Family Home Daycare = Preschool for Less $$ ??

[e.j.]

When did Family Home Daycare become inexpensive preschool?

I do not do a preschool program. Because I am not a preschool. I am a home daycare provider. I don't charge enough to run a preschool program. But it seems more and more that we are expected to provide a full preschool to our little ones.

I have ages ranging from 1 year to 5 years. I do age appropriate games and activities. We play, we sing. But we are not a preschool. I send my own children to preschool at age three. ( another reason I work) Not to mention that none of my kids are full-time and come on different days.

I tell parents up front that I am a Home Care Provider, not a preschool teacher out of my home. I focus on caring and loving the children. I work on social skills with the other kids in the daycare.

But I feel "peer-pressured" (LOL) to become a home preschool.

Anyone else feel this way?

I don't feel peer pressured so much as state pressured, but I understand what you're saying and definitely feel the same way.

The regulations in my state for home day cares are getting to be a bit much. We're now told specifically how to interact with the children in our care, we're required to provide a curriculum which "must include goals for the knowledge and skills to be acquired by children in the areas of English language arts, mathematics, science and technology/engineering, history and social science, comprehensive health, and the arts", we have to complete written progress reports and offer parents a conference to discuss the content of the report, we have to hang signs that makes our homes look like centers, etc.

While I've always had the kids do daily crafts, read books to them and incorporate preschool-like learning activities (letters, numbers, colors, shapes, etc), I don't consider myself to be a preschool. The state insists I'm an "educator" (which, in the broad sense, I am) but I'm not a preschool teacher. My handbook clearly states that I consider myself to be a child care provider not a preschool. The parents who enroll their kids here are looking for home care. If they had wanted to enroll their kids in a center, they would have had plenty to choose from. I have to say, I'm beginning to resent being forced to turn my home into a mini-center.

[Sugar Magnolia]

I don't feel peer pressured so much as state pressured, but I understand what you're saying and definitely feel the same way.

The regulations in my state for home day cares are getting to be a bit much. We're now told specifically how to interact with the children in our care, we're required to provide a curriculum which "must include goals for the knowledge and skills to be acquired by children in the areas of English language arts, mathematics, science and technology/engineering, history and social science, comprehensive health, and the arts", we have to complete written progress reports and offer parents a conference to discuss the content of the report, we have to hang signs that makes our homes look like centers, etc.

While I've always had the kids do daily crafts, read books to them and incorporate preschool-like learning activities (letters, numbers, colors, shapes, etc), I don't consider myself to be a preschool. The state insists I'm an "educator" (which, in the broad sense, I am) but I'm not a preschool teacher. My handbook clearly states that I consider myself to be a child care provider not a preschool. The parents who enroll their kids here are looking for home care. If they had wanted to enroll their kids in a center, they would have had plenty to choose from. I have to say, I'm beginning to resent being forced to turn my home into a mini-center.

Wow! Um yeah, that's a LOT for an in-home daycare! That sounds a LOT like center requirements. I have to do all that stuff, but I AM a center. I also accept state funded scholarships, so I must fulfill all requirements. I also do a Star Rating program and that is even more! I agree with all those requirements and I take it very seriously. But Wow. That blows my mind. That is a LOT to ask of one person running a small family daycare. I can see why you're feeling overwhelmed.

[mom2many]

I never felt pressured into having a preschool program, but when my oldest was 3 yo and I was watching several other dcb's the same age, I wanted to incorporate things to help them learn the things they needed to know before starting kindergarten.

For years, I used the curriculum from the Home Preschool Program and loved that when my time was limited for planning and shopping for materials. I never passed the $15/child per month on to parents, b/c I decided to charge the same rate that I charged for infants. This helped compensate me and made it totally worth while.

I have lost several dcks over the years, b/c parents wanted a "formal" preschool environment, but for many they have stayed with me b/c I do offer these learning activities & crafts.

The 2, 3 and 4 yo LOVE "project time" and it's something they all look forward to. I now do my own program using several websites and absolutely love doing it this way! The preschoolers I've had have been totally prepared for kindergarten and I enjoy how it breaks up the day and seeing the excitement and joy they exhibit when learning new things!

