Big Decision

[erinalexmom]

Ok I have a choice to make. I live in a state where I can have up to 5 children in my home unlicensed. I have an opportunity to rent a house less than a block away with the option to buy at a later date should I choose to do so. The rent would be 600 a month. The average tuition for childcare here is 95 a week. Moving the daycare from my home into this home (which is legal in my state. I have 2 friends who do it already) will allow me to take 3 more children. Plus I can increase my fees because right now I only charge 80a week.

I have so many issues with having the daycare in my home! The main being the mess the kids make of my home so I am cleaning 24/7 plus the fact that our home is never our home anymore. My husband HATES the daycare. He has a high stress job already and hates coming home to all the kids and all the mess. I also feel I am never away from work. Plus I just am very picky about my house and so it drives me crazy too having people in and out having kids be disrespectful to my things. Seperating the daycare is not an option because I have a small home and a large family. So its all in my living room and dining room. Which has to be shared with my own family.

I have the $ in an account to get started approx $3,000. I also have children on my waiting list. So becoming full will not be a problem and the only daycare in town will be closing next month.(she's moving)
But of course it is a risk and I dont want to invest in it and hate it then be stuck. What should I do? By the way utilities run between 250 and 300 a month. Also, I forgot to add that if I move and become licensed then I can also get on the food program.

[3kidzmama]

I would definitely do it. As a matter of fact, I did

I rented a space to open my daycare rather than having it in my own home. it has been sooooo much better!!!

[Blackcat31]

That is EXACTLY how I operate......100% separate home. Still licensed as Family Child Care

I would NEVER do it any other way.

You are more than welcome to PM me if you have any questions. I'd be glad to help or give advice.

[hoopinglady]

sounds like

a dream to me. Especially only a block away!

[cheerfuldom]

would the lease be for one year? I say go for it, you could always move back to your home after the lease is up. will you be getting an assistant?

[Unregistered]

go for it! Make sure its a career you want. Hate to see you invest so much to find out that it's not for you. From doing it in your own home, I would gather that you have a feel for if it is right for you. Once the newness of it being seperate from your family wares off, you still have the same issues to deal with. It's hard work! I have done both in home, center and now my seperated from my home childcare. Seperated childcare is great, but now you have double the cleaning, and homes to care for......but..... come closing time, you can walk away and feel like you have gone to work, it is self accomplishment so to say and not extended. It also makes other family members have to step up to the plate and help out in thier own home and not be able to blame it on the daycare. You have double the bills, two fridges to keep up with, laundry etc... In the end are you going to be making enough money to make it worth it to you? Lots to think about. Weight it out.........pro's and con's and do the math figuring in the unthinkables, because they do pop up left and right. Fees, trainings, things you have to do to make your place up to standard. Good Luck-

[erinalexmom]

So did anyone start out in thier home and then switch to an outside place? I am wondering how much happier you were with it being outside of your home?

[mismatchedsocks]

The house next door to me was foreclosed on and I am debating opening that one up as a family center too. And I might have jumped on it faster if I wasnt planning on opening up a gropu center in the near future

[MsMe]

I do daycare this way too. When I was rentign my rent was 600 also.

It looks like you could be makign enough to cover the bills in one week so I think money wise you can pull it off.

I think renting is teh best option. I eventually bought my daycare home and I think it was a mistake. If anythign you just want the ablity to walk away from it should you ever need to without teh stress of trying to find a buyer and possibley another job at the same time.....trust me its hard,

I have never done daycare in my home, but I can imagine that it is not ideal. It is wonderfull to lock up and head home for the night, but also keep in mind you will now be cleaning TWO houses and yard work on TWO houses.

Good luck

[wdmmom]

Sounds like there are more pros than cons.

I'm sure you'll have 1 family that won't like the rate increase or driving an extra block, so either they'll get over it or they'll have to look elsewhere. That's what having a waiting list is for!

[Unregistered]

Things to think about

With rent and utilities you could be paying almost $1000./mth just to have a separate place. What about damage, you would be liable; but I am assuming the owners have factored that in since you have a dc.

I assume your daycare insurance would cover you in a rental, would you need to get renters insurance?

Do you think this is the home you would want to buy? If not I would probably stay at my own home, and in the future you could sell and upgrade to a larger home more fit for your family and dc. Mainly I would not want two mortgages if that is what you're thinking.

On the upside you could try it, maybe you could do a 6 mth lease with renewal option just in case.

As for your husband, gate the hallway to the bdrm's, kitchen so they have those areas. If the kids are stressing him out he can go in the bedroom until they're gone, garage...ect.

I look at it this way, the husbands usually only have a few hours of the kids until they're picked up. He doesn't have to be right in your living/dining area when they're there.

I don't know the setup of your home, but I don't have any big messes so maybe you can make some changes. Kids do not sit on our furniture, I have plastic booster type chairs that sit on the floor. They eat, watch tv, paint and they're easy to clean.

Again you could try it and see how it goes, but those were some of the thing that crossed my mind.

[misspollywog]

As long as you are happy with your net pay after all the costs, I think it's a good idea.

Houses are CHEAP right now, so it's a good time for anyone thinking of doing this to do it IMHO.

[dave4him]

Would do it myself if i could, but im just starting out so id have to wait and see