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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Accepted Ages
BigLittleHomeDaycare 01:06 PM 05-27-2014
I've been posting a lot! Sorry just getting ready to open.
What are the age ranges do you care for? I got an inquiry for an 8 year old boy but my program is geared towards older toddlers.
I don't mind like a first grader during summer once in a while.
I want the business since I am starting out but I'm thinking this will not work with my program.
If you have huge age differences, how do you handle them?
What are the age ranges do you care for? I got an inquiry for an 8 year old boy but my program is geared towards older toddlers.
I don't mind like a first grader during summer once in a while.I want the business since I am starting out but I'm thinking this will not work with my program.
If you have huge age differences, how do you handle them?
Blackcat31 01:19 PM 05-27-2014
I accept 1 yr to 5 yrs (or day BEFORE Kindergarten entry).
I will take an infant born to a currently enrolled family.
NO school agers. Ever.
I will take an infant born to a currently enrolled family.
NO school agers. Ever.
craftymissbeth 01:20 PM 05-27-2014
I don't do well with big differences in ages so I only take 0-3. They graduate out of my program the summer after they turn 3.
I have a 7 yo ds and he's about all I can handle as far as older dck's go.
I have a 7 yo ds and he's about all I can handle as far as older dck's go.
Second Home 01:26 PM 05-27-2014
I have a 3 , 4 ,4 , 6 , 9, 10 . It is hard during with a big age difference . I only have the 3 older kids before and after school and random times during the summer .
The hardest part is keeping the older kids quiet and entertained during nap .
I would rather have all pre school age kids but sometimes when starting out you may end up taking school age kids to have some income . I had to do this when I moved , the only clients I had right away was parents needing before and after care , so that is what I did until I got some word of mouth from the curent parents .
The hardest part is keeping the older kids quiet and entertained during nap .
I would rather have all pre school age kids but sometimes when starting out you may end up taking school age kids to have some income . I had to do this when I moved , the only clients I had right away was parents needing before and after care , so that is what I did until I got some word of mouth from the curent parents .
LysesKids 01:26 PM 05-27-2014
I would say if you are setting up/geared towards toddlers then have a cut-off age of 5 years old (believe me we all understand start up and it can take months to fill spots).
If you get one kid way out of age range from your others that child will never be happy & neither will you because some of what they need or want to do, you might not be able to do with littler ones. I stopped doing SA by my 2nd year of childcare. I dropped to under 5's, then under 3's and now stick to under 2's only (since 2005).
If you get one kid way out of age range from your others that child will never be happy & neither will you because some of what they need or want to do, you might not be able to do with littler ones. I stopped doing SA by my 2nd year of childcare. I dropped to under 5's, then under 3's and now stick to under 2's only (since 2005).
LadyK8 01:53 PM 05-27-2014
0-4. I will only ever have one infant in my care. I'd rather the rest be toddler to preschool age.
Chellieleanne 01:57 PM 05-27-2014
I have a 7yo and 11yo on rare occasion. I haven't had them at the same time but they push my limits on what I can handle especially the 11yo since I can't make her take a nap like the 2yo
I only take them though because they are siblings of the younger kids and it is very rare I have them since the 7yo is in school and after school programs. The 11yo lives with her mom in another state so it is only when she is on vacation and doesn't want to help her dad at work.
Would I ever take a school age with no younger siblings? Nope. My limit will be 5 or until enrolled in kinder. No before/after school. Older siblings only when school is on vacation and parents are working. Even then I don't know if I will unless I really like the family and the kid is well behaved!
I only take them though because they are siblings of the younger kids and it is very rare I have them since the 7yo is in school and after school programs. The 11yo lives with her mom in another state so it is only when she is on vacation and doesn't want to help her dad at work. Would I ever take a school age with no younger siblings? Nope. My limit will be 5 or until enrolled in kinder. No before/after school. Older siblings only when school is on vacation and parents are working. Even then I don't know if I will unless I really like the family and the kid is well behaved!
jenboo 02:06 PM 05-27-2014
I currently have a 4 month old as the youngest and a 5 year old (missed kindergarten cut off) as the oldest.
