Need Advice on Expanding or Not....

[Greenshadow]

Ok. I was previously licensed in Ca for up to 8 kids. I never had that many but I could have had that many. I am not licensed right now but have four plus mine is five. All of them are full-time. We just moved to this state in March and signed a one-year lease. We plan on purchasing our own home when our lease is up next year. In the meantime, I am doing childcare on the bottom floor of our two-story townhouse. Its about 725 sq feet. Im used to using more so this seems small to me. Its a living room, dining room and kitchen area. We have a small fenced in backyard area big enough for a slider climber maybe and a small pool. My delimma is this:

I cant ever get out of the house. My van only holds four carseats comfortably. I have five kids now so we never get to go anywhere that requires driving unless I can convince my sister to come help and even then I have to pay her and she isnt much help anyway but she is an extra pair of hands. So Im stuck inside this small house with five toddlers. I do use a loose curriculum with them but do not have a set one in place because I am unsure of which one to use. My options are:

I could quit doing childcare and become a nanny for someone. I found a woman who is willing to pay $10/hr for a nanny. That comes out to more than Im making right now watching four kids full time. I would be at her house but I could go to the park and go on errands and things like that to get out more. The hours are better too. Right now I have one boy that starts at 6:30am and stays until 5pm. I have one girl that varies her time but atleast twice a week she is here 12 hours! Being a nanny would give me set hours. I'd be home for dinner and family times when Im needed.

The other option is: I could hire someone to help me here at home. If I had someone else, and they had a car, which I'd require them to have, we could take the children out to the parks, etc sometimes. If I had someone else, I could bring in a few more kids too because of the ratio. I know this house is small but in less than a year we'd be buying a home and like our last owned home, I'd be sure it had the room I needed to do this business. So I'd have to put up with it smaller for now. I would have to pay someone else. I have no idea what the going rate is for help these days. I do know what minimum wage is for this area so I could offer that but I would probably have to offer more. With paying someone, I'd definitely have to bring in another child or two to cover the cost of the hire. By the end of the year, however, I have two more children due to start. Newborns. So that would cover her cost then but not now if I were to hire.

I dont know what to do. What would you do? I just need some advice. Thanks.

[Greenshadow]

Hmmm, maybe this wasnt worded properly.....(thats why I didnt get responses)??

[My4SunshineGirlsNY]

If you have the opportunity to do the nanny position, that sounds less stressfull and you'll make more. If you hire someone and bring in more kids, you might be more stressed out...especially in a small space.

[QualiTcare]

i would keep the kids at home and buy a pool/sprinkler, and fun/messy things they can do outside. if you'll be moving in the future, you'll have to start all over getting kids to keep if you quit now.

all kids wanna do is swim and run around anyway. to me - it's just too much of a hassle and a liability taking little kids to the park or somewhere when i can do fun things at home. i have a slip n slide too - they love that. we spend most of the day outside and they're happy as can be.

i wouldn't want to do the nanny thing because like i said you'll have to start fresh finding dc kids and i would think you could make way more money keeping kids at your home??

[MarinaVanessa]

I agree that you should keep the kiddos in your home. Are there any parks nearby that you could walk to? In the same dilemma that you're in, too many kids and not enough space in my car. I have 2 part-timers so when they aren't here 2 days a week we can squeeze in the 3 carseats in the back if the pickup (Toyota Tundra four door) and my daughter sits in her booster in the front (the airbag automatically shuts off if there is little or no weight in the passenger front seat). But on the days that I have them all we just go on walks to the park or schools (we have 2 of each nearby). I have 3 under the age of 2 so I bought a double stroller on craigslist for cheap and sit the 6mo & 10mo in that and the 20 mo and the 2yo (almost 3) get to wear one of those backpacks with the harness that I loop to the stroller. My 5yo the 8yo hold hands and walk next to me. Works for me and it gives me an excuse to get out of the house even if we only go for a quick walk.

Not sure how much you'd be working for as a nanny or how much you're charging now for daycare in your home but I'm curious about each if you'd be getting more $$ working as a nanny for 1 kid than watching all the kids you do now. I mean hourly sure, daycare doesn't seem like we get paid alot but I get pretty good money and if I got paid $10 an hour for 8 hours for 1 kid and quit daycare I'd be losing money. Then again it could be the area you live at. Maybe daycare rate is lower where you live?

[Greenshadow]

I want to bump this up because I want to respond to it later and dont want to forget but dont have the time right now.....kiddies are starting to show up! Be back later!

[Former Teacher]

I was in a daycare setting most of my adult life (17 years). I worked in a licensed center. NEVER AGAIN. The BS I had to put up with not only the staff and parents, but also the state licensing dept and everyone else. I was overworked and underpaid

I am now a current nanny. I wouldn't trade this for the world. I get paid SEVERAL vacations (paid days off here and there), can take off my bra and shoes at work ::, the family treats me with TOTAL respect. The only bad thing about this family is they are military and in 2 years they will most likely be transferred.

Again I wouldn't trade my job for the world. I am still doing what I love (children) and I am appreciated.

[Greenshadow]

I love working for myself. I love kids. I dont really care if I work from home or work as a nanny. I know what I need to make every month. Being a nanny brings in about $1500/mo for me. Typical pay around here is $10-$12/hour. Im making $1600 right now with four kids. I can take in more kids but Im already cramped for space so Im not sure I want to right now. I do have a couple of newborns starting this Fall. By March of next year, we will be in our own home, which will be more accomodating for daycare, if I continue doing this versus nanny work. Both jobs seem appealing to me in different ways.

I ordered the Funshine curriculum per recommendations I read on this forum. I ordered the sample. I have begun rethinking my furniture arrangement in my daycare space too and how I could improve it. I need a schedule to keep me on track. I have a menu already that I use. I just need a schedule. Im interviewing someone in two weeks to help me out every day for four hours a day. She has a car. We can go out to parks, museums, etc. I want that so bad for myself and the kids. If my back yard area were bigger, I could get them out more. I do take them to the playground to play every morning before it gets hot. They like that. Its just boring for me. But they like it so we go. I am currently looking for a small climber toy for the backyard and a sand/water table for them to play with too. Maybe a small pool, although I do have a small water mat that you hook a hose up to that they LOVE.

My point I guess is that I can make this work. I just need to get organized and get the mindset in place. I have been reading, Judy's, I think her name is, blog and I cant stop thinking about how she writes and talks about it being my business and not to worry about making the families happy if Im not happy. So there are changes in my mindset that are forming and happening.

As Martha Stewart says, "Its a good thing!" Will I do the nanny thing over my own daycare? Im not sure yet but I have it available to me. Ive talked with two parents who are willing to hire me on as their nanny. I want to give this curriculum and new girl a chance.