Dream Come True in SD

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

I just learned that in the state of South Dakota, you can watch up to 12 kids, and being licensed is totally optional. I'm packing right now...

[Controlled Chaos]

Holy Sh!t she speaks the truth

https://dss.sd.gov/childcare/licensing/registered.aspx

That's insane.

[midaycare]

I could be Miss Moneybags out there...

[Blackcat31]

They rank 50th for child care costs so thinking you might need more than 12 kids to make a decent living....

http://www.southdakotadashboard.org/sd-ranks-50th-for-childcare-costs

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

I have a family member on DH's side that has had her daycare there for 30 something years. She watches 10 full-time kids, and she told me licensing was optional. I was shocked and had to look it up myself when we got home! Then I did some sleuthing on their area's Craig's List and city website to see how much most people charge. Then I had a good cry.::

[Pestle]

They rank 50th for child care costs so thinking you might need more than 12 kids to make a decent living....

http://www.southdakotadashboard.org/...hildcare-costs

So you're broke, have double the kids you can manage comfortably, and you live in South Dakota. Yep, that sounds like hell to me.

[mommyneedsadayoff]

So you're broke, have double the kids you can manage comfortably, and you live in South Dakota. Yep, that sounds like hell to me.

Don't hate on the Dakotas We have far less people and we tend to do things quite a bit different than the rest of the US. Some good, some not good.

Plenty of people can handle 12 kids, licensed or not, so it's really not that crazy, imo. And as for price, $100 a week is pretty average for many communities, and many unlicensed providers are able to offer a lower rate, as they have less expense in terms of licensing, adjusting property to fit regs, training and classes, ect. The cost of living also goes into play here. And, imo, it is not uncommon for the price of goods and services to increase or decrease based on the amount of government intervention/regulation in the market.

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

Don't hate on the Dakotas We have far less people and we tend to do things quite a bit different than the rest of the US. Some good, some not good.

Plenty of people can handle 12 kids, licensed or not, so it's really not that crazy, imo. And as for price, $100 a week is pretty average for many communities, and many unlicensed providers are able to offer a lower rate, as they have less expense in terms of licensing, adjusting property to fit regs, training and classes, ect. The cost of living also goes into play here. And, imo, it is not uncommon for the price of goods and services to increase or decrease based on the amount of government intervention/regulation in the market.

I found that the going rate was anywhere from 100-130. I charge 115-135 depending on age, so about the same. I would LOVE to watch the same 8 I do now, or more or less however I was feeling it, and not have any licensing expenses and HEADACHES. And I love SD! Very much like NE, but with more Czech grandness.lovethis I guess in SD they have more common sense and don't need the government breathing down their necks to make sure we get the rocket science of taking care of the 5 and under crowd done right.

[mommyneedsadayoff]

I found that the going rate was anywhere from 100-130. I charge 115-135 depending on age, so about the same. I would LOVE to watch the same 8 I do now, or more or less however I was feeling it, and not have any licensing expenses and HEADACHES. And I love SD! Very much like NE, but with more Czech grandness.lovethis I guess in SD they have more common sense and don't need the government breathing down their necks to make sure we get the rocket science of taking care of the 5 and under crowd done right.

lovethis

Sorry if I came off super defensive! I have a soft spot for my dakotas and get all "mama bear" about them::

I think it is the camaraderie of people who choose to live in a place with such extreme weather and with less government interference and miles between you and others, so self sufficiency is so important. People may look at us as isolationist, but we are more like non-interventionist. We stay out of each others business for the mos part. And when it comes to daycare, I think they are just realistic of what they can provide and what the community wants.

I should add that I was born and currently live in ND, but lived in SD as well, so they both are near and dear to my heart

[Leigh]

So you're broke, have double the kids you can manage comfortably, and you live in South Dakota. Yep, that sounds like hell to me.

Managing 12 kids is no problem. I think 12 is easier than 4 or 6.

