Coming to a Cross Roads..

[Heidi]

I just received my relicensing packet in the mail. My license expires at the end of the year.

I have 4 children enrolled, 1 of which (the oldest...turned 2 yesterday), is state funded (for state funded, the provider must be regulated).

If I let my license lapse, I can care for 3 kids without one. I have a 3 passenger car. I am tired of being stuck at home all the time, and would love to take the kids on trips to the wildlife refuge, a playgroup, or other places.

So, I have to choose between letting one guy go (oh, and I might loose him anyway because his mom is traveling a long way here and then to work), or to keep him. If I let him go, I can keep my vehicle. If I keep him, I would need a different vehicle, and an alarm system (required for 6+ passengers).

I would also loose the $300 per month from the food program.

I have to send the packet in by November 30th.



WWYD?

BTW, because I live out of town a ways, I have never had more than 5 full-timers. I only get calls for infants, almost never for older kids, so I'm pretty much maxed at 4 or 5 for ratio compliance.

Taking 3 full-time and possibly OCCASIONAL drop-in care for former clients or one of my grandchildren would be ok. If I take 4 regularly, I'd be out operating illegally according to state regulations.

Also...because of our QRIS, I am taking classes, and am kind of burned out at the whole "teacher" aspect of it. I am Auntie here. We play, we bake, we read, we dance, we take walks, we nap. I don't do structured lessons or write a curriculum. I don't do evaluations (I can, but I don't), or formal conferences. I don't want to, and my customers don't have any interest in any of it. They want their children happy, secure, and cared for.

[permanentvacation]

I think that you have to think of how not renewing your license will effect you in the immediate future and in the long run. You currently can afford to only have 3 kids, but are you sure that in the long run you won't need to be able to obtain more income? If something happens to any of the kids you currently have that don't care if you are licensed or not, how easy will it be to replace them if you are not licensed? By not renewing your license, you will no longer be able to get the Food Program money. What were you using that income for? Are you sure you don't need/want that income?

Can you renew your license and make some changes in how you do the things that are required so you still meet the requirements, but aren't irritated by them? If you use the same QRIS that I know of, there are different levels. Do you have to maintain a specific level to be licensed in your area? If so, are the things that you would rather not have to do actually above the level required? Can you incorporate the baking, reading, dancing, etc. into a curriculum? Can you change the way the evaluations/conferences are done so they are less business-like and more bearable for you?

Keep in mind that just because you are allowed to have more than 3 kids doesn't mean that you have to watch more than 3 kids. You can watch only the 3 kids you want to watch, claim those 3 on the food program, and would have the opportunity to immediately take on more kids if something happens financially and you find yourself needing extra income in the future.

If you are truly worn out and know that having to do even the least of the requirements to renew your license will still make you unhappy, then yes, take a break. You might need to allow yourself the freedom from rules and regulations for a while.

[Scout]

I can't tell you what is right for you but, I can tell you that I am in the same boat with being stuck here all the time when it's too cold to walk places or timing would take too long. I would love to either have a larger vehicle to transport kids in(which is out of the financial question right now) or have less kids and be able to fit them in my current vehicle. If the state changes and we need to become licensed to operate as I do right now, I am considering changing to becoming a nanny or taking a ft job outside of the home that would be 2nd shift so that I don't need to take DS2 to a daycare. I have already done the daycare route with my kids and not that I wouldn't but, it was a financial mess for us. I need to be able to be home to get DS1 on the bus in the morning and not have the other go somewhere we have to pay. DH gets off work at 2:30 so tecnically I could work that out, although it wouldn't be ideal. I began a pt job yesturday from 5-9pm and it wasn't bad at all being out at night. I haven't worked past 4:30 in years. This is when I realized worst case scenerio, I could still be home when I need to be but, earn a living as well. I hope this decision comes easily to you! Sorry for the ramble!

[melilley]

I would renew. That way you can choose how many kids you want to take. If you only want 3, then you can have 3, if you change your mind and want more, then you can have more. If you don't, you will be stuck at 3.

This QRIS is getting to me too. I do do some "learning", but in no way do I want to be a home preschool! The lady from the resource center came over the other day and was explaining some things I can do to be a 4 instead of a 3 and it just doesn't sound like something I want to do. I'm supposed to be completing a plan (I can't think of the name right now) on things to work on to get another star, but keep putting it off because I don't think I want to be 4 stars! To me, the way they want things done makes it sound like I should be a center, not a cozy home!

[TwinKristi]

If you're in the position financially to lose the 4th child and $300 in food program money (all from that 1 child or are you giving that up due to regulation? We can be unlicensed in CA and still participate) than it would make sense to simplify things. I personally don't care for the teacher aspect of it either. The classes I've taken were often geared towards centers and large mixed groups which I don't have at this point. I'm in a similar position as you but not by choice. Come Jan I will only have one boy here 3 days a week and my own children, well one after school as well but he's going to be 10 in Jan and won't count in my ratios anymore. So I could give up my license or put a temp hold on it, and just watch 1 child. Tough choices!!

[butterfly]

Oh the licensing dilemma... I've gone back and forth on whether to be licensed or not too. For me it came down to liability insurance. I can't be insured without being licensed. I've never had to make an insurance claim (praise God!), but I'd hate to operate without it.

