toddler who hits and bites, and how to terminate a daycare family when behavior becomes a safety problem. If you run a home daycare or family child care program, this one covers the hard parts nobody warns you about. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro01:51 Voicemail 1 - Overstimulated and touched out04:30 Turning down the noise with earbuds09:31 Gates, islands, rugs, and soft spaces17:13 Voicemail 2 - Hitting and rough play with six kids solo32:24 Separation without guilt42:01 Voicemail 3 - Terminating a family and documenting it45:11 Contracts, incident reports, and emailing your licensor01:13:42 Your work-life balance tips from last week01:29:20 Wrap-up and how to leave a voicemail KEY TAKEAWAYS - Earbuds or Loop earplugs turn the volume down without blocking supervision - Separating a child who hits is a safety measure, not a punishment - use a high chair or gated space when you step away - Consistency plus growing communication skills is usually what ends the hitting and biting phase - Add a termination clause to your contract, and document incidents with date, time, what happened, and who you told - Email your licensor before terminating so your side is on record first - Collect payment up front the week you terminate, or plan on never seeing it LEAVE A VOICEMAIL Call 651-300-2277 - you can stay anonymous, no name or location needed. ABOUT THE DAYCARE SISTERS Brandee and Erin are sisters, business owners, and moms to nine kids with over 30 years of home daycare experience between them. Real talk for home daycare and family child care providers. Subscribe for provider tips, honest daycare conversations, and the countdown to nap time. CONNECT https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com info@thedaycaresisters.com #daycareprovider #daycarelife #homedaycare #momlife #childcareproviders

  • July 2 · 1 hr 3 min

    After 4 years as a director, she reopened the home daycare she once quit

    She quit her home daycare, ran a childcare center for four years, then reopened the home daycare she had walked away from. In this episode, Brandee sits down with home daycare provider Jess to talk about burnout, boundaries, and why the grass wasn't greener. If you run a home daycare or family child care program, this one is about protecting your energy: shorter hours, real policies, picking the right families, and remembering that the magic is you, not a perfect space. FOLLOW JESS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61591389925662 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicalueth/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jesslueth CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro: meet Jess 00:37 Starting at 25 and burning out fast 03:05 COVID, closing, and the center director job 04:06 Why running a center burned her out even faster 05:10 Coming back: the grass wasn't greener 08:35 Making a small starter home work 11:03 What went wrong the first time: hours, no contract, no spot fee 15:03 Switching to a 4-day week 24:22 Faith as an anchor through burnout 28:31 College helpers and asking for help 37:02 Going back to school while running a daycare 38:49 Quality ratings: Step Up to Quality vs Parent Aware 43:53 Licensing, ratios, and sick days 53:48 The TikTok side hustle that took off 1:01:02 Advice for new providers: the magic is you KEY TAKEAWAYS - Why long days (7:00 to 5:30, five days a week) drive burnout, and how a 4-day week changes everything - What Jess put in her 18-page policy handbook and contract the second time around - Why charging for a spot instead of by attendance protects your income - How interviewing families and requiring backup care sets you up to succeed - Using a scholarship to earn an early childhood degree while running a daycare - What quality rating systems actually mean for parents - Why quality care starts with you, not a Pinterest-perfect house ABOUT THE SHOW Daycare Sisters is hosted by two sisters who each run their own home daycare. They share honest, practical conversations about running a home daycare and family child care program, from policies and burnout to the real day-to-day of caring for other people's kids. Subscribe for home daycare tips, provider conversations, and real talk about child care. BUSINESS INQUIRIES Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com Website: www.TheDaycareSisters.com #homedaycare #familychildcareprovider #daycaresisters #homedaycareprovider #inhomedaycare #daycarelife #daycareprovider #childcare #parenting

