Rural(Suburbs) Or Urban(City)

[AnneCordelia]

I live in a suburb city to Toronto, a 'mega' city. All my families are local, duel income professionals. Our small town is a 'bedroom' town to Toronto and another city close by.

[mac60]

In our area, we call ourselves rural and we do not have a city closer than 50 miles to us. A 50 mile radius is nothing but small rural towns. A suburb here is considered attached to a city and sprawling. So rural here.

Economy here ****s. Unemployment is still high, contrary to what the "statistics" say. If you were fortunate to find a job, it came with minimum wage pay and unaffordable health benefits. So overall, in my area, it still is not good at all. Many families still struggling including my own. Many of us are faced without health benefits for the first time in our lives. Many companies closed shop in the past 3 years here. Many companies got rid of their older workforce. Anymore in our location, you are either well off or poor, there is no more middle class here.

[icaredaycare]

anne- thanks for sharing. I've been meaning to go to toronto to visit some family.

mel- that is awesome. u are able to get clients to travel 20 or so miles to get to you in opposite direction of where they need to go. great advertisement, and great environment you offer.

here in the city, there is a daycare on every other block it seems. Parents aren't so willing to travel that far because they often choose whatever is convenient. ur story is inspiring...and i love the slogan... "well worth the trip"

[icaredaycare]

In our area, we call ourselves rural and we do not have a city closer than 50 miles to us. A 50 mile radius is nothing but small rural towns. A suburb here is considered attached to a city and sprawling. So rural here.

ahh...so rural isn't suburb in ur area. my terminology was off. sorry about that.


sorry to hear mac, i can understand. my father was just recently laid off from a company who moved to mexico. it was a pretty big company too with a lot of employees.

[MrsB]

used to be rural

I live in what is now considered a suburb of washington DC, 10/15 years ago it was considered more rural.

We have TONS of field trip experiences, from nature to museums. But with the economy tanking there has been an major influx of workers who were laid off and decided to do home daycare. So most parents have pick of the litter when it comes to choosing a daycare.

I would say for the most part people here are middle class, but they recently built alot of townhouses and trackhousing and alot of lower class have filitered in from DC.

It has been somewhat difficult as a provider remaining competitave. To get the higher wage earning families, you usually have to have LONG hours. Because of the commute parents are gone 10-12 hours a day. To meet the needs of the lower income families you have to accept subsidy vouchers and the kids are not as longer term so there is a lot of turn over.

Alot of the new providers slash their prices so low I dont know how they do it, especially for the long hours. The older providers just wont do it for less and have turned in their licenses.

I for the most part have stayed busy. I currently have a wait list although when I do have an opening more than 75% of my waitlist gets deleted because the parents situation has changed or they find something they liked. My rates are middle of the road for my area and I do some of the longer hours. Opening at 5:45 and closing at 6:15. But parents have contracted hours and I have a full time rate (under 50 hrs) and an extended full time rate (over 50 hours).

[Country Kids]

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!

You are living my dream!!!!

Please take a little extra outdoor time for me today please-

[MyAngels]

I didn't answer the poll, since I don't know where I fit in .

I'm not rural - my town has about 130,000 or so, but I don't think that qualifies as a city. The nearest "city" is Chicago, about three hours away, so we're not in the suburbs.

Mostly middle class/professional families here, a smattering of blue collar, a lot of academic professionals and students (we have four colleges in my town). Low unemployment, decent cost of living, stable home prices, our area is, for the most part, unaffected by the recession (knock on wood).

[GretasLittleFriends]

I always thought the definitions were:
Urban - City
Suburban (Suburbs) - sprawling from the city
Rural - Out from the city (country, mountains, whatever, basically more wildlife than human life)

I live in a rural area. The town that my mail comes from has a population of 322 people and really nothing to offer. A different town where I get gas and my quick grocery items is about 8 miles from me. I do have a "town" about a mile from me, and it has a gas station, bar, church, and someone converted their garage into a year round garage sale/thrift store.

