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Penelope

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My husband and I are looking to buy a B&B. We have a 10 year old daughter and a 9 year old son. Can anyone give us some advice about what is't like to run a B&B with kids? What would be the benefits of living onsite or offsite?
Does starting down this path have TONS more challenges with kids or does it just take time to get into the flow no matter what?
Thanks for any and all info...
 
Most innkeepers love a challenge, we are not lazy and in fact are overachievers. For that, we can run an inn with a family. But it takes its toll.
Weekends are NOT family time, they are INN time. So if your kids want to be involved in sports and other weekend events, it is near impossible.
There are many many benefits to running an inn with a family. There are many many obstacles. When your kid is feverish and vomitting all night and you have guests, it is not easy.
Most innkeepers have one spouse working outside the B&B to make ends meet, insurance, etc. So with that - you are on your own to deal with EVERYTHING.
You must keep your house and grounds in museum state all the time, you can't say, stuff mowin the lawn today, let's go to the fair. Oh, the fair - it is out of cell range, and we have rooms checked in, we can't go anyway.
Events at school - sorry I have guests - I am making breakfast and then check outs.
Band concerts - we leave the house completely unattended and people leave the front door ajar because that is what they do, so we can go to a band concert, or event in the evening at school.
The other option - single parenting. One stays home all the time and the other is at the events. What kind of life is that? I mean BY CHOICE.
If your kids are not super obedient well behaved kids you will have issues with guests. They can't be kids in their own home. They can't have friends spend the night except in winter or if you block off all the rooms.
Just a few things to think about.
I am not discouraging you. If you want it bad enough you can make it work. We did. We do. As for learning skills, you can teach your kids to make beds without owning and operating a B&B. You can do alot of things without having strangers in your home to teach them computer skills, people skills.
Then there is this.. If you have strong personal beliefs and you have same sex couples or adulterous couples at your inn going at it, how will you handle that with your children? It will happen.
Just some food for thought.
 
We have strong beliefs, and plan to homeschool, but we're not stupid. We know what kind of world we live in and have no intention of "shielding" our children from the way things really are. Already they have discovered a neighbor boy their age to play with, and already they have discovered that neighbor boys can tell them to do things that are bad and they have to decide if they want to do them or not. (OK, we're talking 4 yo's... "bad" means eating leaves and pooping in the yard.)
It will happen. We will talk about it. They'll grow up working hard with a useful skill set.
If the door is open, it's open. We go out.
We can't go yard saling in the summer, but so far it looks like we can do all kinds of things in the winter.
We take payment on arrival. Yesterday I had to buzz off after breakfast to make a presentation. Told the people goodbye and off I went. Dh left without clearing the table, but also left. One guest left before he did. The others were in the process of leaving when we returned. Door was locked.
We can't get an early start on things (gotta make the breakfast), but we still go and do as much as we can. No check in's on Saturday, so we went Malabar Farm State Park for a wonderful afternoon. We missed the morning activities, but still had a great time.
Nope, not easy. But doable (at least, so far). But I only have four rooms, which I think makes a big difference.
=)
Kk.
 
You don't have to live offsite, but best to have separate quarters and yard area where the kids can be themselves and be noisy...
My 9 yr old son wants to get t-shirts that say "Guests suck!" if that's any indication of how he feels. My daughter is actually starting to like it more, she is mature enough to have adult conversations with guests and often they actually have similar interests, in art and music, etc...
Yes ,your home has to be museum clean and your children have to be practically invisible...choose carefully!
During the school year it's easier, they are gone most of the day, but it's a real drag when you've planned something for after check-in and you are still waiting around for guests to check in, have a fee for late check in (we charge $25- that get's them here on time!), by appointment only to encourage people to show on time, otherwise forget it!
Guests don't realize by the time they show up at 8:30, when check in was 4-6 that you've already been working since 6am, going on your 15 hour, you've now been waiting 2.5 hours for them and this is your family time! Would they expect overtime pay if they were on their 15th hour? You betcha they would!
Go for the two night minimums if you have kids, one less day off flipping rooms and you can sneak away for matinees and such.
Holidays are off limits for bookings here (we don't take them over Christmas break), or we don't offer breakfast on certain holidays (Thanksgiving- Easter, usually guests just really want a bed, they are gone all day with their families on those holidays, at least that's been the case with us) -just to have that time with your family. I know some innkeepers will say, you have to book holidays, that's the only time they get guests, so you need to look carefully at what will work for you.
My son would NEVER forgive me for booking on his birthday or Christmas, never! You must take a few days off here and there to do fun stuff. Luckily mine are not into sports and are homebodies, if I had a soccermom schedule, this would NOT work.
We often take turns going to kids activities, mostly because our kids are 5 years apart and often school things get scheduled on the same nights....School's fault not Guest's fault...
One thing's for sure, my son will probably be a complete slob in adulthood, because of our inn lifestyle, the kids HATE cleaning and will probably never clean again once they are out of the house! Or they will be so fanatical about cleaning, they'll need therapy, my daughter already is comparing herself to MONK.
 
I think much depends on how much income you need. Will you need every possible reservation to pay the mortgage or will it be no big deal financially if you block off days as needed.
It also depends on the area and kind of attractions. If you are in a destination that has an "ON" season then your rooms are likely to fill up long before you get notice from your kids about this important event or that important event. We have an "ON" season so any room nights we make available typically get taken 2 months in advance. We rarely make it to family events like weddings or other gatherings that haven't given us at least six months notice. And we run more in "hobby" mode where we don't take reservations for the the coming season until January of that year. If we were running in full necessary-income mode we'd have reservations for most weekends at least a year in advance.
 
JBJ brings up some good points but I do think that it is easier for some than others. On a personal note, we opened our B&B with our children were 18 and 12. Our 18 yr old went off to college just after we opened. Over the years we have had both positive and negatives in juggling this business and raising kids, but really not much different than being a business owner of ANY type business where you expect to be hands on. Owning a fully operational business takes time, time away from family and activities, but if - like Swirt pointed out - able to be flexable with your reservation it will be easier to handle.
You stated on another thread that you are an Inn Manager. Am I to assume then that it is a 'day job' and you go home to your family in the evening? If this is the case, what you need to do is while at the Inn, place in your mind -imagine - your family being there while you are handling your daily duties. Put a family crisis in your mind just as you open the oven door to find all your breakfast breads burnt to a crisp and a full house of guests are waiting.
On the other side of the issue is the fact that our children have experienced something unique. The experience of meeting different cultures, being social, learning what it takes to own a business and many other experiences that most youngsters do not experience. Our 12 yr old, now in college was even invited by a guest to study abroad. They are employed with the university foreign exchange program in the Netherlands and offered to assist him in being accepted in the program, and housing him in their home. We are working on it for 2009 year.
In other words, growing up in a B&B can have benefits and is educational too. It is just learning how to balance family and business. It is not for all.
 