  • June 29 · 1 hr 6 min

    Starting a Home Daycare? Nobody Knows What They're Doing

    In this episode we cover how to balance a home daycare with family life without burning out, from simplifying meals to setting closing policies. We also get real about why almost nobody feels like they know what they're doing at first, and why that's okay. CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Intro and the loneliness of home daycare 00:00:54 Facebook milestone and the new voicemail line 00:02:18 Voicemail: balancing daycare and family life 00:03:16 Burnout and sharing the load at home 00:06:00 Simplifying meals and meal prep 00:12:13 Laundry and getting the kids to help 00:14:54 Getting everything done by end of day 00:20:01 Keeping the car packed and ready 00:23:33 Nobody knows what they're doing 00:33:00 Home daycare is not a center 00:34:55 Licensing gray areas and supervision 00:46:14 Feeling isolated and stuck 00:48:50 Missing field trips and appointments 00:52:41 Closing without the guilt 00:57:55 Planning ahead with a weekly check in 01:01:45 Memory, hormones, and a new season of life 01:05:19 Wrap up and take care of yourselves KEY TAKEAWAYS - Simplify meals and routines. The same weekly lunch menu and easy dinners save your energy. - Share the load. Get your spouse or a trained sub involved so you can make appointments, programs, and field trips. - A home daycare is not a center. You will not pull off center level structure and crafts alone, and that is fine. - Licensing has gray areas. Good supervision is the real standard. - Almost nobody knows what they are doing at first. You learn, adapt, and figure it out. RESOURCES MENTIONED - Voicemail line, call to leave a story or question: 651-300-2277 - Website: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com WATCH NEXT - Full Episodes playlist: NEEDED, playlist link - Related episode on burnout or licensing: NEEDED, video link ABOUT DAYCARE SISTERS We are two sisters with over 30 years of combined home daycare experience, parenting nine kids between us, sharing honest conversations for home daycare and family child care providers. Subscribe for home daycare tips, provider real talk, and family child care conversations. BUSINESS INQUIRIES www.TheDaycareSisters.com Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com #inhomedaycare #childcare #daycareprovider #homedaycare #daycaresisters #daycarelife

  • June 25 · 1 hr 15 min

    She Had a Law Degree in England. Now She Runs an Infant-Only Daycare in New Orleans.

    In this episode, we talk with Rush, owner of Poppins Daycare in New Orleans, about running a legally unlicensed, infant-only home daycare. We cover what it's like to move from Malaysia to start a daycare business, why she chose infants only, and how licensing works differently state to state. https://www.instagram.com/hostasister https://www.facebook.com/groups/hostasister If you run a home daycare, family child care program, or work with young children, this episode will help you understand the realities of unlicensed care, infant-focused programs, and building a daycare community. Key takeaways - Unlicensed legal home daycare rules vary widely by state - Infant-only care can offer more consistency and bonding for providers - Having a reliable assistant matters for sick days and burnout 00:00 Intro and welcoming Rush 00:37 Moving from Malaysia to the US 02:09 Her sister's daycare center in Malaysia 04:06 Licensing rules in Louisiana vs Minnesota 09:57 Finding community in online provider groups 14:26 What a day looks like with infants 18:27 Why she hired an assistant 22:01 Isolation in home daycare work 25:39 Why parents are the hardest part 31:33 Contracts, handbooks, and self-taught compliance 36:51 Loving the job vs missing corporate life 44:53 Travel, vacations, and having backup care 46:08 Starting the Host A Sister travel community 52:38 Self-care means respecting boundaries 58:54 How the daycare actually started 1:01:11 Learning to manage finances and retirement alone 1:09:30 Where to find Rush and Poppins Daycare About Daycare Sisters Daycare Sisters is hosted by Brandee and Erin, two sisters who run their own home daycare businesses. They talk honestly about the realities of running a home daycare, from policies to burnout to the people who do this work every day. Subscribe for daycare operator tips, home daycare conversations, and real talk about child care. Business inquiries Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com #inhomedaycare #homedaycare #homedaycareprovider #homedaycareowner #homedaycarelife #daycaresisters #daycarelife

