Hello everyone,

I'm new to this forum. I'm considering the possibility of starting an after school care program for kids in my local school. I'm currently on mat leave (in Ontario) and I'd love to be able to stay home with my two kids after my leave is over. I was thinking of offering a daily pick-up from school, snack, and homework help program for a few kids. It would be about two and a half hours, from about 3:15 to 5:30 or 6pm. I am an elementary school teacher, but I've never offered any care in my home.

A few questions for those of you who have experience:

- How much can I charge? Tutors charge from $30 to $50 an hour, so I was thinking of $50 a day, since I won't be tutoring so much as babysitting. Does that sound reasonable?

- By September my older child will be 12 years old and my younger will be 10 months old (yes, a huge gap). How many children can I legally have in my care together with my own (I live in Ontario)? I think the 12 year old doesn't count towards the number of children, but I'm not sure.

- If it's only for a couple of hours a day, does my house still have to conform to the rules for daycares? Or would this sort of program be more like babysitting, and therefore not regulated?

Please share your wisdom!