You don't have to live offsite, but best to have separate quarters and yard area where the kids can be themselves and be noisy...
My 9 yr old son wants to get t-shirts that say "Guests suck!" if that's any indication of how he feels. My daughter is actually starting to like it more, she is mature enough to have adult conversations with guests and often they actually have similar interests, in art and music, etc...
Yes ,your home has to be museum clean and your children have to be practically invisible...choose carefully!
During the school year it's easier, they are gone most of the day, but it's a real drag when you've planned something for after check-in and you are still waiting around for guests to check in, have a fee for late check in (we charge $25- that get's them here on time!), by appointment only to encourage people to show on time, otherwise forget it!
Guests don't realize by the time they show up at 8:30, when check in was 4-6 that you've already been working since 6am, going on your 15 hour, you've now been waiting 2.5 hours for them and this is your family time! Would they expect overtime pay if they were on their 15th hour? You betcha they would!
Go for the two night minimums if you have kids, one less day off flipping rooms and you can sneak away for matinees and such.
Holidays are off limits for bookings here (we don't take them over Christmas break), or we don't offer breakfast on certain holidays (Thanksgiving- Easter, usually guests just really want a bed, they are gone all day with their families on those holidays, at least that's been the case with us) -just to have that time with your family. I know some innkeepers will say, you have to book holidays, that's the only time they get guests, so you need to look carefully at what will work for you.
My son would NEVER forgive me for booking on his birthday or Christmas, never! You must take a few days off here and there to do fun stuff. Luckily mine are not into sports and are homebodies, if I had a soccermom schedule, this would NOT work.
We often take turns going to kids activities, mostly because our kids are 5 years apart and often school things get scheduled on the same nights....School's fault not Guest's fault...
One thing's for sure, my son will probably be a complete slob in adulthood, because of our inn lifestyle, the kids HATE cleaning and will probably never clean again once they are out of the house! Or they will be so fanatical about cleaning, they'll need therapy, my daughter already is comparing herself to MONK..
One thing's for sure, my son will probably be a complete slob in adulthood, because of our inn lifestyle, the kids HATE cleaning and will probably never clean again once they are out of the house!
This made me laugh. My kids will not eat a banana unless it is green! While they were growing up the only bananas we had were "wounded" bananas (hey, when a bag of wounded is 10 cents a pound instead of 25 cents a pound for regular...)
 
WP - you are scaring me!
I agree, when Mom gets CRAZY over something they were supposed to do or not do, like put their hand in a waste basket - they will grow up to be clean freaks. I HOPE SO!
Right now they sure aren't. Another reason GUESTS CANNOT GO NEAR their room or bathroom. We added their bath (ground floor) brand new - to be accessable for those who can't do stairs well, also. NOPE! No guests will ever see that bathroom. I have 8 bathrooms to clean, I ain't cleanin' theirs too.
I do not go in there, when I go in blood shoots out of my eyes. The veins in my neck rear up! So they are "encouraged" to be as clean as possible, but they won't do it. They are basically pigs.
Holidays OFF! DAYS OFF!
This is for everyone tho, not just those with kids. Take time for each other. The others in your family circle will hate and regret the B&B. Give them some time and attention away from it as well. We schedule days off.
In fact WED we are going to Charlotte NC for DH to ride 3 laps at 180 mph at Lowe's Motor Speedway (I will buy him some depends before we leave). Meanwhile we will swim in the hotel pool, get ice from an ice bucket and eat junk food at Jack in the Box (we don't have them in this state). Ohhh how we are all looking for to it. No chores there. Just nothing but nothing to do.
 
WP - you are scaring me!
I agree, when Mom gets CRAZY over something they were supposed to do or not do, like put their hand in a waste basket - they will grow up to be clean freaks. I HOPE SO!
Right now they sure aren't. Another reason GUESTS CANNOT GO NEAR their room or bathroom. We added their bath (ground floor) brand new - to be accessable for those who can't do stairs well, also. NOPE! No guests will ever see that bathroom. I have 8 bathrooms to clean, I ain't cleanin' theirs too.
I do not go in there, when I go in blood shoots out of my eyes. The veins in my neck rear up! So they are "encouraged" to be as clean as possible, but they won't do it. They are basically pigs.
Holidays OFF! DAYS OFF!
This is for everyone tho, not just those with kids. Take time for each other. The others in your family circle will hate and regret the B&B. Give them some time and attention away from it as well. We schedule days off.
In fact WED we are going to Charlotte NC for DH to ride 3 laps at 180 mph at Lowe's Motor Speedway (I will buy him some depends before we leave). Meanwhile we will swim in the hotel pool, get ice from an ice bucket and eat junk food at Jack in the Box (we don't have them in this state). Ohhh how we are all looking for to it. No chores there. Just nothing but nothing to do..
Sounds like heaven!
 
I only know what I've heard from innkeepers that have kids since we opened as "empty nesters". Number 1 priority is clearly defined personal family space. Most of the folks that I know found it easier to have a separate innkeeper's house (carriage house, smaller detached house, adjoining house by a covered walk, etc.) It definitely takes the pressure off the family to have a setup like that.
Number 2 priority is to have plenty of $$$ for any contingencies. Not just things that can happen to the property but for any family crisis. God forbid. Then, you can always make family come first.
It's not impossible to own a B&B with children, but there are more challenges if you want to have enough time for your partner, children, and the business. This is true of any business but especially more important when your business is in your home. This is also a demanding business & can be a 24/7 business.
Welcome to the forum & good luck with your search!
 
