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SilverSabre25 01:12 PM 07-17-2013
Tell me I'm crazy. That is, IF I'm actually crazy, which I'm not sure if I am or not.

I'm thinking of switching to caring for only ages 6 weeks to 36 months. Maybe it's me, maybe I just don't like preschoolers much, or maybe it's my house and it's just too hard to meet the needs of infants, toddlers, AND preschoolers all at once with my house the way it is. Either way. I've concluded that my unhappiness with daycare is solely based on the daggone preschoolers.

Hence, the idea to do only 6 wks to 36 months.

I have a 10x11ft room that I use right now as a Nap room. I would transform and redecorate this to be the Daycare Room, a space specifically for the little guys. I would also use half of my largish family room (just down the hall from this room) to be a more open space for playing at certain times (like morning nap for the wee ones).

I want to provide diapers--cloth, that is. They bring me a package of what they use at home and get changed just before pick ups. I will use flushable liners and wash dipes every night

I'm seriously considering if I can manage to provide baby food, too (probably make it myself) but most likely will not. Will do a 4 week rotating menu of simple, easy to prepare and eat stuff for the 1 and 2 yos.

No formal curriculum. Just lots of open ended creative activities, playdough, sensory, water play, balls, crawling, walking, moving grooving, books, and other baby and toddle toys. Walks around the neighborhood. Good food, good naps, good playtime.

AM I CRAZY?

or just desperate?
Reply
LoraJenkins 01:29 PM 07-17-2013
If you are crazy, count me in!! I would SO love to care for the same ages solely too! I get so tired of the preschool drama!!!
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countrymom 01:52 PM 07-17-2013
I do 4 and under. Well its more like 3.5 yrs and under because then they go to school here. I love my group. Not only do they work well, but they don't get bored as easily, I love watching them discover new things. I supply all baby food, not formula. I had parents in the past bring me expired food, stinky food, food their child will not eat. So I starting supplying it. So much easier, I know what the children like, I also know that its fresh too.
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juliebug 01:53 PM 07-17-2013
I would do it too I love infants and used to work in an infant center 6wks to 2years I would do it again In a heart beat
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SilverSabre25 01:57 PM 07-17-2013
Originally Posted by countrymom:
I do 4 and under. Well its more like 3.5 yrs and under because then they go to school here. I love my group. Not only do they work well, but they don't get bored as easily, I love watching them discover new things. I supply all baby food, not formula. I had parents in the past bring me expired food, stinky food, food their child will not eat. So I starting supplying it. So much easier, I know what the children like, I also know that its fresh too.
how do you work that with knowing what they child has had at home, etc? I'm really curious! This is what I would prefer to do.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 02:12 PM 07-17-2013
If it makes your heart happy to think about it sounds like a great direction for you to go in! How many would you take?


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SilverSabre25 02:17 PM 07-17-2013
Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
If it makes your heart happy to think about it sounds like a great direction for you to go in! How many would you take?

I can have 5 not-my kids right now. The sixth is mine 3 of those can be under 2.
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Familycare71 02:23 PM 07-17-2013
I live in a ruaral area or I would so do this!!! If the ability is there go for it!!!
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Willow 02:26 PM 07-17-2013
I'd love to do the same!!!

As a parent though the consistency in caregivers would concern me though. I personally would prefer my kids have one caregiver/provider birth through school age and I imagine others would want the same. Especially if they had more than one child you know?


It's an awesome idea and if I lived in a more populated area I might try it. That's definitely the age group I prefer hands down
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Laurel 02:27 PM 07-17-2013
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
Tell me I'm crazy. That is, IF I'm actually crazy, which I'm not sure if I am or not.

I'm thinking of switching to caring for only ages 6 weeks to 36 months. Maybe it's me, maybe I just don't like preschoolers much, or maybe it's my house and it's just too hard to meet the needs of infants, toddlers, AND preschoolers all at once with my house the way it is. Either way. I've concluded that my unhappiness with daycare is solely based on the daggone preschoolers.

Hence, the idea to do only 6 wks to 36 months.

I have a 10x11ft room that I use right now as a Nap room. I would transform and redecorate this to be the Daycare Room, a space specifically for the little guys. I would also use half of my largish family room (just down the hall from this room) to be a more open space for playing at certain times (like morning nap for the wee ones).

I want to provide diapers--cloth, that is. They bring me a package of what they use at home and get changed just before pick ups. I will use flushable liners and wash dipes every night

I'm seriously considering if I can manage to provide baby food, too (probably make it myself) but most likely will not. Will do a 4 week rotating menu of simple, easy to prepare and eat stuff for the 1 and 2 yos.