I a couple weeks, the oldest kids i have will be 2.
I a couple weeks, the oldest kids i have will be 2.
mim 02:18 PM 05-27-2014
I have 18m-6yrs. As well as my own 7&9. It's the first day of summer break and man I'm thinking no more SA and have them aging out at kindergarten. But question for those of you that do. What do the parents do if they have younger kids too? Do they pull all the kids or find a dc for their SA or what? I am just afraid to lose all the siblings that still would have a few years left here.
Tdhmom 02:23 PM 05-27-2014
For the summer, I have 3 year old dctwins, my 3 year old daughter and have my 5 and 7 year old sons but in august when school starts back up I'll only have four 3 year olds! That's the age I love! I don't do well with babies or school agers. Both of my sons push my limits quite often.
jenboo 02:39 PM 05-27-2014
Originally Posted by mim:
I have 18m-6yrs. As well as my own 7&9. It's the first day of summer break and man I'm thinking no more SA and have them aging out at kindergarten. But question for those of you that do. What do the parents do if they have younger kids too? Do they pull all the kids or find a dc for their SA or what? I am just afraid to lose all the siblings that still would have a few years left here.
No personal experience but we have a lot of cheap summer camps here for school agers. They get to do lots of fun things (swimming, games with other children their age, etc). Its much for fun than being at a daycare and a lot cheaper too!I have 18m-6yrs. As well as my own 7&9. It's the first day of summer break and man I'm thinking no more SA and have them aging out at kindergarten. But question for those of you that do. What do the parents do if they have younger kids too? Do they pull all the kids or find a dc for their SA or what? I am just afraid to lose all the siblings that still would have a few years left here.
Crazy8 11:26 AM 05-28-2014
I will go up to about age 4, not a big fan of school age kids!
melilley 11:34 AM 05-28-2014
I am licensed to take children from 0 to 5 years, but prefer take children that are 2 months to 5 years, not yet in Kindergarten. I prefer the 4 and under age group though. My home is geared more towards the infant/toddler age groups and I think schoolagers would be bored here. Plus I have a SA dd and really don't want to have more than one here...lol
cheerfuldom 11:58 AM 05-29-2014
I take ONE child under 12 months at a time.
then the other three spots are for 1 to 4 year olds that are still napping. I lose a lot of four year olds because either they go to preschool or stop napping.
I don't take school agers, especially not boys (sorry, I know that sounds bad!)
If you haven't been around school age boys, I suggest not trying to take an 8 year old right now when you have younger kids and are just getting started. School age boys and girls are hard but for me, the boys have WAY too much energy for my group. There are always exceptions of course but generally the boys are way too rough with crawlers and toddlers and just climb and wrestle all the time. A typcial home daycare program is not going to be the right fit for the vast majority of school age boys.
then the other three spots are for 1 to 4 year olds that are still napping. I lose a lot of four year olds because either they go to preschool or stop napping.
I don't take school agers, especially not boys (sorry, I know that sounds bad!)
If you haven't been around school age boys, I suggest not trying to take an 8 year old right now when you have younger kids and are just getting started. School age boys and girls are hard but for me, the boys have WAY too much energy for my group. There are always exceptions of course but generally the boys are way too rough with crawlers and toddlers and just climb and wrestle all the time. A typcial home daycare program is not going to be the right fit for the vast majority of school age boys.
nothingwithoutjoy 07:27 PM 05-29-2014
My main group is 2-5 year-olds. I take school-agers on snow days, school vacations, and summers, but only those kids that I have had as preschoolers (and I've had most of them since they were infants or young toddlers). My oldest is 10. I like it when they're here, but it's exhausting. I definitely wouldn't want such a broad age range every day.
Play Care 03:06 AM 05-30-2014
I recommend against taking SA kids, especially ones that haven't grown up in your care. I've had a major issue with the one DCG I had like that.
In general I find if you are set up for certain ages, taking ages outside that generally doesn't work well.
In general I find if you are set up for certain ages, taking ages outside that generally doesn't work well.