We have strong beliefs, and plan to homeschool, but we're not stupid. We know what kind of world we live in and have no intention of "shielding" our children from the way things really are. Already they have discovered a neighbor boy their age to play with, and already they have discovered that neighbor boys can tell them to do things that are bad and they have to decide if they want to do them or not. (OK, we're talking 4 yo's... "bad" means eating leaves and pooping in the yard.)
It will happen. We will talk about it. They'll grow up working hard with a useful skill set.
If the door is open, it's open. We go out.
We can't go yard saling in the summer, but so far it looks like we can do all kinds of things in the winter.
We take payment on arrival. Yesterday I had to buzz off after breakfast to make a presentation. Told the people goodbye and off I went. Dh left without clearing the table, but also left. One guest left before he did. The others were in the process of leaving when we returned. Door was locked.
We can't get an early start on things (gotta make the breakfast), but we still go and do as much as we can. No check in's on Saturday, so we went Malabar Farm State Park for a wonderful afternoon. We missed the morning activities, but still had a great time.
Nope, not easy. But doable (at least, so far). But I only have four rooms, which I think makes a big difference.
=)
Kk..
Yellowsocks, I am curious about your homeschooling thoughts. We have been homeschooling for the past three years and plan on doing it for as long as we can. How old are your children? We love it a lot, but that happens to be our biggest concern: how to manage the schedules of both. Another person who posted stated that I should "imagine" myself in a situation at work and then put my family there in my head to see how it would be. My daughter loves coming into work with me and working in the kitchen and cleaning the rooms with the housekeepers. My son loves to come into work and be outside with the groundskeeper. They each know what "guest space" is and know that the kitchen is "servant's quarters"!!!
That has been the best thing for us so far is the fact that I've been able to gently meld the two lifestyles together.
But we still wonder/stress out about the homeschooling. Neither myself, nor my husband want to give that up.
 
WP - you are scaring me!
I agree, when Mom gets CRAZY over something they were supposed to do or not do, like put their hand in a waste basket - they will grow up to be clean freaks. I HOPE SO!
Right now they sure aren't. Another reason GUESTS CANNOT GO NEAR their room or bathroom. We added their bath (ground floor) brand new - to be accessable for those who can't do stairs well, also. NOPE! No guests will ever see that bathroom. I have 8 bathrooms to clean, I ain't cleanin' theirs too.
I do not go in there, when I go in blood shoots out of my eyes. The veins in my neck rear up! So they are "encouraged" to be as clean as possible, but they won't do it. They are basically pigs.
Holidays OFF! DAYS OFF!
This is for everyone tho, not just those with kids. Take time for each other. The others in your family circle will hate and regret the B&B. Give them some time and attention away from it as well. We schedule days off.
In fact WED we are going to Charlotte NC for DH to ride 3 laps at 180 mph at Lowe's Motor Speedway (I will buy him some depends before we leave). Meanwhile we will swim in the hotel pool, get ice from an ice bucket and eat junk food at Jack in the Box (we don't have them in this state). Ohhh how we are all looking for to it. No chores there. Just nothing but nothing to do..
JunieBJones (JBJ) said:
In fact WED we are going to Charlotte NC for DH to ride 3 laps at 180 mph at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Hey, let him take the class and DRIVE the car himself! Hubs LOVED this. He's done it twice so far.
 
We have strong beliefs, and plan to homeschool, but we're not stupid. We know what kind of world we live in and have no intention of "shielding" our children from the way things really are. Already they have discovered a neighbor boy their age to play with, and already they have discovered that neighbor boys can tell them to do things that are bad and they have to decide if they want to do them or not. (OK, we're talking 4 yo's... "bad" means eating leaves and pooping in the yard.)
It will happen. We will talk about it. They'll grow up working hard with a useful skill set.
If the door is open, it's open. We go out.
We can't go yard saling in the summer, but so far it looks like we can do all kinds of things in the winter.
We take payment on arrival. Yesterday I had to buzz off after breakfast to make a presentation. Told the people goodbye and off I went. Dh left without clearing the table, but also left. One guest left before he did. The others were in the process of leaving when we returned. Door was locked.
We can't get an early start on things (gotta make the breakfast), but we still go and do as much as we can. No check in's on Saturday, so we went Malabar Farm State Park for a wonderful afternoon. We missed the morning activities, but still had a great time.
Nope, not easy. But doable (at least, so far). But I only have four rooms, which I think makes a big difference.
=)
Kk..
Yellowsocks, I am curious about your homeschooling thoughts. We have been homeschooling for the past three years and plan on doing it for as long as we can. How old are your children? We love it a lot, but that happens to be our biggest concern: how to manage the schedules of both. Another person who posted stated that I should "imagine" myself in a situation at work and then put my family there in my head to see how it would be. My daughter loves coming into work with me and working in the kitchen and cleaning the rooms with the housekeepers. My son loves to come into work and be outside with the groundskeeper. They each know what "guest space" is and know that the kitchen is "servant's quarters"!!!
That has been the best thing for us so far is the fact that I've been able to gently meld the two lifestyles together.
But we still wonder/stress out about the homeschooling. Neither myself, nor my husband want to give that up.
.
emspiers said:
But we still wonder/stress out about the homeschooling. Neither myself, nor my husband want to give that up.
How long an amount of time do you spend in a regular day doing actual sit-down 'school work'? Because you are not on a school schedule where you have 20-30 kids learning the same thing at once, you can accomplish a LOT more homeschooling in an hour than most kids get in a day at 'school'. You blend the biz with the school. Kids do the books for the biz, there's your math. Kids do the website (when they're old enough), there's your computer class. Kids can write the confirmations and thank yous. The list goes on. You use the guests as resources for geography and social studies.
My friend homeschooled 6 kids. Half the time when I talked with her she was still trying to get the books open to teach them something and this would be around March/April when they had to take the state tests. They were too busy building their house or getting the kids to work on church projects or having them take on outside jobs. And, so far, 3 of them have 'graduated' from high school (one of them at age 12.) So, it can definitely be done, even if you just do school work in the slow season and the kids help out in the biz the rest of the time.
 