No formal curriculum. Just lots of open ended creative activities, playdough, sensory, water play, balls, crawling, walking, moving grooving, books, and other baby and toddle toys. Walks around the neighborhood. Good food, good naps, good playtime.

AM I CRAZY?

or just desperate?
Not desperate not crazy. You and only you know what makes you happy. If I were you, I'd go for it. I know some do infant to 18 months or 2.

Laurel
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SilverSabre25 02:36 PM 07-17-2013
Originally Posted by Willow:
I'd love to do the same!!!

As a parent though the consistency in caregivers would concern me though. I personally would prefer my kids have one caregiver/provider birth through school age and I imagine others would want the same. Especially if they had more than one child you know?


It's an awesome idea and if I lived in a more populated area I might try it. That's definitely the age group I prefer hands down
I had thought of that. But I think many parents are looking for a more formal style "academic" curriculum by 3 and 4. Every child I have cared for that was 4 or 5 has been hell in one way or another. Their needs change so dramatically...and I think that they need more formal preschool and more specialized activities. The mix of infant-toddler plus preschooler has been nasty.

Plus, every interview I've had lately has asked what ages I currently have. I've signed on no one. I kind of think people might be looking for a closer age group.

And, 0-3 is a traditional Montessori group, too
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daycarediva 03:02 PM 07-17-2013
I think any specialty daycare has the potential to be a HUGE hit.

I am friends with a local provider that does infant-toddler ONLY daycare, only 6 weeks-2 or 2.5, and she LOVES IT. She takes 2-3 at a time, and charges accordingly (last I knew it was $325/kid, center rates are $300 here for under 2) but her parents ADORE her. She LOVES her job! It's essentially nanny care for a reduced price. She also refers them to me when they turn 2. She tries to get them at the same age/same time once she had 2 6week olds and an almost 2 year old. Now the almost 2 year old is here.

I love preschoolers. I won't take kids under 2. I also love my job, and market it as a preschool.
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kathiemarie 03:11 PM 07-17-2013
No, you not crazy. I've been thinking of doing the same thing. I LOVE the littles, over 3 not so much and you can't pay me enough to take care of anyone over 5!
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MyAngels 03:16 PM 07-17-2013
I'd love to do that, too. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately, I don't know) all of my families want to stay with me until kindy. Almost all of them end up doing the half day preschool thing because they know I don't provide any type of formal curriculum. I do everything I can to encourage them to find a full-day program at about 3.5, but they almost never do.

I think it's like Willow said, they want a consistent caregiver situation.

I should find someone who only wants 3 and up to partner up with I guess.
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EchoMom 03:40 PM 07-17-2013
If you were desperate, you would say 6weeks-12 years old, ANY age. And you KNOW you've seen those ads on CL! So no, you're not desperate, your honing your daycare.

I used to have a 4 year old who turned 5 and a 5 year old. I hated it. Now I only have newborn-age 3. I just tell people that I will not give their child the boot at 3, if the group sticks around and age up together, that's fine. But I just won't enroll any new child over age 3 because I want to keep the group close in age. Everyone seems to love that I don't take drop in kids or school agers, it's just a peer group.

My oldest right now is almost 3.5years old and he's been with me since 22months. I care about him, but I can tell the change is really happening. He's becoming too wild and I'm about done with him. He's only 2 days a week. If he were full time I would be exhausted with him. I'm just waiting for a natural break to part ways. I don't want to TERM him, they've been a terrific family and I do really care about DCB. But his mom is having a baby in a few months and I won't have a spot for them, I no longer take PT infants (learned the hard way!). So that will be my time to let them go.
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EchoMom 03:42 PM 07-17-2013
Oh and also, if you did want to do it, I wouldn't worry about being stringent on the ages. I used to worry myself sick over the "ratios" but over time I've learned that the only one who was really paying attention to it and being a stickler was myself. Other people won't understand that, but you know the area we're in and the unique obstacles here.
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Crazy8 03:45 PM 07-17-2013
that's pretty much what I do - minus the cloth diapers! So I must be crazy too!!

When I started 13 or so years ago I said 6 weeks to 6 years because I would take kids before/after our half day kindy program but I stopped doing that a few years ago (and our schools finally went to full day kindy this year) and I was finding most put their kids in full day preschool/daycare centers by age 3.5-4 anyway. So now I go up till about 3.5 years old. I have one leaving for preschool next month - he is 3.5 yo and my 7 yo son asked today why dcb still comes cause he's so old. LOL... he's just so used to my 2 and under crowd that this big closer to 4 year old seems "old".

I love my little ones though, I'm not a big fan of the 4-6 year olds. And I'm not a preschool teacher - I'm a loving daycare provider.
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Patches 05:58 PM 07-17-2013
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
Tell me I'm crazy. That is, IF I'm actually crazy, which I'm not sure if I am or not.

