If You Could Change 1 Thing

[Josiegirl]

any one thing about your day, what would you change??
Whether it's a training you wish was available. Creating more interesting centers(or like my place, any centers at all). Something you would love to incorporate into your program at some point. The way you organize things. Your schedule, how to handle transitions better. Creating a more interesting circle time.
Anything at all. Dream big or little, doesn't matter.

I definitely need to learn more about classroom management or group control. I'll have 5 kids, ages 2 1/2-4 1/2. I'd love to offer more of a tot learning atmosphere and routine but have no idea how to get from where we are to where I'd love them to be. And where we are is almost constant free play mode. Where I'd love them to be is following some sort of light schedule that includes a short circle time, a weekly theme using a letter of the alphabet each week, and having them listen better to me. I'd offer more to the 3's and 4's to develop their pre-writing and pre-math skills.
I need to find some sort of online training because our workshop schedule just arrived and I honestly found nothing I was interested in.

I also need to change my space around to create centers rather than having toys here and there.

So does anyone have things they're currently working on or would love to change within their environment or something you'd love to learn more about?
(I need inspiration)

[Mike]

If I could change any one thing about my day, I'd be doing my daycare now. I'm still in the preparation stage. By the looks of things, unless I get lucky, it'll be spring before I can start.

[Controlled Chaos]

I would love a little more space for maybe 1 or 2 more centers. I would love a separate science area and a small table for board games and puzzles that is separate from the other 2 tables I have. I think I want a space designed for 14 kids but only watch 7 :: I want a center level set up with fewer kids and way fewer hours Which is pretty close to what I have now...I just want another 50 square feet!

[Baby Beluga]

I'd like to have a separate area. Like a guest casita with a classroom, bathroom and small kitchen that is close to my home but has a separate entrance/exit. I am beginning to hate needing to have my house "show ready" all the time.

ETA: I have a dedicated classroom, but it is still in my house - not detached.

[midaycare]

A downstairs bathroom, since my daycare is downstairs on a separate, dedicated level, but has NO bathroom, so the potty trained ones have to go upstairs.

[CityGarden]

I would like a larger yard and a dedicated house on my property for the program.

[Leigh]

Cleaning. If I could do anything for my family and business, I swear it would be to have daily maid service. I just can't justify the cost right now.

[Lil_Diddle]

My husband is the greatest, and after 6 years of doing daycare he converted the walkout basement to be strictly the daycare. It's own kitchen, bathroom. The kids never have to come in to my living area again. I know that's not possible for everyone, but making the daycare a dedicated space separate from your living area is important. Also, it took a hit to the budget but I hired someone to come in and cook our lunches and clean up after. It was my most stressful time and these last two weeks it's so nice that I can focus on the kids and I'm not spending naptime washing dishes. I also made a deal with a longtime friend and parent that was looking for part time care. She comes in and helps me out a few hours on Tuesdays so I can run errands, make appointments, go have lunch with my oldest or just have a few hours of me time. In turn I watch her kid two days a week when my other part time kid is not here. Watching kids 50 hours a week, having my own 24/7. It is just a big burden off me that feel like I'm able to give the best of myself to the families and the kids

[Leigh]

My husband is the greatest, and after 6 years of doing daycare he converted the walkout basement to be strictly the daycare. It's own kitchen, bathroom. The kids never have to come in to my living area again. I know that's not possible for everyone, but making the daycare a dedicated space separate from your living area is important. Also, it took a hit to the budget but I hired someone to come in and cook our lunches and clean up after. It was my most stressful time and these last two weeks it's so nice that I can focus on the kids and I'm not spending naptime washing dishes. I also made a deal with a longtime friend and parent that was looking for part time care. She comes in and helps me out a few hours on Tuesdays so I can run errands, make appointments, go have lunch with my oldest or just have a few hours of me time. In turn I watch her kid two days a week when my other part time kid is not here. Watching kids 50 hours a week, having my own 24/7. It is just a big burden off me that feel like I'm able to give the best of myself to the families and the kids

I am planning to put a kitchen in my lower level this fall, and I am SO looking forward to not ever having kids upstairs again! I have been searching for a helper to come in a few hours a day, too-it's tough because everyone is looking for full time hours, but I'm hoping that with school starting, I'll find a SAHM who is looking for a few hours a day!

[nanglgrl]

One thing? That's hard. I will always wish I had more space even though my dedicated daycare space is a pretty good size. It would be nice to have a full on kitchen down there and it's doable but I don't think it's needed.
The one thing I would change if I could is it would be nice if the daycare could be in a detached structure on my property. I hate having to have the rest of my house, including drawers and closets, show room ready all of the time when I have a teenager, two young children and a very busy schedule at night. Or it would be nice if DHS didn't come in acted like we're all hiding something and want to search every nook and cranny.

[permanentvacation]

An entirely separate floor of my home completely dedicated only to daycare. It would include a kitchen (kitchenette is fine), clothes washer and dryer, dishwasher, refrigerator, bathroom, my office, a teacher's supply room, and the daycare room. It would, of course, lead outside to the daycare's fenced yard which would be separate from my family's fenced yard. I know a daycare lady down the road from me who did all of that in her basement. I would love to have her set up!

That way, after work, I could go to my 'home' area and truly be able to leave my work environment. It would allow my family to feel like we actually live in a home rather than a daycare facility.

[Mike]

An entirely separate floor of my home completely dedicated only to daycare. It would include a kitchen (kitchenette is fine), clothes washer and dryer, dishwasher, refrigerator, bathroom, my office, a teacher's supply room, and the daycare room. It would, of course, lead outside to the daycare's fenced yard which would be separate from my family's fenced yard. I know a daycare lady down the road from me who did all of that in her basement. I would love to have her set up!

That way, after work, I could go to my 'home' area and truly be able to leave my work environment. It would allow my family to feel like we actually live in a home rather than a daycare facility.

That's how I'd like to do it when I open up. I want to rent, or preferably rent to own, a bungalow with a full basement, and over time, turn the basement into a full daycare facility. The conversion won't be a big deal for me. I just need to find the right place for it. I also want a place that's just outside of a city, so I can have a nice size yard, but not be too far away for clients to drive.

[Lil_Diddle]

The person I have helping with lunch is a SAHM who just wants a few hours out of the house and a little extra $, you might consider someone that is retired as well. I have an older neighbor who loves seeing the kids.

I am planning to put a kitchen in my lower level this fall, and I am SO looking forward to not ever having kids upstairs again! I have been searching for a helper to come in a few hours a day, too-it's tough because everyone is looking for full time hours, but I'm hoping that with school starting, I'll find a SAHM who is looking for a few hours a day!

[childcaremom]

1 thing?

I really would like to move out towards the country. I know it would probably be difficult to both get clients and then almost impossible to only get teacher clients. So if I could change one thing it would be that I had my dayhome out in the country where my nearest neighbours were all teachers requiring daycare ::.

More in line with do-ability, I wish that the daycare space was self-contained. Private entrance, kitchenette, bathroom, etc so that families/children were never in my private living area.

[Pepperth]

I'd find an amazing assistant and be able to attend all of my son's school functions without finagling my entire schedule to do so.

And an unlimited book budget.