Angelsj 05:07 AM 05-30-2014
Originally Posted by LysesKids:
I would say if you are setting up/geared towards toddlers then have a cut-off age of 5 years old (believe me we all understand start up and it can take months to fill spots).
If you get one kid way out of age range from your others that child will never be happy & neither will you because some of what they need or want to do, you might not be able to do with littler ones. I stopped doing SA by my 2nd year of childcare. I dropped to under 5's, then under 3's and now stick to under 2's only (since 2005).
Where do your kids go when they age out? What about siblings? I considered doing babies only for a little while, but I can't imagine parents bringing you one child and not the older one.I would say if you are setting up/geared towards toddlers then have a cut-off age of 5 years old (believe me we all understand start up and it can take months to fill spots).
If you get one kid way out of age range from your others that child will never be happy & neither will you because some of what they need or want to do, you might not be able to do with littler ones. I stopped doing SA by my 2nd year of childcare. I dropped to under 5's, then under 3's and now stick to under 2's only (since 2005).
nannyde 06:35 AM 05-30-2014
School aged kids require intense supervision. They eat a lot. They don't nap. They are quite powerful with their parents and can land you in a lot of parent conferencing and negotiations to keep the child happy. Many are addicted to screens. They can do a significant amount of damage to your home. They are poor historians when recounting events that involve them and ones they were privy to. They can easily harm infants and toddlers with carelessness. Their entertainment expectations in home care can be quite high. In Center care the expectations for the adults to entertain them is much lower.
Often parents choose home child care for summer care for lower rates. The parents believe the care is easier than infant or toddler care and that the child is self sufficient. This is not true for the most part. Many providers take them because their ratios allow for more kids if they are school aged but most take them because there are younger siblings in the daycare.
If there are younger sibs taking full time year around slots in the child care there is a lot of pressure on the provider to take the school ager even if she doesn't want to. Once comfortable in the daycare and the newness wears off after the first three weeks, the older sib senses the providers need to keep him happy, the school ager becomes much more demanding and reports of his unhappiness and ANYTHING he sees that is conflict with the younger sibs starts to wear on the relationship between the provider and parent. As I said previously, the school ager is a poor historian so his perception of what happens and what really happened before, during, and after the conflict can be vastly different from what happened. The provider and parent conferencing about it with the school agers input empowers him even further. Each incidence of this threaten s the "anchor" child's full time year around slot.
It's a tough cycle to get through and can force the provider to do whatever it takes to keep the school ager happy.
Now some providers here like school agers but I think most have small groups to start with. Not all. I think maybe one in ten providers here take school aged kids who don't have an anchor sib in the daycare. (My guess after being here for a minute). I would advise starting a thread asking specifically about providers who care for school aged kids who don't have younger sibs in the daycare how they manage as you won't have year around sibs to start. If you get offers to get a full time anchor kid IF you agree to school aged kids over the summer, don't do a discount for the school ager and be prepared for the family to leave once the summer is up and they got thru with home care for the school ager. Build a contract that locks the anchor kid in well after school starts so you can make sure they aren't just using you to get cheap school ager care with the promise of.full time year around care of the younger kid. That scam is often.ran on providers when there is two or more school aged sibs.
Often parents choose home child care for summer care for lower rates. The parents believe the care is easier than infant or toddler care and that the child is self sufficient. This is not true for the most part. Many providers take them because their ratios allow for more kids if they are school aged but most take them because there are younger siblings in the daycare.
If there are younger sibs taking full time year around slots in the child care there is a lot of pressure on the provider to take the school ager even if she doesn't want to. Once comfortable in the daycare and the newness wears off after the first three weeks, the older sib senses the providers need to keep him happy, the school ager becomes much more demanding and reports of his unhappiness and ANYTHING he sees that is conflict with the younger sibs starts to wear on the relationship between the provider and parent. As I said previously, the school ager is a poor historian so his perception of what happens and what really happened before, during, and after the conflict can be vastly different from what happened. The provider and parent conferencing about it with the school agers input empowers him even further. Each incidence of this threaten s the "anchor" child's full time year around slot.
It's a tough cycle to get through and can force the provider to do whatever it takes to keep the school ager happy.