  • June 22 · 1 hr 36 min

    I Am Not As Good Of A Provider As I Used To Be

    In this episode, we get honest about the year we couldn't get it together. We talk burnout, mental load, brain fog, longer hours, and the pressure to do it all as a home daycare provider. If you run a home daycare or family child care program and you have felt forgetful, stretched thin, or like you are the only one struggling to keep up, this one is for you. You are not alone. The comedian Brandee mentioned:https://www.instagram.com/momcomnyc KEY TAKEAWAYS - Feeling forgetful or burnt out does not make you a bad provider. - Small things like late pickups and longer hours add up fast and quietly. - Decision fatigue and Pinterest perfect expectations make simple things feel impossible. - It is okay to do crafts, photos, and curriculum in seasons, and to take breaks. - Re-evaluate your hours and your business before you hit a breaking point. - Be upfront with families at interviews about what you can realistically take on. - Perimenopause and brain fog are common, and you are not alone in feeling this way. CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Welcome and today's topic 00:01:09 Surgery recovery and how our week went 00:09:40 Iron infusion and a son's tonsil surgery 00:12:50 Daycare Appreciation Day and parents who keep kids home 00:22:24 The year we couldn't get it together 00:24:22 Forgetting Father's Day, Mother's Day, and birthdays 00:27:47 Getting older, more tired, and feeling burnt out 00:33:10 Why our hours keep getting longer 00:38:10 Decision fatigue and the pressure to be Pinterest perfect 00:42:16 Why providers end up with so much stuff 00:57:01 The grout story and the invisible mental load 00:59:33 Easy tasks that somehow get harder 01:07:55 Is it age, perimenopause, or technology 01:15:23 Brain fog and forgetting names mid-sentence 01:20:04 Hormones, the shortage, and talking about perimenopause 01:23:49 It is okay to take a break 01:30:21 Re-evaluate your business before you burn out 01:34:36 Final thoughts and what is coming next ABOUT DAYCARE SISTERS We are two sisters and home daycare business owners with over 30 years of combined experience, parenting nine kids between us. This channel is real talk and practical support for home daycare and family child care providers.Subscribe for honest conversations, provider tips, and a reminder that you are not doing this alone. BUSINESS INQUIRIES Email: info@thedaycaresisters.comWebsite: www.TheDaycareSisters.com#homedaycare #childcareprovider #daycaresisters #homedaycareprovider #homedaycareowner #inhomedaycare #homedaycarelife #momcomedian

  • June 18 · 57 min

    Running a Home Daycare with Twins

    Running a home daycare is one thing. Running one while raising twins, managing a first responder husband’s schedule, and figuring out policies as you go? That’s a whole different conversation. In this episode, Brandee sits down with Danielle, a certified early childhood educator and private home daycare owner in Ontario, Canada. Danielle has been running her daycare for five years, including through a twin pregnancy, maternity leave, and solo parenting more days than she can count. CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome and meet Danielle 02:56 Having pets in the daycare, dogs, chickens, and animal safety 06:36 How the daycare is set up in the home 07:29 Licensed vs. unlicensed, how it works in Ontario vs. the U.S. 11:28 Winter outdoor policies and snow day decisions 13:12 Getting sick with no sub, and what happens when twins are sick 14:10 Running daycare solo while your husband is a first responder 15:13 Burnout, hours, and protecting yourself 18:08 Building a handbook and setting policies 21:15 Why she opened the daycare, it wasn’t a calling 27:50 Maternity leave for home daycare providers in Canada vs. the U.S. 31:19 It’s okay to complain, the provider community online 35:01 What she wishes every new provider knew 46:21 Advice for providers who have twins or take twins 50:24 Letting a family go, knowing your limits 56:12 Where to find Danielle and closing WHAT YOU’LL HEAR • What it’s really like to run a home daycare when your own kids are part of the group • How Danielle navigated licensing decisions in Canada and why she chose to stay unlicensed • How Canada’s 12-to-18-month maternity leave compares to the U.S., and what that means for infant care • Why she didn’t have a handbook when she started, and why she does now • Honest talk about burnout, long hours, and learning to set limits • How dogs, chickens, and nature became part of her daycare curriculum • What she wishes every daycare parent understood about this work CONNECT WITH DANIELLE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sincerelydaniellee Facebook: Search Danielle Lindsay ABOUT DAYCARE SISTERS Brandee and Erin are sisters with years of combined home daycare experience, sharing real talk for home daycare and family child care providers. Subscribe for honest conversations about running a daycare from home, building policies that work, and taking care of yourself while you take care of everyone else. www.TheDaycareSisters.com Business inquiries: info@thedaycaresisters.com #homedaycare #inhomedaycare #daycarelife #childcareprovider #parenting #daycaresisters

  • June 15 · 1 hr 23 min

    Our Hysterectomies: Endometriosis, Prolapse, and The Doctors Who Don't Believe Us

