Strictly Before/After School Care?

[littlemissmuffet]

Who here does/has done strictly before and after school care?

I personally don't like mixing school age kids with toddlers and babies, so I don't take school agers anymore - but more and more I have been considering making a switch to strictly before and after school care. I love my toddlers and babies, but I am looking at different career options while still working with kids and working from home. We live very close to two elementary schools and we are on the bus route for several more elementaries in our end of town.

I only ever keep 5-6 full-time kids at a time, so in order to keep a similar income to what I make now with just B/A kids, I would need to fill 8 spaces... I don't think this would be a problem.

I see so many benefits to making the switch, and only a few disadvantages. However, I wanted to get some different prospectives from the women here...

Here's what I have as pros/cons currently - feel free to add to the lists

Pros: I would be HALFING my work hours (excluding school days off and summer months); most days I would have the entire middle of the day (9am-3pm) to do whatever I wanted (including making appointments without the guilt of inconveniencing all my DC parents!), I can do more serious activities and projects with an older group of kids; I forsee less issues with parents who like to argue certain issues (napping, food choices, potty training, etc); no more diapers/potty training; no more highchairs/boosters taking up half my kitchen; no more nap mats and linen supplies taking up a large space; I *like* to help kids with homework, I love the idea of dealing with children who can communicate their needs and wants better than a small child, less food to prep and serve (would only do breakfast and pm snack - no lunches)...

Cons: I know school-agers often have serious attitude issues, easily become bored and are more prone to talking back than younger kids; higher turn-over rate (kids aging out sooner); perhaps more issues with damaged toys/property?; more kids = more sets of parents to deal with on a regular basis; would have to buy all new age-appropriate toys...

What else? I'd appreciate any advice, ideas or experience...
I don't want to end up regretting my decision.

Oh, and I would be making the switch for September 2013 - so I'd have an entire year to get organized (write new handbook, buy new toys, redecorate and such) before making the switch!

THANK YOU!

[youretooloud]

It's not a bad idea at all. (except for the whole "I can barely stand grade school kids" issue)

I think it could be really great. They eat a TON though... you'd have to charge enough to cover the food they eat.

You'd have to be available when they are off of school for the whole day. Otherwise, what's the point for the parents?

You'd probably need to allow them some "veg" time after school. Let them eat, watch tv, then go out to play...maybe do homework after they've played for a while.

They need a LOT of space. Big kids, big space.

[AfterSchoolMom]

I did this for years and am trying to do it again. Having a group of 8 SA's can be LOUD, boisterous, and challenging - they're used to being electronically entertained and generally have far worse manners than littles.

Another BIG con is the parents - I swear that something happens to parents after kids get to school that makes them forget how to treat providers! My biggest problem over all of the years that I have done SA care has been the parents. A very strong contract is a necessity.

One more thing to think about is that it's harder to get new families in if you have to terminate or if someone moves - peak times for SA enrollment are August, January, and June.


However, the pros are all exactly as you stated, and you can't beat the hours for the money! There's also FAR less daily preparation required, and when they misbehave you can sit them down and explain what, why, and how and can reasonably expect them to understand.

I highly, HIGHLY recommend doing snack as soon as they walk in the door, followed by a good long time outside so that they can get their energy out. They've been in school all day long, so it's like pulling teeth to get them to do their homework first (I know because I did that for a long time before I realized that it was counterproductive and unnecessarily stressful for all of us).

[mbullette]

I took school aged kids for the summer and will never do it again. I know it would just be before and after school but the SA kids are a pain in the butt. All I can say is GOOD LUCK if you decide to take them.

[Springdaze]

I would LOVE that! I am going to have a hard time getting my own kids home from school, let alone other peoples kids, so I cant do it. I think it would be better to have ALL school age than to have a mix. You can have projects that they can work on over time like larger puzzles and such and actually leave them out! I get worried that the big kids are going to get rough and hurt the little ones. I worked with SA for 10 years before opening so I dont mind, IF its only big kids.

[momofsix]

Around here most schools now offer before/after school care at prices so low I could never compete with them.
I think it could be great for you if you could fill your spots up. I think the thing that would be hardest for me would be just starting to get busy and crazy at the end of the day, but those hours are my longest/hardest anyhow.

[Blackcat31]

I can totally see your point as to why you would want to do this but I also see where you could have issues. One of the biggest that I would have a tough time with is the high turnover rate.

You can be the most wonderful caring provider on earth and it is inevitable that you will more than likely have kids coming and going ALL the time, sport, clubs, friends, etc all contribute to "free care" and when faced with the option of a couple hours of free care versus paying a provider, parents are going to go with the free care every time.

I am just thinking back to when my own kids were SA and I know they were so crazy busy that consistent child care was NEVER a concern since there were so many options between the after school clubs, sports and friends my kids' had....kwim?

If you live in a bigger community and have alot of SA kids needing B/A care, I can see it working but if you get a SA kid with issues, you aren't really even going to be able to really address it deeply if the turn over rate is high. The kid won't be there long enough for you to really make a dent in an issue and I honestly think at that stage of the ball game, parents aren't going to be as willing to work with you just because the time spent with you is so minimal.

I dunno, none of that may even be an issue, I was just kind of thinking out loud....

I also agree with you about SA kids....they really aren't the problem unless they ar ein a mixed age group with non SA kids. Alone, I can see how SA only would also have it's benefits.

[DaisyMamma]

I think its a good plan.
I am not a big fan of SA because they are SO loud.
However, I am not set up for SA so they get bored, chase eachother around, fight and scream.
If you plan well, are set up for them and aren't already exhausted from chasing little ones all day it would work out perfectly.
They wouldnt age out all that fast if you get them at age 5.

Around here finding after school kids is SO easy, where as finding toddlers is very hard.
I have 2 babies, 3DD and will have as many as 6 SA this fall
I did this last year and was not prepared AT ALL. This year I'm preparing for them and they WILL NOT act like crazy monsters and will be having snack, playing outside, then homework and then an organized game. I plan on being very strict (as well as fun & entertaining) in order to keep them occupied and my sanity. It won't be easy with 3 younger ones to care for at the same time :confused:

[littlemissmuffet]

Thanks for all the responses, ladies!!

It's definitely something I am going to continue mulling over. Like I said, I no long take SA, because I don't like mixing them with my babies and toddlers and it's much too difficult to be set up for 12 months through 12 years than 12 months through 4-5 years.

And I agree, it WOULD be noisy... but honestly, that's just part of the job

I guess my biggest concern at this point IS the high turn-over... thought there are literally hundreds of SAers in my neighborhood (we live next to 2 schools and several very large apartment complexes) I can still see this being a major challenge year to year. And as AfterSchoolMom pointed out, it could be very difficult to fill spaces during non-peak times.

Hmmm...