Rural(Suburbs) Or Urban(City)

[icaredaycare]

Good morning all!

Just curious, but I thought it would be interesting to get a poll to see which families serve in a rural setting, and which families serve in an urban setting? this way we can pin point the needs of the children/families regarding their background.

As for myself, I am in a urban setting with low income families. Most of my families are on a subsidy program, around here in Philadelphia it's called ccis. My area is a huge melting pot, the original wave of immigrants in the 1980's were Cambodians and Vietnamese. As of lately, the new wave of immigrants have been Mexicans, Buhtanese, and Burmese. I have been looking to spread my services for the new wave of immigrants, but have had no luck finding an interpreter. I have thought of maybe having a interpretation area in the daycare, where parents can go to the computer and we can just google translate to each other. But im still working on it.

I would love to hear about everyone else, struggles in ur area...success in ur area... just learning from each other and bouncing ideas.

[AfterSchoolMom]

I live in the suburbs of a medium-sized city. Lots of teachers, hospital admins/nurses/doctors, government, and tech company employees. I live in a large development, and our neighborhood is decidedly upper middle class. That's why it always amazes me that people expect to pay so LITTLE for child care! I guess they've spent all of their money on their nice houses and cars, purses and watches.

[Meyou]

I live in the suburbs in one small city and 10 minutes from another. My neighborhood is middle class and so are my clients/neighbors. Business professionals, teachers, lawyers, accountants are common professions.

[melskids]

I'm not rural OR city....

I live in the middle of nowhere, on a mountain, on a dirt road in a town of 250. What does that make me? Besides a mountain hillbilly hick....

[saved4always]

I live in a suburb that used to be mostly farms years ago so it is a mix of new homes and older homes. I live in a large subdivision made up of newer homes. I have mostly watched children for teachers, bank employees (behind the scenes, not tellers) and city workers. There a alot of sahm's here who also watch children but I don't like to have too many children at once so this is not a real problem for me. I am legally un-liscensed so I do not do food programs or subsidy programs. I have actually never had anyone ask me if I take the subsidy but that could be because I don't really advertise. I have mostly gotten families from referals.

[Cat Herder]

There was no "Forest" of "Foothills" option....

I live in a heavily mountainous, wooded area bordering the Appalachian trail.

The majority of my clients have been here for generations and know EVERYONES business...::::

We do have alot of seasonal tourism, but they rarely choose home daycare... We have MANY "Drop-In" centers for that.

[icaredaycare]

afterschoolmom- i hear you on that one. The parents here in the city who dont qualify for subsidy, often come in their coach bags, or lv bags expecting a cheap rate because it's an in-home daycare. I'm already cheaper than commercial daycares, but the prices they're asking for is ridiculous.

meyou- sounds like an awesome area. with clients of that class...i'm thinking u probably dont have any subsidy children. all cash/check clients?

melskids- that just makes u awesome! . how is business out there? would love to hear ur stories on how u bring in clients, and types of clients ur bring in.

[icaredaycare]

saved4always - thanks for sharing. legally un-licensed means no more than 3 children in ur area?

[icaredaycare]

There was no "Forest" of "Foothills" option....

I live in a heavily mountainous, wooded area bordering the Appalachian trail.

The majority of my clients have been here for generations and know EVERYONES business...::::

We do have alot of seasonal tourism, but they rarely choose home daycare... We have MANY "Drop-In" centers for that.

i would love to walk the appalachian trail one day.

Drop in daycares are getting more and more popular. I just saw a special on one on the news couple months ago that does very well. be interesting to hear from a person on here who does alot of drop ins.

[Cat Herder]

Many of the Drop-In centers, here, contract with temp services. Employees are paged when the ratio is high enough to require another provider.

It is pretty hit-and-miss work...

[Sunchimes]

I live in a small town of about 8000 people. The nearest thing to a city is a small city about 30 miles away.

I live in an old Victorian house in the historic district. (Not as cool as it sounds, believe me!) My neighbors are about as different as it is possible to be. I can see the district court judge's house from my windows, yet next to me is an old duplex with 2 one bedroom apartments, sort of dilapidated. Everyone is nice and decent though, so that's good.

No shopping here, except WM. No theater, no swimming pool, the park is pretty much just a walking trail. The good news is that they are working on it, and if they follow through, it will have a playground and one of those water things that they kids run through later this year. The follow through is questionable though.

Not a lot of diversity here, Hispanics of course, but no one else from outside the US that I'm aware of anyway.

That said, I would move to the city tomorrow if I could figure out how to sell my house for enough to buy one in a decent city neighborhood. And if I could convince my dcf to let me take the kids with me, because I don't want to give up my kids-love them!

[Countrygal]

I live in a very rural area outside of a very small town in central WI. Unfortunately no mountain views, but beautiful bluffs and hills are not far away! There is an area near here where I used to live called "Wisconsin Ozarks". Our hills can get large and beautiful (and trecherous in the winter). Let's put it this way - you don't get much more "redneck" than here.

[icaredaycare]

Many of the Drop-In centers, here, contract with temp services. Employees are paged when the ratio is high enough to require another provider.

It is pretty hit-and-miss work...

very interesting. always wondered how they worked, now i know. thanks!


looks like a lot of small town providers here. i love seeing daycare in another perspective. I get tired of the city sometimes, and always wondered how it would be to have a daycare in a quieter area. great input everyone.

[countrymom]

small town country person here. Alot of people have lived here forever and everyone knows everyone. Everyone here is middle class. Since I live on a main road its easy to advertise, but you blink you your out of my town. Love it here.

[melskids]

afterschoolmom- i hear you on that one. The parents here in the city who dont qualify for subsidy, often come in their coach bags, or lv bags expecting a cheap rate because it's an in-home daycare. I'm already cheaper than commercial daycares, but the prices they're asking for is ridiculous.

meyou- sounds like an awesome area. with clients of that class...i'm thinking u probably dont have any subsidy children. all cash/check clients?

melskids- that just makes u awesome! . how is business out there? would love to hear ur stories on how u bring in clients, and types of clients ur bring in.

Most, if all, of my clients have been by word of mouth. Like I said, Its a SMALL town, and everyone knows everyone. They are either friends, family, or at the least, went to school together.

It has been difficult to get clients to come up here. Everyone lives down "in town" and see the 8 miles in the wrong direction as a negative.

But, once I get them to at least come for a visit, I get 'em...hook, line, and sinker.

I also try to get clients in the mild months. I've learned NOT to interview when there is 5 feet of snow on the ground. That tends to scare them away. But if I interview in the spring or summer, by winter, they love me and don't mind the drive up here.

I really try to use the woods and nature as a plus when marketing. We spend most of our day outside in the fresh air, roaming the woods, and learning about & enjoying nature. I have 10 acres for them to run, and my father in law has property next door with 90 acres, a pond, and groomed trails through the woods. We garden, have tons of fruit trees and bushes, go on nature walks, that sort of thing.

It was tough to get clients initially, but I am full at the moment, and many of my families come from even farther then town. Some drive 15 or 20 miles to get to me, and then have to drive 25 -35 miles back to get to work.

But It's like I tell them...I may be a bit out of the way, but well worth the trip!