I'm thinking of switching to caring for only ages 6 weeks to 36 months. Maybe it's me, maybe I just don't like preschoolers much, or maybe it's my house and it's just too hard to meet the needs of infants, toddlers, AND preschoolers all at once with my house the way it is. Either way. I've concluded that my unhappiness with daycare is solely based on the daggone preschoolers.

Hence, the idea to do only 6 wks to 36 months.

I have a 10x11ft room that I use right now as a Nap room. I would transform and redecorate this to be the Daycare Room, a space specifically for the little guys. I would also use half of my largish family room (just down the hall from this room) to be a more open space for playing at certain times (like morning nap for the wee ones).

I want to provide diapers--cloth, that is. They bring me a package of what they use at home and get changed just before pick ups. I will use flushable liners and wash dipes every night

I'm seriously considering if I can manage to provide baby food, too (probably make it myself) but most likely will not. Will do a 4 week rotating menu of simple, easy to prepare and eat stuff for the 1 and 2 yos.

No formal curriculum. Just lots of open ended creative activities, playdough, sensory, water play, balls, crawling, walking, moving grooving, books, and other baby and toddle toys. Walks around the neighborhood. Good food, good naps, good playtime.

AM I CRAZY?

or just desperate?
No, you're not crazy. This is almost exactly what I want to do. Ideally, MY dream age group would be 6 weeks to 2....maybe 2.5. Preschoolers drive me crazy and I never ever even considered taking schoolagers<----Nope, not gonna happen. Anyway, I'm thinking about changing my program to this age group in 2 or 3 years when my youngest is in school all day.
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melilley 06:20 PM 07-17-2013
All my kids are well almost 3 and under! Two days a week I have all 6, one day a week 5, and the other two days 4. One will be 3 in August, one 3 in October, one 2 in July, one 2 in September, my son will be 1 on Sat. and the last will be one in August.

I love it, but let me tell you, it can be exhausting! I can only have 6 with one being my own. It all depends on their personalities! The days that I have all 6 is kinda crazy! My almost 2 year old (my tornado) gets extra hyper and is everywhere when all are here. The days that I only have 4 are great as long as the baby that isn't mine doesn't cry all day, and the day that I have 5 depends on the temperaments of the children.

And you barely get any breaks! The babies don't sleep on the schedule of the others so there is your break! My 2 babies are almost one, therefore are almost all on same schedule as the others, but not quite and some days, there isn't any kind of break!

I do have to say though that I do enjoy having the littles! Now if I could only have all babies who could grow up with each other, that would be the bomb!......Lol! On a side note, if I could do it all over, I would not take any children under 12 months along with the mixed age group, but if they were all the same age then I would definitely love it! (if that makes sense)

Good luck on your decision....and you are NOT crazy!

Oh and I do have one child in cloth diapers and I don't mind it at all! I don't supply then and I don't know if I would and also launder them, it can get pretty messy...lol
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MrsSteinel'sHouse 04:09 AM 07-18-2013
I would love to be able to do this but I can only have three under 2 so it would really limit my income.. the only drawback is that I know once they had been at my house little I wouldn't want to send them off. For the parent that would be the drawback, consistency in care. I honestly would prefer someone that could take my child all the way through until they were in school. But, infant spots are hard to find....
I miss read the original.. you said 36 months.. so yes, you could stay in ratio then and have more than 3 kids
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countrymom 04:42 AM 07-18-2013
as for the food. I tell parents up front that I supply food. Most kids are with me up to 10 hours a day, that I know more what they like to eat than their parents. I also introduce them to food when I think their ready. I haven't had anyone complain. Heck who would complain when I supply the food lol! I've had parents never ever even introduce a mashed banana to their child, but they introduce juice and cookies????

I'm lucky as the kids are near the age of 4 they go to junior kindy or as you all would know it as preschool. Its kindigarten but free, its at the school and its full time and its free oh, did I mention free lol!

maybe team up with a preschool and start sending them there when they are 4. I also find that even if I do teach the kids, nothing is being taught at home, but the minute they go to jk (junior kindy) the parents are willing to do work??? and I find that the older kids are mean to the littles, all they do is complain about the littles, but my own kids love the littles its the older kids that they don't like.
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SilverSabre25 05:20 AM 07-18-2013
Originally Posted by countrymom:
as for the food. I tell parents up front that I supply food. Most kids are with me up to 10 hours a day, that I know more what they like to eat than their parents. I also introduce them to food when I think their ready. I haven't had anyone complain. Heck who would complain when I supply the food lol! I've had parents never ever even introduce a mashed banana to their child, but they introduce juice and cookies????

