What are the ages of your daycare kids?

[gravy_train]

After a few months of advertising, my daycare is starting to fill up :-). Right now I have:
DS - 13 months
DCG - 14 months
DCB - 2 years old
March 4th I have a little one joining who will be 11.5 months.

So, as of March 4 my crew will be:
DS - 14.5 months
DCG - 15.5 months
DCB - 2 years old
DCG - 11.5 months

This leaves me with 2 spots left. I interviewed a family who want to sign on with me for mid-March. Their baby will be 11 months at that time. They want part-time until September. So that would leave me with one spot left.

Here's my dilemma - I told them on the phone that I would be happy to take them because I was getting worried that I wouldn't have any clients and then this week I signed 2 yo DCB who starts next week :-). Last week I set up an interview for this weekend with a family with twin 2 year olds because I thought I still had 2 spaces to fill.

The truth is I am really nervous about having that many kids under 18 months old and my gut is telling me to hold out for older children while my bank account balance is telling me to sign on regardless of age.

What are the ages of the kids in your care and am I crazy for considering taking on that many young ones? I feel really slimy having to call the part-time parents to tell them I've changed my mind, but this is my livelihood and 2 full-time kids yield that much more income.

Thanks!!

[kidlove]

go with your gut....God always provides. :) and I would rather have a few backed up bills or have to go without for a bit on some things rather than have boat loads of stress. We do this job because (although dificult) we enjoy it, don't risk the enjoyment over the size of your paycheck, money can bring unhapiness if treated as such a priority. ;) if you feel you may be at your limit with the group you have and your gut says go for an older child, than do that....your gut is always right!!!!!

[Crayola kiddies]

I currently have on enrolment :
Boy 11.5 months
Boy 15 months
Girl 21 months
Girl 2yrs 3 months
Boy 3.5
Plus my own 3.5 yr old boy
My 3.5 yr old dcb will be heading to jk in sept which I have replaced with a 1 yr old boy

[gravy_train]

Thank you, kidlove. Would you take care of that many young babies?

[gravy_train]

thanks, crayola.

[DisneyPrincess]

My daycare children are all over 2y.o. by april, no more "babies". Although, last summer I had 3 under 15 months and I thought it was hard, good thing it wasn't winter.. having to dress them all :/ but that was ME. You'll figure out what is best for YOU. One of my co-daycare friend has 5 under 18 months and she can do it no prob.

Concerning part-time versus full-time, as I am private daycare I can't afford part-time, hey I got a family to feed and bills to pay too... I don't take part-time. If there is no other daycare available for them or other request there for me, I'll take them but temporally.

Again it's up to you and your needs really !! :)

[cfred]

If you're set up for babies, don't sweat it. My crew is as follows:

19 mos boy - full time
18 mos boy - Mon/Wed/Fri
14 mos girl - Mon/Wed/Fri - going full time in May
14 mos girl - Tues/Thurs
12 mos boy - full time
9 mos boy - full time starting in March.

It's stressful at the very beginning as you get hold of your routines. Once you get that all sorted, it's smooth sailing, or so I've found anyway. Personally, I prefer starting with all little ones, then having them 'outgrow' my facility, then moving on to a whole new crew.

Disney Princess makes a good point with the winter issues. Snowsuits are a bugger! I'm totally honest with parents at intake interview stating that we don't go out every day. If the weather is good and we can load up the wagons, sure, but a few of my kids don't walk or walk well enough to enjoy playing in the snow. Really, it's an exercise in pure misery for everyone involved. But during the warmer months we're out every day for several hours.

I also splashed out and got a 6 seat stroller on Amazon. It was pricey ($1000), but soooooo worth it as we can all get out for great, stress free walks.

So far as part time vs full time....full time wins hands down. I have some part time now as I just relocated and had to fill up quickly, so took some part timers on. I'll honour my commitment to them (the 2 add up to full time anyway), but once they're gone, full time all the way :)

[DisneyPrincess]

Oh stroller wise... If you are handymandy lol I bought two USED double stroller (turns out got two of the same: one for 30$ at second hand store and one for 80$ on kijiji) and my husband took off wheels on one side of one stroller and fixed both strollers with steels bars. It's makes a 4seater for just almost 100$. Just an idea ;)

[Dreamalittledream]

For me it's not a question of age but mobility/independence. I have a year old that walks well, climbs stairs, self feeds. But, I have an 18 month old (she leaves March 1) that does not walk and is a very heavy child to carry. That type of child (like my 18 month old) is more taxing to your body (your back from carrying, lifting, body position if having to spoon feed).

Here is my current breakdown:
1 @ 3 years old (my own son)
1 @ 3 years old (girl)
3 @ 2 years old (2 boys, 1 girl...the 2 boys share a full time spot while Moms on Mat leave, one Mon/Fri, the other Tues-Thurs.)
1 @ 18 months (she will be leaving March first; when a 1 year old is starting)
1 @ 14 months (walks well, climbs stairs independently, self feeds)

[cfred]

Oh stroller wise... If you are handymandy lol I bought two USED double stroller (turns out got two of the same: one for 30$ at second hand store and one for 80$ on kijiji) and my husband took off wheels on one side of one stroller and fixed both strollers with steels bars. It's makes a 4seater for just almost 100$. Just an idea ;)

That's a great idea! If only I'd held onto my husband.....could have saved $900! Drat ;)

[Momof4]

My 5 daycare children range from 10 months for the baby starting in a few weeks to 2.75 years of age. I have a double stroller and I use the backpack walking method for safety. The walkers are attached to my wrist beside me and I start them practicing walking up and down the sidewalk shortly after they are walking well. By age 20 months or so they are able to walk long distances to parks and we aren't housebound.

