*~*~*~*~*CHILDCARE AVAILABLE*~*~*~*~* $160/week Age 2+

[mnchkds1]

To help parents out in this economy, I am reducing my rate to $160 for a child age 2+. I hold a current CPR and First Aid certification, a permit through Fairfax County Office for Children, and participate in the USDA Food Program as well as the subsidy program through OFC. I am looking to keep my group small so as to be able to take them places throughout the summer IE: Library, kid programs, nature centers, parks, walks, etc. Preschool learning (colors, shapes, numbers, letters, etc), music, dance, arts & crafts, and so much more!

If interested in setting up an interview or if you have any questions, feel free to contact me!!

Conveniently located near Huntington Metro and 495.

[Anonymous]

How many hours a week for $160?
Thanks.

[mnchkds1]

This would be for full time care Monday through Friday, up to 50 hours. Willing to work out something with those who need more than 50 hours.

[Anonymous]

OP: Does your rate come out to only $3.20/hr?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: Does your rate come out to only $3.20/hr?

Not the OP, but I'm sure she has other children as well, so depending on the number of kids, ages, rates, she could be making a good amount of money. In Maryland, home day care providers can have up to 8 kids (only 2 under 2).

[mnchkds1]

Yes, that is what I get as well.

[mnchkds1]

In response to the 9:53 poster, that is it exactly.

In Virginia, with a permit, we can have 5 non related children in care. I am only looking to keep 2-3 children at this point, to keep my group small.

[mnchkds1]

BTW forgot to mention, I am a mom/grandma (young) who has 27 years experience in Childcare

[Anonymous]

OP How do you afford to do it, for only $10/hour?

[mnchkds1]

To the 10:06 poster, I don't quite get what you mean how I can afford to do this for $10 an hour. I have been in childcare for 27 years. The economy has taken a serious hit, yet parents are still looking for affordable, quality care. If I were to close my business and go out into the working force, I would only pull minimum wage, so as long as I am making that here, then why not? I am not out to rob parents blind. In my business it is not about who can make the most money, it is about who will be caring for the children.

The plus side - no commute, no food expenses, no fancy clothing expenses. I dont need the medical benefits etc as my husbands job provides that. My rewards are the kisses and hugs, the smiles and laughter, and the security of the kids as well as the pleasure a parent feels knowing their child is happy and safe, allowing them to go to work with a peace of mind.

And that is why I continue in this profession.

[Anonymous]

10:06 here. As a single parent I could not afford to work fulltime for charity. I hope that your clients are truly low-income folks who really do need your generous charity. That means that they don't live 'better' than you and your husband do. As long as you know that they are compensating you the very best that they can, all is well. Blessings.

[mnchkds1]

to the 16:04 poster. I honestly don't know why you have such an issue with someone willing to work with their parents with keeping daycare costs at a minimum. I don't feel that I am working fulltime for charity. What I am doing is far from charity, it is helping parents out. I would say in 27 years of providing childcare, the majority of my clients are single parent homes. If I can save them a little money by providing the same care to them as someone who is charging much higher and it is helping them out, then why not? As I said, I am not out to be greedy in seeing how much I can suck a parent dry moneywise. Just happy to be there for families who need the help.

And just a quick FYI without going into the personal lives of past and present families. I have had many a parent, single, who struggled to make ends meet. Several who made well below $20,000 income. Fairfax county is one of the richest counties in our area, yet we have some of the poorest families struggling to make ends meet. I have helped several moms in the past continue their education in order to better themselves in the future. Sure I worked long hours, but I have a heart and dont mind helping those...who help themselves.

Believe me, I have been to the homes of some of the families I have had as clients, and a good many of them are not living better than I am. Many a family I helped foodwise as well when I used to belong to a food bank. As a daycare, I was able to participate as long as I distributed the food to others in need. Well I had that right here in my daycare and would send parents home with bags or boxes of food. Just the other night I have a mom I did care for in the past stop in to see me. We started talking about the economy and all, child support issues, etc, and she told me herself, if it werent for the food I was sending home for her during those times, she doesnt know what she would have done. Many families fall through cracks where they teeter on the fine line of making just a bit over the maximum they can be making to get the help they need.

I accept your blessings, however I dont agree with what I am doing is charity.

Edited to add:

My help doesnt always end when my clients leave. One mom in particular, while her child was in my care, went through several scares of cancer. I held her hand through chemo, assured her if anything happened to her, I would take care of her child (she had no family, the father a deadbeat, and she gave me a HAND written letter stating if anything were to happen, she wanted her child to be with me!). She pulled through, went through many ups and downs and long after her child was out of my care (he aged out), it took months before she finally confided in me that she had been laid off several months prior and they didnt have food in the house. I jumped into action, posted a message on freecycle, and thanks to the generosity of others, I ended up with the back of my SUV filled with bags and boxes filled with food items, frozen things, a turkey as it was christmas, paper goods, etc. A friend of mine, who was struggling herself, helped me buy the rest of the things she needed, and I brought everything to her. Her son was so happy to see food HE was the one who jumped in and cooked the turkey!! Not long ago, her son answered this survey thing they pass around on myspace. The question asked, where were you raised? And his answer? Virginia and Michelles House.

To me, that is the best reward to come back to me, years later after providing the care. I keep in touch with a particular group of kids, the ones i had THE longest in care, who all went to school together. And I keep in touch with almost every single one. Cant find the last one. They come to see me, call me, etc. One of them was with my family the day my granddaughter was born. So to me, this is my benefit, rewards, whatever. If you want to call that charity, so be it.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't even bother trying to explain, honestly. It's nobody's business what your business model is. If you provide great care, that's all a family should care about. While I've never provided child care, I do come from a family that has always worked for or owned small businesses. And they have always made concessions in various ways for a clientele that they have a much more personal relationship with than perhaps a big business would with its clients. I don't find it odd at all that your pricing may be temporarily lower for whatever reason. I'm not sure why others do.