[e.j.]

Wow! Um yeah, that's a LOT for an in-home daycare! That sounds a LOT like center requirements. I have to do all that stuff, but I AM a center. I also accept state funded scholarships, so I must fulfill all requirements. I also do a Star Rating program and that is even more! I agree with all those requirements and I take it very seriously. But Wow. That blows my mind. That is a LOT to ask of one person running a small family daycare. I can see why you're feeling overwhelmed.

It's not so bad when you have a group of kids who are 2 and up but throw in a colicky infant or two or a kid with behavioral issues and that changes everything!

We have something called QRIS. I'm not sure if it's the same as the Star Rating program but I think it may be similar? They're still working on that but it should be coming down the pike soon. Just one more thing making home day care feel like a center!

[Blackcat31]

It's not so bad when you have a group of kids who are 2 and up but throw in a colicky infant or two or a kid with behavioral issues and that changes everything!

We have something called QRIS. I'm not sure if it's the same as the Star Rating program but I think it may be similar? They're still working on that but it should be coming down the pike soon. Just one more thing making home day care feel like a center!

I don't think you should stress over the things you do and do not offer. Many parents are simply searching for good quality loving providers who will provide the core elements to quality and loving care. You sound like you are a wonderful provider and really care about the kids.

Off on a tangent here but, you are correct about the QRIS. It is a rating system similar to other states. Our state is in the pilot stages of doing the same thing as yours with the QRIS. I think ours is modeled after the QRIS. I am one family childcare provider who is wishing they would hurry up and get our program up and running everywhere across the state and not just in the pilot areas.


The one thing about the QRIS system that I do not like is that the rating systems make it seem as though the centers/homes with 4 stars or more are actually better than others when in reality they are just taking on more responsibility and following more center-like guidelines. I don't think it is fair to give providers who provide the core things on a really good level only 1 or 2 stars. It makes it seem like they are rated as offering "poor care" rather than just "not as complicated". Does that make sense?

I think they shouldn't throw everyone in the pot and rate them. It is like saying apples only get 1 star but oranges get 2 and people who have both apples and oranges get 3 or 4. Doesn't mean they have better apples, just more choices (work) for the day. Some kids ONLY need apples and those that offer apples ONLY might just be super good at it so they should get 4 stars for it.

I do agree that parents need a way to sort out what each center or FCC home offers but the rating system definitely doesn't help some of the FCC providers by labeling them and assigning them less stars or lower ratings. I like the concept of the QRIS/rating systems but am having a problem with some of the language.

[e.j.]

Many parents are simply searching for good quality loving providers who will provide the core elements to quality and loving care. You sound like you are a wonderful provider and really care about the kids.

I know this, you know this and the parents know this. I just wish the state knew it, too.

Thanks for the kind words. I really do love the kids I care for. As far as I'm concerned, they're as mine while I have them with me and I treat them as I would my own kids.

The one thing about the QRIS system that I do not like is that the rating systems make it seem as though the centers/homes with 4 stars or more are actually better than others when in reality they are just taking on more responsibility and following more center-like guidelines. I don't think it is fair to give providers who provide the core things on a really good level only 1 or 2 stars. It makes it seem like they are rated as offering "poor care" rather than just "not as complicated". Does that make sense?

Makes perfect sense to me; I feel the same way.

I think they shouldn't throw everyone in the pot and rate them. It is like saying apples only get 1 star but oranges get 2 and people who have both apples and oranges get 3 or 4. Doesn't mean they have better apples, just more choices (work) for the day. Some kids ONLY need apples and those that offer apples ONLY might just be super good at it so they should get 4 stars for it.

I do agree that parents need a way to sort out what each center or FCC home offers but the rating system definitely doesn't help some of the FCC providers by labeling them and assigning them less stars or lower ratings. I like the concept of the QRIS/rating systems but am having a problem with some of the language.

I totally agree with this, too. One of the issues I have with our new regs is that they lump everyone together under almost the same set of rules. Some of the rules make sense for centers but not so much for home day cares. The same goes for the QRIS rating system. I'm afraid parents will assume they're looking at the results of a comparison of apples to apples and that fewer stars mean a bad provider when that probably isn't the case.