Targeting one age group?

[DaycareLady]

Targeting one age group?

Hi ladies, looking for advice…this would be WAY down the road but I am a planner and always thinking.
I know a lot of home daycares already do weekly themes, programming, etc. I too do circle and follow somewhat of a “plan”. I absolutely love teaching my toddlers…they are so eager to learn and although this age group has its challenges it is my favourite!
I currently have 3 babies and 3 toddlers and am finding it hard to have such a large mix of ages. I would love to run a pre-school type program and do weekly/monthly themes and base my program around targeting “school readiness” learning while still having tons of fun of course.
I don’t know if it is because I have 3 full time babies but I really am not enjoying this age group. Please don’t get me wrong, I love all the babies in my care to pieces and think this is a fun stage (my daughter is one of these babies) but they are SO much work and I find it hard to focus on doing activities with my toddler group between bottles, changing, constantly watching the babies, naps, dealing with the babies constantly getting into the toddlers play space etc.
Am I dreaming to think that down the road I could just take on 2-3.5 (until they go to school) year olds? And only advertise as so? I have my ECE and lots of other schooling, so the “teacher” in me just really wants to teach these kids and run a program that all can join in on. I know the babies can learn of course, and I do include them in things like playdough and arts and crafts…but it is different.
The reason I got thinking about this, was because A LOT of home daycares around here are more of the “free play all day” types and I was talking to a Mom at the park with a 2 year old that was asking me if I had any openings after I was telling her how I love to do circle time with my crew…she said her daycare does nothing like that and she really wishes there was more structure and learning opportunities for her. My best friend is also a kindergarten teacher and she said the amount of children that come in that have never painted, played with playdough or sat for a story is really sad. I would really love to make a difference and help these toddlers in the most important years of their life! I know my baby group will be toddlers eventually but I would love to run a program geared towards this. I guess, like center daycares, where the kids change rooms based around their age.

[giraffe]

I target an age group, I only take kids who start with me before they turn 18mths. And they age out at 3... as in once they are 3 they must find alternate care. I also like to start a group of young ones and have them grow together, rather than having two separate age groups. I prefer babies, all of my toys and my program is geared towards babies.

[playfelt]

I know people that have tried this and from a home based sense it didn't work very well. The older children often had a younger sibling which would have meant two programs. Older kids were started in a home as infants and just stayed there till school age. Also if a parent is considering a preschool program they are generally thinking of a daycare centre or specialized program like Montessori. Not saying it won't work but you would certainly have a lot of planning to do to make it sustainable.

[DaycareLady]

Thank you Giraffe. Is it hard to let your 3 year olds go when the time comes? Do the families have a hard time with this? Do they have to leave right on their b-day? Sorry for the questions, I am just so curious what other providers do!
I am also thinking of just targeting care for teachers and giving them all the same holidays off for free as they get off from work....so much to think about, but wouldn't be for another year or two anyways.

[playfelt]

I let them go at three too but most of us that say that mean that we don't take kids once they have started JK so depending on when their birthday is they could be 3 1/2 or a even a bit older.

[giraffe]

My parent start care with me knowing that they will have to find alternate care when they hit 3 years. They get bored at my house because I am set up for babies and toddlers. If the kids are good and the parents are great I sometimes keep them until they are almost 4. But that doesnt happen very often. ATM I have 3 kids who are 3.5 they will all be done at the end of June, and my new crew of "littles" are starting in July.

[AmandaKDT]

This feels like a silly question, but why would parents want to start with a daycare they know will only be available to them until their child is 3? Is Junior Kindergarten mandatory in Ontario? Is that why?

[DaycareLady]

In our area, I am not sure if it is the same in all, children have to be turning 4 by December in order to start JK. My daughter's Birthday is in Feb so she will be over 4 1/2 when she starts JK...I think this is one of the reasons I want to do a preschool type program since I will have her home so long and want to teach her as much as I can....I don't think I would start with a daycare knowing I would have to find alternative care at age 3 but I totally understand where you are coming from as I feel around that age they do get bored if they aren't being actively engaged. I think saying I can take 2-4 year olds would be easier since I would have them until they go to school and running a program geared to teaching? I know a few people that said they would pull their 2 year old from current daycare where there is no structure and put them in a program that was more learning based.

[playfelt]

The advantage is that babies and toddlers do not have their day - meals, snacks, naptime, playtime disrupted by trips to the bus stop to get school age children. It means the day is focused on the little one's needs only and parents like this. With maternity leaves very few kids reach school age anyways before they leave with mom for mat leaves anyways.

It means a parent can look for the infant/toddler program that best fits their needs for their child and are not confined by school zones.

[AmandaKDT]

It is interesting to hear about what different people do, I had never heard of anyone only taking kids up til 3 years old until I found this website. Manitoba doesn't have Junior Kindergarten so I don't think many parents would go for that arrangement here. Daycare spots are also so hard to come by that a lot of parents pay to keep their spots while on maternity leave too.

I myself love having older kids, I have 3 three year olds right now and really enjoy it. Being a teacher I like doing the preschool programming with them, they are old enough to really get something out of it. I am taking a one year old this summer (sister of one of my dcb) but I would really rather just have another older one instead. But I have a 1 year old daughter too, so I have to do all the naps and everything with her anyway. I'm sure it will turn out well in the end.

[Crayola kiddies]

This feels like a silly question, but why would parents want to start with a daycare they know will only be available to them until their child is 3? Is Junior Kindergarten mandatory in Ontario? Is that why?

Amanda .... Kindergarten is not mandatory in Ontario but I have only ever heard of two parents who chose to keep their child out of jk and that was because the child's birthday was at the end of dec and they felt they weren't ready to start school so they held them back a year. 99% of parents can't wait for the child to go to jk so they don't have to pay daycare fees anymore .... I fully believe this is why full day kindergarten was introduced .... McGuinty needed to get votes and this is how he did it ..... Kindergarten is now "play based" so in essence its just free daycare. But it's a huge financial strain on the Province.