Charging a rate you can live on is hard. Lots of daycares come and go because they're charging what people are offering to pay or what they think is "fair". I can't charge "fair"-I have to charge what will support my family. There are MANY daycares charging $50-$75 a week. They don't last, and the parents who use them call a couple of times a year looking for openings, but they hear the rate and end the call (sometimes they just hang up, sometime they yell at me first to tell me that my rates are crazy).

It's difficult to get someone to understand why they have to pay me $50 MORE than they take home in a week to care for their 2 kids. Lots of households have one parent who works ONLY for access to group health insurance (where it actually costs them more for Mom to work than it would for her to stay home).

Wages in SD ****-there's no doubt about that. I understand how hard it is for parents to come up with payment for daycare-I don't know how some of them manage it. You can make a living doing daycare if you harden your heart to the dilemma these parents face when it comes to paying for childcare. Some truly CAN'T afford it. I have a family where grandma has to pay the bill because mom works double shifts 6 days a week and still can't afford it (no child support because dad is in prison). Lots of parents are on the edge income wise-they make too much for assistance (or are too proud to apply for it), but not enough to support themselves. Rent is high here, utilities are high, groceries are high...wages are LOW. I could buy SO much more house in the Twin Cities than I could here.

Manufacturers have relocated here for tax benefits, planning on paying a good wage, and then city leaders tell them that they can't pay that much because OTHER manufacturers don't want to raise wages. If you want to treat your employees like crap-move to SD.

We're still here because of family. When my mom is gone, we're considering moving to Germany. My husband spent about half of his childhood there, and he wants to go back. Taxes are high there, but the standard of living is better than it is here, too. I wouldn't recommend SD to anyone. If you want to be cold, go to Minnesota, where you can make a living, the people are friendlier, and life is much better (I used to live there, myself, and have family there-so much more to do, so much better government, so much better opportunities). IMO, Sioux Falls is the only place in SD worth living (and not where I live, unfortunately).

[Blackcat31]

Managing 12 kids is no problem. I think 12 is easier than 4 or 6.

Charging a rate you can live on is hard. Lots of daycares come and go because they're charging what people are offering to pay or what they think is "fair". I can't charge "fair"-I have to charge what will support my family. There are MANY daycares charging $50-$75 a week. They don't last, and the parents who use them call a couple of times a year looking for openings, but they hear the rate and end the call (sometimes they just hang up, sometime they yell at me first to tell me that my rates are crazy).

It's difficult to get someone to understand why they have to pay me $50 MORE than they take home in a week to care for their 2 kids. Lots of households have one parent who works ONLY for access to group health insurance (where it actually costs them more for Mom to work than it would for her to stay home).

Wages in SD ****-there's no doubt about that. I understand how hard it is for parents to come up with payment for daycare-I don't know how some of them manage it. You can make a living doing daycare if you harden your heart to the dilemma these parents face when it comes to paying for childcare. Some truly CAN'T afford it. I have a family where grandma has to pay the bill because mom works double shifts 6 days a week and still can't afford it (no child support because dad is in prison). Lots of parents are on the edge income wise-they make too much for assistance (or are too proud to apply for it), but not enough to support themselves. Rent is high here, utilities are high, groceries are high...wages are LOW. I could buy SO much more house in the Twin Cities than I could here.

Manufacturers have relocated here for tax benefits, planning on paying a good wage, and then city leaders tell them that they can't pay that much because OTHER manufacturers don't want to raise wages. If you want to treat your employees like crap-move to SD.

We're still here because of family. When my mom is gone, we're considering moving to Germany. My husband spent about half of his childhood there, and he wants to go back. Taxes are high there, but the standard of living is better than it is here, too. I wouldn't recommend SD to anyone. If you want to be cold, go to Minnesota, where you can make a living, the people are friendlier, and life is much better (I used to live there, myself, and have family there-so much more to do, so much better government, so much better opportunities). IMO, Sioux Falls is the only place in SD worth living (and not where I live, unfortunately).

lovethislovethis::

[mommyneedsadayoff]

Managing 12 kids is no problem. I think 12 is easier than 4 or 6.

