Advice On New Start Up

[lizzlee]

Hello, everyone. I'm fairly new around here and have been enjoying all the great topics and wealth of knowledge. I'm planning to start offering child care in my home next August around the time school starts. I have an almost 3 year old daughter and two boys, ages 16 and 12, who I homeschool. I only want to have 2 to 4 kiddos in addition to my own. I do not have space for a separate daycare room, they will have to be in our living room/dining area which is where my family is for most of the day. Does that sound okay?

I have my CDA and experience teaching preschool from when my boys were younger, and I have homeschooled them for almost 6 years. I have my BS in business management so I think I can figure out that part of the business. I do enjoy children and like to do lots of fun activities, so I believe I would enjoy it. What else do I need to consider? What are the things I need to make sure that I do right from the beginning? I appreciate any advice you all can give me!!

[Annalee]

Hello, everyone. I'm fairly new around here and have been enjoying all the great topics and wealth of knowledge. I'm planning to start offering child care in my home next August around the time school starts. I have an almost 3 year old daughter and two boys, ages 16 and 12, who I homeschool. I only want to have 2 to 4 kiddos in addition to my own. I do not have space for a separate daycare room, they will have to be in our living room/dining area which is where my family is for most of the day. Does that sound okay?

I have my CDA and experience teaching preschool from when my boys were younger, and I have homeschooled them for almost 6 years. I have my BS in business management so I think I can figure out that part of the business. I do enjoy children and like to do lots of fun activities, so I believe I would enjoy it. What else do I need to consider? What are the things I need to make sure that I do right from the beginning? I appreciate any advice you all can give me!!

Be working on your contract/handbook/policy. Make notes for what you expect from clients and what they can expect from you. Set your hours/pay/time off so that it also benefits you while still offering dependable care to your clients. Look into the USDA food program in your area. Check with your state about being legally unlicensed. In my state persons can keep 4 non-related children and not have a license. They can have as many related children in care as they want. Hope this helps!

[melilley]

Be working on your contract/handbook/policy. Make notes for what you expect from clients and what they can expect from you. Set your hours/pay/time off so that it also benefits you while still offering dependable care to your clients. Look into the USDA food program in your area. Check with your state about being legally unlicensed. In my state persons can keep 4 non-related children and not have a license. They can have as many related children in care as they want. Hope this helps!

I agree, make sure you have a handbook and contract!

I would also make sure you do prepaid care. My families pay on Friday's before the next week of care.

[marcieandpie]

I would say call your city/county to check zoning and other local ordinances about in-home child care before you do too much, then you can make sure all your plans are compliant. Good luck!

[BabyMonkeys]

I have a 14 year old son and a 16 year old daughter, that I have always homeschooled. I opened my small daycare (only 4) and my daughter was perfectly fine with it. My son, not so much. It is hard when he is trying to study and one of the babies is incessantly screaming. When he has a math problem he needs help with, and I have to tell him that he has to wait until I get a minute, it's hard for him. I'm sure there are 100 other things, but that is the general idea.

I know that most people say that it's life. He needs to live with it. They are right to an extent. If he was acting out and complaining, and generally being a brat, I would agree with them, but he doesn't. He just gets quieter and quieter, rarely coming out of his room during the day. I can see that it is effecting him, but I'm not quite sure how to handle it.

Ok, I totally just stole your thread! My point was..the most important thing that I would suggest you do, is make sure that your kids understand what is going to happen, and that you pay attention to their feelings, even when teenage boys pretend they don't have any

[lizzlee]

Thanks for the advice. You have a very good point about considering my children's feelings. I believe my older son would be fine with it, but it may cause some problems for the younger boy. I'll do some careful thinking about this and talk with both of them before I start. Thanks again!

[Thriftylady]

When I first started in Kansas, my daughter was 2. It was a hard row to hoe because she was jealous and acted a terror. I mean awful dumping whole bottles of shampoo all over the bathroom, throwing tantrums oh so awful. She is 16 now and loves to help me with the kids. So just chatting with them is a good idea. I don't know I would let them make the decision, as you are the parent but a talk can do wonders if nothing else to make them feel included.