And Cfred, I bet it was worth the $900 to be rid of your lousy husband.........or is that just me? :laugh:

[Bookworm]

I agree that it all depends on what you feel you can handle. Right now, I have:
DD 3.5yrs (going to school in September)
DS 2yrs
DCB 2yrs- full time
DCB 2yrs-full time
DCG 16mnths-full time
DCB 16 mnths- Tues/Thurs
DCG 12 mnths- 3 days a week (different days every week)
I am advertising to fill in the M-W-F that my DCB is not using and I am willing to take another young child.
Also, I may have a 21mnth boy coming one day a week to share the spot with my DCG.

The only thing that is a pain is getting them ready to go outside, but really, it is chaos no matter how old they are.

I send my daughter to pre-school two days a week and once she goes to school in Sept. I think I will be sending my son to preschool two days a week as well since I feel it is good for him to get away from me and experience new kids etc.

[cfred]

No Momof4, you're not wrong....he was a tad on the douchey side. I got my $900 in the lawsuit, so really, I was just being facetious ;)

With walking, the trick I've always used with the walkers is that when I yell "CAR", they all move to the side of the road and have to 'freeze like a popsicle' or whatever frozen thing they've chosen for the day. Worked like a charm!!! Of course we lived on a country road that didn't have oodles of traffic, but still..... It drove parents a little nuts because the kids were a little too good at it. Every time they went out anywhere, the children would yell CAR, then insist that the whole family stop and freeze like a popsicle...lol!

[Monday 2 Friday Mama]

I have five little ones: 3, two and a half year old girls, and 2 boys - one 15 month old and one 14 month old. (my own 3 children are older - 12, 10 and 4) I've never felt overwhelmed. It's like some of the other ladies have commented: routine is your friend. I have all of my little ones on the same schedule for naptimes, and I tidy up from meals, crafts, and games as we go along - if I left it all until the end of the day it would look like a Toys 'R Us bus blew up in my living room. =) LOL

[mommyof2princesses]

Once I have everyone attending my daycare that I have enrolled by May I will have:

14 month old DCB
14 month old DCB
12 month DCG
3 year old DCB

plus my own DD 5.5 years old and DD 3.5 years old

[sunnydays]

It does depend on your own comfort level, but go with your gut instincts. I actually went through something like this a few months back where I suddenly realized I really didn't want three under 18 months (have done it before)...and ended up cancelling on a family to take an older child. For me it was an excellent decision as the 3 year old I ended up taking turned out to be a wonderful little child and I have decided that I really don't want more than two under 18 months and three under two total. I like to do a lot of art and different learning activities as well as trips to the park and I enjoy having a slightly older group. That said, my group is still all 3 and under, but at least they can now all walk, feed themselves, etc. As someone else mentioned, it can depend on the child. The almost 2 year old I have took a long time to walk and is only now finally going up and down the stairs on his own (with me behind him)...if you have a couple like that it can be physically very hard.

[monkeymama]

right now I have:
ds 17 months
dd 4 (in school most days tho)
dcg 18 months 3x week
dcb 3.5 3x a week
dcg 3 yo full time
dcb 2.5 pt
dcg 20 months pt
dcg 11 months pt

I have a pretty good range in ages right now but come september i lose all 3 big kids to jk. i have 2 12mo and a 2 yo starting then so i am trying to figure out the stroller/ transportation thing between a triple or a quad. they are so pricey tho!

[Inspired by Reggio]

They are within months of being 1, 2, 3 and 4 ... this is the age range I try to keep them at trying to find one more friend over 2 at the moment to fill my last space.

[mlle.coccinelle]

Here we have

My son 15 months
1 FT boy 14 months
1ft girl 2,75 ( turning 3 in april)
1 PT girl 3.5 ( dad is flight attendant... so schedule is all over the place.. usualy 10 times a month)
1 drop in girl 22 mnths ( mondays and every other wednedsay)
1 drop in girl turning 3 next, comes week every tuesday!

After my 4 weeks mat leave, the 22 months old and the 3.5 yo girl are leaving and I am adding a newborn to the gang! I will keep it that way for a few months so I can adjust to my new little one! :)

[playfelt]

Mine are boy 16 months just learning to walk - well more cruise still with a bit of a lunge between two things and the rest are girls - 15 months, 2 years, 3 years and interviewing for last space looking for a 12 month old to fill space. Only have one of my own kids still at home and she always will be. Hard to believe she turned 20 middle of January. Developmentally she is right there with the 15-16 month olds.

Good news is I am finally getting calls for daycare even if I don't interview them all - like what part of one space don't you get or infant/toddler space means no your 7 year old is not welcome.

[apples and bananas]

I have

DCB - 3 yrs
DCB - 22 months
DCG - 22 months
DCB - 17 months

I started both of the 22 months at 11.5 months. I thought when I booked them in I'd have a 3 weeks gap, well, turned out that I didn't. It was a rough month or so. I swore I would never do it again! Then both of their mom's got preg at the same time. HA! Now I'm doing it again this fall. But, there really is a bit of a gap this time.

i find it hard with 2 under 18 months. Once they hit 18 months it's no problem, but under they're too high maintenance for me to take 2. The sleeping isn't always there, they have teeth coming in that compromise their moods, sometimes they need high chairs right up until 18 months plus depending on the child.

But, go with your instinct. It's better to bow out now then to have to term later and admit defeat.