Charging a rate you can live on is hard. Lots of daycares come and go because they're charging what people are offering to pay or what they think is "fair". I can't charge "fair"-I have to charge what will support my family. There are MANY daycares charging $50-$75 a week. They don't last, and the parents who use them call a couple of times a year looking for openings, but they hear the rate and end the call (sometimes they just hang up, sometime they yell at me first to tell me that my rates are crazy).

It's difficult to get someone to understand why they have to pay me $50 MORE than they take home in a week to care for their 2 kids. Lots of households have one parent who works ONLY for access to group health insurance (where it actually costs them more for Mom to work than it would for her to stay home).

Wages in SD ****-there's no doubt about that. I understand how hard it is for parents to come up with payment for daycare-I don't know how some of them manage it. You can make a living doing daycare if you harden your heart to the dilemma these parents face when it comes to paying for childcare. Some truly CAN'T afford it. I have a family where grandma has to pay the bill because mom works double shifts 6 days a week and still can't afford it (no child support because dad is in prison). Lots of parents are on the edge income wise-they make too much for assistance (or are too proud to apply for it), but not enough to support themselves. Rent is high here, utilities are high, groceries are high...wages are LOW. I could buy SO much more house in the Twin Cities than I could here.

Manufacturers have relocated here for tax benefits, planning on paying a good wage, and then city leaders tell them that they can't pay that much because OTHER manufacturers don't want to raise wages. If you want to treat your employees like crap-move to SD.

We're still here because of family. When my mom is gone, we're considering moving to Germany. My husband spent about half of his childhood there, and he wants to go back. Taxes are high there, but the standard of living is better than it is here, too. I wouldn't recommend SD to anyone. If you want to be cold, go to Minnesota, where you can make a living, the people are friendlier, and life is much better (I used to live there, myself, and have family there-so much more to do, so much better government, so much better opportunities). IMO, Sioux Falls is the only place in SD worth living (and not where I live, unfortunately).

Sorry that is your experience. ND and SD life are not easy, for sure. However, the people are incredibly friendly and life can be good here as well, just as I am sure it is in MN

Just to add, MN is a liberal state and SD is very conservative, so the difference in political viewpoints can definitely add to a person's opinion of the state they reside in based on their own views.

[Pestle]

Look, as far as I'm concerned, any place that gets more than a light dusting of snow on the ridgetops in winter is the 9th circle of hell.

[nannyde]

I love Sioux Falls. I have been there many times. The problems I see is housing is pricey. Tax of 7 percent on food and low rates for child care.

[Leigh]

I love Sioux Falls. I have been there many times. The problems I see is housing is pricey. Tax of 7 percent on food and low rates for child care.

Some areas of Sioux Falls are less pricey than my city. My sister has luxury home in a new neighborhood in SW Sioux Falls. I have a spec home (split level, basic finish). She has 1000 more square feet. Her home was $3,000 more than mine. Of course, hers has appreciated significantly (by about $120,000) in the 5 years since she bought it-prices are rising there, too. You can still buy more for less there, but they're catching up to us because housing is so tight there. Realtor is the profession to be in there-houses are selling instantly!

You're so right about rates-I have a friend in Sioux Falls who does childcare, and she charges $30 a week less than I do! It's crazy to lots of people how we pay taxes on food and clothing here. I'd rather see a state income tax (flat tax), personally, but I doubt it will ever happen.

Sioux Falls is an awesome city, though-it's top ranked for music fans (because of the availability of entertainment)-it doesn't rank much lower than Nashville. They have everything that a larger city has in a more compact space-friendly people, top notch medical care, and so much growth. My small city actually has more crime per capita than Sioux Falls-it's fairly safe for it's size. We've considered moving there several times, but decided that our next move is going to be a big one.