Considering babysitting for up to 4 children in my home. What do I need to get started??

Question

I'm 21 years old, married to an Air Force Snr. Airman and we have 2 children of our own. I just recently quit my job as a server because we don't make squat and it takes too much time away from my family so since I take care of my own kids all day long, I decided maybe I could help out other people by watching their children at a good cost- since we know how hard it is to find decent, unexpensive childcare.
What should I consider and what will I need before starting this?? I would like to babysit no more than 4 children, 6 including my own.
I want to be able to provide breakfast, lunch and snacks so I will want to consider costs for that. Any other ideas/ advice? Any advice from experience in-home daycare providers would be awesome as well!! Thanks so much! ;)

Answer 1

If you live on base you will need to go through FCC (family child care) training and become certified. It can be a lengthy process, but it is required. There are set guidelines and regulations as to how a home day care is run on base, and failure to be licensed can get you kicked out of housing.
Off base - depends upon the state. Some states require that all home day cares be licensed, others don't. I can't help you on that one!
Good luck!!

Answer 2

Well I would make sure that your CPR certified for children. I know that was important for who I live my children with. Also, a way to keep cost down for you and for the families you provide services for is to let them do the breakfast and perhaps let the kids bring it with them and you do the snacks and lunch. It would be only one main meal. Some CPS offer classes and certifications for in home child care that might help you out. Some junior colleges offer on line courses for early child hood that could give you ideas as well. Guess I am not all that helpful as I am only telling you where to go get more info

Answer 3

I don't know about your state, but in Colorado, you can legally watch one other family's children other than your own (including relatives) without a license. To watch more than that, you need a license. Someone else mentioned on/off base and I don't know about that because I'm not military. I would recommend getting licensed no matter what because people are more likely to trust you with their children if you have training and CPR certification.

You should find a contract that is air tight as you probably won't have problems with families but better safe than sorry and by laying out every detail, your families will know what you expect of them and you can also include what you plan to do with their children and your views on providing child care. When it comes to charges, I feel that a lot of places charge A LOT but you also have to remember that providing care all day for a bunch of children is very exhausting. Be sure to offer competitive charges, call around to a few child care businesses and ask other at-home providers what they charge.

I wouldn't offer breakfast specifically unless the parent requests, most children eat before leaving home in the morning or bring it to daycare with them. Again, becoming licensed lays out a lot of this type of information because a lot of programs offer incentives for serving healthy meals (you may or may not have them in your area, but you have to log each and every thing you serve your children and you can be reimbursed for the expenses).

Depending on the ages of the kids you would like to care for, you may even look into offering some type of preschool lesson, there are tons of books and websites on this type of info that make preparing lessons really easy. Also, speaking of ages, I would not, for example, try to find 4 children that are under the age of one (you usually have to have a special license for this anyway). My reason behind this is that children of different ages tend to play better with each other, so a mix would help you out. Plus, a few older children are obviously more able to do things on their own - a bunch of infants would require maintaining all their feeding and nap schedules and performing mass diaper changes!

If I were you, i would start out with one child or one family and see how you like it - it is a lot of hard work. You can make decent money doing this but no money is worth stress on your family, so take it slow. Your whole family will need a period of re-adjustment to having new kids in the house every day. Start garage saling for books, toys, yard play equipment, etc. I am sure you already have some as you already have kiddos of your own, but more kids means more things to keep all of them busy. Good luck!

Answer 4

Wow, i think of ten is in simple terms too youthful for being abode on my own, and way too youthful for babysitting. you at the instant are not being overprotective, you're being sensible. in case you went over to a friends for a jiffy and that i recommend some your daughter might in all likelihood be high-quality on my own. no count how mature toddlers are at present, you're ultimate to be careful, and that i think of a greater physically powerful age might in all likelihood be twelve or 13 for the two issues to happen. I have been given my first babysitting pastime while i became 13, and my mom became in basic terms 3 homes away, if i mandatory help in an emergency. issues are absolute to happen, in on a daily basis existence, that a 10 12 months previous should not be in charge for. i don't think of that your new child could be afraid of growing to be up, yet they are going to could have person household initiatives quickly sufficient. What ever occurred to the sturdy previous days of a youngster in simple terms being a new child? i assume we could constantly not be too greatly surprised as a number of those toddlers are engaging in sexual encounters at that age, God help us all and incredibly the toddlers. a number of the advancements which I quite have considered in my lifetime are astounding, and in some techniques we are going backwards. you're safer, and so is your new child, in case you're slightly greater overprotective; and if different father and mom are telling you this, in simple terms tell them it is your new child and your determination and walk away. Have a competent evening.

Answer 5

you should look into getting licensed in your state...some states offer meal stipends.....where you'd buy the food yourself that you plan on cooking for the kids and they pay you back....it's a little more complicated than that, but you should definitely look into it.....also if there was an accident in your home....you will certainly be in trouble considering you'd be running an unlicensed daycare
these programs sometimes offer grants to improve aspects of your home.....one woman I know had her rugs replaced and her walls redone throughout the areas that the children use.