    In this episode, Brandee and Erin get personal about their hysterectomies - one sister had hers in 2022 and the other is heading into surgery the day after this recording. They cover years of being dismissed by doctors before diagnosis, the four types of hysterectomy, what recovery actually looks like, and the hard truth about taking time off when you run a home daycare.If you run a home daycare, family child care program, or you're a woman who has ever been told "you're fine" when you knew something was wrong, this episode is for you.CHAPTERS00:00:00 Intro00:01:01 Catching up on our week00:02:50 Why this episode: two sisters, two hysterectomies00:06:03 What drove each surgery: prolapse vs endometriosis00:07:19 Years of pain and being dismissed by doctors00:16:42 Finally finding a doctor who believed00:19:40 Hysterectomy history and robotic surgery00:21:54 Day surgery, waking up, and recovery expectations00:32:25 Hysterectomies are more common than you think00:36:35 The emotional side: permanence and processing00:44:21 The four types of hysterectomy00:49:24 Recovery prep: what helped and what didn't01:03:53 How a hysterectomy affects your daycare01:07:21 Time off, guilt, and why providers wait too long01:18:52 Takeaways: women supporting women01:22:58 Wrap upKEY TAKEAWAYS- If a doctor dismisses your pain, keep going until you find one who believes you and advocates for you- There are four types of hysterectomy: partial, total, total with ovaries removed, and radical - and keeping your ovaries means you should not go straight into menopause- Recovery means real lifting restrictions for up to 6 to 8 weeks, which is not optional for home daycare providers- Plan surgery around your daycare if you can: hire help, schedule over summer, or close like you would for maternity leave- Daycare providers are seen as caretakers, not people who need care - and that has to changeABOUT DAYCARE SISTERSWe're two sisters and business owners with over 30 years of combined home daycare experience, parenting nine kids between us. Home daycare can be isolating - think of this podcast as the adult conversation you didn't get all day.Subscribe for daycare operator tips, home daycare conversations, and real talk about child care.BUSINESS INQUIRIESEmail: info@thedaycaresisters.comWebsite: www.TheDaycareSisters.com#hysterectomy #womenshealth #daycaresisters #homedaycare #inhomedaycare #daycarelife #childcare

  • June 11 · 1 hr 8 min

    Running a Legally Unlicensed Home Daycare

    In this episode, Brandee interviews Courtney, a legally unlicensed home daycare provider in Wisconsin who has built a large following as a daycare content creator. They cover what legally unlicensed care actually means, screening families before interviews, and balancing daycare with family life. If you run a home daycare or family child care program, this honest conversation will help you take yourself seriously as a business owner, licensed or not. Courtney shares how she runs a play-based program with contracts, handbooks, and a pre-interview questionnaire even though Wisconsin does not require her to be licensed. She also opens up about TikTok fame and burnout, brand partnerships, maternity leave planning, postpartum depression, and why she says no to families that are not a good fit. FOLLOW COURTNEY TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@courtneyraspor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneyraspor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572110555265 KEY TAKEAWAYS - Legally unlicensed daycare in Wisconsin allows up to three unrelated children, with no state visits or food program requirements - A pre-interview questionnaire helps screen for families with a matching parenting style before you ever meet - Contracts and handbooks make you a professional business owner whether or not you are licensed - Planning a full 12-week maternity leave protects your mental health and the kids in your care - Don't be a pushover. Set your hours and policies and let the right families come to you CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Welcome and meet Courtney 00:00:17 A play-based, home away from home daycare 00:01:58 Balancing her own kids with daycare kids 00:04:19 How the daycare space is set up 00:05:39 What legally unlicensed means in Wisconsin 00:09:53 What her husband thinks about the daycare 00:13:08 Being a daycare TikTok creator 00:21:06 Maternity leave plans at 24 weeks 00:21:56 Postpartum depression and being honest about it 00:35:43 Screening families with a pre-interview questionnaire 00:39:22 Contracts and handbooks without a license 00:42:47 Social media burnout, ads, and free stuff 00:54:01 Daycare influencers vs. reality 01:05:08 Advice for new providers: be a business owner ABOUT DAYCARE SISTERS Brandee and Erin are sisters with over 30 years of combined home daycare experience. They share real, practical conversations for family child care providers. For easier ways to listen: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com Subscribe for daycare operator tips, home daycare conversations, and real talk about child care. BUSINESS INQUIRIES Email: info@thedaycaresisters.com Website: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com #homedaycare #familychildcare #daycaresisters #inhomedaycare #daycarelife #childcareprovider #parenting

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