Best plan ahead

[Lee-Bee]

I closed my 'daycare' back in the summer and currently care for a 26month old girl plus my own 23month old daughter.
It is working great. Shorter hours, we are now in the main house so I can cook and clean while they play versus being in the old daycare space with 5 under 1.5yrs like I had been doing. Our marriage is much better this way.

Anyways, I am contemplating making a change in april and can't decide on my best path. Get another child to come 3 days and have the 3 kids, then 2 days with just my daughter or having another child come 2 days but only ever have 2 kids (no days with just my daughter).

What would you do in this situation? I can list so many pros and cons for each, but think I might slightly lean to having 1DC child at a time. I like the calm mellow days and the ability to tend to the house and to involve them in baking etc. I also worry with 3 there may be one child left out all the time.

I plan to give my current family notice soon that some changes are pending so they can have first dibs at moving to 5days a week, but I don't think they are interesting in paying more when they have grandparents helping out for free. I also think there could be benefit for my daughter to have a different playmate in addition to her current best bud.

Thoughts on things I should consider before making changes when things are running smoothly?

[5 Little Monkeys]

I personally would like the days with just my own child. This would free me up to do personal errands, have the quality time with him/her, be able to get a babysitter for myself and have some free time if need be etc.

[babydom]

I too also would have the two days with just my child.

[playfelt]

I think it depends on what you want to do in terms of do you want to go on outings with your child on the days you have no daycare kids or do you want to start a side business knitting hats in which case having one child for your own daughter to play with while you knit for an hour each day whether you have only one other or some days have two others is up to you but think about what your daughter will be doing while you are doing whatever it is that you want to do - does she need a playmate. Maybe she would love gardening with you one on one and maybe she would prefer to play on the climber or in the sandbox with a friend while you prune the roses.