We have strong beliefs, and plan to homeschool, but we're not stupid. We know what kind of world we live in and have no intention of "shielding" our children from the way things really are. Already they have discovered a neighbor boy their age to play with, and already they have discovered that neighbor boys can tell them to do things that are bad and they have to decide if they want to do them or not. (OK, we're talking 4 yo's... "bad" means eating leaves and pooping in the yard.)
It will happen. We will talk about it. They'll grow up working hard with a useful skill set.
If the door is open, it's open. We go out.
We can't go yard saling in the summer, but so far it looks like we can do all kinds of things in the winter.
We take payment on arrival. Yesterday I had to buzz off after breakfast to make a presentation. Told the people goodbye and off I went. Dh left without clearing the table, but also left. One guest left before he did. The others were in the process of leaving when we returned. Door was locked.
We can't get an early start on things (gotta make the breakfast), but we still go and do as much as we can. No check in's on Saturday, so we went Malabar Farm State Park for a wonderful afternoon. We missed the morning activities, but still had a great time.
Nope, not easy. But doable (at least, so far). But I only have four rooms, which I think makes a big difference.
=)
Kk..
Yellowsocks, I am curious about your homeschooling thoughts. We have been homeschooling for the past three years and plan on doing it for as long as we can. How old are your children? We love it a lot, but that happens to be our biggest concern: how to manage the schedules of both. Another person who posted stated that I should "imagine" myself in a situation at work and then put my family there in my head to see how it would be. My daughter loves coming into work with me and working in the kitchen and cleaning the rooms with the housekeepers. My son loves to come into work and be outside with the groundskeeper. They each know what "guest space" is and know that the kitchen is "servant's quarters"!!!
That has been the best thing for us so far is the fact that I've been able to gently meld the two lifestyles together.
But we still wonder/stress out about the homeschooling. Neither myself, nor my husband want to give that up.
.
You know, we homeschooled before we began innkeeping and we were going to continue, but decided to try the schools in our new city, which turned out great for us, our kids both love their new schools. My 4th grader actually cried on the last day of school, because he didn't want it to be over! That's priceless!
We figured if it didn't work out, we'd go back to homeschooling. We could do it if we had to at this point, but we don't want to. I think if you are brave enough to take on homeschooling, you obviously enjoy the company of your children, as do we, so you are probably of the mold that you could make it work for you! And your children are probably used to socializing with all of humanity, not just their peers.
Sometimes I think it would be easier if we were still homeschooling, less obligations to school life...but it is also nice for the kids to be away, for them to be with their friends during the day and for us to have time to get things done without them here....And the kids go back and forth over the pros and cons...but they are happy where they are now...You just have to do what works for you...you can always shift gears and try regular school or go back to homeschooling (we have, twice before innkeeping)
 
We have strong beliefs, and plan to homeschool, but we're not stupid. We know what kind of world we live in and have no intention of "shielding" our children from the way things really are. Already they have discovered a neighbor boy their age to play with, and already they have discovered that neighbor boys can tell them to do things that are bad and they have to decide if they want to do them or not. (OK, we're talking 4 yo's... "bad" means eating leaves and pooping in the yard.)
It will happen. We will talk about it. They'll grow up working hard with a useful skill set.
If the door is open, it's open. We go out.
We can't go yard saling in the summer, but so far it looks like we can do all kinds of things in the winter.
We take payment on arrival. Yesterday I had to buzz off after breakfast to make a presentation. Told the people goodbye and off I went. Dh left without clearing the table, but also left. One guest left before he did. The others were in the process of leaving when we returned. Door was locked.
We can't get an early start on things (gotta make the breakfast), but we still go and do as much as we can. No check in's on Saturday, so we went Malabar Farm State Park for a wonderful afternoon. We missed the morning activities, but still had a great time.
Nope, not easy. But doable (at least, so far). But I only have four rooms, which I think makes a big difference.
=)
Kk..
Yellowsocks, I am curious about your homeschooling thoughts. We have been homeschooling for the past three years and plan on doing it for as long as we can. How old are your children? We love it a lot, but that happens to be our biggest concern: how to manage the schedules of both. Another person who posted stated that I should "imagine" myself in a situation at work and then put my family there in my head to see how it would be. My daughter loves coming into work with me and working in the kitchen and cleaning the rooms with the housekeepers. My son loves to come into work and be outside with the groundskeeper. They each know what "guest space" is and know that the kitchen is "servant's quarters"!!!
That has been the best thing for us so far is the fact that I've been able to gently meld the two lifestyles together.
But we still wonder/stress out about the homeschooling. Neither myself, nor my husband want to give that up.
.
emspiers said:
But we still wonder/stress out about the homeschooling. Neither myself, nor my husband want to give that up.
How long an amount of time do you spend in a regular day doing actual sit-down 'school work'? Because you are not on a school schedule where you have 20-30 kids learning the same thing at once, you can accomplish a LOT more homeschooling in an hour than most kids get in a day at 'school'. You blend the biz with the school. Kids do the books for the biz, there's your math. Kids do the website (when they're old enough), there's your computer class. Kids can write the confirmations and thank yous. The list goes on. You use the guests as resources for geography and social studies.
My friend homeschooled 6 kids. Half the time when I talked with her she was still trying to get the books open to teach them something and this would be around March/April when they had to take the state tests. They were too busy building their house or getting the kids to work on church projects or having them take on outside jobs. And, so far, 3 of them have 'graduated' from high school (one of them at age 12.) So, it can definitely be done, even if you just do school work in the slow season and the kids help out in the biz the rest of the time.
.
Bree, you gave me some wonderful ideas. I never thought of the biz as part of their schooling. When we started homeschooling, we all had to "de-school" ourselves. It has taken some time, but we are now comfortable with being outside in the garden in Sept instead of in the dining room with the math books!!
Thanks for opening my eyes to the other side of the equation.
 
We have strong beliefs, and plan to homeschool, but we're not stupid. We know what kind of world we live in and have no intention of "shielding" our children from the way things really are. Already they have discovered a neighbor boy their age to play with, and already they have discovered that neighbor boys can tell them to do things that are bad and they have to decide if they want to do them or not. (OK, we're talking 4 yo's... "bad" means eating leaves and pooping in the yard.)
It will happen. We will talk about it. They'll grow up working hard with a useful skill set.
If the door is open, it's open. We go out.
We can't go yard saling in the summer, but so far it looks like we can do all kinds of things in the winter.
We take payment on arrival. Yesterday I had to buzz off after breakfast to make a presentation. Told the people goodbye and off I went. Dh left without clearing the table, but also left. One guest left before he did. The others were in the process of leaving when we returned. Door was locked.
We can't get an early start on things (gotta make the breakfast), but we still go and do as much as we can. No check in's on Saturday, so we went Malabar Farm State Park for a wonderful afternoon. We missed the morning activities, but still had a great time.
Nope, not easy. But doable (at least, so far). But I only have four rooms, which I think makes a big difference.
=)
Kk..
Yellowsocks, I am curious about your homeschooling thoughts. We have been homeschooling for the past three years and plan on doing it for as long as we can. How old are your children? We love it a lot, but that happens to be our biggest concern: how to manage the schedules of both. Another person who posted stated that I should "imagine" myself in a situation at work and then put my family there in my head to see how it would be. My daughter loves coming into work with me and working in the kitchen and cleaning the rooms with the housekeepers. My son loves to come into work and be outside with the groundskeeper. They each know what "guest space" is and know that the kitchen is "servant's quarters"!!!
That has been the best thing for us so far is the fact that I've been able to gently meld the two lifestyles together.
But we still wonder/stress out about the homeschooling. Neither myself, nor my husband want to give that up.
.
You know, we homeschooled before we began innkeeping and we were going to continue, but decided to try the schools in our new city, which turned out great for us, our kids both love their new schools. My 4th grader actually cried on the last day of school, because he didn't want it to be over! That's priceless!
We figured if it didn't work out, we'd go back to homeschooling. We could do it if we had to at this point, but we don't want to. I think if you are brave enough to take on homeschooling, you obviously enjoy the company of your children, as do we, so you are probably of the mold that you could make it work for you! And your children are probably used to socializing with all of humanity, not just their peers.
Sometimes I think it would be easier if we were still homeschooling, less obligations to school life...but it is also nice for the kids to be away, for them to be with their friends during the day and for us to have time to get things done without them here....And the kids go back and forth over the pros and cons...but they are happy where they are now...You just have to do what works for you...you can always shift gears and try regular school or go back to homeschooling (we have, twice before innkeeping)
.
Willowpondgj,
Thank you for your insights, too. Your take on how we "obviously enjoy the company of our children" was right on. Thank you for reminding me of that!!
 
