Starting a home day care. What to consider before opening your own home day-care. State policies, you policies.
Owning your own home child-care business can be a rewarding experience. With the right amount of planning you can earn a stable and profitable income. Working at home allows you to stay home with your own children, and pretty much be your own boss. This said, there are several things you need to consider before deciding this home-based business is the right choice for you.
First of all, you need to make sure you really enjoy being with kids all day. While I seem to be stating the obvious here, remember some people do well on a one-on-one situation, but then become stressed when having to deal with several children at once. And loving your own children and wanting to spend time with them is quite different from being with someone else's child all day every day. You are going to be required to possess a great deal of energy, patience, and creativity. As with any job, you really do need to make sure you are doing what you love or you won't be successful.
Next, you should evaluate how your spouse and children are going to deal with your attention being divided. Your house isn't going to have the same dynamics when it comes to sharing personal space, toys, and your time on a regular basis.
You will also need to look at whether or not you have plenty of room. You will want to have a big enough space where the children can play with toys, and still have enough elbow room. Do you have a large yard for outside play? Swing sets and safe playground equipment? You may be required by the state to move certain plants that can be poisonous if eaten, and we all know how young kids are notorious for sticking anything and everything in their mouths.
If you have considered all these things and feel this is the perfect job for you and your family, then you are ready to move forward to the next step. Your first step is to call Human Services and apply for license. You will want to know how many children you can accommodate, and what kind of training is required. Someone will be sent out to your home to do an inspection, and you will have a certain amount of time to comply.
In Texas, you will have to have approximately twenty clock hours of training in the following areas:
a. child development, discipline and guidance, nutrition, age and developmentally appropriate activities
b. sanitation, health, and safety
c. business management, risk reduction, communication with peers, parents and children, along with other professionals.
Most states have similar requirements.
You will be required to have CPR and first-aid training. Providers and assistants are also required to have a TB (tuberculosis) every three years or so. You should also have a file for each child on whom to contact during an emergency, authorization to provide emergency medical care, and a disaster plan in case of fires, flash floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, etc.
Keep in mind you will be checked out by the FBI for any criminal records and fingerprinted. Parents want to know their children are in a safe environment, and I am sure we can all understand this concern and the importance of setting their minds at ease.
Be sure to set clear policies before ever taking in a new child. Parents may not mean to take advantage, but situations concerning payment dates and pricing, pickup times, etc. can become very sticky and complicated. If you start off by letting the parents know your policies, then there will a lot less room for misunderstandings and resentment from both parties involved.
Type everything relating to schedules for the parents, yourself, and the children. Also discipline, curriculums, activities and meals should be addressed. This way you will have everything in writing which will help cut down on later disputes. Give each parent two copies and have them read and sign one copy to return to you that will be kept in a file.
If you plan to feed the children in your home, take advantage of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Child and Adult Food Program. This program will reimburse you for all or most of the food you purchase from a licensed food supplier enabling good nutrition for each child. It helps the parents out tremendously if you provide the meals, and this is a great cost effective way to buy nutritious meals.
Be sure to keep good records and keep taxes up today. Use Schedule C and SE along with 1040 forms, and take advantage of deductions. For example, keep receipts of all materials, toys and office supplies relating to your home business. Second phone lines are also deductible.
Make sure you have sufficient insurances up to date in the event of injuries. Decide, before you ever open for business, if you plan to pick children up from school, etc. You will need additional insurance to protect the children and yourself if you choose to drive them anywhere.
And lastly, think creatively when buying toys and art supplies. Dollar stores are excellent sources for art supplies, and thrift stores provide inexpensive ways to acquire enough toys and games for all children to play with. With a little discernment and effort you can find enough toys that are clean and in good shape. Or maybe some of the parents or friends/ family would have extra toys they would be willing to donate. Thrift stores can also have a wide array of children's books that are in excellent condition.
Running your own home child-care will be hard work and require a lot of energy and creativity, but it can also be a rich and rewarding experience too. As long as you balance your home life with your work life, you will be sure to be successful.
