What are the ages of your daycare kids?

[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?

[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.