We have strong beliefs, and plan to homeschool, but we're not stupid. We know what kind of world we live in and have no intention of "shielding" our children from the way things really are. Already they have discovered a neighbor boy their age to play with, and already they have discovered that neighbor boys can tell them to do things that are bad and they have to decide if they want to do them or not. (OK, we're talking 4 yo's... "bad" means eating leaves and pooping in the yard.)
It will happen. We will talk about it. They'll grow up working hard with a useful skill set.
If the door is open, it's open. We go out.
We can't go yard saling in the summer, but so far it looks like we can do all kinds of things in the winter.
We take payment on arrival. Yesterday I had to buzz off after breakfast to make a presentation. Told the people goodbye and off I went. Dh left without clearing the table, but also left. One guest left before he did. The others were in the process of leaving when we returned. Door was locked.
We can't get an early start on things (gotta make the breakfast), but we still go and do as much as we can. No check in's on Saturday, so we went Malabar Farm State Park for a wonderful afternoon. We missed the morning activities, but still had a great time.
Nope, not easy. But doable (at least, so far). But I only have four rooms, which I think makes a big difference.
=)
Kk..
Yellowsocks, I am curious about your homeschooling thoughts. We have been homeschooling for the past three years and plan on doing it for as long as we can. How old are your children? We love it a lot, but that happens to be our biggest concern: how to manage the schedules of both. Another person who posted stated that I should "imagine" myself in a situation at work and then put my family there in my head to see how it would be. My daughter loves coming into work with me and working in the kitchen and cleaning the rooms with the housekeepers. My son loves to come into work and be outside with the groundskeeper. They each know what "guest space" is and know that the kitchen is "servant's quarters"!!!
That has been the best thing for us so far is the fact that I've been able to gently meld the two lifestyles together.
But we still wonder/stress out about the homeschooling. Neither myself, nor my husband want to give that up.
.
If you don't want to give it up, then don't!
As others have posted, homeschooling doesn't have to take all day, and doesn't have to be as structured as a public or private school setting where 20-30 kids have to sit down and listen all at once.
My kids are twin 4 year old boys and haven't actually started "formal" schooling yet. (Sorry to the regulars on the forum who are probably sick of hearing about them!) I grew up working hard on a farm, but the ability to select a hereford heifer hasn't been a useful skill set as an adult. I was looking for a business where I could stay home with them, and where they could be involved, and where they could work hard. B&B filled that niche, and promises to be all I need it to be, and more! Already they clear the table when the guests are done, dry silverwear, and schlep things up and down the stairs.
Our busy season is July, and our slow season is winter, so we hope to be able to homeschool somewhat on a regular school year. But I don't anticipate homeschooling to be a "now we're on, now we're off" kind of thing, but a more fluid, constant lesson type of experience. We'll have books, and I'll have a plan, but that's because of who I am and what I know I want my boys to learn.
My sister thinks I want to homeschool to shelter my kids from the harsh reality of the real world. No, not really. They've already found a neighbor boy to exert peer pressure on them. They've already had to ask questions about why people do what they do. We have religious convictions, but we understand that lots of people don't and we try to meet people where they are and accept them how they are, which is how I hope my children will be. Mostly I want to homeschool because I was bored silly in school.... and I was the youngest in my class! I sat in the back row in first grade and cut my bangs... bored, bored, bored. I want them challenged and stretched academically, and I can't afford private school, so homeschool is the plan.
I have to say that I have a ton of respect for public school teachers! I love teaching, but I don't want their job! And, in deference to my sister (who has become quite the public school advocate now that both of her siblings are homeschooling), we live in a wonderful town with excellent schools so that if homeschooling doesn't work out we have a great system to send our kids to.
Growing up none of us kids were in organized sports... we lived out on the farm and didn't get into town much. Sports would have required rides and physicals and things my parents weren't willing to do. As none of us were overly athletic (strong as an ox, but not athletic) it was fine. (We did do marching band and other extra curricular stuff...) Anyway, one of my sons will probably never care if he's on a sports team or not. The other, however, seems to be a natural born athlete. It is because of him that they were already enrolled in gymnastics for a while. I can see him in soccer and softball and my dh and I having to coordinate schedules to allow him to play. I have learned that our school system has a program where homeschoolers can be enrolled "part time" (take two classes) and be able to particpate in extra curricular activities such as football, baseball, and band. I am pretty sure that I'll be having to coordinate our schedules when he's old enough to play on the school teams!
Before we moved to Ohio and started the B&B I was a tutor at a tutorial service for homeschooled kids. It was run like a school, but only two days a week. I have met many, many homeschooled kids and their parents and I can tell you that homeschooling is not for everybody! Some kids do better in a school-like environment. Some moms aren't in charge enough, not scheduled enough, not focused enough, not enough in control of their homes to make it work. I know my personality will be fine, and I enjoy my kids, so no worries on that front. We'll have to see how it goes for the boys, though, and adjust as necessary.
So, don't know if that answers your question/concern. I think (hope) homeschooling will be flexible enough that we can take care of guests and then go do our school (we only have four rooms). As another posted, public schools can be quite demanding on children's time... after being there all day they usually have homework, plus assemblies, parent-teacher meetings, concerts, sports teams, etc. etc. I think it doesn't matter... if you've got kids you've got more people in your life to schedule around, regardless of how and where they are educated. I'll be hopping either way. But at least my kids can sleep in in the morning, and learn computer skills in a real world setting, and meet people from all over, and a million other benefits that I think will more than outweigh the costs.
=)
Kk.
 
