Infant and Toddler Care Only?

[MommyMuffin]

Hi all!

I want to have an infant and toddler daycare only. I want 6 weeks to 3 or 3.5 years. Has anyone had success with this?

I have an interview and I'm not sure how to go about telling them this. Of course I don't want to make it hard to find children to care for but I don't want to do daycare if I have to have older children.

[MyAngels]

I think if you advertised it as "specializing in infant and toddler care" you might not have to do much explaining, and you'll probably attract people that are looking for what you're offering.

[AmyKidsCo]

I think you can definitely be successful with just infants and toddlers. IME parents prefer in-home for their little ones, but once they get to be 2 or 3 they're more likely to go to a group center to "learn something" :roll eyes:

[Blackcat31]

Hi all!

I want to have an infant and toddler daycare only. I want 6 weeks to 3 or 3.5 years. Has anyone had success with this?

I have an interview and I'm not sure how to go about telling them this. Of course I don't want to make it hard to find children to care for but I don't want to do daycare if I have to have older children.

Just a thought ...and not helpful for your interview but...Have you considered partnering or connecting with another area provider that maybe prefers preschool aged kids only so you could both essentially cover a family with kids in both age groups?

Many providers dont want infants/toddlers and run a program geared towards older kids.

I'd love to find someone in my area that wanted infants/toddlers only.
I'd happily take the older kids as they aged out of the younger program.

[jenboo]

Just a thought ...and not helpful for your interview but...Have you considered partnering or connecting with another area provider that maybe prefers preschool aged kids only so you could both essentially cover a family with kids in both age groups?

Many providers dont want infants/toddlers and run a program geared towards older kids.

I'd love to find someone in my area that wanted infants/toddlers only.
I'd happily take the older kids as they aged out of the younger program.

Want to be neighbors? If I open another daycare, I'll be 2yrs old and younger. Love the babies!

[MommyMuffin]

Great ideas gals. Blackcat that is a very business savy mind you have!
I have titled myself as specialized infant and toddler care...hopefully that is enough fx!!

I feel better about it knowing others don't think its too crazy!

[Blackcat31]

Want to be neighbors? If I open another daycare, I'll be 2yrs old and younger. Love the babies!

YES!!! I would absolutely love too!

[TXhomedaycare]

When I first opened I had my 2 month old son and 5 other kids ages 2-3 and it was tough. I would recommend doing 2 months to 2 years max. Once they turn 3 there is a different level and kind of involvement needed. Please keep in mind this is my personal opinion and all my kids are in one dedicated daycare room, so having a seperate space or dedicated "don't go over there big kids" area for the little ones would be necessary. I felt relieved when my son turn one because it made everything easier. From now on I only take 2 years and up. I love the little ones but I would only do babies or big kids but never both again. I do know that there is always a demand (at least in my area) for infant and tole care. It's possible you just have to be creative.

[LysesKids]

When I first opened I had my 2 month old son and 5 other kids ages 2-3 and it was tough. I would recommend doing 2 months to 2 years max. Once they turn 3 there is a different level and kind of involvement needed. Please keep in mind this is my personal opinion and all my kids are in one dedicated daycare room, so having a seperate space or dedicated "don't go over there big kids" area for the little ones would be necessary. I felt relieved when my son turn one because it made everything easier. From now on I only take 2 years and up. I love the little ones but I would only do babies or big kids but never both again. I do know that there is always a demand (at least in my area) for infant and tole care. It's possible you just have to be creative.

