Quote Originally Posted by 5 Little Monkeys View Post
Yes for sure that is the reason. However, I have worked in licensed centre's and know firsthand that licensing isn't all it's cracked up to be. I am perfectly content being private and make an okay living doing so, so for now I will remain private. For myself, I have no interest in taking school aged children so for me, becoming licensed would only allow me one more child. I likely wouldn't take the grants and would still charge the rate I do now. I know typically parents choose licensed due to subsidy but because I wouldn't be offering that I would loose out on those parents anyways. If we decide to have a child or move to a bigger home than I will look at licensing again but I think staying private is what I will choose anyways.

The only times I have found being private has hurt me is when parents are wanting/needing subsidy.

Group home daycare is a cool thing but the reason I do this is to stay home so I would want it in my home and to do that I need a bigger house lol.
With accepting subsidy you don't necessarily have all subsidized families, I don't have any right now (just by coincidence). But it can end up being easier financially for all the parents, not just the subsidized ones. I get grant money for every licensed spot I have, making it possible for ALL my families to pay lower rates.

I think being licensed becomes really beneficial once your own children are school age. It allows me to have more children than I would be allowed if unlicensed, and since I have to deal with school buses and such no matter what (since they are my own kids) it makes it a win, win situation. Now that my older daughter is in school she fills one of my school age spots, leaving one of my preschool spots available to be filled with a daycare child.