We have strong beliefs, and plan to homeschool, but we're not stupid. We know what kind of world we live in and have no intention of "shielding" our children from the way things really are. Already they have discovered a neighbor boy their age to play with, and already they have discovered that neighbor boys can tell them to do things that are bad and they have to decide if they want to do them or not. (OK, we're talking 4 yo's... "bad" means eating leaves and pooping in the yard.)
It will happen. We will talk about it. They'll grow up working hard with a useful skill set.
If the door is open, it's open. We go out.
We can't go yard saling in the summer, but so far it looks like we can do all kinds of things in the winter.
We take payment on arrival. Yesterday I had to buzz off after breakfast to make a presentation. Told the people goodbye and off I went. Dh left without clearing the table, but also left. One guest left before he did. The others were in the process of leaving when we returned. Door was locked.
We can't get an early start on things (gotta make the breakfast), but we still go and do as much as we can. No check in's on Saturday, so we went Malabar Farm State Park for a wonderful afternoon. We missed the morning activities, but still had a great time.
Nope, not easy. But doable (at least, so far). But I only have four rooms, which I think makes a big difference.
=)
Kk..
Yellowsocks, I am curious about your homeschooling thoughts. We have been homeschooling for the past three years and plan on doing it for as long as we can. How old are your children? We love it a lot, but that happens to be our biggest concern: how to manage the schedules of both. Another person who posted stated that I should "imagine" myself in a situation at work and then put my family there in my head to see how it would be. My daughter loves coming into work with me and working in the kitchen and cleaning the rooms with the housekeepers. My son loves to come into work and be outside with the groundskeeper. They each know what "guest space" is and know that the kitchen is "servant's quarters"!!!
That has been the best thing for us so far is the fact that I've been able to gently meld the two lifestyles together.
But we still wonder/stress out about the homeschooling. Neither myself, nor my husband want to give that up.
.
If you don't want to give it up, then don't!
As others have posted, homeschooling doesn't have to take all day, and doesn't have to be as structured as a public or private school setting where 20-30 kids have to sit down and listen all at once.
My kids are twin 4 year old boys and haven't actually started "formal" schooling yet. (Sorry to the regulars on the forum who are probably sick of hearing about them!) I grew up working hard on a farm, but the ability to select a hereford heifer hasn't been a useful skill set as an adult. I was looking for a business where I could stay home with them, and where they could be involved, and where they could work hard. B&B filled that niche, and promises to be all I need it to be, and more! Already they clear the table when the guests are done, dry silverwear, and schlep things up and down the stairs.
Our busy season is July, and our slow season is winter, so we hope to be able to homeschool somewhat on a regular school year. But I don't anticipate homeschooling to be a "now we're on, now we're off" kind of thing, but a more fluid, constant lesson type of experience. We'll have books, and I'll have a plan, but that's because of who I am and what I know I want my boys to learn.
My sister thinks I want to homeschool to shelter my kids from the harsh reality of the real world. No, not really. They've already found a neighbor boy to exert peer pressure on them. They've already had to ask questions about why people do what they do. We have religious convictions, but we understand that lots of people don't and we try to meet people where they are and accept them how they are, which is how I hope my children will be. Mostly I want to homeschool because I was bored silly in school.... and I was the youngest in my class! I sat in the back row in first grade and cut my bangs... bored, bored, bored. I want them challenged and stretched academically, and I can't afford private school, so homeschool is the plan.
I have to say that I have a ton of respect for public school teachers! I love teaching, but I don't want their job! And, in deference to my sister (who has become quite the public school advocate now that both of her siblings are homeschooling), we live in a wonderful town with excellent schools so that if homeschooling doesn't work out we have a great system to send our kids to.
Growing up none of us kids were in organized sports... we lived out on the farm and didn't get into town much. Sports would have required rides and physicals and things my parents weren't willing to do. As none of us were overly athletic (strong as an ox, but not athletic) it was fine. (We did do marching band and other extra curricular stuff...) Anyway, one of my sons will probably never care if he's on a sports team or not. The other, however, seems to be a natural born athlete. It is because of him that they were already enrolled in gymnastics for a while. I can see him in soccer and softball and my dh and I having to coordinate schedules to allow him to play. I have learned that our school system has a program where homeschoolers can be enrolled "part time" (take two classes) and be able to particpate in extra curricular activities such as football, baseball, and band. I am pretty sure that I'll be having to coordinate our schedules when he's old enough to play on the school teams!
Before we moved to Ohio and started the B&B I was a tutor at a tutorial service for homeschooled kids. It was run like a school, but only two days a week. I have met many, many homeschooled kids and their parents and I can tell you that homeschooling is not for everybody! Some kids do better in a school-like environment. Some moms aren't in charge enough, not scheduled enough, not focused enough, not enough in control of their homes to make it work. I know my personality will be fine, and I enjoy my kids, so no worries on that front. We'll have to see how it goes for the boys, though, and adjust as necessary.
So, don't know if that answers your question/concern. I think (hope) homeschooling will be flexible enough that we can take care of guests and then go do our school (we only have four rooms). As another posted, public schools can be quite demanding on children's time... after being there all day they usually have homework, plus assemblies, parent-teacher meetings, concerts, sports teams, etc. etc. I think it doesn't matter... if you've got kids you've got more people in your life to schedule around, regardless of how and where they are educated. I'll be hopping either way. But at least my kids can sleep in in the morning, and learn computer skills in a real world setting, and meet people from all over, and a million other benefits that I think will more than outweigh the costs.
=)
Kk.
.
Yellowsocks, Thank you for your long post. It helped out a lot. I think it WILL be okay. Maybe not right at first, but after we get into the swing of things, it will really be okay. My daughter is very indepenent and aware of her schooling/studies. My son, on the other hand, is more aware of how much he would rather be doing ANYTHING else. I am hoping that with age (he'll be 9 next month) will come maturity with his studies.
I can't imagine not having my kids with me/around me/near me/"hanging with me" on a daily basis. I only work 15-18 hours a week and some hours from home. Up until 19 months ago, I had only ever been a stay-at-home mom. Now, this opportunity has presented itself to me in the form of a B&B lifestyle and my husband and I are going to go for it.
This has been an eye-opening thread.
Thank you to all who posted. I know I'm new, but I have a feeling, I'm going to be a regular fixture on this site.
On another note, does anyone know where the best sites are to find B&Bs for sale? I know of bbonline.com, paii.org, bedandbreakfast.com, and bnbfinder.com, but I am wondering if anyone has any other ideas.
 