I'm lucky as the kids are near the age of 4 they go to junior kindy or as you all would know it as preschool. Its kindigarten but free, its at the school and its full time and its free oh, did I mention free lol!

maybe team up with a preschool and start sending them there when they are 4. I also find that even if I do teach the kids, nothing is being taught at home, but the minute they go to jk (junior kindy) the parents are willing to do work??? and I find that the older kids are mean to the littles, all they do is complain about the littles, but my own kids love the littles its the older kids that they don't like.
Thank you! I think I see how you can manage the food--just by DOING it and not worrying what the parents think I can probably manage that. And supplying the food myself would be SO much easier. Plus I get to claim it then, right? And do it my way...and they'd get SO much more variety...hee hee hee. I can get into this. Put that Super Baby Food book to good use :P Raise good little eaters. score. And yeah, I can't STAND it when parents send me jars of banana baby food...omg just give them a real banana for crying out loud!

And yes, I did actually contact an in-home preschool yesterday that's nearby that I've seen advertising on CL for a couple years. She responded and was really eager to form that kind of relationship! So that's pretty awesome. She'll refer littles to me, and I'll refer bigs to her.

Now I just have to get the money and time to make the changes I need to in order for this to happen...

or get the job I interviewed for on Tuesday and have it pay enough.

One or the other.
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LK5kids 05:28 AM 07-18-2013
Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
If it makes your heart happy to think about it sounds like a great direction for you to go in! How many would you take?

This exactly!!!

For me it would be crazy......I have all 2's and under and I am sooooooo happy some are getting close to three! I would love ALL 3/4's
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countrymom 08:03 AM 07-18-2013
the ones that have been fed by me at an early age are acually the best eaters because they ate healthy food from the start. Parents are so amazed what their children will acually eat, like how hard is it boil carrots and feed it to a child or cut up a piece of fruit.
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caregiver 08:30 AM 07-18-2013
Originally Posted by LoraJenkins:
If you are crazy, count me in!! I would SO love to care for the same ages solely too! I get so tired of the preschool drama!!!
Count me in also!
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Heidi 09:10 AM 07-18-2013
that's what I do. It sort of became that way by default, to be honest, but I love it. I'm out of town a ways, so while infant care is scarce, 2+ care in town is plentiful. Too bad it's such poor quality care.

The oldest in my group is 2.5 now, and I'm thinking it's almost time for him to move on. He only comes M-W-F am's though, anyway.

I would be really comfortable settling into this if there was a really good preschool/caregiver nearby to partner with.
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My3cents 10:30 AM 07-18-2013
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
Tell me I'm crazy. That is, IF I'm actually crazy, which I'm not sure if I am or not.

I'm thinking of switching to caring for only ages 6 weeks to 36 months. Maybe it's me, maybe I just don't like preschoolers much, or maybe it's my house and it's just too hard to meet the needs of infants, toddlers, AND preschoolers all at once with my house the way it is. Either way. I've concluded that my unhappiness with daycare is solely based on the daggone preschoolers.

Hence, the idea to do only 6 wks to 36 months.

I have a 10x11ft room that I use right now as a Nap room. I would transform and redecorate this to be the Daycare Room, a space specifically for the little guys. I would also use half of my largish family room (just down the hall from this room) to be a more open space for playing at certain times (like morning nap for the wee ones).

I want to provide diapers--cloth, that is. They bring me a package of what they use at home and get changed just before pick ups. I will use flushable liners and wash dipes every night

I'm seriously considering if I can manage to provide baby food, too (probably make it myself) but most likely will not. Will do a 4 week rotating menu of simple, easy to prepare and eat stuff for the 1 and 2 yos.

No formal curriculum. Just lots of open ended creative activities, playdough, sensory, water play, balls, crawling, walking, moving grooving, books, and other baby and toddle toys. Walks around the neighborhood. Good food, good naps, good playtime.

AM I CRAZY?

or just desperate?
your not crazy you know what you want and what will work for you at this point in time. I say go for it. I know I can only have so many kids at this age, make sure your able to charge enough to make it worth your while.
I say go for it! I too love babies- for me I get attached and want to keep them as long as I can, they become an extended family so to speak.
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daycare 10:42 AM 07-18-2013
I dream about this all the time....its a lot and I mean a LOT of work teaching preschool from home. My house looks like it threw up from ours day of activities.

I am up all night cleaning just to do it again the next day.

I feel like I am constantly shopping for supplies, setting up, taking down, and what not. my ENTIRE lower floor of my house is dedicated to DC.

I dream about only having littles and buying those bright colored triple crawl through climbers, along with a few other things....Then I would only have to clean stuff and not worry about setting up my curriculum, or making sure that I have the supplies that are needed....Especially our science area.....I feel like I buy more baking soda and vinegar than the normal person does....lol

I am right there with you.......
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