Looking for experiences and tips for opening a Before and After school home daycare !

Hi,
I'm new to the site. And new to the soon to be business of a home daycare. I have my ECE diploma and 3 little ones. My two oldest kids will be going to school full days starting in September. I have been a SAHM since my oldest was born and am now looking into making some money, esp. since we just bought our first house!
So I wanted to start up by offering before and after school care ONLY! I'm not sure if I'm right for this job, don't get me wrong, I love kids, ideally I would like to work with kids outside the home, but leaving mine just isn't an option. So I would love to hear some advice and pros and cons of just before and after school. I'm wondering how to charge parents? I would like to charge $20/per day. And 40$ on PD days and snow days should the parents require care. Should I charge for all stat holidays and days the child is sick? I am looking to take in 5 children. I am also not planning on working in the summers. (Kinda like a teacher's schedule). And I'm still up in the air about Christmas Break and March Break, since then I would have 8 kids total in the house, and I just think that may be alot esp. if their ages range from 1 -10 yrs. What do you think? Thanks in advance for your help:)

In my own experience, and from being an ECE and working in centers, I really needed that ME time, and away from the school-agers!

1. $20/day for before/after school is what I charge. IF they want one or the other it's $15/day
2. $40-45/day (depending on how much food/supplies cost) for PD DAYS
3. I personally take 2 weeks at Christmas and March Break off (I have mostly toddlers & preschoolers, so your situation isn't like mine currently)
4. Paid STAT Holidays
5. If I'm OPEN, you pay (I don't care if your child is sick or on holidays, I have bills to pay, and saving YOUR CHILD a spot)
6. For teachers children that I take, they can take the summer off without pay, but they have a non-refundable two-week deposit to keep their spot come end of August.


Some tidbits for you:
1. Decide if you want paid holidays, and how many
2. Decide how many holidays you want
3. Just think about March Break/Christmas for a sec: The extra $$ you'd make! Also maybe consider a week off over xmas?
4. Consider advertising for only teachers children! Then you don't usually have to worry about taking too much time off!

PM if you have any other questions. I'd be happy to help!

Agree with p&l ..... I like only preschoolers as I want the full time income and don't want summers off well Id like them off but I want to be paid too and it doesn't usually work that way, so if you want to work around the school schedule then you will have to advertise that way .. Putting in the ad that you take summers off. If a teacher inquires with me I tell them they have to pay half fees thru the summer. I'm in Ontario and I charge $15 for either before or after and $25 for both. You should have a contract. I get paid 52 weeks so that means if the child is sick I still get paid ... I take three weeks holidays paid the only time I don't require payment is if I am sick and have to close. I only take one b and a cause generally you have to keep a spot open for then in the summer. Good luck in your new adventure