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Oh and also, if you did want to do it, I wouldn't worry about being stringent on the ages. I used to worry myself sick over the "ratios" but over time I've learned that the only one who was really paying attention to it and being a stickler was myself. Other people won't understand that, but you know the area we're in and the unique obstacles here.
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that's pretty much what I do - minus the cloth diapers! So I must be crazy too!!
When I started 13 or so years ago I said 6 weeks to 6 years because I would take kids before/after our half day kindy program but I stopped doing that a few years ago (and our schools finally went to full day kindy this year) and I was finding most put their kids in full day preschool/daycare centers by age 3.5-4 anyway. So now I go up till about 3.5 years old. I have one leaving for preschool next month - he is 3.5 yo and my 7 yo son asked today why dcb still comes cause he's so old. LOL... he's just so used to my 2 and under crowd that this big closer to 4 year old seems "old". :
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I love my little ones though, I'm not a big fan of the 4-6 year olds. And I'm not a preschool teacher - I'm a loving daycare provider.Comment
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No, you're not crazy. This is almost exactly what I want to do. Ideally, MY dream age group would be 6 weeks to 2....maybe 2.5. Preschoolers drive me crazy and I never ever even considered taking schoolagers<----Nope, not gonna happen. Anyway, I'm thinking about changing my program to this age group in 2 or 3 years when my youngest is in school all day.Tell me I'm crazy. That is, IF I'm actually crazy, which I'm not sure if I am or not.
I'm thinking of switching to caring for only ages 6 weeks to 36 months. Maybe it's me, maybe I just don't like preschoolers much, or maybe it's my house and it's just too hard to meet the needs of infants, toddlers, AND preschoolers all at once with my house the way it is. Either way. I've concluded that my unhappiness with daycare is solely based on the daggone preschoolers.
Hence, the idea to do only 6 wks to 36 months.
I have a 10x11ft room that I use right now as a Nap room. I would transform and redecorate this to be the Daycare Room, a space specifically for the little guys. I would also use half of my largish family room (just down the hall from this room) to be a more open space for playing at certain times (like morning nap for the wee ones).
I want to provide diapers--cloth, that is. They bring me a package of what they use at home and get changed just before pick ups. I will use flushable liners and wash dipes every night
I'm seriously considering if I can manage to provide baby food, too (probably make it myself) but most likely will not. Will do a 4 week rotating menu of simple, easy to prepare and eat stuff for the 1 and 2 yos.
No formal curriculum. Just lots of open ended creative activities, playdough, sensory, water play, balls, crawling, walking, moving grooving, books, and other baby and toddle toys. Walks around the neighborhood. Good food, good naps, good playtime.
AM I CRAZY?
or just desperate?
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All my kids are well almost 3 and under! Two days a week I have all 6, one day a week 5, and the other two days 4. One will be 3 in August, one 3 in October, one 2 in July, one 2 in September, my son will be 1 on Sat. happyface and the last will be one in August.
I love it, but let me tell you, it can be exhausting! I can only have 6 with one being my own. It all depends on their personalities! The days that I have all 6 is kinda crazy! My almost 2 year old (my tornado) gets extra hyper and is everywhere when all are here. The days that I only have 4 are great as long as the baby that isn't mine doesn't cry all day, and the day that I have 5 depends on the temperaments of the children.
And you barely get any breaks! The babies don't sleep on the schedule of the others so there is your break! My 2 babies are almost one, therefore are almost all on same schedule as the others, but not quite and some days, there isn't any kind of break!
I do have to say though that I do enjoy having the littles! Now if I could only have all babies who could grow up with each other, that would be the bomb!......Lol! On a side note, if I could do it all over, I would not take any children under 12 months along with the mixed age group, but if they were all the same age then I would definitely love it! (if that makes sense)
Good luck on your decision....and you are NOT crazy!
Oh and I do have one child in cloth diapers and I don't mind it at all! I don't supply then and I don't know if I would and also launder them, it can get pretty messy...
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I would love to be able to do this but I can only have three under 2 so it would really limit my income.. the only drawback is that I know once they had been at my house little I wouldn't want to send them off. For the parent that would be the drawback, consistency in care. I honestly would prefer someone that could take my child all the way through until they were in school. But, infant spots are hard to find....
I miss read the original.. you said 36 months.. so yes, you could stay in ratio then and have more than 3 kids
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as for the food. I tell parents up front that I supply food. Most kids are with me up to 10 hours a day, that I know more what they like to eat than their parents. I also introduce them to food when I think their ready. I haven't had anyone complain. Heck who would complain when I supply the food! I've had parents never ever even introduce a mashed banana to their child, but they introduce juice and cookies????
