I am logged out for privacy, but I am just starting out providing childcare. Right now I only have one 4 yr old (I had her at my previous daycare I worked at, before it shut down. Her parents wanted her to stay with me, so they are paying me extra for picking her up in the next town over (25 min away), and dropping her off in the evening in my town (I live just outside town, so I meet her parents in town so they can pick her up in evenings). Well, last week the mom e-mailed, asking if I could start going to their house to watch her, until I get other children enrolled. I am already going to their town to pick her up each morning, but they live about 10-15 min even further into town than I've been going to pick her up. I LIKE watching her here at my own home. I have her a preschool area set up, an oudoor play area set up, etc. we go to the park, library, McDonald's playplace, etc and their town does not have all this available. And we have finally gotten into a smooth routine that seems to be working well for us (the 4 yr old is all about routine and gets really upset if her routine is changed). Plus I'm just much more comfortable watching a child in my own home all day long than I would be at someone else's house. I e-mailed back, saying I'd much rather just keep watching her here. I never got an e-mail back, so I've been just picking her up as usual and dropping her off as usual. But things feel awkward between me and her mom now. We always got along great, and we still do, but it just feels kind of awkward. She had been giving me her schedule for a month at a time, and now she only does it week by week. I don't know if they are unhappy with the care she gets at my house or what. But do you think I should have been a little more accommodating and went along with it since I do have to go to their town anyway to pick her up each morning, just until I get more children?

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well it would cut down on the gas you are spending each day.But it would make you a nanny and no longer self employed. that means they are then required to pay the employers portions of SS

You will no longer be able to take the deductions for having a home business because you will be their employee

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If your goal is to start your own daycare, you really need to stay at your home so that you are ready for other kids as soon as you can get them enrolled.

If things work better at your house even if you were to stay a nanny, that is okay too. You dont have to say yes to them. I am guessing they are asking because it is more convenient for them, not realizing (or maybe not caring) that their daughter is doing better at your house and with the routine as is. I would be prepared for them to find another nanny though since mom no longer will commit to a schedule more than a week in advance.

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I know it's hard to start out, I opened last January but I got one family enrolled then another family enrolled and now I'm full since I have a waiting list. Are you actively advertising? It took a TON of interviews before I became good at it. With you working in your home starting out it is giving you the experience and confidence to answer the next persons questions about what you do all day. Why are you driving to get this girl also? I think you just started out on the wrong foot of seeming like a nanny to begin with. Did you agree at your home after a tour and contract signing that you would be willing to drive to meet them? Why can't they find someone closer to home if they can't commute? Do you know anything else about your home daycare that they do or don't like or that you want to change still?

I personally in the end stay home and work on your business and advertise! When you get one family another will come and another.

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I worked at a daycare & preschool before, so I knew this family through this. The owner gave the daycare up, and all the parents had to find a new daycare. This family wanted their daughter to stay with me as her preschool teacher since it is her last year before Kindergarten. They know and trust me already and were willing to do what it took to make it work. They didn't even come to see my house before sending her. We decided that they'd pay more, and I'd go pick her up in the town they live in (I was commuting to work each day at the daycare, so was used to driving there everyday anyway). They were the ideal family to have at the daycare, NO problems with payment, late pick-ups, etc. They always kept up with what was going on: show and tells, field trips, water days, etc. so I haven't made a contract with them yet. We verbally agreed that they'd pay me on the first day of her attendance each week, and agreed on her hours, but nothing written. I knew there wouldn't be problems with late pick-ups unless there was a real good reason for it. I can't think of anything that they wouldn't be happy with. Just the drive to pick her up. And usually if they had any questions about anything, or thought we could do something different, they'd very respectfully ask, and it was always something practical that we could do. So I think they should feel free to say if anything was bothering them. I'm guessing it's just the convenience for them the reason she even asked me if I could. But I wish she would have e-mailed back to say something about my response.
I'm probably just over thinking it. I don't blame her for wanting to avoid the drive. I don't enjoy the 6:45 am, 25 minute drive every morning either. And then the 25 min back home after picking her up. BUT it's my only income and I love the little girl, so I keep it up. I've been caring for their daughter since she was about 15 months old, so giving her up in her last year before Kindergarten just seems too sad.

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