dayhome or no dayhome?

mummy2girls wrote: Im not sure but i am really debating if i should... Everyone says just do it shelly but im scared! I would love to be able to stay at home with jenna and still work as well. so this way i can:) i can have up to 6 kids including jenna...and charge around 500 per child... so that 2500 a month...eeeeek!

the reasons i didnt want to is because im scared i wont have all my spots filled and that kids will be yanked out because parents move or whatever and then im left with trying to ghet the spaces filled again. But i guess 90 percent of dayhome providers are single moms:) hmmmm....interesting!

I have the experience with kids and i know i can get the spaces filled im just scared it will take a long time and then im left with bills piling up and things getting cut off! aron said he would give me a 2000.00 loan to start the dayhome up andmy parents said they will help me as well:)


One big reason im thinking of doing this is because... the new prime minister that was elected is now wanting to change the child care ... right now if you qualify for childcare subsidy you get 400 a month that goes towards the fees and they send it directly to the centres and dayhomes...so you pay whatever is the remainding. So jennas dayhome cost 500 a month. so the gov pays 400 and i pay 100... now Harper wants to get rid of that and now give parents 25 bucks a week and you get taxed on it so you actually get less than 25 a week. and that what is given to help with the fees. so if that happens im looking at howe im going to pay that extra 400 a month for child care! they said it may take up to a year to come into affect and such but geez! so im freakign out a bit. I cant afford that! So i am thinking of just opening a dayhome so i dont have to worry about childcare and then be able to be a full time mom and work from home! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!

what do you think? do you think i would succeed? I have 13 years experience as a nanny. and also 5 years experience working with special; needs kids as well!

C&K*s Mommie replied: Let me get this straight first, the child care subsidy would be $25/wk~~ but after taxes it would be less than $25/month or less than $25/week after taxes??

Back on topic, of course you should open it! For all of the reasons you mentioned. Staying home with Jenna, providing a loving home for other children, supervised play with Jenna and the others, extra income without leaving home, your parents will help you out, and Aron will also. I say go for it!! BEST WISHES!!

mummy2girls replied:
i fixed it.. it stated right now...LOL

luvmykids replied: When I had the kids in daycare part time it was in a home and I loved it. Partly b/c we were away from home and the provider was a fill-in for grandma, but also b/c it was just so much cozier. She had her entire house devoted to it, so there were separate areas for naps, changing, etc. and she had a great playset in her yard too. I liked the idea of a smaller setting, now the only place I take them is Moms Day Out and it's the same ratio, 1 adult to 6 kids, but there are still waaay too many kids for my personal taste. And I liked the idea that if I had to take them out of our home for a few days a week at least they were in A home, KWIM? Seemed more comfortable and casual. But she was an awesome teacher too.

The moral of the story is ......I think a lot of moms love the idea of sending their kids to a dayhome and you sound really well qualified, so go for it!

BTW-She told me her "financial plan" in case she had gaps between kids was to keep 3kids X 3months worth of their pay in a savings account.

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: shelly if you lived near me, with your experience i would absolutely trust you with Logan. Even after his surgery!! And that says a LOT!! You should absolutely do this.

3_call_me_mama replied: Good luck with it if you do decide to.. My only issue is getting the spots full liek you said and keep ing good families that pay on time. Especially since you said yourself that gov't assistance fo rit is on teh decline.. If peopel are going to have to pay more out of pocket you aren't going to make as much and they may take the spot adn struggle to pay and you really dont' want to deal with those issues. But if it works, great. you will be home with Jenna and making some $$ and saving yourself some $$.

Celestrina replied: Do you know anyone with a similar business? Talk to them to find out exactly what it is like. Look into any legal requirements, licenses, and insurance that might be necessary. Do as much research as possible so you know what you are getting into. Sorry if I sound like a downer, but I just want you to be safe.

mummy2girls replied:
oh i woudl do it throught he agency im in righjt now..so i have no worried about legal iossues and such...

luvbug00 replied: If it's somthing you think you can do, then go for it!!! I worked in daycare and my sanity was failing so I sure couldn't handle it! LOL!!

mummy2girls replied: interesting to see some poeple chose no....

kayla's mama replied: I'm such a dunce!!!! I accidentaly hit the no button

I would say GO FOR IT!!!!!! You have the experience and sounds like the patients. If we lived closer I would definately trust you with my Tator-Tot.

Nathansmom replied: I say go for it! If I weren't working from home I was going to think about it, but I got a job where I work online.
Good dayhomes are hard to find, you'll have no problem filling up.

CAMSMOM1 replied: Shelley,

My Mom had a home daycare while we were growing up, so she could stay home with us. She was a Single Mother, and made GREAT money!!!! She made $3500 a month, and she also got to write off her Power Bill, and other bills for taxes because of having her business at home. So she got a lot of money back at the end of the year. She had 5 full-time children, and 3 part time children. And also had me, my brother & sister were in school. She did it for 15 years.

This is a word of mouth business, so it does take time to build up clients. But you can advertise in your phone book, put up fliers at college and the supermarkerts, ect. My Mom had a waiting list of people after a few years, because she was so good. But like I said it takes time. What you can do is advertise it and say you will be opening it in 3 months, or whatever. That will give you time to interview parents, and make sure you have the spots filled. KWIM?

You can also get food through the state for your daycare. Which you don't have to pay for. They just come once a month to monitor the food & meals.
She made our living room into a playroom for the kids. She had lots of toys, books, and supplies for the children. Everyday they had arts & crafts, music and movement, outside play time and games, she had a schedule of activities for the children. She provided, through the meal plan from teh state, breaskfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner.

