Home Preschool Good or Bad?

[Preschool123]

I just wanted to have some insights about this. I have a home daycare and all my children are about 20 months and older. I really love to teach so I was trying to only do 2 years and older for next September. My 20 months old will be 2 by then and the other ones will be 3. I only have one child that will be turning 2 in December. I open from 7:30am-5:30pm so is not like a 3 hour program or anything like that. I think I'm lucky enough to have a nice classroom and my currents parents love it but it has been very hard to fill the last spot because when parents come in and see this child turning 2 in December they kind of don't like their 3 or 4 year old to be around younger children. I don't know what to do I really don't enjoy working with children younger than 2 or 3 years. I love them with all my heart but I prefer to work with preschoolers.

What would you do?
How would you advertise?
How would you handle the interview and tour?

Anyways any advise will help.

Thank you

[TaylorTots]

I never run into the parents who don't want their kids around the smaller children honestly. However, the families that interview for the preschool program aspect are encouraged by:

1) my background - I was a pre-k teacher and have a current teaching degree. They are excited to find a preschool program that will prepare their children for kindergarten at a reasonable cost and not have to try to find childcare transportation to/from preschool (very hard to find around here).

2) Advertising - I don't really advertise other than for backup care as I usually am full from referrals, but I do include a section on my backup care that states we have a daily preschool program for 2-5 years.

3) During the interviews I discuss our preschool activities, show parents a photo album of past children doing preschool activities as well as discuss our schedule with them. Parents often ask "Will my child be ready for Kindergarten after your program?" And I always respond "Every child is different and most children I teach and care for are ready for Kindergarten. However, regardless of the setting of early childhood education, there are children who need an additional year before Kindergarten or have special needs. This is something to consider regardless of where you choose to enroll your child."

I incorporate preschool to our childcare as it is a minimal cost to me (I use my preparation from years of teaching as well as pinterest and teacherspayteachers.com a lot) and I am homeschooling preschool to my own DD for another 1.5 years before Kindergarten.

[SignMeUp]

Evening interview first?

I do a daytime observation and an evening meeting with prospective families.
If we decide it will work, registration meeting in the evening is the final step.

I'd try the evening meeting first, so that you can emphasize the positive aspects of your program. It can be hard to cover everything during a daytime visit, and first impressions are everything.

I hand my (homemade) brochure to the prospective family as they leave, so they have something to remember me by. Pics, basic info, and emphasis on my strengths. (Those pics could include 3-4 year old kids playing in your classroom. Relatives or friends' kids, with parent permission to use.)

During a daytime observation visit, time your dcks activities so that they are "preschooling". It may be super-impressive since they are so young

And remember, your current kids will grow up

[Blackcat31]

I just wanted to have some insights about this. I have a home daycare and all my children are about 20 months and older. I really love to teach so I was trying to only do 2 years and older for next September. My 20 months old will be 2 by then and the other ones will be 3. I only have one child that will be turning 2 in December. I open from 7:30am-5:30pm so is not like a 3 hour program or anything like that. I think I'm lucky enough to have a nice classroom and my currents parents love it but it has been very hard to fill the last spot because when parents come in and see this child turning 2 in December they kind of don't like their 3 or 4 year old to be around younger children. I don't know what to do I really don't enjoy working with children younger than 2 or 3 years. I love them with all my heart but I prefer to work with preschoolers.

What would you do?
How would you advertise?
How would you handle the interview and tour?

Anyways any advise will help.

Thank you

TONS more threads about the pros and cons of homeschooling

https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.php?tag=homeschool

[WImom]

I do a daytime observation and an evening meeting with prospective families.
If we decide it will work, registration meeting in the evening is the final step.

I'd try the evening meeting first, so that you can emphasize the positive aspects of your program. It can be hard to cover everything during a daytime visit, and first impressions are everything.

I hand my (homemade) brochure to the prospective family as they leave, so they have something to remember me by. Pics, basic info, and emphasis on my strengths. (Those pics could include 3-4 year old kids playing in your classroom. Relatives or friends' kids, with parent permission to use.)

During a daytime observation visit, time your dcks activities so that they are "preschooling". It may be super-impressive since they are so young

And remember, your current kids will grow up

during the daytime visit how long does the child stay and is it with parents too?

[SignMeUp]

during the daytime visit how long does the child stay and is it with parents too?

Yes, it's for the parent to better assess what happens in my environment. And I want the child at every meeting, because I want to see them to be certain this is a child/family that I can work with. I'm interviewing them and they're interviewing me, though I don't make a big deal out of it.

When we set the appointment, I ask the parent to limit to 45 minutes maximum. And that if/when my little ones start to act up, it's time to finish up - my current children come first and are used to knowing that they have my full attention. (This is true, plus I think parents actually like to hear that my little ones get my attention. Plus by telling them in advance, they aren't surprised when I suggest that "it's time.")