Getting Licensed vs Staying Legally Unlicensed

[Boymom]

I'm legally unlicensed and can only watch 3 unrelated children.

I am interested in becoming licensed, but I am very anxious about it for some reason.

Is it easier to watch more kids than to watch 3 kids? I think I read somewhere on here that it's actually better to have more kids than less kids. Is that true? I totally dread having to deal with more parents though. Parents stress me out !

The thought of the state coming in my home overwhelms me, not because I have anything to hide or that I'm doing something wrong, it just overwhelms me because the kids act like absolute fools when an adult is here.

I had other questions but I'm drawing a blank haha! I guess I just want to know the positives vs negatives of having a licensed home daycare.

[Max]

My old provider constantly told me how more kids made her day way easier than having less kids!

She said with more kids, they play together and entertain each other a lot more. I suppose since there are more kids for each child to talk to and interact with, then it doesn't all fall on the provider.

I can't speak from experience (yet) though

[Gemma]

I'm one of those providers that much rather have 5-6 kids than only 2 or 3!
...the kids get bored easy when the group is small and they constantly fight for my absolute attention,making the day drag.... the busier I am the faster my day goes by

Having said that, it really comes down to what kids you have

[Controlled Chaos]

I did unlicensed for 2 years and was super nervous about becoming licensed. It really isn't that hard. And the state did a big initial inspection and now I only see them twice a year. I really like my inspector. She is more of a coach than anything. I had an infraction my first year, I had misunderstood a rule. She was super nice and understanding about it. She helped me figure out how to fix it, told me she would be back within a month to make sure the change was made, came back the next week to check - she was in and out within 5min. Its been a good experience. I agree with more kids is easier (to a point). 6-7 is probably the least work, I like having 8 though too I don't think the overhead is much more with each additional child either.

[daycarediva]

Even numbers (kids tend to pair up) and having 6 makes my day run smooth!

When I have 4 or less it just draaaaggsss by.

Licensing here is not a big deal, the paperwork is easy and the registrars I have had are just trying to be helpful

[Boymom]

I just looked at the minimum standards for my state and it's 245 pages!!! That's going to take some time to study haha!

I don't have the biggest house though, so I wonder how many kids could comfortably fit in my house. And I'm trying to figure out where they all would sleep!

[finsup]

I stay legally unliscesned for a few reasons. Right now, as legally unliscesned my own kids don't count in my numbers. If I got liscesned, I would loose 3 spots just to them. Also, the space size I have the most they would liscense me for is 6. Legally unliscesned I can have 2. So, math wise, start out with 6 spots, take 3 away due to my own, 3 left. That's only one more kid then what I can do legally unliscesned, not worth it.
Plus, the updates to the home they'd want done cost more then im willing to pay right now .
Then there's the state telling you how to run your business...and yeah...I'm not good with that. My husband smokes, and if he came home early he couldn't smoke with the daycare kids here. Outside obviously, it's always outside away from the kids regardless. But, I don't want him restricted if he took a day off etc. Just one example.
Another reason, I already have 5 kids total. It will be 6 whenever baby number 4 happens. Between that many and homeschooling I'm all set on adding more .

[Blackcat31]

I just looked at the minimum standards for my state and it's 245 pages!!! That's going to take some time to study haha!

I don't have the biggest house though, so I wonder how many kids could comfortably fit in my house. And I'm trying to figure out where they all would sleep!

Pg 121 of your regulations: "Your registered or licensed child-care home must have at least 30 square feet of
indoor useable activity space for each child in care"

[Controlled Chaos]

Pg 121 of your regulations: "Your registered or licensed child-care home must have at least 30 square feet of
indoor useable activity space for each child in care"

Yep that's a good start to figure out how many kiddos you can have.

Also, don't get too stressed about the # of pages of rules. I was super overwhelmed at first and then I realized that 3/4 of the rules are things like "change diapers when wet" and "no choking hazards within reach" etc. As I went through them all I noticed I was doing almost all of those things already

[Boymom]

I measured and the main room we are in is 12.1x30.8 ft, so 372.68 sq ft. I think I can have 12 then as long as they are ages 2 and up. I hope I'm doing my math right haha! I really can't imagine 12 kids in this space though. I feel like they would be running into each other!