I'm lucky as the kids are near the age of 4 they go to junior kindy or as you all would know it as preschool. Its kindigarten but free, its at the school and its full time and its free oh, did I mention free!
maybe team up with a preschool and start sending them there when they are 4. I also find that even if I do teach the kids, nothing is being taught at home, but the minute they go to jk (junior kindy) the parents are willing to do work??? and I find that the older kids are mean to the littles, all they do is complain about the littles, but my own kids love the littles its the older kids that they don't like.Comment
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Thank you! I think I see how you can manage the food--just by DOING it and not worrying what the parents thinkas for the food. I tell parents up front that I supply food. Most kids are with me up to 10 hours a day, that I know more what they like to eat than their parents. I also introduce them to food when I think their ready. I haven't had anyone complain. Heck who would complain when I supply the food! I've had parents never ever even introduce a mashed banana to their child, but they introduce juice and cookies????
I'm lucky as the kids are near the age of 4 they go to junior kindy or as you all would know it as preschool. Its kindigarten but free, its at the school and its full time and its free oh, did I mention free!
maybe team up with a preschool and start sending them there when they are 4. I also find that even if I do teach the kids, nothing is being taught at home, but the minute they go to jk (junior kindy) the parents are willing to do work??? and I find that the older kids are mean to the littles, all they do is complain about the littles, but my own kids love the littles its the older kids that they don't like. I can probably manage that. And supplying the food myself would be SO much easier. Plus I get to claim it then, right? And do it my way...and they'd get SO much more variety...hee hee hee. I can get into this. Put that Super Baby Food book to good use :P Raise good little eaters. score. And yeah, I can't STAND it when parents send me jars of banana baby food...omg just give them a real banana for crying out loud!
And yes, I did actually contact an in-home preschool yesterday that's nearby that I've seen advertising on CL for a couple years. She responded and was really eager to form that kind of relationship! So that's pretty awesome. She'll refer littles to me, and I'll refer bigs to her.
Now I just have to get the money and time to make the changes I need to in order for this to happen...
or get the job I interviewed for on Tuesday and have it pay enough.
One or the other.Hee hee! Look, I have a signature!Comment
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the ones that have been fed by me at an early age are acually the best eaters because they ate healthy food from the start. Parents are so amazed what their children will acually eat, like how hard is it boil carrots and feed it to a child or cut up a piece of fruit.Comment
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that's what I do. It sort of became that way by default, to be honest, but I love it. I'm out of town a ways, so while infant care is scarce, 2+ care in town is plentiful. Too bad it's such poor quality care.
The oldest in my group is 2.5 now, and I'm thinking it's almost time for him to move on. He only comes M-W-F am's though, anyway.
I would be really comfortable settling into this if there was a really good preschool/caregiver nearby to partner with.Comment
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your not crazy you know what you want and what will work for you at this point in time. I say go for it. I know I can only have so many kids at this age, make sure your able to charge enough to make it worth your while.Tell me I'm crazy. That is, IF I'm actually crazy, which I'm not sure if I am or not.
I'm thinking of switching to caring for only ages 6 weeks to 36 months. Maybe it's me, maybe I just don't like preschoolers much, or maybe it's my house and it's just too hard to meet the needs of infants, toddlers, AND preschoolers all at once with my house the way it is. Either way. I've concluded that my unhappiness with daycare is solely based on the daggone preschoolers.
Hence, the idea to do only 6 wks to 36 months.
I have a 10x11ft room that I use right now as a Nap room. I would transform and redecorate this to be the Daycare Room, a space specifically for the little guys. I would also use half of my largish family room (just down the hall from this room) to be a more open space for playing at certain times (like morning nap for the wee ones).
I want to provide diapers--cloth, that is. They bring me a package of what they use at home and get changed just before pick ups. I will use flushable liners and wash dipes every night
I'm seriously considering if I can manage to provide baby food, too (probably make it myself) but most likely will not. Will do a 4 week rotating menu of simple, easy to prepare and eat stuff for the 1 and 2 yos.
No formal curriculum. Just lots of open ended creative activities, playdough, sensory, water play, balls, crawling, walking, moving grooving, books, and other baby and toddle toys. Walks around the neighborhood. Good food, good naps, good playtime.
AM I CRAZY?
or just desperate?
I say go for it!happyface I too love babies- for me I get attached and want to keep them as long as I can, they become an extended family so to speak.Comment
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I dream about this all the time....its a lot and I mean a LOT of work teaching preschool from home. My house looks like it threw up from ours day of activities.
I am up all night cleaning just to do it again the next day.
I feel like I am constantly shopping for supplies, setting up, taking down, and what not. my ENTIRE lower floor of my house is dedicated to DC.
I dream about only having littles and buying those bright colored triple crawl through climbers, along with a few other things....Then I would only have to clean stuff and not worry about setting up my curriculum, or making sure that I have the supplies that are needed....Especially our science area.....I feel like I buy more baking soda and vinegar than the normal person does....
I am right there with you.......Comment
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