My closest Wal-Mart is 30 miles away. The closest city that has anything more than a Wal-Mart (like competitive stores) is 59 miles to the north, 59 miles to the west or 64 miles to the south. Going east, I'm not sure because that's Wisconsin, and there isn't an easy way to get there from here without back-tracking.

The majority of my kids are basically part-time and often rotating shifts. I have two parents that work at a habilitation with challenged adults (mostly mentally challenged) and one of those has gone back to college, and the other holds a part-time at a gas station also. I have two parents that are nurses. 6 parents that work at a nearby casino, one of those casino workers has also gone back to school. One mechanic, one construction worker, and one parent who waitresses and works at Walmart.

A lot of my kids either come from single parent households, divorced parents, or parents living together and not married, I do have two families that come from married households. Only 3 of my families are on state-aid, but most are scraping to get by. The county I live in has about 14% of the population living below the poverty line. And the only minority we have is Native Americans, and most of them, you wouldn't know it.

What really helps my daycare is that I started out offering 24/7 services. I am getting away from weekends now as my own family is growing, but I still offer 24/5 services. The current clients who still need weekends I will cover, but no new clients on weekends. With the odd jobs and hours out here it was hard to find non-standard hour daycares. Most of my families have been by word of mouth from the 3 that initially started. I did advertise in the local advertisement circular and did get a two families that way.

[Blackcat31]

I live in a town in northern MN with a population of roughly 10,000 people (and10,000 lakes too!)

I actually live 7 miles out of town on 40 acres of wooded land but my child care house is within city limits.

We have 4 different school districts in my area. Also in my county there are 48 licensed child care homes/centers. We have a K-mart a Walmart and a Target within 3-4 blocks of each other. ::

[melskids]

You are living my dream!!!!

Please take a little extra outdoor time for me today please-

I will.

We moved here 5 years ago, from a suburban neighborhood downstate. (we were about 1 1/2 hours north of NYC) It was such a shock to me....I cried the first 6 months we lived here.

My hubby and I are straight out of a green acres episode.

Now, I have come to love it. Snow, mud, wild critters and all. I could never go back.

My parents still live downstate, and although it will always be "home", my heart is in the mountains now. lovethis

[melskids]

I live in a town in northern MN with a population of roughly 10,000 people (and10,000 lakes too!)

I actually live 7 miles out of town on 40 acres of wooded land but my child care house is within city limits.

We have 4 different school districts in my area. Also in my county there are 48 licensed child care homes/centers. We have a K-mart a Walmart and a Target within 3-4 blocks of each other. ::

YOU are living MY dream!

I SOOOO want a house in town for my daycare!

Regs here say we have to LIVE in the house we do daycare in though.

[Blackcat31]

YOU are living MY dream!

I SOOOO want a house in town for my daycare!

Regs here say we have to LIVE in the house we do daycare in though.

Thank you! The only reason I have a separate house is because it was my DH's worst nighmare to have daycare IN our home.

His mother ran a 24/7 daycare while he was growing up and he "claims" he is severely scarred because of it....::

Our state is in the process of becoming unionized and the rumor going around is that we will NOT be able to have a seaparate home if we are family child care. I have heard it said, but have yet to find anything legal that says so....:confused: I surely hope not.

[daycare]

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....

......I love that word hillbilly.... Your place sounds amazing. No smog, loud trains, buses, cars or crazy city vehicles I bet....

Sounds like a little piece of heaven

[Cat Herder]

the rumor going around is that we will NOT be able to have a seaparate home if we are family child care. I have heard it said, but have yet to find anything legal that says so....:confused: I surely hope not.

It already happened here....

They also dropped it to 2 kids max (related or not) before being required to apply with State.

[BigMama]

I live in a city of approximately 145,000. It is a fairly diverse area with a mixture of upper, middle, and working class folks. I am definitely a city-girl - I cannot imagine living in the suburbs let alone a rural area! No sidewalk, no big library, no neighbors, no people YIKES!