I agree with this... I am newborn-18 months; all my babes age out by 21-22 months at the latest. I will not take older kids for drop-in either unless it's a child that aged out of my home & even then I only take them until 2.5 years & for one day (usually a Saturday). My home is set up for littles, not preschool age. It helps that all my families know from the get go that their child has a limited time here

[Crazy8]

I think you can definitely be successful with just infants and toddlers. IME parents prefer in-home for their little ones, but once they get to be 2 or 3 they're more likely to go to a group center to "learn something" :roll eyes:

This is what I've found too. I don't say I am infant/toddler only but I found the trend to leave for "preschool" has gotten younger and younger. Used to be they left the year before kindy (with the rare one staying until kindy) now I'm finding pretty often they do 2 years of preschool, so leaving at about 3-3.5 years old. That is fine by me as I discovered I really prefer the 3 and under crowd!! I really don't say anything about it when they interview though, its just a natural progression that comes later on. If by chance a child was planning on staying longer than I'd be willing to take them I would bring it up when the time comes that it seems the child has outgrown my program and parent may wish to look for something more suitable. If I had a hard age cut off like 24 months I would mention it but since I'm pretty flexible within the 3-3.5 age range I don't bring it up until its time.

[greentea78]

This is what I've found too. I don't say I am infant/toddler only but I found the trend to leave for "preschool" has gotten younger and younger. Used to be they left the year before kindy (with the rare one staying until kindy) now I'm finding pretty often they do 2 years of preschool, so leaving at about 3-3.5 years old. That is fine by me as I discovered I really prefer the 3 and under crowd!! I really don't say anything about it when they interview though, its just a natural progression that comes later on. If by chance a child was planning on staying longer than I'd be willing to take them I would bring it up when the time comes that it seems the child has outgrown my program and parent may wish to look for something more suitable. If I had a hard age cut off like 24 months I would mention it but since I'm pretty flexible within the 3-3.5 age range I don't bring it up until its time.

This tends to be what I do as well. I always tell parents that I don't stop caring for a kid at a certain age. It goes more on personality. Some kids do ok staying until 3+, while others I've had were done by 2.5. I don't do preschool and people are wanting "learning activities" pretty young around here, so I don't get a lot of calls for kids over 2 any way. Which is fine by me.

[AuntTami]

YES!!! I would absolutely love too!

You're still to far from me too! Maybe I should move
Closer to you! I'm finding myself leaning towards wanting the 18 months and under crowd over these Rowdy toddlers! My space is so much more conducive to it. Babies don't take up nearly as much space as toddlers and my house is pretty small. Even 3 over 2 is a lot! Lol.

I think you should advertise as being infant and toddler only. I'm finding the same trend in my area of them leaving around 3 for "preschool" so if you're wanting a long term investment, an infant is the way to go. IMHO

[Nisaryn]

Hi all!

I want to have an infant and toddler daycare only. I want 6 weeks to 3 or 3.5 years. Has anyone had success with this?

I have an interview and I'm not sure how to go about telling them this. Of course I don't want to make it hard to find children to care for but I don't want to do daycare if I have to have older children.

Just wanted to add in my personal current experience with this...I currently offer "infant only" with infant (for me) being under 12 months while my State defines this as under 2yrs old. I currently have several babies under 5 months and then a 13 month old. It has not gone very well...the older "infant" cannot keep away from the babies and they were in constant risk of being hurt by him. I feel he was just NOT suited to care with such littles at all. I terminated him as of today because it was getting dangerous to have him around, he was doing normal toddler stuff so nothing 'bad' at all but it was still just not feasible as a family child care home (at least in my case) to have them together.

Just make sure you have the facilites, time, and energy to be able to run after the older infants and the little ones as well. It's possible it just wasn't in my case.

[mommyneedsadayoff]

Just a thought ...and not helpful for your interview but...Have you considered partnering or connecting with another area provider that maybe prefers preschool aged kids only so you could both essentially cover a family with kids in both age groups?

Many providers dont want infants/toddlers and run a program geared towards older kids.

I'd love to find someone in my area that wanted infants/toddlers only.
I'd happily take the older kids as they aged out of the younger program.

This what my niece and nephew went to. One lady did newborn-18 months, and then they moved down the street to the other lady who did 18 mos+. It was very handy for my sister, because when they outgrew the first daycare, they went literally 3 houses down to the other daycare. And the providers were always full, so it was a great business model. Parents loved that they got specifically infant care, but didn't have to worry about where to take them once they outgrew it, so it was a big selling point.

[MommyMuffin]

The beauty of it, is I only want 1 - 2 daycare kids!