Thinking about starting a home daycare

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would be against solo providers. It's not even a good idea with a back up person to care for the children if you are sick because that new person has never been around the kids. That seems like a disaster for everyone. I also don't like the idea of your child being there. It's favoritism. Two infants crying, of course you will care for yours first. 4 kids in your care by yourself also seems like a lot. I thought it was only supposed to be three kids total, including your child?

I think it is very unfair to accuse someone of favoring their child. I have done daycare for years and had both my own children and grandchildren in care and I didnt play any favoritism. If there was an issue with my child, I handled it the same I would handle the daycare child. Redirecting, appropriate time out (county states 1 minute per year of childs age), etc. My children learned how to take turns with the others, same with manners, etc.

As for caring for 4, in the county I live in, I can singly care for up to 5 children. I have never had a problem with caring for that number, it is what i felt comfortable with. We did outings, going to the library, parks, museums, the zoo, spraypark, pools, etc. Thankfully I had understanding and accepting parents who trusted me wholeheartedly. Sad that isnt out there anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here

Anonymous wrote:I would be against solo providers. It's not even a good idea with a back up person to care for the children if you are sick because that new person has never been around the kids. That seems like a disaster for everyone. I also don't like the idea of your child being there. It's favoritism. Two infants crying, of course you will care for yours first. 4 kids in your care by yourself also seems like a lot. I thought it was only supposed to be three kids total, including your child?

I, of course, would not do anything I couldn't be licensed for. If the rule is 3 children, then I would do only 3. I've read through the regulations and I actually thought you could have up to 8! That seemed like far too many. I babysat/ nannied for families with 3-5 children, so 3-4 was only my comfort point. I am only brainstorming.

I can understand the concern about preferring to help my own daughter. Hopefully once parents meet me, they would feel more comfortable. Of course, I also realize also my price point is going to reflect these "negatives" (solo provider, daughter in home).

Do NOT let these parents make you think those are *negatives* in the daycare business. I have been providing solo care for YEARS and had my own children in care. For every parent who does NOT want you for those reasons, you will find a family who doesnt mind. Anyone who says they don't want a providers child as part of the daycare is delusional. What are they supposed to do with their child? That is the reason the parent is staying home, to be with their child while at the same time making a living to help out their spouse to pay bills etc. To me it was always a Job, I was just lucky enough to be able to have my child "Come" to work with me each day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We look at numbers first.

If it's just you, then only 2 kids (including yours) is appropriate. So then it's like a nanny share and you can charge 400/week. At least in NoVA. Maybe a little less there, not sure.

If you get an assistant, then you can do 4 kids. One of you will have to go out to get milk, food, wipes, etc. at some point with that many kids. Or one of you might get sick or have an appointment.

What? Assuming it is a well run in home daycare, they will have all that on hand and not have to run out anywhere to get anything.

Someone asked how a solo provider goes to the bathroom? Easy, there are days I have to leave the bathroom door cracked open a little bit so I can still hear the kids playing. How do YOU the parent go to the bathroom? Do you Papoose the baby on your back? I fix all meals solo as well. The kids sit at the dining room table, which is right next to and in eye sight of the kitchen. They color, draw, play a game, do a puzzle, etc. Larger homemade meals (such as casseroles, spaghetti, etc) are often made the night before (might even be leftovers of our family meal, where I cook a double batch intentionally so all I have to do is reheat it the following day).
it isnt rocket science, and a good provider knows their limits on numbers. Just because the county says I can have 5 children, including my own, doesnt mean I have to have that many. Give providers a little more credit. They can often handle 4-5 kids a hell of a lot better than a parent can 1 child

[Anonymous]

I'm curious about how you can be Montessori/Reggio. The two philosophies are very different. Can you tell me what exactly you take from each?

[Anonymous]

OP again.

Would anyone consider daycare with the provider's child there? What if there was a clear plan for the child when he/she was sick? (We have grandparents very close by who would be willing to help).

Would you consider a solo provider if there was a back up provider? Would you want them to remain in the same facility and have someone else come in? Or go to another daycare provider for the day? (Assuming you would be familiar with this caregiver ahead of time, etc)

Would you allow your child in the provider's car to go on outings like library story time, sing alongs, concerts, etc?

(Disclaimer: I can tell many people would not want this, but I am curious if ANYONE would): Would you consider a daycare provider who cared for your child along with theirs in a typical stay at home mom type way? If they agreed with many of your values? (No TV, big focus on the kids, maybe your children are the only other children in care)

NP here. I had both of my children in the care of a solo provider until they were 3, and we LOVED the experience! Of course there are going to be those who prefer centers, but that is an entirely different market. I wouldn't worry about marketing yourself to the people who want a center or multiple care givers - you are going to have enough clients if you stay solo.

1. I wouldn't have a problem with this at all, as long as it was disclosed before I signed a contract. I would not expect a price discount or anything like that - in fact, being a mom myself, I'd be happy that I was able to help another mom succeed with a small business. I absolutely did need a provider who had a clear back up plan for unexpected illnesses/vacations. Our provider had an arrangement with another licensed provider in the neighborhood. We only used her a handful of times over the 5 years we were there, but it worked out very well.

2. Yes, if the provider shared her driving record, had enough safety seats in the car, and I knew where they were going.

3. Absolutely yes. Our provider was more of a traditional in-home provider (her kids were loooong grown and gone), but I'd be fine with that. I'd still want a contract, though.

Also, it sounds like you have some previous ties to the school system. You should seriously consider marketing yourself to the children of teachers! My mother is in another state and she does this - so she has full time daycare during the school year, but gets most of the school holidays off, and then offers a very reduced schedule in the summer. It is a win/win, because she likes having the lighter summers, and the teachers like not having to pay for full time daycare in the summer when/if they don't use it.

[Anonymous]

I like the idea of having my child in the care of a SAHM. I would look for a solo provider whose child was close in age to my child and who got along with my child. Then the kids could be play pals. I'd be a little worried about a lot of driving around, though, unless the provider could demonstrate that she had enough car seats etc. and that they were properly installed. It just seems safer to have the kids walk/ride the bus to go on errands or to the park/library etc. I would love it if the care provider had similar house/lifestyle/values to us. So it would really be like my child was going to play at a friend's house every day. But I would want the business (back up childcare, fees/rates/hours, etc) to be clearly spelled out so there weren't the misunderstandings that can occur when parents informally swap childcare.

[Anonymous]

We use a solo licensed in-home provider and I think given you're background, you'd fill up easily if you set a reasonable price. In terms of sick care & vacation - just lay out a policy, ie - you'll take up to 10 days of paid sick and vacation through out the year. Anything beyond that, they don't owe you. I'd recommend you get a reliable back up. My DCP has a licensed sister who back stops her.

What I look for in infant care - excellence in the basics, like how to handle breastmilk, diapering frequently, consistent naps, caring disposition, sufficient play space and the occasional song. For a toddler, I want help with potty training, discipline for biting and hitting, song time, healthy meals (brownies are not a snack), and the occasional structured game/activity. Basically my toddler wants to run around all day with her friends and toys - as long as she has sufficient space and time to do that, she's happy and I'm happy.

For a regular in-home, you could charge somewhere between $800-1200/month depending on where you're located. For a montessori/reggio style in-home run by an ex-teacher, you might find people are willing to pay more, maybe $1300-1500?

Regarding outdoor outings - as long as you didn't go far, I'd love for the kids to get fresh air. But you would need to get one of those pull carts that seat 4-6 kids to do it safely and a newborn would need to be in a carrier or a carseat.