Now some providers here like school agers but I think most have small groups to start with. Not all. I think maybe one in ten providers here take school aged kids who don't have an anchor sib in the daycare. (My guess after being here for a minute). I would advise starting a thread asking specifically about providers who care for school aged kids who don't have younger sibs in the daycare how they manage as you won't have year around sibs to start. If you get offers to get a full time anchor kid IF you agree to school aged kids over the summer, don't do a discount for the school ager and be prepared for the family to leave once the summer is up and they got thru with home care for the school ager. Build a contract that locks the anchor kid in well after school starts so you can make sure they aren't just using you to get cheap school ager care with the promise of.full time year around care of the younger kid. That scam is often.ran on providers when there is two or more school aged sibs.
Leigh 08:55 AM 05-30-2014
Originally Posted by nannyde:
School aged kids require intense supervision. They eat a lot. They don't nap. They are quite powerful with their parents and can land you in a lot of parent conferencing and negotiations to keep the child happy. Many are addicted to screens. They can do a significant amount of damage to your home. They are poor historians when recounting events that involve them and ones they were privy to. They can easily harm infants and toddlers with carelessness. Their entertainment expectations in home care can be quite high. In Center care the expectations for the adults to entertain them is much lower.
Often parents choose home child care for summer care for lower rates. The parents believe the care is easier than infant or toddler care and that the child is self sufficient. This is not true for the most part. Many providers take them because their ratios allow for more kids if they are school aged but most take them because there are younger siblings in the daycare.
If there are younger sibs taking full time year around slots in the child care there is a lot of pressure on the provider to take the school ager even if she doesn't want to. Once comfortable in the daycare and the newness wears off after the first three weeks, the older sib senses the providers need to keep him happy, the school ager becomes much more demanding and reports of his unhappiness and ANYTHING he sees that is conflict with the younger sibs starts to wear on the relationship between the provider and parent. As I said previously, the school ager is a poor historian so his perception of what happens and what really happened before, during, and after the conflict can be vastly different from what happened. The provider and parent conferencing about it with the school agers input empowers him even further. Each incidence of this threaten s the "anchor" child's full time year around slot.
It's a tough cycle to get through and can force the provider to do whatever it takes to keep the school ager happy.
Now some providers here like school agers but I think most have small groups to start with. Not all. I think maybe one in ten providers here take school aged kids who don't have an anchor sib in the daycare. (My guess after being here for a minute). I would advise starting a thread asking specifically about providers who care for school aged kids who don't have younger sibs in the daycare how they manage as you won't have year around sibs to start. If you get offers to get a full time anchor kid IF you agree to school aged kids over the summer, don't do a discount for the school ager and be prepared for the family to leave once the summer is up and they got thru with home care for the school ager. Build a contract that locks the anchor kid in well after school starts so you can make sure they aren't just using you to get cheap school ager care with the promise of.full time year around care of the younger kid. That scam is often.ran on providers when there is two or more school aged sibs.
School aged kids require intense supervision. They eat a lot. They don't nap. They are quite powerful with their parents and can land you in a lot of parent conferencing and negotiations to keep the child happy. Many are addicted to screens. They can do a significant amount of damage to your home. They are poor historians when recounting events that involve them and ones they were privy to. They can easily harm infants and toddlers with carelessness. Their entertainment expectations in home care can be quite high. In Center care the expectations for the adults to entertain them is much lower.
Often parents choose home child care for summer care for lower rates. The parents believe the care is easier than infant or toddler care and that the child is self sufficient. This is not true for the most part. Many providers take them because their ratios allow for more kids if they are school aged but most take them because there are younger siblings in the daycare.
If there are younger sibs taking full time year around slots in the child care there is a lot of pressure on the provider to take the school ager even if she doesn't want to. Once comfortable in the daycare and the newness wears off after the first three weeks, the older sib senses the providers need to keep him happy, the school ager becomes much more demanding and reports of his unhappiness and ANYTHING he sees that is conflict with the younger sibs starts to wear on the relationship between the provider and parent. As I said previously, the school ager is a poor historian so his perception of what happens and what really happened before, during, and after the conflict can be vastly different from what happened. The provider and parent conferencing about it with the school agers input empowers him even further. Each incidence of this threaten s the "anchor" child's full time year around slot.
