Anonymous
Post 03/30/2012 00:50     Subject: Re:WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING!
Depends on where you live. If you live in DC, you need a home day care license to watch children regularly (as opposed to, for ex, once a week) in your home. You also need a home occupancy permit, which requires a letter from your landlord if you rent. To get the day care license, you need to get day care insurance, which is wry difficult if you rent. Also, your landlord lose her homeowner's insurance -- very, very few companies insure people who operate a day care from their homes.

So, your biggest hurdle is insurance.

Anonymous
Post 03/30/2012 00:32     Subject: WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How about advertising to pick up older (kindergarden age plus) kids after school at your local school and watch them until their parents are done with work? It would only be for part of the day, and you could pick one or two kids up and watch them in your own home. Help them with homework, give them a snack, let them watch a little TV. That way you would still have the mornings for just you and your little one.


I would LOVE to find a mom to do this. I fantasize about it. Then I could dump my AP. No one seems to do this in my neighborhood, though.


me too, definitely upper middle class problems.


I think I'm interested in doing this next school year. Does anyone know what things are necessary to start this:

-Do I need a childcare license?
-I rent my SFH..do I have to own?

TIA!!
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2012 00:28     Subject: Re:WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING!
Anonymous wrote:I'm always stunned at the moms who only trust their kids to someone who isn't a mom. You honestly think OP is going to park your kid in the corner, cash her checks and continue to focus solely on her own child?

Agree with PPs -- take in an infant or older kids who need before/after school care. Easy money. Cause, after all, you'll just ignore them the whole time.


Reading is your friend. It's not about someone being a Mom. It's about having a Mom watch my kid while she's watching her own. Got it?
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2012 00:27     Subject: WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING!
Anonymous wrote:How about advertising to pick up older (kindergarden age plus) kids after school at your local school and watch them until their parents are done with work? It would only be for part of the day, and you could pick one or two kids up and watch them in your own home. Help them with homework, give them a snack, let them watch a little TV. That way you would still have the mornings for just you and your little one.


Now THIS I would love.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2012 00:25     Subject: WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING!
OP - how many kids do you have and what ages? Might help us come up with realistic ideas for you.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2012 00:04     Subject: WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How about advertising to pick up older (kindergarden age plus) kids after school at your local school and watch them until their parents are done with work? It would only be for part of the day, and you could pick one or two kids up and watch them in your own home. Help them with homework, give them a snack, let them watch a little TV. That way you would still have the mornings for just you and your little one.


I would LOVE to find a mom to do this. I fantasize about it. Then I could dump my AP. No one seems to do this in my neighborhood, though.


me too, definitely upper middle class problems.


PP here. People do this at my children's private school. As I just noted, they don't want their kids at aftercare every day.


Anonymous
Post 03/30/2012 00:02     Subject: Re:WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING!
Anonymous wrote:I'm always stunned at the moms who only trust their kids to someone who isn't a mom. You honestly think OP is going to park your kid in the corner, cash her checks and continue to focus solely on her own child?

Agree with PPs -- take in an infant or older kids who need before/after school care. Easy money. Cause, after all, you'll just ignore them the whole time.


I agree with this too. I'm getting a divorce and going back to work and will need someone like this. I'm willing to pay a premium for the right person to take care of my children after school. And I have three separate friends who are married and work, and all three of them struggle to find someone like this. They usually end up with grad students, but then the students flake out on holidays and over the summers.

A lot of parents of private school children in DC don't want their kids to go to aftercare. They are willing to pay a premium for someone who can be there to pick up their children and take good care of them for a few hours. Just a thought.

Anonymous
Post 03/29/2012 23:53     Subject: WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING!
Anonymous wrote:How much do you need to make? Here are my suggestions (some of which may be repeats). These are things that might bring in a little to things that can bring in a lot of cash

*Advertise to do insurance billing for a solo practioner in a medical field.

*Work at a gym daycare where they allow you to bring your own child. Plenty of women do that at our gym daycare.


*If you are a good baker-cater cupcake birthday parties. You may need some sort of cooking license though. You could offer a birthday package with cake, balloons, streamers. plates, cups..You would of course have to give away freebies of samples to get your name out, but it's a tax write off. One way to advertise yourself is to donate your services to your children's school auctions.

*Sell stuff on etsy, but if you do baked goods find out if your state allows you to bake the stuff at home

*Get ABA training and be an ABA therapist (to children with autism) on weekends or evenings. You really have to have a genuine interest and a caring and open-minded spirit.

