Daycare

**mmy2grls** · 04-19-2008, 05:44 PM

I'm not sure where to put this

It's very hard for me to work at home when the weather is nice. All the kids think this is the neighborhood hangout plus my little one loves being outside so much. I'm thinking of doing daycare so I can earn money while being and playing with my kids plus some other kids.

I don't know how to get started and was hoping some people will tell me what I need to do and know to get this started.

I was thinking $2 an hour, jobs and economy is real crummy here, 3 kids full time would be ideal. I would do a menu plan for meals and snacks. I have a 2 year old and a 8 year old so hopefully they can have playmates.

When do you get paid and such? I don't want to be taken advantage of.

**happimommi** · 04-19-2008, 06:06 PM

I used to run a day care out of my home but it was awhile ago. First I would check out the state regulations for home day care and find out if you need to be licensed. Sometimes by being licensed you can get families that the state pays the child care fees and you would also qualify to be reimbursed for food that you feed the children, including your own.
Second, make sure that you have signed contracts and emergency contacts sheets filled out for each child and make sure you have a set "payday" and that you charge overtime. (many parents will take advantage of you if you don't)
Third, have separate toys for the daycare kids. Making your children share their toys doesn't always work.

**Cricket1** · 04-19-2008, 09:06 PM

I would call some places in the area to get an idea of how much they charge because $2/hour seems too low to me. BUT, I'm not in your area so maybe that is the going rate.

I watch an infant and get $5/hour, but childcare is super expensive here.

A great resource that I know of is www.123child.com. They have a chat or bulletin section that has many smart women on it.

**happimommi** · 04-19-2008, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by Cricket1

I would call some places in the area to get an idea of how much they charge because $2/hour seems too low to me. BUT, I'm not in your area so maybe that is the going rate.

I watch an infant and get $5/hour, but childcare is super expensive here.

A great resource that I know of is www.123child.com. They have a chat or bulletin section that has many smart women on it.

I had my daycare in Vermont and also charged $5 an/hour, but here in Wisconsin my friend pays $2/hour for her baby. I guess it does depend on the area.

**mmy2grls** · 04-19-2008, 11:26 PM

My area usually charges between $2-3 an hour. There are more expensive places also.

I live in a poor community

**momofslg** · 04-20-2008, 02:34 PM

I would set an amount for the week and have it cover up to X hours per week. You can call daycare companies and see what they charge and undercut them.
I would ask for payment upfront that way you will be sure to actually get paid (no "I forgot my checkbook, can I pay you next week?")

There are a lot of ladies here who do daycare for a living and I'm sure they have more advice.

**momof2joys** · 04-20-2008, 11:41 PM

I take my 2 year old and my 7 month old to daycare. Our daycare is an in home one, and we are charged $4.50 an hour for both kids. She usually charges $2.50, but since we have two kids, she knocked down the price. I know here in Iowa, there are many laws for in home daycares, but you don't have to liscensed. If you get liscened, then you can only have so many kids, the meal plan thing is opitional, and you'll need to be cleared as safe from DHS or some other company. Our daycare lady has strict rules with the paying, you are suppose to pay weekly, but we worked it with her, that we pay every other Friday. Part of that was that we only get paid every other week and our bill is so large (almost $300.00 every two weeks). If you do decide to do the daycare thing, check with your local Child Care Resource and Referral, they can help you out, plus our local one has toys that they let you borrow for free, and they will come and get them and bring you new ones every month or so!!
One thing that I do like about my daycare is that she has the time to play with each kid and still is able to get things done. She also fills out a daily sheet for each kid that lets me know what they ate and when (plus how they ate, good, fair, etc), when she changed diapers wet or #2, and some other activities that they did that day. Played with a certain friend, shared, or even was just happy and laughing. It really makes me feel good knowing what they did and when, sort of makes me feel like I spent the day with them.

**momof2joys** · 04-20-2008, 11:45 PM

Also forgot to tell you, she charges $5.00 a day for being late on paying your bill. If you are suppose to pay on Friday and don't pay until Monday there is another $10.00 added to the bill for being late. Trust me, I always double, even triple check and make sure that I have my checkbook, there is no way that I want to pay that extra $5.00 a day. You know how much you can get with five plus dollars!!!!

**justpeachy92** · 04-20-2008, 11:59 PM

I have never done a home daycare, but when I had my oldest in one I paid a set amount of money per week for so many hours. If I went over the hours it was $2.00 per hour more. I worked part time, so my dd didn't go every day, so for me I had to pay the first day of the week my child was to be there, if I didn't have the money to pay my child wasn't allowed to stay. That was in the contract I signed with her. If my work schedule had me at work on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and I paid the sitter for those days at begining of the week. Then decided not to take my dd on Friday cause grandma wanted to spend the day with her, my money wasn't refundable. It was refundable if my dd was sick, as she wasn't allowed there if she was sick. This sitter also made arrangements for backup sitters, in the even she was sick or going on vacation her neighbor and mil were willing to watch the kids, so the parents didn't have to find a sitter or miss work.

**FrugalWitch** · 04-21-2008, 02:20 AM

Dang that's cheap! I was getting paid $8.50 an hour waaaayyyy back in the mid-80s for babysitting/childcare. That was with no extras (oh, you could have extras but I charged for them) I had enough clients that I started "subcontracting" out the waiting list. Granted it was not an official daycare service, it was private babysitting.

I don't tutor, teach Sunday school or babysit any longer, got real tired of kids after too many years of it, although the tutoring fees ($25 an hour when I quit in 1989) were really nice.

I had no idea that people getting paid less than 5 bucks an hour for daycare. How do you make it worthwhile at $2-3 an hour? Very curious to hear!

**LexTysMommy** · 04-21-2008, 07:47 AM

I live in WI and charge between $3-$4 per kid. I say make sure you have contract, and set hours for each kid. Maybe give discount for fulltime kids. Here at least I get most calls for part time kids. Good luck!

**favesis37** · 04-21-2008, 08:20 AM

when i had my daycare i charged a set amount weekly, based on how many kids. this was 4 years ago and i got 150.00 for 4 kids, now 2 of those kids were pre teens and were more help then i can say. now, my kids pay around 5.00 an hour for day care, however if the parents are only making a little above min. wage you are taking most of the check.

**champagnium** · 04-21-2008, 03:01 PM

I used to do a before,lunch and afterschool program where I charged $15.00 a day flat rate and provided snacks and lunches from a menu that had to be submitted and approved by the gov't. Payment was due on the 28th of each month, and I was open from 7am to 6pm. I notified parents in thier starting contracts that I would charge $1 a minute after 6 pm except in extenuating circumstances (snow, accident on the bridge) because I'd heard too many parents taking advantage. I had 6 full timers and two part timers and actually really miss it, but now we live in an apartment so I don't have the room.
I made my rate the same as the local at-school "Excel" program, but had a lower ratio and healthy food included, so that helped me keep people.