What are the pros and cons of doing family child care?

Question

I'm interested in starting a family child care as a way of staying home with my 2 sons. (2 1/2 year old and 3 month old) . I'd probably only watch 2 or 3 more toddlers/preschoolers (no other infants). Any advise would be appreciated.

Answer 1

If you are going to open your own Daycare in your own home, make sure you have a plan for when YOU get sick. You won’t be able to keep too many parents if they keep having to take off of work because their daycare provider called in sick. That would be my biggest worry as a parent.

I take my children to a home-care provider and I couldn’t be happier.

Things I love:
-she’s flexible with which four days a week my children are there
-she keeps them even when they’re sick
-meals are included in the daily rate
-they are in a family environment for the day
-she takes them to doctor’s appointments if required
-she feeds them supper if they have evening activities planned
-she never calls in sick – either toughs it out or calls in help
-they are in a family environment where they are cared for as individuals instead of a part of a group.

Things we don’t love:
-she takes every stat holiday with pay
-she takes two weeks paid in the summer and I am required to find alternate arrangements and essentially pay double

If I were you, be wary of parents. They are not all easy to deal with and don’t all pay on time.

Answer 2

Also, check the site below. Lots of info.