Thinking of just giving up! Ugh :(

[Marie]

I am in the wrong area here! LOL $50 is what I would charge for siblings and I'm happy with that. In my area the going rate is $25 a day! I've seen some at $28 but that's the highest I've seen.

[Littledragon]

I hear ya! I'm hard core struggling too. I finally got my second family to set a date for their arrival (mom is on mat leave and wasn't sure she's going back to work) and now she's not sure she;s going to have a job to return to. My family can't live off one family (which is what I'll have if this girl backs out) and it just hit me how unstable this business is - which really scares me. I applied for a full time evening job last night. I'm SO stressed about it too. Sometimes, it just doesn't seem worth it. But then I remember how much I love it, and that if I just stick to my guns, I will eventually find something.
What mom is trying to do is get you to lower your rate. I'm sure she knows she won't find soemone who is willing to take two kids at that rate, so she's trying to get you to drop your price. Don't. You're worth more than that. If she wants to go somewhere else, let her. If you drop your rate to please her, she'll think she can take advantage of you in other areas.
I know it's hard to find people right now, but if you're not making any money by charging her what she wants anyways, what's the point?
Hang in there, I have faith everything will turn out - for both of us. I'll pray for you and you pray for me

[Littledragon]

oh and if it makes you feel any better, i don't give discount for siblings, it doesn't make sense for me to do that if I could find two seperate kids who would pay full price so siblings would be $90 for the day

[dodge__driver11]

Hi,

If you want to keep the daycare from over taking your home..like....you really need that seperation, that's one of the reasons to use the basement.

Other reasons are
-Like you said it attracts potential clients
-"the mess" of the daycare will/might be easier to contain
-you may be able to set up centre play easier

Some things you may want to take into consideration are:
-how will you handle meals?
-Arrival?
-Sleep?

[Crayola kiddies]

When we built our house we built it with the daycare in mind. We built a bungalow to have the larger basement so i have a dedicated daycare space. as well we have an entrance right from the garage so parents drop off and pick up that way. I have a full bathroom and a kitchenette with a bar fridge, microwave, sink, cupboards ect! My house has five bedrooms so the dck sleep in pnp's in my bedrooms and that's the only time anybody sets foot in MY house. So at the end of the day after everything is cleaned up and the last child leaves I walk upstairs and I'm home.

[playfelt]

Depending on the area you live in the basement concept either attracts or detracts. It is getting better as some come around to see advantages and a lot of renovation companies have even been marketing the idea of finishing off additional space. But for many months every other ad here in Orleans toted the benefits of their main floor playroom with natural light vs a dingy dang musty basement.

Having said that mine is in my basement although we turned the diningroom into an upstairs play area so we have the benefits of both and quite honestly when I have mostly infants we spend a lot of time upstairs and only the big kids go down for an hour or so when babies are napping - saves on the lugging up and down.

If you look around your main area is there a space that is not utilized that you could make to look more daycare friendly? A lot that have a main floor playroom use their diningroom and livingroom so it makes a large space but either room could temporarily be utilized for a playroom. Then if you fill back up, you could make finishing the basement a winter project - when a lot of the home improvement stores have sales on the supplies needed for that too so a good time if you are going to do it.

As far as finishing the basement with 5 kids it might be something you want to consider doing anyways as it would allow them to spread out a bit more including bedrooms for the older ones as they reach their teens and no one wants to share anymore.

A lot depends too on how you intend to finish the basement. The cost to do it is not recoupable from a tax claim standpoint as it considered part of your house or becomes a capital gain when you stop doing daycare or sell your house which will cost you a lot more in the long run. If getting kids is an issue this might not be the time to finish the basement for the daycare or if you do make it only a part of the space and put in lots of lighting to keep it bright.

[momof5]

I hear ya! I'm hard core struggling too. I finally got my second family to set a date for their arrival (mom is on mat leave and wasn't sure she's going back to work) and now she's not sure she;s going to have a job to return to. My family can't live off one family (which is what I'll have if this girl backs out) and it just hit me how unstable this business is - which really scares me. I applied for a full time evening job last night. I'm SO stressed about it too. Sometimes, it just doesn't seem worth it. But then I remember how much I love it, and that if I just stick to my guns, I will eventually find something.


Good luck with I'm sorry your going throughthis as well!! I hear ya, my family can't survive off this one girl i'm left with and she's only 4 days a week either!! I'm not lowering my rate for her! I'm sure you are right that she's trying to get me to do that for her, Once I told her That's not an option for me, she then terminated!! LOl oh well she has played that guilty card once before and I fell for it, but not this time!
getting this new eve
What mom is trying to do is get you to lower your rate. I'm sure she knows she won't find soemone who is willing to take two kids at that rate, so she's trying to get you to drop your price. Don't. You're worth more than that. If she wants to go somewhere else, let her. If you drop your rate to please her, she'll think she can take advantage of you in other areas.
I know it's hard to find people right now, but if you're not making any money by charging her what she wants anyways, what's the point?
Hang in there, I have faith everything will turn out - for both of us. I'll pray for you and you pray for me

I'm sorry your going through this as well!! I hear ya, my family can't survive off this one girl i'm left with and she's only 4 days a week either!! I'm not lowering my rate for her! I'm sure you are right that she's trying to get me to do that for her, Once I told her That's not an option for me, she then terminated!! LOl oh well she has played that guilty card once before and I fell for it, but not this time!
Good luck getting this new evening job! I will send good fill up vibes your way as well!

[momof5]

=dodge__driver11;168 03]Hi,

If you want to keep the daycare from over taking your home..like....you really need that seperation, that's one of the reasons to use the basement.

Some things you may want to take into consideration are:
-how will you handle meals?
-Arrival?
-Sleep?[/QUOTE]

Thank you for your much appreciated advice Dodge_driver11!

I was thinking I would use my front room as a quiet area with some books, puzzles, while we wait for everyone to arrive, then head downstairs???
As for sleep, I have a big basement so i was considering having an area for the playpens/nap mats for them, of course I have the baby monitor on, and this way i would be able to get dishes done etc.. Right now they sleep in my dining room! LOL
Is that even a reasonable thought???

[momof5]

Thanks PlayFelt!!

My basement is already finished, i would just need to change the color on the walls etc.. Right now I use my front living room and dining room for space. But it just seems like it's not enough space for people that come in. (kinda like "that's it" look)
When I peek at other websites they have such amazing spaces set up, and always seem full, this is where my idea came from. LOL I honestly am just trying to think of things that could just work to help attract more possible clients.

[Sandbox Sally]

I don't really think you need to do a dedicated daycare area to attract clients, but I guess if you're struggling, it can't hurt. It really sucks when finding clients seems to be taking forever. Don't compromise yourself, though. You'll just end up bitter with little to show for it.

Good, good luck!