You just had a baby and like many moms you are tossing around the idea of staying home with baby. And not unlike many moms who want to stay home money is tight. One way to stay home with your baby is to earn money by starting your own home daycare business. It sounds promising and you may already know a few moms who would benefit from your services. But are you ready to start a home daycare?
If you are considering starting a home daycare you will need to be aware of some things. First, do you have a set routine for your baby? If your day is unpredictable or overwhelming then wait until you have a schedule you can be confident about before adding in more children. Secondly, if you have a colicky baby or a baby who need silence to sleep, this may not be a good move for you at this time. Thirdly, do you have the space for extra children? Each child will need a place to nap. Children old enough to sleep on nap mats can sleep in the living room. However, babies are best if able to sleep in a private room.
These are far from the considerations you will have to think over before starting this business. However, to even begin you will need to make sure your baby can handle the added children, you can handle added children, you have the space, and you won’t be overwhelmed with housework or regular household duties. I did home daycare for 9 years and it wasn’t always easy. Some days were hectic and some were joyful. For the most part, it was the parents who made my job difficult. They did not always pay as they were expected and sometimes brought sick kids. Even the most responsible parents with solid jobs would “forget” to bring a check or drop off a sick child. Often they don’t consider a child sick enough to stay home unless I deemed the child too sick to be in my daycare. Which brings up one more consideration: do you want your baby around a sick child? Think carefully over this career move before diving in with both feet.