Meet Tiffany

I have been a Child Care Provider for 15 years in Anoka County. I have run a successful Child Care and have many long term clients. Throughout these years, at times I have felt very overwhelmed, isolated and alone. There are no support services in place for us in a non-punitive capacity. 

CCP (child care providers) wear SO many hats!!! As small business owners, we must do everything! We adhere to stringent licensing requirements within our homes. We are every department: accounting, marketing, compliance and human resources. We interview prospective clients, write and adjust our handbooks, policies and contracts. We field questions and interpret illnesses, decision trees and symptoms. We are constantly cleaning and sanitizing. We shop, lesson prep, meal prep and make sure our homes are in compliance with state and licensing standards. We still haven’t even come to the reason most of us get up every morning! 

We teach, love, nurture and redirect. We play, laugh, discipline and scold. We pour our hearts and souls into these beautiful children day in and day out. Each of them becomes a part of who we are. Each day we send them home, and close our doors, turning to face our own dear families. 

More often than not, THEY are the real reason we have chosen this career. We wanted a way to enjoy our own children without missing a moment, yet contributing to the family income. We muster up what little energy we have left, and continue to pour ourselves out. Dinner, bath, snuggles, homework and bed. We survey our homes and walk around removing scissors, nail polish, or beads on the floor. We spray all the toys, clean up the kitchen, and prep meals for the following day.

Some days we amaze ourselves and feel like Superwoman! However, most days we feel like we are failing in everything, specifically our own children, because they get our leftovers - which isn’t much. Does this sound familiar? Are you so poured out that you are running at a deficit? What would it be worth to have someone (with experience) who you can fully trust with these children’s safety and your livelihood, to come help?

It could provide the opportunity for you to attend your own child’s school event, field trip or doctor's appointment. To have a lunch date with your husband. To get a massage and fill your depleted tank.

Does the concept sound utterly foreign to you because it's never been an option? Every time you close, you inconvenience all of your daycare families forcing them to find alternate care. Therefore, you must only close when absolutely necessary, which typically would eliminate anything for yourself and your own mental health. 

You cannot continue to pour yourself out daily and continue to thrive. You cannot do your best job for them all when you are empty! 

We all know how extremely difficult it is to find a substitute caregiver. They must be fingerprinted, background checked, trained and vetted, then added to our license. In addition, depending on how many hours they are used, they must be CPR and First Aid certified. Even if you can get someone to go through all of these steps, they may not be available when you need them and typically do not have the experience and stamina to care for 10-12 children according to licensing standards. They do not understand all of the supervision and guidelines set forth by the MN Rule governing licensed home child care.