How Long Did It Take?

[KEG123]

Just curious how long it took you to get your first dck? Like, from the time you started advertising until you got a child that actually "fit." For example, I've gotten two e-mails already, one asking if I can do Saturdays (no) and one asking if I was open until 1130 pm (She worked in a hospital- again, no) So two bites, but neither of them will work.

Once you got your first daycare kid, how long did it take to get up to like, 4 kids? (which is how many I'd feel comfortable with at first (even though I can have up to 7+1 (my son))

[Little People]

I was full (4 kids) in 3 weeks of opening, But I let the newborn baby go a couple of weeks ago ( only had her 2 days because mom NEVER got her on a bottle, she was a BF baby) I have had 6 calls in the last 2 weeks, but for all infants. I am only accepting 2-5 at this time. No more babies for me. Don't get me wrong...I love babies, but I perfer ages 18 months to 5. So this is what I have decided to do. So I have 1 opening at this time.

[Childminder]

I got one part time before I was actually completely licensed and then nothing for six months. Then I spoke to God and told him if he wanted me to do daycare I needed a sign. Eight days later I was full. I've been full since until this past Sept (down two) then Jan lost two more. Guess I need another conversation with God cause I need to pay my bills.

[DanceMom]

Within a month I got my first...and then within the next month they kept rolling in

[Cat Herder]

I was full before I opened, but that is because I had started talking about it with people I worked with BEFORE I left my former job (Public Safety).

Word of mouth spread fast around town and I was actually pressured to open before I was financially ready to...:: You should have seen all the donated toys, blankets, etc when I said I could not afford start up costs for a few more months.

I do not remember my last open slot. I am constantly begged to take more kids than I can legally have. That is my guilty spot, but I do refer them to other providers I trust.

Honestly, the best way to have a successful daycare business is to be active in the community. Volunteer at the women's shelter, food bank, respite center or local church nurseries. It makes ALL the difference.

Parents are most likely to choose providers they know, like and trust. Building a strong reputation in the community you serve is the best way to achieve that.

[Lilbutterflie]

I really think I got lucky, I received a phone call the next day after posting my ad, and I had 3 openings and got 3 kids from that phone call! These are my first clients from the general public (I watched my nieces and nephew for a year before this), and I've had them for 8 months now.

[Greenshadow]

I got all four kids within 3 weeks of opening. I advertised on CL and Care.Com.

[MommyMuffin]

My husbands friend was my first one and she was so excited and couldnt wait until I opened.
I started advertising and it took a few weeks to get my second one.
From the time I first started advertising it took 2 months to get my 3rd one and 4 months to get my 4th one.

I have 4 now but one is not born yet. The past 2 months I have gotten 2 - 3 calls but I turned then down because I wanted more time to adjust to the ones I have. I feel ready now and would like one more enrolled so I just started advertising today.

I had money saved up to get me through the rough period. I would advertise with everything I knew how to and sometimes no responses for weeks. I have now found that others are so right when they say there are highs and lows in getting calls.

[newtodaycare22]

I started advertising in July, saying I'd be licensed soon. I was licensed August 1st and I had 2 kids within 3 weeks. I got one more part time in September...and then it was slow. The end of Nov/Dec I got 3 more full timers. I'm happy where I am and I'm glad I turned down those offers that weren't good "fits" like you said. Unless you are really needing the money, don't sacrifice, time, rate, or things that are important to you. The right type of families will come along.

[ammama]

Almost my whole first year open I was never really full. I made the mistake of taking on families who did not fit with my philosophy and who I worried about from the start, so I would end up terming them (for really good reason, never took it lightly). Anyways, I learned my lesson eventually, and have been full, with a wait list for the last 1.5 years.

[Missani]

I was also full before I opened. My friend asked me to watch her baby, so I started working on "building" the daycare (my basement) and quit my job when she went back to work 12 weeks after her baby was born. I was legal but not licensed yet. It took another 5-6 weeks from that point to finish the licensing process, and by then all of my spaces were full. I regularly get calls and have had to turn 3 families away that really wanted to be here and would have been a good fit. I have only been licensed since October.

[misol]

I got my first child about 1 month after I placed an ad on craigslist. Then it took 2 months for me to get full but that was only a temporary arrangement for a few months. I have been open 1.5 years and have yet to fill my 4th and final full-time slot.

I am certain that I could be full tomorrow if I changed my hours from 6am-6pm. Since opening that early would negatively affect my quality of life, I have been unwilling willing to do it.

[AnythingsPossible]

Honestly, the best way to have a successful daycare business is to be active in the community. Volunteer at the women's shelter, food bank, respite center or local church nurseries. It makes ALL the difference.

Parents are most likely to choose providers they know, like and trust. Building a strong reputation in the community you serve is the best way to achieve that.

I agree with this. When I first started doing daycare my children were younger and we were very involved in different activities. I was always full and had people waiting for me to have spots open. As years have gone by, we haven't been as involved in things because our kids are older and involved in different types of things and I find myself not being as busy as I once was. I really believe you have to put yourself out there and get involved in things to get yourself known and keep yourself known.
I have ran into people who have said, oh, I didn't realize you still have your daycare. Makes me realize that if I chose to continue daycare(on the fence about this one) I need to put myself out there more and get involved.
I had 2 kids before I was licensed, and I never was full when I first opened, but we lived in a very small rural area. When we moved to a larger town, i brought some of my kids with me, but it took a good 6 months to fill the spots I wanted to fill.

[LaLa]

I've been licensed for nine months and have only had 2! They left care because one of them lost their job!! I need the money so IDK what to do. I've done just about everything! I think part of the problem is all of the illegal childcare where I live. There's so much competition and the economy is bad!