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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Daycare in a Rural Setting?
Cupajoe 06:47 AM 07-22-2012
Hello! I live in a small town in Iowa and my family will be moving (hopefully soon) to a larger home a few miles out of town in a rural area. I have 4 children and I babysit my niece and nephew at the moment, but this will probably be my last year doing so as they will all be school age. I have always planned on opening a home daycare when this time came. Will my home being located in a rural area hurt my business? It is an acreage with lots of room to run and play, we plan on having a couple of goats and some bunnies when we move there, and it is a quiet and beautiful area...HOWEVER, there is about 1mile of gravel road to travel to get to the house and snow or wet conditions can make driving an issue. What do you think? Thank you.
melskids 07:51 AM 07-22-2012
I live in upstate central NY on a mountain, on a dirt road, 7 miles from town.
Those who live in town all travel 20+ miles in the other direction to get to work.
When we first moved here, I didn't think I would get any business at all, or find anyone to come up here, especially in the winter.
It took a while to get my name out there, but I've been full for a while now, and have to turn people away.
I even have a few families who travel 20 miles to get to me, only to turn around and travel BACK 25 miles for work. Twice a day!
Quality childcare is worth the drive, and good families looking for high quality will understand that.
What was that line in that baseball movie years ago? ...If you build it, they will come.
LOL
Those who live in town all travel 20+ miles in the other direction to get to work.
When we first moved here, I didn't think I would get any business at all, or find anyone to come up here, especially in the winter.
It took a while to get my name out there, but I've been full for a while now, and have to turn people away.
I even have a few families who travel 20 miles to get to me, only to turn around and travel BACK 25 miles for work. Twice a day!
Quality childcare is worth the drive, and good families looking for high quality will understand that.
What was that line in that baseball movie years ago? ...If you build it, they will come.
LOL
daycarediva 12:00 PM 07-22-2012
I think being in a rural environment would be a big perk for some families. Most kids get limitied opportunities to run and play freely in the country. I live on the very outskirts of town (about 15 minutes from the thruway though) and get a TON of positive feedback on my location, although I have parents driving long distances to get to me, and then to go back the other way to go to work.
Although in NY, you would never be able to have the daycare kids around goats or chickens, etc. (and yes I asked because we wanted to get chickens!)
Although in NY, you would never be able to have the daycare kids around goats or chickens, etc. (and yes I asked because we wanted to get chickens!)
melskids 02:18 PM 07-22-2012
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
I think being in a rural environment would be a big perk for some families. Most kids get limitied opportunities to run and play freely in the country. I live on the very outskirts of town (about 15 minutes from the thruway though) and get a TON of positive feedback on my location, although I have parents driving long distances to get to me, and then to go back the other way to go to work.
Although in NY, you would never be able to have the daycare kids around goats or chickens, etc. (and yes I asked because we wanted to get chickens!)
You're in NY? Maybe that's a county thing. I've asked, and I was told it was OK. I know there was another provider on here who does a farm to table program and has her daycare on her farm. Hmmm.I think being in a rural environment would be a big perk for some families. Most kids get limitied opportunities to run and play freely in the country. I live on the very outskirts of town (about 15 minutes from the thruway though) and get a TON of positive feedback on my location, although I have parents driving long distances to get to me, and then to go back the other way to go to work.
Although in NY, you would never be able to have the daycare kids around goats or chickens, etc. (and yes I asked because we wanted to get chickens!)
daycarediva 04:51 AM 07-23-2012
Maybe it is a county thing! I can't use farm fresh eggs or produce either. FRUSTRATING! 
SilverSabre25 04:55 AM 07-23-2012
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
Maybe it is a county thing! I can't use farm fresh eggs or produce either. FRUSTRATING!
Maybe it is a county thing! I can't use farm fresh eggs or produce either. FRUSTRATING!
...you can't use farm fresh produce??? Why on earth not? That seems absolutely ridiculous! No, it IS absolutely ridiculous. How do they define that? Or check it? Are they trying to dissuade you from using fresh food at all? 'Cause that's how it sounds! Good lord and they wonder why there's an obesity epidemic...couldn't have any tie to the ridiculous pronouncements against perfectly healthy food, could it?