We have strong beliefs, and plan to homeschool, but we're not stupid. We know what kind of world we live in and have no intention of "shielding" our children from the way things really are. Already they have discovered a neighbor boy their age to play with, and already they have discovered that neighbor boys can tell them to do things that are bad and they have to decide if they want to do them or not. (OK, we're talking 4 yo's... "bad" means eating leaves and pooping in the yard.)
It will happen. We will talk about it. They'll grow up working hard with a useful skill set.
If the door is open, it's open. We go out.
We can't go yard saling in the summer, but so far it looks like we can do all kinds of things in the winter.
We take payment on arrival. Yesterday I had to buzz off after breakfast to make a presentation. Told the people goodbye and off I went. Dh left without clearing the table, but also left. One guest left before he did. The others were in the process of leaving when we returned. Door was locked.
We can't get an early start on things (gotta make the breakfast), but we still go and do as much as we can. No check in's on Saturday, so we went Malabar Farm State Park for a wonderful afternoon. We missed the morning activities, but still had a great time.
Nope, not easy. But doable (at least, so far). But I only have four rooms, which I think makes a big difference.
=)
Kk..
Yellowsocks, I am curious about your homeschooling thoughts. We have been homeschooling for the past three years and plan on doing it for as long as we can. How old are your children? We love it a lot, but that happens to be our biggest concern: how to manage the schedules of both. Another person who posted stated that I should "imagine" myself in a situation at work and then put my family there in my head to see how it would be. My daughter loves coming into work with me and working in the kitchen and cleaning the rooms with the housekeepers. My son loves to come into work and be outside with the groundskeeper. They each know what "guest space" is and know that the kitchen is "servant's quarters"!!!
That has been the best thing for us so far is the fact that I've been able to gently meld the two lifestyles together.
But we still wonder/stress out about the homeschooling. Neither myself, nor my husband want to give that up.
.
If you don't want to give it up, then don't!
As others have posted, homeschooling doesn't have to take all day, and doesn't have to be as structured as a public or private school setting where 20-30 kids have to sit down and listen all at once.
My kids are twin 4 year old boys and haven't actually started "formal" schooling yet. (Sorry to the regulars on the forum who are probably sick of hearing about them!) I grew up working hard on a farm, but the ability to select a hereford heifer hasn't been a useful skill set as an adult. I was looking for a business where I could stay home with them, and where they could be involved, and where they could work hard. B&B filled that niche, and promises to be all I need it to be, and more! Already they clear the table when the guests are done, dry silverwear, and schlep things up and down the stairs.
Our busy season is July, and our slow season is winter, so we hope to be able to homeschool somewhat on a regular school year. But I don't anticipate homeschooling to be a "now we're on, now we're off" kind of thing, but a more fluid, constant lesson type of experience. We'll have books, and I'll have a plan, but that's because of who I am and what I know I want my boys to learn.
My sister thinks I want to homeschool to shelter my kids from the harsh reality of the real world. No, not really. They've already found a neighbor boy to exert peer pressure on them. They've already had to ask questions about why people do what they do. We have religious convictions, but we understand that lots of people don't and we try to meet people where they are and accept them how they are, which is how I hope my children will be. Mostly I want to homeschool because I was bored silly in school.... and I was the youngest in my class! I sat in the back row in first grade and cut my bangs... bored, bored, bored. I want them challenged and stretched academically, and I can't afford private school, so homeschool is the plan.
I have to say that I have a ton of respect for public school teachers! I love teaching, but I don't want their job! And, in deference to my sister (who has become quite the public school advocate now that both of her siblings are homeschooling), we live in a wonderful town with excellent schools so that if homeschooling doesn't work out we have a great system to send our kids to.
Growing up none of us kids were in organized sports... we lived out on the farm and didn't get into town much. Sports would have required rides and physicals and things my parents weren't willing to do. As none of us were overly athletic (strong as an ox, but not athletic) it was fine. (We did do marching band and other extra curricular stuff...) Anyway, one of my sons will probably never care if he's on a sports team or not. The other, however, seems to be a natural born athlete. It is because of him that they were already enrolled in gymnastics for a while. I can see him in soccer and softball and my dh and I having to coordinate schedules to allow him to play. I have learned that our school system has a program where homeschoolers can be enrolled "part time" (take two classes) and be able to particpate in extra curricular activities such as football, baseball, and band. I am pretty sure that I'll be having to coordinate our schedules when he's old enough to play on the school teams!
Before we moved to Ohio and started the B&B I was a tutor at a tutorial service for homeschooled kids. It was run like a school, but only two days a week. I have met many, many homeschooled kids and their parents and I can tell you that homeschooling is not for everybody! Some kids do better in a school-like environment. Some moms aren't in charge enough, not scheduled enough, not focused enough, not enough in control of their homes to make it work. I know my personality will be fine, and I enjoy my kids, so no worries on that front. We'll have to see how it goes for the boys, though, and adjust as necessary.
So, don't know if that answers your question/concern. I think (hope) homeschooling will be flexible enough that we can take care of guests and then go do our school (we only have four rooms). As another posted, public schools can be quite demanding on children's time... after being there all day they usually have homework, plus assemblies, parent-teacher meetings, concerts, sports teams, etc. etc. I think it doesn't matter... if you've got kids you've got more people in your life to schedule around, regardless of how and where they are educated. I'll be hopping either way. But at least my kids can sleep in in the morning, and learn computer skills in a real world setting, and meet people from all over, and a million other benefits that I think will more than outweigh the costs.
=)
Kk.
.
Yellowsocks, Thank you for your long post. It helped out a lot. I think it WILL be okay. Maybe not right at first, but after we get into the swing of things, it will really be okay. My daughter is very indepenent and aware of her schooling/studies. My son, on the other hand, is more aware of how much he would rather be doing ANYTHING else. I am hoping that with age (he'll be 9 next month) will come maturity with his studies.
I can't imagine not having my kids with me/around me/near me/"hanging with me" on a daily basis. I only work 15-18 hours a week and some hours from home. Up until 19 months ago, I had only ever been a stay-at-home mom. Now, this opportunity has presented itself to me in the form of a B&B lifestyle and my husband and I are going to go for it.
This has been an eye-opening thread.
Thank you to all who posted. I know I'm new, but I have a feeling, I'm going to be a regular fixture on this site.
On another note, does anyone know where the best sites are to find B&Bs for sale? I know of bbonline.com, paii.org, bedandbreakfast.com, and bnbfinder.com, but I am wondering if anyone has any other ideas.
.
If you know where you want to live, check the web site of the B & B Association of that State. Another source is www.innmarketing.com This is if you are looking for a turnkey. Otherwise, find your location check zoning FIRST, blah, blah (see other threads) and go for it.
Good luck
 
