The Daycare Sisters

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: [email protected]

#inhomedaycare #childcare #daycareprovider #homedaycare #daycaresisters #daycarelife

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: [email protected]

#inhomedaycare #homedaycare #homedaycareprovider #homedaycareowner #homedaycarelife #daycaresisters #daycarelife

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: [email protected]: www.TheDaycareSisters.com#homedaycare

#childcareprovider #daycaresisters #homedaycareprovider #homedaycareowner #inhomedaycare #homedaycarelife #momcomedian

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: [email protected]

#homedaycare #inhomedaycare #daycarelife #childcareprovider #parenting #daycaresisters

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: [email protected]: www.TheDaycareSisters.com#hysterectomy #womenshealth #daycaresisters #homedaycare #inhomedaycare #daycarelife #childcare

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: [email protected]

Website: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com

#homedaycare #familychildcare #daycaresisters #inhomedaycare #daycarelife #childcareprovider #parenting

In this episode we talk about what summer really looks like when you run a home daycare, from weaning kids off naps to saying goodbye to families and finding free things to do.If you run a home daycare, a family child care program, or you work with young children, this one will help you get through the end of the year and head into summer feeling a little less alone.KEY TAKEAWAYS- Summer in home daycare looks different for everyone, from closing completely to staying open with help, and there is no single right way to do it.- Kids often get bossier or act out in the months before kindergarten, and naming that pattern can help everyone stay patient through the goodbye season.- Nap weaning can be done slowly by trimming nap time in small steps, and a quiet show or supervised outdoor time can bridge the gap for kids who are ready to drop the nap.- Water tables and buckets are far more practical than full sprinkler setups, and letting kids play in their clothes until they dry saves a huge amount of work.- A sunscreen and sun hat routine, with mirrors by the door so kids can apply their own, builds a real life skill and saves time.- Libraries, park hopping, museum free family days, Kids Bowl Free, and store kids workshops are low cost ways to fill a summer.00:00:00 Intro and what this episode covers00:00:49 This week, end of school and decision fatigue00:03:25 Frisbee state tournament and kids starting jobs00:09:21 An upcoming surgery and feeling extra tired00:12:25 Working through the holidays vs taking a real day off00:17:03 Heading to the National Child Care Conference in Chicago00:21:54 How our summers look different, closing vs staying open00:26:18 End of school year big feelings in the daycare00:27:00 End of daycare goodbye gifts00:34:31 The school year, grades, and worrying about college00:39:53 Why kids get difficult right before kindergarten00:49:57 Summer naps and weaning kids off napping00:57:00 Summer water play that actually works00:59:00 Sunscreen, sun hats, and tick season01:00:50 Transitioning back to fall and curriculum01:05:50 Free and cheap summer activities we love01:10:59 Wrap upABOUT DAYCARE SISTERSDaycare Sisters is a podcast hosted by two sisters and business owners with over 30 years of combined home daycare experience. We share real talk, practical tips, and honest conversation for home daycare and family child care providers who often feel alone in the work they love.Subscribe for daycare operator tips, home daycare conversations, and real talk about child care.BUSINESS INQUIRIESEmail: [email protected]: https://www.TheDaycareSisters.com#homedaycare #familychildcare #summeractivities #inhomedaycare #daycaresisters #childcareprovider #daycarelife

Brandee sits down with Krista, "Krista the babysitter," who left center work after years of burnout to run her own in-home daycare, where she now earns more and chooses her own families, hours, and rules.

https://www.facebook.com/KristaTheBabysitterhttps://www.tiktok.com/@kristathebabysitterhttps://www.instagram.com/kristathebabysitter/If you run a home daycare or family child care program (or you're thinking about going independent), this conversation covers burnout, boundaries, interviewing families, nature-based learning, and how to stop feeling bad about enforcing your own policies.00:00:00 Intro & meet Krista (22 years in child care)00:00:15 From center burnout to her own home daycare00:03:57 Are school-agers easier or harder?00:05:38 Family life: Mr. Ross the garbage man00:07:37 The fairy tree & outdoor classroom00:10:47 What is Reggio Emilia? Nature-based learning00:14:58 Meditation, affirmations & sound baths at nap00:18:45 Gardening, puppies & pets in the daycare00:26:17 Burnout in child care & why it matters00:29:59 Interviewing families & spotting red flags00:31:05 Saying no & setting boundaries00:34:30 Payment systems & a wild contract story00:37:39 "Krista the babysitter" & the name debate00:40:16 Meet the pets: cats & dogs00:45:05 Where to find Krista & wrap-upKEY TAKEAWAYS- Going independent can mean better pay plus control over your families, hours, and rules- Burnout in child care is a safety issue, not just a wellness one- Interview families as much as they interview you, and trust your gut on red flags- "I don't think my care is a good fit for your family" is a complete, professional answer- Put recurring problems into your contract and handbook so they don't repeat- Automate payments (direct deposit or payment-app requests) so you're not chasing parentsWebsite: www.TheDaycareSisters.comSubscribe for daycare operator tips, home daycare conversations, and real talk about child care.BUSINESS INQUIRIESEmail: [email protected]#homedaycare #daycaresisters #inhomedaycare #daycarelife #childcareprovider

We cover how to manage multi-age groups in a home daycare — infants, toddlers, and preschoolers all at once — including how to set up your space, plan around the babies, and teach different ages at the same table.

