How long does it take you to fill a vacant spot?

[LeslieG]

I'm really frustrated and nervous about not being able to fill open spots in my child care. My husband and I moved to a smaller city last summer and since then I've only gotten 4 kids. We live about 45 from Madison, WI by farmland/country. I hardly ever get inquiries, so I'm getting really nervous about making ends meet, especially since my husband wants to leave his job and possibly go back to school.

About how long does it take you to fill a vacant spot in your child care?, and where do you live? (a big city, suburbs, rural, etc.)

We are starting to look into possibly moving to Madison so that I can hopefully be more successful in filling my child care, not to mention I could charge more. Advice?

Thanks

[Play Care]

I'm really frustrated and nervous about not being able to fill open spots in my child care. My husband and I moved to a smaller city last summer and since then I've only gotten 4 kids. We live about 45 from Madison, WI by farmland/country. I hardly ever get inquiries, so I'm getting really nervous about making ends meet, especially since my husband wants to leave his job and possibly go back to school.

About how long does it take you to fill a vacant spot in your child care?, and where do you live? (a big city, suburbs, rural, etc.)

We are starting to look into possibly moving to Madison so that I can hopefully be more successful in filling my child care, not to mention I could charge more. Advice?

Thanks

I think if you want to do child care long term, you do need to research the area you want to be in. Is it close to schools and businesses, Does it have easy access to the highway for commuters, Is the area over saturated with child cares? I have been very lucky in that I have always been as full as I've wanted to be. I have a boy going off to K this Fall, and the spot is already filled. But other providers have had months with empty spots and some have closed because they can't get them filled
I would think it would not be wise for your DH to quit his job until you are established, and even then, many adults (myself included) kept working while attending school. I wouldn't quit my job until I absolutely had to - ie: needed an internship/student teaching, etc. in order to graduate. Simply because child care is such a "feast or famine" kind of business.