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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Starting A Home Day Care~What do I need to know?
Tammy 06:08 AM 05-20-2010
I have been reading this forum like crazy and have been learning alot! I want to start a home daycare and want to make sure I have all of "my ducks in a row"

Can you tell me what I need to know/have organized/policies/rules/payments/basically everything I need to have before I accpet parents/kids?

I would like to start out with babies and I was thinking of charging slighlty less for babies and a higher rate for toddler/spreschool aged. Only because with babies the parents supply all of the diapers/food/etc not me and as they get older I would begin to provide the food/activity supplies/etc.

Is this an ideal way to do it, or should I just charge the same across the board no matter the age?
I have a ton of questions and would like to start with what y'all think I should start with first so I can being to build from there.

Thanks!
Tammy in
North Central Floida.
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melskids 10:21 AM 05-20-2010
first, and most important, is you need to check with your state to see what the regulations are regarding whether or not you need to be licensed, and how many children you can accept into care.

as far as what to charge for each age group.....

i charge the same for all ages. i figure each age comes with different needs and expenses. infants need alot of care all the time, toddlers need to be potty trained and make super huge messes, preschoolers cost more in curriculum, and school agers eat me out of house and home. so to me...it all evens out in the end.

good luck...and welcome!!!
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MarinaVanessa 10:22 AM 05-20-2010
I don't of anybody that charges less for infants (up to 2 years) because they are more work. I know I charge more for infants and charge less for toddlers and pre-schoolers and even less for school agers. Even if the parents supply everything think about it, none of the other kids need it, only the infants do. Other kiddos don't need, diapers, wipes, formula, breast-milk, baby-food etc. so the parents should provide these. Infants take more time, you have to prepare the bottles, hand-feed, change diapers etc. It's just more hands on work than any other age range so the norm is to charge more for infants.
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nannyde 10:26 AM 05-20-2010
Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa:
I don't of anybody that charges less for infants (up to 2 years) because they are more work. I know I charge more for infants and charge less for toddlers and pre-schoolers and even less for school agers. Even if the parents supply everything think about it, none of the other kids need it, only the infants do. Other kiddos don't need, diapers, wipes, formula, breast-milk, baby-food etc. so the parents should provide these. Infants take more time, you have to prepare the bottles, hand-feed, change diapers etc. It's just more hands on work than any other age range so the norm is to charge more for infants.
I don't think infants are more work but the State only allows a certan number of them and the centers can't make money off of them so the slots are more valuable. (more babies on the market than any other age group)
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MarinaVanessa 10:33 AM 05-20-2010
I agree that based on the states standards (where you are required to be either licensed or registered) you can only have a max of infants and it can lower your ratio if you are full with the mas of infants (I can only have 3).

Also I do think it is more work with infants because of all of the diaper changing and one on one time that they need. I have an infant program where we do tummy time, and infant activities and it tales more attention from me to work with them than it does when I'm working with the other kiddos. The other kiddos I can give instructions to and they can do whatever the activity is and need minimal help from me. Don't get me wrong, I love having infants more than any other age-group and of I could have a house full of them I would, it just takes more time.
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grandmom 01:19 PM 05-20-2010
1. Get licensed if your state requires it.
2. Call the local providers and be honest. Ask them if you can visit, see their handbook, and prices. Join the local family child care association.
3. Go to school or training.
4. Start out with monthly payments in advance, payment whether the kid is there or not, paid holidays, etc. (see the issues discussed widely here)
5. Realize that as a new provider, you will likely get calls from parents who jump from provider to provider, chasing the lowest prices, earliest opening, latest closing, etc. Set your standards now for how you want to be treated later.
6. Find something to do in your off hours to balance your life - church, exercise, volunteer, something - so you won't burn out.
7. Never under-estimate the power of an angry parent. Get a bound book to make notes in when you have a touchy conversation.
8. This is a business. Run it like one, with honesty and integrity.
9. Get a degree in family counseling. You are not caring for children. You are helping the entire family, and that often includes counseling, with a few diapers between mom's drop-off, and dad's pick-up.
10. Read adult books. Otherwise your vocabulary will reduce to a 4 year old.
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misol 03:52 PM 05-20-2010
Originally Posted by grandmom:
1. Get licensed if your state requires it.
2. Call the local providers and be honest. Ask them if you can visit, see their handbook, and prices. Join the local family child care association.
3. Go to school or training.
4. Start out with monthly payments in advance, payment whether the kid is there or not, paid holidays, etc. (see the issues discussed widely here)
5. Realize that as a new provider, you will likely get calls from parents who jump from provider to provider, chasing the lowest prices, earliest opening, latest closing, etc. Set your standards now for how you want to be treated later.
6. Find something to do in your off hours to balance your life - church, exercise, volunteer, something - so you won't burn out.
7. Never under-estimate the power of an angry parent. Get a bound book to make notes in when you have a touchy conversation.
8. This is a business. Run it like one, with honesty and integrity.
9. Get a degree in family counseling. You are not caring for children. You are helping the entire family, and that often includes counseling, with a few diapers between mom's drop-off, and dad's pick-up.
10. Read adult books. Otherwise your vocabulary will reduce to a 4 year old.
Great advice!
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Tammy 07:43 AM 05-25-2010
Thanks so much for the advice. I have thought about just charging the same across the board, now I think I will.

I am right now prepping my house for little ones. With my own kids ages 7 and almost 10 it's been a while since I have had little ones around. But I am really looking forward to it.
I don't think I will have more than 4-5 max with a mix of ages just because I don't have a large home. I would like to start with 2 littles ones, learn how to handle that and then add one at a time till I get to my max.
I would like to hire a part time assistant for the afternoon so I can pick up my kids from school, etc. I am bit worried about hiring someone part time though because I will be leaving them alone in my home with the kids for varying times and that takes alot of trust!

I have ran businesses at home/worked at home before, so I am familiar with cost of the record keeping, but need to learn what I need to do for daycare.
I live in Florida, so I need to become regestered, and then I will work on becoming licensed.

Do I need to provide a crib for each child for naps? Or would a pack n play be ok? I don't really have any seperate rooms for the children to nap in and I don't have tons of space (but have a good size yard to play in). I have been trying to figure out how to do that part as well. More than likely they will nap in my living room, but I would like something I can store out of the way when they are not napping.
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Unregistered 04:50 PM 01-24-2012
HI, you may use a pack and play and one for each child is always good to have.cribs are not allowed for day care know more.i am thinking about day care out of my home to.any way good luck..
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