She had sleeping mats for the toddlers, and play pins for the babies.
The bottom line is that she was very organized, loved children, had a lot of activites for the children, and home made for the children.

Not only would she interview the parents SEVERAL times, she would get 5 references from the parents, contact their former daycare providers...she did extensive backgrounds on the parents. She always said that she wasn't as interested in the child and their behavior (because the children were the easy part) but she needed to feel comfortable with teh parents, and make sure they were reliable, and going to not onlly pay her on time, but had the same views of raising the child. Don't accept a child for the sake of the money, make sure that the child and the parents are going to blend in nicely and they're going to be good clients. Because after all, this is a business. And in any business, you dont' just hire anyone off the street. KWIM?

You have to remember that this is a business, and not just babysitting. No matter how much you like the parents of teh children, they are your source of income and you ahve to handle it professionally. So you have to have a contract. In the contract you can put all your requirements, rules and guidelines. Such as when payment is due, late pick up fees, sick policy (such as children can'd attend if they have a fever/other than teething, throwing up, ect) vacation days for you (she took 2 weeks vacation PAID...just like you would get through any job...this was her time to make repairs to the house, ect. Many daycare providers have paid vacations. And as long as you put that in your contract with the set dates) If there are 3 or more late p/u in a month can result in termination, they have to give you 2 weeks notice if they will drop their child out of the daycare, ect. You need to be very specific in your contract, to protect yourself.

Also remember if you are sick, either you have to have a person who can fill in for you, or you have to continue to work. The parents are counting on you, and they can't take off from work because you're sick. That's why it's important they don't bring sick children, so you and the other children can stay healthy. And if your up all night with Jenna, or whatever, you can't call into work the next day. KWIM? This is a full time job, and you don't get a "break" other than their nap times. And you are home all day 5 days a week. It's not for people who need adult interaction, and get stir crazy.

I love children. I work with 60 children a day. But I like the fact that I can go to my job, out of the house, have adult interaction, I can call in sick when I need to, ect.

But there are a lot of perks working at home with your daycare. I just called my Mom, and she said you can write off 2/3 of your bills/expensises on your house. She got to stay home with us, and it was good interaction for us kids, it was like I had 9 brothers and sister...always a full house and I liked that. It's good money, and a very fullfilling job working with children.

There is alot to consider before you commit to this. But like you said, Aron and your mother can help you out. Go to yard sales and ask friends for any hand me down toys or play pins. You have to get licensed. Print out flyers and make ads in the paper. Make Business cards to hand out to famiy and friends. You can do this. Just make sure this is what you want to do.

Best of luck! Let us know what you decide. Do your research, and start advertising long before you want to open. Sorry this was so long, I just wanted to give you all the info I had through my Mother's experience.

Ann

punkeemunkee'smom replied: Shelly I say GO FOR IT!!! It sounds like you have the qualifications and you would be at home with Jenna and still making $$$. I hope it all works out for you!


BTW~ One of my closest friends has her daughter in a dayhome that has VERY STRICT rules for the parents to follow...NO late pickups or you are charged $10 per 10 minute period-in cash at pickup OR the child does not come back the next day until she is paid,NO sick children if she has to call and nobody comes to pick the child up she says she has people waiting in line and the child does not come back...I was when I heard the extent of the rules that she outlines BUT she has the cleanest well run daycare I have ever seen AND there really are people beating on her door to fill spots when 1 child leaves....I said all that to say that I think parents will respect rules set up for the GOOD of their kids and you will get the BEST clients you can have

mummy2girls replied:
~ i know that i can use my utilities for income tax purposes...

~Im doing this through the dayhome/nanny agency i work for now...i register with them and get all my paper work done, and checks done, have them come to an inspection of my place for safety issues and then they get the word out for me and i as well on the side do to:)

~the food through the state im not sure about because i am from canada and it may differ then where you are. and we only have to provide 2 meals and 3 snacks.. so im dont have to worry about dinner.

~Teh contract it done through the agency. I make it up and then forward it to them and they have the regristration with the parents. I can add to it if i want as time goes on as well.

~As yes if im up barfing or jenna is as well i have the right to tell the parents not to bring the kids in. I know its not a good thing and will go agasint me but i am barelt ever sick with flus so i dotn have to worry.... so i am not forced to take care of kids if i dont want to. i dont have to get back up care because if i cant provide any then the agency steps in and find the parents back up care. .and yes i know that this is a full time 5 day a week job becaus ei do it know as a nanny. i know its not for adult interaction because i dont get it with the job i hjave now. So if i didnt think i could handle it as a dayhome provider i wouldnt be doing it as a nanny

~yes i know i need to be liscenced as i will do that through the agency... The agency also will give me toiys if i need any and such...

~

CAMSMOM1 replied: Shelley

It sounds like you've done your research and understand what it takes to run your business. And it also sounds like a GREAT agency that helps you set up your daycare, contract, and provides toys and back up sitters, and food.

Do they help advertise? If not, I suggest advertising now, getting your business name out there & spreading the word. The sooner you start getting it out there, they better you'll have children signed up long before you open.

And you have the right motives to start a daycare, and you have great experience with children. So I think you'll do just fine. You have it all planned out, have a great agency backing you up, and family will to get you started finacally. So it looks like a green light!!

I'm so excited for you! I know how much my mother enjoyed it, made great money and we got to spend time with her. Best of both worlds!

Wishing you the best of luck!!!

Ann