It's a tough cycle to get through and can force the provider to do whatever it takes to keep the school ager happy.
Now some providers here like school agers but I think most have small groups to start with. Not all. I think maybe one in ten providers here take school aged kids who don't have an anchor sib in the daycare. (My guess after being here for a minute). I would advise starting a thread asking specifically about providers who care for school aged kids who don't have younger sibs in the daycare how they manage as you won't have year around sibs to start. If you get offers to get a full time anchor kid IF you agree to school aged kids over the summer, don't do a discount for the school ager and be prepared for the family to leave once the summer is up and they got thru with home care for the school ager. Build a contract that locks the anchor kid in well after school starts so you can make sure they aren't just using you to get cheap school ager care with the promise of.full time year around care of the younger kid. That scam is often.ran on providers when there is two or more school aged sibs.
Take SA's only if you WANT to be an 8 year old's BFF all day in addition to caring for your regular group. If you LOVE the words "I'm bored", "What can I DOOOOOO?", and "Why can't I use your computer/tablet/TV/lipstick/nail polish etc.?". If you want to validate a child's feelings every 5 minutes and listen to stories all day long about their last daycare provider being evil, about what Mom & Dad had a fight about last night, about EVERYTHING they consider themselves experts in...take a SA. If you want someone to "help" you with things you don't need help with and refuse to help you with things you DO, take a SA.
They're not bad kids, but they really don't "fit" into infant/toddler/preschool care.
LysesKids 09:23 AM 05-30-2014
Originally Posted by Angelsj:
Where do your kids go when they age out? What about siblings? I considered doing babies only for a little while, but I can't imagine parents bringing you one child and not the older one.
If a mom is preggers again before their munchkin is say 12-13 months then I would consider keeping family on because I hate to break up siblings, but it's the exception… My kids move into a Toddler or Montessori situation between between 18-21 months. Where do your kids go when they age out? What about siblings? I considered doing babies only for a little while, but I can't imagine parents bringing you one child and not the older one.
BTW, Most of my parents love the idea that there aren't older kids that could trample babies learning to crawl and walk - I've been doing infants only for awhile so I'm good at it (I also trained as a Postpartum doula)
TwinKristi 09:48 AM 05-30-2014
Originally Posted by LadyK8:
0-4. I will only ever have one infant in my care. I'd rather the rest be toddler to preschool age.
Yep! Me too! I accept 6 wks to 4yrs. Most 3-4yr olds go to preschool here, even 2 yr olds! 0-4. I will only ever have one infant in my care. I'd rather the rest be toddler to preschool age.
But my ideal age range is under 3... Less sass, less tattling, less drama. I would actually love to have all infants. 
TwinKristi 09:51 AM 05-30-2014
Originally Posted by Angelsj:
Where do your kids go when they age out? What about siblings? I considered doing babies only for a little while, but I can't imagine parents bringing you one child and not the older one.
I'm not who you quoted but I have the same age group. My kids go to preschool when they age out of my childcare, and I haven't had many sibling sets at this point. I had one FT and his sister as a drop in when her preschool was closed. And this mom did bring 1 to me and 1 to another preschool. Eventually she pulled DCB and put him in the preschool her DD went to, but now her DD is going on to Kindy and she'll have 2 locations again. She wants a 3rd baby so she would then have 3 locations to drop off/pick up from.Where do your kids go when they age out? What about siblings? I considered doing babies only for a little while, but I can't imagine parents bringing you one child and not the older one.
MrsSteinel'sHouse 10:38 AM 05-30-2014
I do infant-5. I don't "do SA" either. However, if I have raised them, I have their younger sibling and I can accommodate then I will consider B/A school for them. I live right across the street from the school so this is generally easy. But, I haven't had one of those in years. I will not do summer SA though. I am just not set up for it any more (when dd and ds were in that age group I was) I strongly suggest they contact the YMCA or two other facilities that do summer "camps" for SAers. They just have more fun than I can do.