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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Which Niche Would You Choose and Why?
Unregistered 12:12 PM 12-08-2018
I am hoping the experienced providers can give me some insight and help guide this decision:

I am at a great point in the business to market myself as a niche provider. I have had 2 infants since 12 weeks, they are a year old now, and I am ready to grow. I WILL NOT offer infant care.

My choices are toddlers 12-36 months or preschoolers 3-5.

Which would you choose and why?

I've read all of the 'fave' age threads and I'm torn for these reasons: toddlers are still dumpers and all the diaper changing is awful, whereas, preschoolers are difficult due to coming in with old habits and big attitudes... but the already-potty-trained part appeals to me.

Please, weigh in. I know my answer is here.
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CalCare 09:40 PM 12-08-2018
I think 12 - 36 months is a bad range because you will have some walking, some crawling. In my area, that is actually a combo of infants and toddlers. In California, infants are 23 months and under. They age out of infants on the second birthday.
I honestly like all ages for different reasons. But to choose what age is easiest, as a group, for ONE lone caregiver, that would be the 3-5 in my opinion. It's just more manageable because they can be safer, without as close supervision as the younger age, and as one lone caregiver, your attention is always divided.
Oh and interestingly, dumping toys and changing diapers aren't on my radar ast all! Not a problem for me lol
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Josiegirl 02:36 AM 12-09-2018
What is your area looking like as far as getting calls for preschoolers? I know around here, home providers mostly just get infant inquiries because so many places now offer "preschool" that it's hard to fill that gap. Would you advertise and offer an actual preschool environment?
As far as choosing which one of those age groups I'd prefer, I'm really just not sure.
I love the toddlers but dread potty training and working with parents on that. It takes so much longer getting them all ready to go outside in the winter. At 12 mo I still deal with high chairs and cribs; I know some people transition at that age but I find it very challenging to do. I don't mind doing diapers; much rather do that than potty training.
Preschoolers can be a lot of fun to work with together, develop a curriculum and use themes to teach. But they can be sassy, tease other kids, bring in inappropriate words and actions, are a bit more difficult to redirect and discipline once they gain attention over negative things.

I think if you're torn over which niche to fill but enjoy/dislike some aspects of both, you need to figure out which might be an easier niche to attract in your area.
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LysesKids 07:28 AM 12-09-2018
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I am hoping the experienced providers can give me some insight and help guide this decision:

I am at a great point in the business to market myself as a niche provider. I have had 2 infants since 12 weeks, they are a year old now, and I am ready to grow. I WILL NOT offer infant care.

My choices are toddlers 12-36 months or preschoolers 3-5.

Which would you choose and why?

I've read all of the 'fave' age threads and I'm torn for these reasons: toddlers are still dumpers and all the diaper changing is awful, whereas, preschoolers are difficult due to coming in with old habits and big attitudes... but the already-potty-trained part appeals to me.

Please, weigh in. I know my answer is here.
First, it depends on the state you live whether a child under 24 months is considered an infant (some state infants are up to 12 months, some 18 months, some up to 24); that said, it was all I did until I closed recently; under 24 months lol. If I had to choose & start over, it would still be younger babes.

Even with preschoolers, you might have some that aren't Potty trained at 3 years so you would have to specify that your childcare home only accepts fully trained children in order to attend "preschool daycare" unless you want to deal with changing & training - I personally wouldn't want to deal with the attitudes of the older kids unless they had been in my care from an early age.
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dreamer 10:52 AM 12-09-2018
I’ve been trying to make this exact same decision.

Just yesterday I babysat a 1 year old and a 2 year old, and this has got me thinking that I might stick with the 3-5 year old age group instead. The 1 year old was running around taking everything down (photo frames, books etc.), and the 2 year old was freaking out if I wasn’t paying attention to her and sobbing if I wouldn’t help her do simple things that she could do herself (I.e. get off of her chair). I think I would personally be happier watching a group of kids who are slightly more interested in doing things themselves and also more likely to listen if I’ve already told them a few times not to pick something up.
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Ariana 02:35 PM 12-09-2018
I like younger kids. Older kids are usually already set in their patterned behavior and it is harder to change them out of it. Younger kids are much more malleable in terms of behavior. For example all of the 12 mos olds I have ever started are very independant and take direction very well. Every older kid I have started is over the top attention seeking and have zero ability to play on their own.
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nanglgrl 05:15 PM 12-09-2018
That’s hard, if anything I would do 12months to 3 year olds. I already don’t do under 12 months and most go to preschool here so that’s basically what I have now with the majority being between 2-3.5.

I don’t have a problem with dumping and do have a gated area of my room for the younger children who haven’t quite learned to play with others or pick up toys. It’s mostly so the 2, 3 and 4 year olds can play without being disrupted by a younger child knocking things over, taking things etc.

I think every age group has its positives and negatives. The infants usually need more 1:1 and their parents usually want way more documentation/information/clarification. The 1 year olds sometimes go through biting and separation anxiety and get bumps, bruises and scratches more. 2 is also when you usually have parents wanting to potty train children who aren’t ready and 2 year olds test boundaries a lot. 2.5-3.5 year olds are my sweet spot, their emerging personalities, ability to start potty training, better self help skills, willingness to be helpers, etc...they’re my favorite. Older 3 year olds sometimes go through that lying stage such as saying a friend was mean when they weren’t which I don’t enjoy, 4 year olds can be great as well but generally I’m ready for them to go at that point. They get bored easier, some get a little too “big” to be around the littles for so long, some parents expect them to be taught things they aren’t ready for yet, etc.

It all depends on what you like to do and what you’re equipt to do. I like potty training (on my terms), teaching self-help skills, watching children pretend play, helping with social/emotional problems and teaching children to help, lead and follow basic rules so a group of mostly 2-3 year olds is perfect for me.
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Blackcat31 06:51 AM 12-10-2018
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I am hoping the experienced providers can give me some insight and help guide this decision:

I am at a great point in the business to market myself as a niche provider. I have had 2 infants since 12 weeks, they are a year old now, and I am ready to grow. I WILL NOT offer infant care.

My choices are toddlers 12-36 months or preschoolers 3-5.

Which would you choose and why?

I've read all of the 'fave' age threads and I'm torn for these reasons: toddlers are still dumpers and all the diaper changing is awful, whereas, preschoolers are difficult due to coming in with old habits and big attitudes... but the already-potty-trained part appeals to me.

Please, weigh in. I know my answer is here.
Depends on which age group you work best with.

In my area specializing in any specific age group severely limits enrollment possibilities as there are so many child care providers with open preschool spaces and then on the flip side, there are tons of toddlers and infants needing care and not finding any availability.

It would not be cost effective for me to choose one group only as we are limited to specific ratios per age category.

If I accepted infants and toddlers only my max capacity would be 8 and I'd have to hire a second adult so the profit would be even less after paying employee wages.

It definitely depends on your area's needs and what your needs are as far a finances and tolerance level.
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Msdunny 09:38 AM 12-10-2018
I personally love the over-18- month group, up until about 4 1/2. So I would choose that range. I love when the kiddos start learning things and you know you played a part in that learning. Around 4 1/2, they tend to get more bored with my daily schedule and are really ready for the rigors of kindergarten.
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Unregistered 10:56 AM 12-10-2018
Can't be choosy about age around here. Can't compete with free preschool or head start. To top it off head start just expanded and now takes infants. Grr I've lost so many kids to head start and free school this year than I ever have before.
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