She Started Her Daycare in 1998

Jenn has been doing daycare since 1998, and she shares what decades in home daycare have taught her about staffing, licensing, parent communication, winter weather closures, burnout, boundaries, and running a child care business from home.If you run a home daycare or family child care program, this conversation will help you think through the real-life side of daycare: how to stay organized, when to close for safety, how to protect your family space, and why boundaries matter when you care for children in your home.Follow Jenn on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@jentilfur.074Key takeaways:Jenn started doing daycare the same year Taylor Swift was born.Long-term home daycare takes systems, staffing, and flexibility.Weather closures, licensing rules, and paperwork are part of the job.Home daycare providers need boundaries with parents, family, and their own home.Burnout is real, especially after decades of caring for children.Timestamps:00:00 Technical Difficulties01:12 Intro01:21 Meet Jenn: 26 Years in Home Daycare01:30 Licensed for 12 Kids, Running with Staff02:13 North Dakota's Point-Based Licensing System04:20 Finding and Keeping Daycare Staff05:15 How Jenn Got Started: From Cosmetology to Childcare06:22 How North Dakota Licensing Works07:36 Paper vs. Online Licensing Systems08:30 Fingerprinting and Keeping Track of Renewals10:25 Tech Challenges for Veteran Providers11:12 Running Daycare Out of the Garage12:17 Noise, Earbuds, and Provider Hearing Loss13:49 Surviving Winter Indoors with Kids15:39 Cold Weather Outdoor Rules and Guidelines17:16 Jenn's Kids Growing Up in Home Daycare19:47 Closing for Storms and Snow Days21:21 Storm Day Policies and Reimbursing Parents24:04 Getting Paid: Daycare Is Real Work24:14 Curriculum, Kinder Camp, and DIY Activities27:58 Taking Infants and Provider Energy Over the Years28:54 Charging Family for Childcare, Including Grandkids30:17 Retirement Planning Advice for Providers32:17 Recognizing and Managing Provider Burnout34:22 How Newer Providers Set Better Boundaries36:30 In-Person Trainings and Old-School Networking41:34 Trusting Staff and Using Cameras44:17 Being Authentic on Social Media47:18 Kids Today vs. How We Grew Up48:12 Teaching Independence and Responsibility50:53 Teaching Manners and Respect52:22 Jenn's Famous Monday Mac and Cheese54:27 Wrapping Up#homedaycare #inhomedaycare #healthyparenting #daycaresisters #daycarelife #childcareprovider