How long when you're not sure?

[Tot-Time]

Oh ... and yes the adult interaction is something I miss!!!! I often wish that double daycares would be allowed and then I would be in heaven with home daycare

[Crayola kiddies]

Smitty ..... Yes I do have a separate space for my daycare however I do use my bedrooms for napping. Each child is contained in a pack and play so there is not playing hence wear and tear on "my" space. Parents enter and leave thru the daycare entrance and our days are spent in the daycare or outside. I have done before and after and I currently have a SK that comes before only. I only do one at a time because they take up a space as far as my numbers go so I haven't really had a discipline problem. I never did activities cause once they have been at school all day they just want to play. I always kicked them outside that way they could run around and yell till their hearts content. I would suggest telling them that if they can't behave then you will find a job for them to do..... Washing toys,reading a story, helping to get snack ready , preparing the next days craft, cleaning up or their homework !

[Momof4]

I see other home daycare providers at least 2-3 times a week. I arrange visits with them at parks and other venues and it really helps me to have others who understand my life and my business. All of our daycare children have become great friends too and my little ones are always running toward the park yelling 'our friends, our friends'. It kind of combines the big daycare group and the small home daycare into one great program. They get the one on one care at the home daycare and the big park groups prepare them for a big class when they start school. It's also a great selling point during an interview when I explain it to parents that way.

[Tot-Time]

I agree Momof4 that park visits and children's events are an excellent way to get some 'adult' social interaction. Park/outside play is as much for the children as it is for us. The problem is travelling with 5 little ones in the winter isn't the easiest task and local parks aren't fenced Not that my kids would run, but one never knows. Plus, I sometimes find it frustrating that some caregivers can't seem to multi-task, ie observe the children and socialize. That is a whole other story.

It's time to start thinking about the future of daycare. I said I wouldn't accept anymore infants after my next sibling so I have to decide what is going to happen, whether I leave the space empty or if I start weaning daycare now. It doesn't seem like an easy decision.

[Momof4]

I understand what you are saying and there was a caregiver in our group just standing there while the rest of us watched her kids but I don't see her any more. Her kids were out of control little monsters. I'm constantly counting my kids and watching and chasing them and I prefer parks that are kind of in valleys, but even my one year old children have just been through a safety week and we talk about it all the time, inside and outside. My one year old girl barely talks but she knows red-stop, green-go. I keep them on the backpack with ropes attached to my wrists system when we are walking. We had such a mild winter last year we were at the parks in Jan & Feb but it may be a whole different story this year. Also, two of my older children have been replaced with babies which will slow me down too. But if we get lots of snow we won't have to travel far because we'll have lots to do here on the premises.