+If you want to start your own home daycare, find out about what sort of insurance you need. What if a child gets injured?


+1 (PP here) - that gym daycare option sounds good and easy and flexible!
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2012 23:51     Subject: WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING!
I think starting your own business will take time to really make enough to pay the bills. You could post an add on Nanny Share on DCUM (or whatever the appropriate forum on here).

Here's another good option - work at a daycare and bring your child there. Someone does this at my baby's in-home daycare. They probably get paid less than other staff, but get to spend the day with their child and get some extra cash.

Good luck! I'm pretty broke too but already work FT if it makes you feel any better!
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2012 23:37     Subject: WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING!
How much do you need to make? Here are my suggestions (some of which may be repeats). These are things that might bring in a little to things that can bring in a lot of cash

*Advertise to do insurance billing for a solo practioner in a medical field.

*Work at a gym daycare where they allow you to bring your own child. Plenty of women do that at our gym daycare.


*If you are a good baker-cater cupcake birthday parties. You may need some sort of cooking license though. You could offer a birthday package with cake, balloons, streamers. plates, cups..You would of course have to give away freebies of samples to get your name out, but it's a tax write off. One way to advertise yourself is to donate your services to your children's school auctions.

*Sell stuff on etsy, but if you do baked goods find out if your state allows you to bake the stuff at home

*Get ABA training and be an ABA therapist (to children with autism) on weekends or evenings. You really have to have a genuine interest and a caring and open-minded spirit.

+If you want to start your own home daycare, find out about what sort of insurance you need. What if a child gets injured?
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2012 23:10     Subject: WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How about advertising to pick up older (kindergarden age plus) kids after school at your local school and watch them until their parents are done with work? It would only be for part of the day, and you could pick one or two kids up and watch them in your own home. Help them with homework, give them a snack, let them watch a little TV. That way you would still have the mornings for just you and your little one.


I would LOVE to find a mom to do this. I fantasize about it. Then I could dump my AP. No one seems to do this in my neighborhood, though.


me too, definitely upper middle class problems.


OP mentioned kids - plural.. i felt like above when we had one child but two or more of my own and someone else's- no thanks..

OP- as others stated- it's hard to find a WFH situation without some time working at a firm. If things are that dire, you need to look for full-time. I had to as well and have been working FT since DC2 was 1.. our jobs aren't that stable still so having us both work is reassuring though we're nervous..
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2012 20:44     Subject: WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How about advertising to pick up older (kindergarden age plus) kids after school at your local school and watch them until their parents are done with work? It would only be for part of the day, and you could pick one or two kids up and watch them in your own home. Help them with homework, give them a snack, let them watch a little TV. That way you would still have the mornings for just you and your little one.


I would LOVE to find a mom to do this. I fantasize about it. Then I could dump my AP. No one seems to do this in my neighborhood, though.


me too, definitely upper middle class problems.
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2012 20:43     Subject: Re:WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There is a tremendous need for daycare in this area, especially for infants. Why not take another baby or toddler into your home during the day? You could make several hundred dollars a week.


+1


I wouldn't let someone watch my DD if they also had their children with them. I just wouldn't feel that my child would get equal treatment and I'd feel that her needs would come secondary to the childcare provider's child.

It's probably a baseless opinion, but there it is.


My 8th month old is being cared for by a SAHM who has a 5 year old of her own. I don't trust anyone else with my child as much as I trust her. She is genuinely caring, responsible and kind and judging by how well-behaved and articulate her child is, I am glad that she "trains" DC the same way she does her child, it helps that she also has a masters in child development.


My children were cared for by a nanny that brought her child. I could not have dreamed up a more loving care giver. My children adore her to this day and though we have moved on as they are now older, she still visits at least once every 3 weeks. Some people just have the magic touch when it comes to children and THAT is exactly what is priceless.
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2012 19:56     Subject: Re:WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING!
Op really depends on your personality and how much effort you will put in. I have my own business and know that sort of thing isn't for everyone
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2012 19:47     Subject: WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING!
Anonymous wrote:How about advertising to pick up older (kindergarden age plus) kids after school at your local school and watch them until their parents are done with work? It would only be for part of the day, and you could pick one or two kids up and watch them in your own home. Help them with homework, give them a snack, let them watch a little TV. That way you would still have the mornings for just you and your little one.


I would LOVE to find a mom to do this. I fantasize about it. Then I could dump my AP. No one seems to do this in my neighborhood, though.