We have strong beliefs, and plan to homeschool, but we're not stupid. We know what kind of world we live in and have no intention of "shielding" our children from the way things really are. Already they have discovered a neighbor boy their age to play with, and already they have discovered that neighbor boys can tell them to do things that are bad and they have to decide if they want to do them or not. (OK, we're talking 4 yo's... "bad" means eating leaves and pooping in the yard.)
It will happen. We will talk about it. They'll grow up working hard with a useful skill set.
If the door is open, it's open. We go out.
We can't go yard saling in the summer, but so far it looks like we can do all kinds of things in the winter.
We take payment on arrival. Yesterday I had to buzz off after breakfast to make a presentation. Told the people goodbye and off I went. Dh left without clearing the table, but also left. One guest left before he did. The others were in the process of leaving when we returned. Door was locked.
We can't get an early start on things (gotta make the breakfast), but we still go and do as much as we can. No check in's on Saturday, so we went Malabar Farm State Park for a wonderful afternoon. We missed the morning activities, but still had a great time.
Nope, not easy. But doable (at least, so far). But I only have four rooms, which I think makes a big difference.
=)
Kk..
Yellowsocks, I am curious about your homeschooling thoughts. We have been homeschooling for the past three years and plan on doing it for as long as we can. How old are your children? We love it a lot, but that happens to be our biggest concern: how to manage the schedules of both. Another person who posted stated that I should "imagine" myself in a situation at work and then put my family there in my head to see how it would be. My daughter loves coming into work with me and working in the kitchen and cleaning the rooms with the housekeepers. My son loves to come into work and be outside with the groundskeeper. They each know what "guest space" is and know that the kitchen is "servant's quarters"!!!
That has been the best thing for us so far is the fact that I've been able to gently meld the two lifestyles together.
But we still wonder/stress out about the homeschooling. Neither myself, nor my husband want to give that up.
.
If you don't want to give it up, then don't!
As others have posted, homeschooling doesn't have to take all day, and doesn't have to be as structured as a public or private school setting where 20-30 kids have to sit down and listen all at once.
My kids are twin 4 year old boys and haven't actually started "formal" schooling yet. (Sorry to the regulars on the forum who are probably sick of hearing about them!) I grew up working hard on a farm, but the ability to select a hereford heifer hasn't been a useful skill set as an adult. I was looking for a business where I could stay home with them, and where they could be involved, and where they could work hard. B&B filled that niche, and promises to be all I need it to be, and more! Already they clear the table when the guests are done, dry silverwear, and schlep things up and down the stairs.
Our busy season is July, and our slow season is winter, so we hope to be able to homeschool somewhat on a regular school year. But I don't anticipate homeschooling to be a "now we're on, now we're off" kind of thing, but a more fluid, constant lesson type of experience. We'll have books, and I'll have a plan, but that's because of who I am and what I know I want my boys to learn.
My sister thinks I want to homeschool to shelter my kids from the harsh reality of the real world. No, not really. They've already found a neighbor boy to exert peer pressure on them. They've already had to ask questions about why people do what they do. We have religious convictions, but we understand that lots of people don't and we try to meet people where they are and accept them how they are, which is how I hope my children will be. Mostly I want to homeschool because I was bored silly in school.... and I was the youngest in my class! I sat in the back row in first grade and cut my bangs... bored, bored, bored. I want them challenged and stretched academically, and I can't afford private school, so homeschool is the plan.
I have to say that I have a ton of respect for public school teachers! I love teaching, but I don't want their job! And, in deference to my sister (who has become quite the public school advocate now that both of her siblings are homeschooling), we live in a wonderful town with excellent schools so that if homeschooling doesn't work out we have a great system to send our kids to.
Growing up none of us kids were in organized sports... we lived out on the farm and didn't get into town much. Sports would have required rides and physicals and things my parents weren't willing to do. As none of us were overly athletic (strong as an ox, but not athletic) it was fine. (We did do marching band and other extra curricular stuff...) Anyway, one of my sons will probably never care if he's on a sports team or not. The other, however, seems to be a natural born athlete. It is because of him that they were already enrolled in gymnastics for a while. I can see him in soccer and softball and my dh and I having to coordinate schedules to allow him to play. I have learned that our school system has a program where homeschoolers can be enrolled "part time" (take two classes) and be able to particpate in extra curricular activities such as football, baseball, and band. I am pretty sure that I'll be having to coordinate our schedules when he's old enough to play on the school teams!
Before we moved to Ohio and started the B&B I was a tutor at a tutorial service for homeschooled kids. It was run like a school, but only two days a week. I have met many, many homeschooled kids and their parents and I can tell you that homeschooling is not for everybody! Some kids do better in a school-like environment. Some moms aren't in charge enough, not scheduled enough, not focused enough, not enough in control of their homes to make it work. I know my personality will be fine, and I enjoy my kids, so no worries on that front. We'll have to see how it goes for the boys, though, and adjust as necessary.
So, don't know if that answers your question/concern. I think (hope) homeschooling will be flexible enough that we can take care of guests and then go do our school (we only have four rooms). As another posted, public schools can be quite demanding on children's time... after being there all day they usually have homework, plus assemblies, parent-teacher meetings, concerts, sports teams, etc. etc. I think it doesn't matter... if you've got kids you've got more people in your life to schedule around, regardless of how and where they are educated. I'll be hopping either way. But at least my kids can sleep in in the morning, and learn computer skills in a real world setting, and meet people from all over, and a million other benefits that I think will more than outweigh the costs.
=)
Kk.
.
Yellowsocks, Thank you for your long post. It helped out a lot. I think it WILL be okay. Maybe not right at first, but after we get into the swing of things, it will really be okay. My daughter is very indepenent and aware of her schooling/studies. My son, on the other hand, is more aware of how much he would rather be doing ANYTHING else. I am hoping that with age (he'll be 9 next month) will come maturity with his studies.
I can't imagine not having my kids with me/around me/near me/"hanging with me" on a daily basis. I only work 15-18 hours a week and some hours from home. Up until 19 months ago, I had only ever been a stay-at-home mom. Now, this opportunity has presented itself to me in the form of a B&B lifestyle and my husband and I are going to go for it.
This has been an eye-opening thread.
Thank you to all who posted. I know I'm new, but I have a feeling, I'm going to be a regular fixture on this site.
On another note, does anyone know where the best sites are to find B&Bs for sale? I know of bbonline.com, paii.org, bedandbreakfast.com, and bnbfinder.com, but I am wondering if anyone has any other ideas.
.
If you know where you want to live, check the web site of the B & B Association of that State. Another source is www.innmarketing.com This is if you are looking for a turnkey. Otherwise, find your location check zoning FIRST, blah, blah (see other threads) and go for it.
Good luck
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G
 
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