NEWBIE to Board and Business. PLEASE HELP!

[Leapoffaith]

Hello All,

I'm really taking a leap of faith here. I'm a computer programmer that wants to run my own business and primarily work from home. My job causes me to use the maximum of my brain daily. It is VERY draining. At times, I can not think straight, and I'm very unappreciated by my employer.

I love kids and feel that home daycare is a quick and enjoyable way that could help me be my 'own' boss. My problem is that I'm inexperienced with childcare and I am the primary bread earner in my family right now. I'm afraid to take the leap of faith.

I have my registered home permit. I'm searching for home daycare liability insurance. Although, liability insurance is not required in my state, I would like it for precautionary reasons. If someone could please answer a few of my questions, I'd appreciate it, and thank you in advance.

Is it difficult finding kids to care for?
How long does it usually take after advertisement to start getting kids?
Should I be advertising 'now' for kids while I look for liability insurance or wait until I have liability insurance to advertise?
How do I approach or interview parents without any childcare experience?(I have two kids of my own).
Who would you recommend for liability insurance?
Is the pay, decent? (meaning earning at least $45,000 per year)
Did you leave a decent paying job to take a leap of faith by opening up your home daycare? If so, has it been a good or bad experience? Any regrets?

Thank you

[Michael]

Welcome to the Daycare.com Forum! I've upgraded your status. You can post freely now.

Some of the members will chime in. For the time being, here is a tag from those that write how much they appreciate doing daycare: http://daycare.com/forum/tags.php?tag=love+daycare

I can tell you that $45,000 a year is rather high in my opinion but there are a couple states that provider more money for daycare, those being California and Texas. I see that you are in Texas and we have several here from your state. Hopefully they will provide you with some helpful information.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by Leapoffaith

Hello All,

I'm really taking a leap of faith here. I'm a computer programmer that wants to run my own business and primarily work from home. My job causes me to use the maximum of my brain daily. It is VERY draining. At times, I can not think straight, and I'm very unappreciated by my employer.

I really hate to be the bearer of bad news but child care is no different. VERY unappreciated by the parents we have and VERY stressful at times as well. Don't be discourage though but I just wanted to make sure you were aware that if you are leaving your current job to avoid those issues, it is a lot of the same stuff.

I love kids and feel that home daycare is a quick and enjoyable way that could help me be my 'own' boss. My problem is that I'm inexperienced with childcare and I am the primary bread earner in my family right now. I'm afraid to take the leap of faith.

I have my registered home permit. I'm searching for home daycare liability insurance. Although, liability insurance is not required in my state, I would like it for precautionary reasons. If someone could please answer a few of my questions, I'd appreciate it, and thank you in advance.

Is it difficult finding kids to care for? Some people have no issues and others try for a long time to find kids. Depends on the need for care in your area.

How long does it usually take after advertisement to start getting kids? (see above...depends on the needs of your area)

Should I be advertising 'now' for kids while I look for liability insurance or wait until I have liability insurance to advertise? If liability is NOT required then I would go ahead and start looking now as it doesn't take long to get going on the insurance once you find a carrier.

How do I approach or interview parents without any childcare experience?(I have two kids of my own). Be yourself and offer up your own personal experiences with kids. To be a loving, safe, and secure home does not require much so just be yourself.
Who would you recommend for liability insurance? I am sorry I can't help there as I am in MN but I would check to see if your current home owners has a clause or rider for daycare you can add.
Is the pay, decent? (meaning earning at least $45,000 per year) LOL!!! It can be, but honesly I wouldn't automatically expect it. I usually pay into the IRS every year and after I gross a good amount I end up netting only a small amount after exenses. So the yearly income you make is again dependent on the rates in your area, how thrifty you are and your expenses.

Did you leave a decent paying job to take a leap of faith by opening up your home daycare? If so, has it been a good or bad experience? Any regrets?
Yes, I left a great job working for Head Start and no, I don't regret it at all. My personal experience has been great and I would do it all over again if I had the chance but I would be much tougher with the backbone from the get go.

Thank you

I answered in bold above. Welcome to the forum! The best advice I can give you is to spend some time here reading as many posts as you can and gleening any tidbits of info from them that you can.

Good luck!

[Leapoffaith]

Thank you so much for the welcome and advice, Michael and Blackcat.

[Leapoffaith]

I just wanted to add that I know all jobs are stressful, but looking at computer code and using 'maximum' brain cells 8 to 10 hours a day is VERY draining not only stressful. At least, childcare, I won't have to 'think' to the maximum of my brain EVERY day I'm assuming?

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by Leapoffaith

I just wanted to add that I know all jobs are stressful, but looking at computer code and using 'maximum' brain cells 8 to 10 hours a day is VERY draining not only stressful. At least, childcare, I won't have to 'think' to the maximum of my brain EVERY day I'm assuming?

Sometimes I think I am not using very much of my brain at all during the day
and that can be as exhausting as using all if it....kwim?

The lack of being able to do something as simple as get a minute to pee is frustrating.

There is also always that one kid (no matter how many you have) that will go against the grain and not comply.

You will have parents you LOVE and kids you "tolerate" as well as having kids you adore and parents that can't drop off/pick up quick enough.

You will have to chase your pay check from time to time and literally have to say the words to things you thought were common sense to most folk.

There will be times where you think having a day off is heaven only to come back to work and find that ALL of your kids forgot every manner and rule you have taught them.

There will be times that you love your job and times you hate it.

You will learn to multi-task much more efficiently than you ever thought possible.

You will learn to describe poo and puke with colorful words and sadly with meaning.

You will learn to appreciate parenting styles that are similar to yours and probably hate the styles that are most parent friendly as parent friendly is NEVER child care friendly.


On the flip side, you will be the boss. You will be able to take time and days off that YOU choose and that work for you. You will get to decide if the day is going to be structured or lazy...you can get a tan while being outside, and color whenever you want to. You will learn the value of good food and good sleep. Kids will say things and do things that you never imagined.

Basically you will cry, laugh, blush, steam, frown, giggle, chuckle, gasp and sigh millions of times in one day and then get up and do it all over again!

My advice to you is to really really read the venting thread on this forum http://daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35057 (as well as other threads) and learn to have a super strong backbone from the beginning.

Know that there is a difference between being friendly and being friends. Know that daycare parents HAVE to be clients first and that every single parent/family out there is always going to do what works best for them first and foremost no matter how you feel about it. You should do the same and NEVER feel bad about it.

Get yourself a good, clear policy handbook and stick to it. You can do "special" for families if you choose to as that is one perk of being self-employed bit NEVER EVER do "special" expecting the favor to garner you a reward, return or gratitude. If you choos eto do "special" do it because YOU want to. Once you do "special" for a daycare family, it becomes special only for you and expected for them.

I don't mean to paint daycare families in a bad light as my families are all pretty great but part of me believes they are great because I have very clear boundaries and expectations as well as very open communication with them.

Good luck and remember that child care is tough but is and can be very rewarding if you don't let the little things get to you and you just take it one day at a time!

[Leapoffaith]

Thank you, Blackcat. I will look into the vent thread and others.

[Michael]

Originally Posted by Leapoffaith

Thank you, Blackcat. I will look into the vent thread and others.

Also, around naptime the Chat room gets active and you may want to join in.