Infant and Toddler Only

[talllisa]

I have been a licensed provider for 10 years. For a long time I have wanted to do infant and toddler only care. Many things are falling in line right now to make that possible. I have searched the forums and read all the threads on this topic. They were very helpful. I am not looking for input on pros and cons of the setup. I am looking to connect with other providers who do infant and toddler only care. The links in the other threads are all dead now. Can anyone connect me to other providers who are infant and toddler only? Thanks for your help.
Lisa

[lovemydaycare0912]

I have been a licensed provider for 10 years. For a long time I have wanted to do infant and toddler only care. Many things are falling in line right now to make that possible. I have searched the forums and read all the threads on this topic. They were very helpful. I am not looking for input on pros and cons of the setup. I am looking to connect with other providers who do infant and toddler only care. The links in the other threads are all dead now. Can anyone connect me to other providers who are infant and toddler only? Thanks for your help.
Lisa

Hello!!!!! You can PM me. I do infant and toddler care ONLY for now. My oldest is 2. Youngest is 4 months.

[thrivingchildcarecom]

Hey, don't know if I qualify, but my child care mainly caters to infant and toddlers with older kids only as back-up. You can send me a PM with any question you don't want to post here.

[CityGarden]

My program is geared for 2-5 year olds but I wanted to chime in and say kuddos to you for focusing your program!!!

There is a woman local to me who only takes 0-3 and her program is thriving! She makes as much financially as other providers around us while keeping 1/2 the number of children with that niche.

[MunchkinWrangler]

I didn't plan on it but right now this has been my experience so far with daycare. Feel free to PM anything. I will be adding a 3 month old in a couple weeks, then I have 14 months, 15 months(had her since she was 3 months), 2.5(mine) and almost 3. I have my experience in these age groups and what works and what doesn't and parent expectations which become looser(IMO) as they get older and have been in your care for a while(the trust grows with every milestone and "problem" you solve)

[LysesKids]

I have been a licensed provider for 10 years. For a long time I have wanted to do infant and toddler only care. Many things are falling in line right now to make that possible. I have searched the forums and read all the threads on this topic. They were very helpful. I am not looking for input on pros and cons of the setup. I am looking to connect with other providers who do infant and toddler only care. The links in the other threads are all dead now. Can anyone connect me to other providers who are infant and toddler only? Thanks for your help.
Lisa

Infants & toddlers only up to 18 months (on occasion til 21 months), been a provider 16 years, 11 have been 2 & under only (the last 7 exclusively under 21 months) - feel free to PM me too @ the moment I have a 4 month old, a 10 month, 12 month ( Birthday is Friday) & a 13 month old ... she's the only girl too

[KarenSue]

I am an infant and toddler only provider too. My current batch is getting ready to age out when summer hits. I've had them since they were 6 weeks, 7 weeks and 3 months. I get calls every week with new families wanting to start.

[talllisa]

Thank you for all of the responses. I guess what I'd like to start with is rates. I live in Minnesota. Anoka county. I have done my research on rates. I currently charge $200 a week for infants. The average for in home providers in $159 a week and centers is $279 a week. It is important to note that Anoka county has the lowest rates of almost all the counties in the metro area. So I am not afraid to go above. In order to make the kind of money I need to make, I would need to charge $300 a week for infants. This is in line with what the CENTER average is across the metro area. I would have to charge center rates as an in home provider. Can I do that, is my question. I see soooo many advantages of my setup over centers. a 1:4 or 1:3 ratio! Infant and toddler specific everything! Infant spaces are in high demand here. I really think I can fill the spaces no problem. I would love any feedback.
Gracias

[Blackcat31]

Thank you for all of the responses. I guess what I'd like to start with is rates. I live in Minnesota. Anoka county. I have done my research on rates. I currently charge $200 a week for infants. The average for in home providers in $159 a week and centers is $279 a week. It is important to note that Anoka county has the lowest rates of almost all the counties in the metro area. So I am not afraid to go above. In order to make the kind of money I need to make, I would need to charge $300 a week for infants. This is in line with what the CENTER average is across the metro area. I would have to charge center rates as an in home provider. Can I do that, is my question. I see soooo many advantages of my setup over centers. a 1:4 or 1:3 ratio! Infant and toddler specific everything! Infant spaces are in high demand here. I really think I can fill the spaces no problem. I would love any feedback.
Gracias

I sent you a private message.

[Mike]

I haven't started my daycare yet, just getting ready, but I've been in business for 35 years. As an experienced business owner, what I can tell you is that most businesses offering services have a range of prices in every area. Some offer low prices and work on quantity and mass marketing, while others are higher prices focusing on quality and a smaller niche market. Daycare is quite a range of prices. You are looking for the niche market, parents who want a daycare for infants and toddlers only.

Are there others in the area that also focus on infant/toddler care? If so, do they have the same setup as you? The main question is, if parents are looking for what you have, do you have competition? If so, you can't charge much more than they do without doing extra selling. If you don't have much competition, you have the freedom to charge higher rates if you want.

For business advice, what I tell others is to look at it from the customers side. Pretend you are looking for the kind of care you will be providing and decide if you would pay your rate or go elsewhere.

[talllisa]

Thanks City Garden!

[talllisa]

Agreed Munchkin Wrangler! I love building trust with my families. And yes, first time parents are much more work. Having only four sets of parents to work with might be nice though.