If you run a home daycare or family child care program, this one is honest about why multi-age is one of the hardest parts of the job, plus the real benefits of kids growing up together.

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 Intro

00:01:16 Chatting About Our Week

00:02:19 Licensing Paperwork Before Summer

00:03:16 Surgery and Summer Scheduling

00:05:01 Surprise Licensing Visits

00:08:56 Daycare Rules and Open Hours

00:13:53 Updating Enrollment Paperwork

00:16:49 Working With a New Licenser

00:17:56 Strict vs Fair Licensers

00:19:25 Licenser and Provider as a Team

00:20:59 Managing Multi-Age Groups

00:22:20 Setting Up Your Daycare Space

00:23:56 Gates and Playyards for Safety

00:25:35 Separating Kids for Small Toys

00:28:46 Planning Around Infant Schedules

00:30:13 The Six-Month Turning Point

00:31:33 Teaching Kids Responsibility

00:32:30 Big Kids Teaching Younger Kids

00:33:50 When Kids Learn Bad Habits

00:35:50 Teaching Different Ages at Once

00:40:54 Multi-Age Overwhelm and Burnout

00:44:26 Exhaustion With New Infants

00:46:23 Benefits of Multi-Age Care

00:48:31 Kids Growing Up Like Siblings

00:50:01 Long-Term Bond With Providers

00:50:49 School Age Care Challenges

00:58:37 Home Daycare vs Centers

01:00:43 Being Honest With Families

01:01:25 Final Thoughts

KEY TAKEAWAYS

- Set up your space with gates, play-yards, and a "baby cage" so you can separate ages safely on the fly

- Plan the day's activities around infant naps; schedules get more flexible with babies in the group

- Teach the same activity at different levels (write name 3x vs. trace vs. first letter) so every age is included

- The first 2-6 weeks with a new infant are the hardest; things ease up around 6 months

- The biggest upside: older kids learn to help, teach, and care for the younger ones

WATCH NEXT

Full Episodes playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXWb7mWcp-Y&list=PLXGI3C8PDyfgBzZbAYRuGwfJcHVLOcUFO

ABOUT DAYCARE SISTERS

We're two sisters and home daycare business owners with more than 30 years of combined experience, parenting nine kids between us. We talk real, practical home daycare — the kind of conversation you can have on in the background while you make lunch.

Subscribe for home daycare tips, family child care conversations, and real talk about caring for kids.

https://youtube.com/@thedaycaresisterspodcast

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.TheDaycareSisters.com

#homedaycare #inhomedaycare #daycaresisters #aldi #childcare

Brandee talks with Emily, a family daycare provider in Australia, about what home-based childcare looks like outside the United States.Emily shares how she started her family daycare, what licensing and provider support look like in Australia, how safety rules affect her home, and why she focuses on nature, community, preschool independence, excursions, and Christian values in her program.

She also talks about the real costs of getting started, privacy rules around phones and devices, parent policies, finding clients, animals, cooking, gardening, and creating a family-like environment for children.If you run a home daycare, family child care program, preschool program, or you’re curious about childcare in different countries, this conversation gives a real-world look at how one Australian provider is building a meaningful program for young children.Key Takeaways-Australian family daycare can involve strict licensing, provider oversight, home safety upgrades, and regular support visits.-Emily’s program focuses on preschool independence, responsibility, nature, community, and Christian values.-Family daycare can feel more personal than a large center, but it also comes with real costs, policies, privacy rules, and business challenges.00:00 Intro00:30 Meet Emily: Australia Family Daycare01:27 Why She Left Daycare Centers02:52 Startup Costs and Home Renovations03:36 Licensing Process in Australia05:34 Provider Support vs US Licensing09:09 Minnesota Licensing: Once a Year12:00 Personal Device Rules in Australia13:31 Privacy vs Child Protection17:09 Using Licensing Rules With Parents19:15 Late Pickups and Daycare Policies21:07 Weekly Excursions and Scheduling21:48 Three Pillars: Nature, Community, Faith23:40 Beatitudes Behavior System25:22 Animals in Daycare: Chickens and Bees35:42 Finding Daycare Families Outside the City37:21 Running Daycare From Your Home39:28 Cost of Childcare Equipment42:54 Beatitudes Reward System Explained44:43 Party Day as Group Reward47:10 Teaching Kids Emotional Regulation51:28 Teaching Kids to Listen to Their Bodies52:32 Burnout Prevention in Home Daycare56:19 Teaching Communication: Try Again58:54 Being an Open Safe Space Parent61:31 Building Daycare Community in Australia63:54 Training Requirements in Australia66:41 TikTok Connecting Daycare Providers69:20 Kid Kitchen and Cooking Activities71:13 Where to Find Emily Online

#inhomedaycare #homedaycare #daycarelife #childcareprovider #daycaresisters