We would like to hear your story.

How did you get started? What sort of licencing do you have? Any guidlines to your home?

How do you get your customers? And come up with what you charge?

Would you recommend this business?

__________________
~Missy~Mommy
Meghan9.Samantha7,Cameron5

New England Mommysavers Social Group, Join us!http://mommysavers.com/boards/group.php?groupid=10

I am a home daycare co-owner. We got started in March of this year. We are about 75% thru our lisencing process. We started it because we both wanted to be home with our children instead of putting htem into daycare. we both love kids and its what we've wanted to do since high school. We will be getting a class A lisence for now which is 10 children. In 6 months we are going to be bumped up to a C3 lisence which we can have 14 children. we did our advertising at mayo clinic, and craigslist mainly. we called around to other home daycares to see what they charged and what coorperate charged and we came up with a happy medium in it and that is what we charge. I would highly recommend this buisness. Its not the cheapest to start up but once you become full it will pay for itself. I would highly reccomend getting on your states food program as well. reembursment for food is a good thing. might not be much but atleast its something. we each have one family that we care for right now. until we get lisenced. hope this helped. if you have any questions feel free to PM me.

__________________
Sam
Mom to Devin and Jordyn Anne
Loving Wife to Dave

I have been doing in home daycare for 8 years and I chose NOT to get licensed by the state...I abide by their rules as far as numbers and safety codes ect. I have had the same families for the last 8 years as well as before and after school kids for 3 years now. We have wonderful relationships with the families and the kids...it is a wonderful way for me to be home with my kids and supplement our income. I am very choosy about who I take in and usually only consider people who are highly recommended by someone I trust...I have been truly blessed by my experience and I hope that what I do has a postitive affect on my own kids. I run my daycare as I would want if my own child were going to be attending and that is how we have done things from the start. It is definitly hard work....both emotionally, physically and spiritually..but it is worth it!!!

If you chose NOT to be licenced by the state, doesn't that work against you?

I remember watching an episode of Judge Judy a few weeks ago where a day care provider was suing a family for nonpayment, but Judge Judy refused to hear her case because she was already illegially watching children. Meaning because she was unlicenced, she could NOT watch children legally, therefore could NOT sure for nonpayment.

My babysitter recently had to let us go because she was going through a divorce and her ex was being a JERK and refused to let her watch children in HIS house. The judge agreed with him, as it was a liability and revoked her licence. That was a HUGE bummer for all of us.

__________________
~Missy~Mommy
Meghan9.Samantha7,Cameron5

New England Mommysavers Social Group, Join us!http://mommysavers.com/boards/group.php?groupid=10

Here in CA, you can only watch children from one other family besides your own if you are not licensed. If you are going to watch children from 2 or more families, then you must be licensed. There are some exceptions if you are a relative and you are not being paid. If you are paid, then the one family rule applies. (this is all from what I have read) Licensing laws vary greatly from state to state so it is very important to check and see if you are violating any laws.

I watch an infant (1 year old now) 2-3 days a week and do not need to be licensed. I do not consider myself a day care center, I'm a babysitter, my ds and her play well together and I'm glad to help out. I do not advertise, I watch a friend's child. Once I stop watching her, as she gets older and enters a real day care center, I would be interested in watching another infant. Truthfully, I'm not interested in taking in more than one and going through licensing. Someday we will have a second child, I will babysit while that child is young and then once both kids are school age, I'll just go back to work.

Running a licensed day care is a lot of work. It is a great way to make extra money, but it is important to keep it professional.

Every state is different, mine does not require a license if you have 6 or less children in your care.

As for the pay issue, I always get paid on Monday so parents are always a week ahead.

Also the kids I have watched over the years have all been word of mouth. I have never ended up having to advertise.

brave brave women you are... i couldn't do it!

I am almost licensed. The fire marshall is to come out in a few weeks and that is my last thing. When you are license, which is the law in my state, you can also get tax deductions and such for everything you use for the business...mortgage, gas and electric, telephone and etc. I haven't put together my contract yet, but I will call around my area to get prices to help me decide what to charge. It took me almost a year to get everything together, mainly because I have two little ones of my own so free time was hard to find. Once you call for information, you will most likely schedule an orientation where you will learn all you need to know! Good Luck!

__________________
"Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body." ~Anonymous