Sorry if this is long--I'm trying to make a big decision and could use some advice. I am currently legally unlicensed. I can have 3 kids at a time without a license. My daycare has been open for over a year and I have done pretty well. I have 2 regular dcbs and a couple drop-ins. I am losing one of my regulars in June but will be watching an 18-year-old girl with developmental disabilities (friend of my daughter who also has special needs) but she won't count as a dck. I am not going to try to get any more dcks for the summer.

My decision is what to do in the fall. I love the dcks I have now but I feel like it's not working out the way I want. I am considering getting licensed so I will be able to take more kids but I'm not sure that's what I want. While I like having just 1 or 2 kids some days, I also get bored. The day goes a lot faster when I have 3 here. I think the kids get bored too--my regulars are 4.5 yrs old and 16 months old so they really don't play together and sometimes they aren't here on the same days so they're playing by themselves. I would kind of like to have a bunch who can play and interact with each other. Also with just a couple kids--and their ages being so far apart--it's hard to establish a good routine. I feel like I'm very disorganized right now and I don't like that.

I have already taken some of the required training for licensing and had to have a background check & fingerprinting done so I can take state payments. They don't pay as much if you're unlicensed so it would help my dcm who gets state assistance if I got licensed. It would probably help me get new families too. I know some parents only want someone who is licensed.

Of course I don't have to take more than 3 at a time even if I do get licensed but being licensed is kind of a hassle so I'm not sure if I want to bother. And if I do have more dcks here I would probably hire an assistant for at least part of the morning. I have an adult son who is also disabled and I have to get him up and ready for his day training program every day and he is not always cooperative. With just a couple dcks here I can manage but with a bunch it would be difficult. I would either have to hire someone to get him ready or someone to be with the dcks while I deal with him.

I know I've kind of rambled on some but I guess what I'm asking for is opinions about whether it would be better to get licensed and the pros and cons of having more dcks versus 2 or 3. If anyone has gone from having just a couple dcks to having a larger group, I would love to hear your experience.

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If you become licensed can you have more than 3 kids at a time? If so, it might be advantageous to hire an assistant. If not, you probably wouldn't be bringing in enough income to pay for an assistant and still come out on top.

If you aren't interested in bringing in anyone until fall, I would start advertising for the spot now. Chances are, someone is going to be needing care as soon as school starts back up and you might find the family you've been looking for.

If you are specifically looking for someone to fit into the age group you have now, specifically advertise for a newborn opening, a toddler opening or a preschool opening.

To avoid boredom, try changing things up a bit. For example: On days where the weather is crumby, I let the kids bake with me and we enjoy our goodies for afternoon snack. We walk to the park and play. We have picnics right in the front yard on a large bed sheet.

We also set specific days to do things. Monday is laundry day for me and it's station day for the kids. We take turns at the lego table, the kitchen, playing with the cars, blocks, etc. Tuesdays are free play and flashcard day. Wednesdays are either movie day or an outside day depending on the weather. Thursday is cleaning day. We sanitize the toys, the kids color and get to watch Bubble Guppies while we get everything cleaned. Friday is a lax day. We pull out some of the toys we haven't seen in awhile and let the kids have fun. We also do play doh or bubbles, etc.

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I definitely agree that in many ways more children is easier/more fun/more interesting play than fewer. I'd get licensed and take more children. I also think you should work around what fits your family; either open after your son is headed out for the day, or accept only a few in the earlier hours so you can handle it all.

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Odd that I am considering doing the exact opposite!! I have been Registered for 14 years. I am getting burned out on having a larger group and so many expectations. I would love to have two kids per day and do whatever- go some where if we need to- run errands, go to the park, zoo or where ever! Be able to clean in my home while they nap on another floor if I need to, have a kiddie pool- etc... Just take good care of the kids without the state enforcing so many crazy laws!
The thing holding me back- getting out and wanting to re-register: it is such a bigger process now! That I won't get the same "level" of parents that I do as a registered provider and less money over all.
I can't just drop my numbers and get the same benefits because my goal would be to have to deal with less regulation and more common sense care. If I'm registered and have on kid I have to follow all regs

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Why not license and give yourself 6 months to decide? yes its a lot of work to get some new families and do the licensing process but you could always downsize in the future if it doesnt work for you. I would suggest that you think carefully about what you need for your own family to make this work. If you feel that structure/routine are going to be the best fit, I would highly suggest you dont take infants to start off with. I would get your drop off window to within an hour or two in the morning, put everyone on one nap a day at the same time and pickups to a small window of an hour. For me, I HAVE to have consistent days and a good routine going because I do school drop offs, have four children of my own and am pretty busy. I only take kids that are on one nap a day (usually 18 months and older) and still take a nap (no school agers). They have to drop off by 9am and that gives us a chunk of time in the morning for library trips, walks to the park or outdoor time....a MUST with a larger group of kids. Pickups are all between 5 and 530. It really helps a lot to have cut off times so people arent coming and going all day. I dont do kids that need weird hours like 3 hours days on random days. Putting my daycare on a routine helps me to schedule out my errands and housework. Also, it helps my own kids know when they will have time with me. They know when daycare starts (right after breakfast) and they know when family time starts (mom is packing up the daycare kids to go home and then starting dinner). My husband and family even know when are good times to call me or drop by if they need too.

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I was unlicensed for 1 year with only two children... After I became licensed for a group of 6 for close to 5 years. In those 5 years I had families with state assistance and than I changed to only private families. Most of that time I worked alone and for 18 months I had an assistant in payroll.

AND BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE THIS IS MY BLUNT OPINION: I personally do not think that in the long run you will get the result you're expecting when you become licensed. If the reason for that change was to have more income... I would say “sure!... go for it”!!... But when you refer as main reason boredom (yours and your kids...) I think it's a bad solution ... I would suggest going out with those kids to public playgrounds, zoo...

(my opinion in "red"...)

Sorry for not sounding positive... but I do mean well Best luck for you!

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