Any moms run their own day care?

Jabe&Amie · February 2013

Hi ladies, I'm new to this board. I have always wanted to be a SAHM. Unfortunately, getting pregnant before schedule makes it nearly impossible for me to be one; DH graduates from his masters program in May, and who knows when he'll be able to land a job (he wants to teach at the community college level in history...worst job market ever). Currently, I'm the major provider, but that means I sometimes work 80 hour weeks, and it's seriously burning me out. I find myself having mini anxiety attacks thinking about returning to work after maternity leave.

DH suggested this morning that I start my own at-home day care as an alternative to going back to work. I have an AA in child development, a BA in psychology, and have pretty extensive experience working with children (I ran an after school intervention program for at-risk youth for a few years). I do love kids, and we own our own home, although I know we'll need to make modifications to it to be approved to become a home day care.

My question is, do any of you run your own at home day care? What are the benefits, challenges? This would be completely new for me, and kind of scary, but I think it would be exciting, and a great way to spend time with and socialize my own LO (DH's mom ran a home day care when he was growing up, and he said it was a great experience for the family).

memali26 · February 2013

I am not a licensed day care, but I provide child care for one child. Benefits are my girls have a friend who comes to play every day, the money gives us a cushion in our budget, and I can be a SAHM without worrying too much about finances. And the LO is the child of a teacher at the same school as my DH, so her schedule lines up wonderfully with my family's schedule.

Challenges are we never leave the house. I don't have enough space for 3+ car seats in my car, so even though the mom is fine with me driving her child (I did it before my second was born) we unless the weather is nice enough for a walk, we are stuck here. I also can't get anything done during the day because I have to supervise the kids so closely, and my kids are bored being stuck in one part of the house all day. Also, the extra LO I watch has special needs that present some unique challenges and make it more difficult to do some of the activities I'd like to do with my own children.

Honestly, it's not ideal and I have days (like today) where it is just really hard, but overall it works for us right now. If I were you I would start by watching just one child for a bit to see how it goes and if it will work for your family before going through all the hoops of becoming a licensed day care.

notreallyirish · February 2013

Have you considered your husband staying at home while you stay at your job, at least for a while since he doesn't currently have a job? I can tell you, coming from someone who dropped out of a history Ph.D. program to be a SAHM, it is going to be hard for your husband to find full time work teaching history at a community college, especially without a Ph.D. A lot of times they hire people with master's degrees as part time or adjunct faculty, but the pay is not good. If he doesn't want to stay home, he should probably be open to teaching high school. He would make more teaching high school than part time at a college, and then he would get benefits and it would be more likely you could afford to stay home with or without the home daycare. He can always take a full time college job later if one becomes available.

As far as the daycare, I don't know much. It sounds like you have experience working with kids and enjoy it, so it could work out. Of course that is a lot to take on with a new baby. Best of luck.

wheelsonthebus · March 2013

I ran a licensed home daycare for 1.5 years. I will say that if your H's mother ran one and you can use her for support and advice, that will be priceless. I think you have to be the right type of person for it.

In all honesty, I hated every single moment. It was stressful and draining watching up to six children in my home each day. When you are a working mom, you get time with adults, etc. In home daycare you don't. You are alone with several children for long hours. You are usually completely house bound. Then you have your house to clean up after it's all said and done. I had awful clients and struggled with payment and them respecting my home. I developed PPD and PPA after having my second child and was just completely overwhelmed. I finally quit last fall. I am SO happy to be done with it. I didn't have any support, though, and had no idea what I was doing on the business end of things. To my H, I was a SAHM, so obviously I had the time to do all the housework, bill pay, cooking, and scheduling of appointments. What.a.nightmare.

I now watch a good friend's baby a few mornings a week and it's perfect. We trust each other and it's working out wonderfully.

Any moms run their own day care?

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