In my state, I can have just as many kids (12!) with or without a license. But then I'd loose the food program money too and currently I'm on Tier1.

I also like the free advertising - being on the state registered listing.

In my state, I have the option of opting out of the state pay program. I don't have to take or file for the state assistance clients. I can just tell them I don't take it and not mess with that at all. I did decide to take it though since I have a heart for foster kids and they are all on the assistance program.

I don't transport due to liability and I have too many to do so, but I do take the summers off and I LOVE being able to leave the house any time I feel like it. I can take my own kids to activities without having to worry about dragging everyone else with.

For now, I've decided to stay licensed. I may end up changing my mind, but we'll see.

[butterfly]

I would renew my license. Just because you are allowed to have more than 3 kids doesn't mean that you have to watch more than 3 kids. So, I would renew my license which would allow me to watch the 3 kids I want to watch, claim those 3 on the food program, and would allow me the opportunity to immediately take on more kids if something happens financially and I find myself needing extra income in the future.

That's a good point. You could renew your license and still let the 4th child go. Getting rid of the state pay client, allowing yourself the chance to get out of the house and still keeping your options open to taking on more clients in the future if you desire.

[Heidi]

Downfalls of having a license, besides the unplanned visits (about once a year, so not so bad).

765 or so licensing rules...sigh. Most of them really are just sensible, but I hate that looming over me, that a piece of missing paper could mean a non-compliance.

Costs: $60.50/licensing fee, annual water test $150, membership to professional organizations & The Registry (for training) $100/year I think, insurance $550 a year (I could get a rider on my homeowners a lot cheaper if I wasn't licensed, but they won't give a rider to a "professional".

Because of the rampant fraud, licensing SAYS we have to call and report anytime we are closed or out of the program. Seriously, they want us to call and tell them AND the food program if we aren't here. So, they don't waste their time coming, and so we don't file false claims for food or assistance clients. This also makes me go , because I would never do either one of those things.

Pros:
Food program monthly check is about $300, and kiddo I'd be losing is about $100 per week (4 days). There are also some TEACH scholarships and various small stipends that are about $400 per year. QRIS gives us a microgrant of $500 per year, but we have to spend it out of the catalogs, and I don't NEED anything. My house is so dang small, it's already packed to the gills with toys.

[Neekie]

I just received my relicensing packet in the mail. My license expires at the end of the year.

I have 4 children enrolled, 1 of which (the oldest...turned 2 yesterday), is state funded (for state funded, the provider must be regulated).

If I let my license lapse, I can care for 3 kids without one. I have a 3 passenger car. I am tired of being stuck at home all the time, and would love to take the kids on trips to the wildlife refuge, a playgroup, or other places.

So, I have to choose between letting one guy go (oh, and I might loose him anyway because his mom is traveling a long way here and then to work), or to keep him. If I let him go, I can keep my vehicle. If I keep him, I would need a different vehicle, and an alarm system (required for 6+ passengers).

I would also loose the $300 per month from the food program.

I have to send the packet in by November 30th.



WWYD?

BTW, because I live out of town a ways, I have never had more than 5 full-timers. I only get calls for infants, almost never for older kids, so I'm pretty much maxed at 4 or 5 for ratio compliance.

Taking 3 full-time and possibly OCCASIONAL drop-in care for former clients or one of my grandchildren would be ok. If I take 4 regularly, I'd be out operating illegally according to state regulations.

Also...because of our QRIS, I am taking classes, and am kind of burned out at the whole "teacher" aspect of it. I am Auntie here. We play, we bake, we read, we dance, we take walks, we nap. I don't do structured lessons or write a curriculum. I don't do evaluations (I can, but I don't), or formal conferences. I don't want to, and my customers don't have any interest in any of it. They want their children happy, secure, and cared for.

Heidi, I am considering doing the very same thing. Being licensed has taken all the joy out of doing child care for me. I long for the days when things were simple and care-free. Kids are being pushed way too fast now-a-days. What happened to just letting them be kids? It seems like everything we do we have to have a reason to do it. It can't just be for fun anymore. Preschool children should be working on self-help skills, good manners, safety issues, and social skills. They should be given free choices with-in reason and allowed to be creative. We should be interacting with them in ways that will build their self-esteem and that will allow them to make mistakes and be themselves. I don't need to be a formal preschool teacher to do that and I don't need a college degree either. Kids learn by doing things and experiencing things in life, by doing everyday things that happen in a family or that should happen in a family anyway. If I do everything that the state wants me to do on a daily basis and follow all of their rules, it takes way too much time away from the children and I resent that. There are way too many people coming in and out of my house all the time...licencors, food program reps, YoungStar reps. And now there is talk about building inspections, fire inspections, and health department inspections coming in the future as well. I am about ready to throw the towel in. The children need my undivided attention. Sorry about my ranting, but this just how frustrated I am. The state seems to worry more about paperwork and other such things than they do about the children. And they certainly do not care anything about the providers. Now I know paperwork and rules are important and are needed, but they just go too far with things. Sorry, I kind of vented on your thread. I am mad and frustrated with all the red tape and drama all the time. And I don't know why, but lately the licencors have been coming about once every three months or so in our area. They never used to come more than once a year to a year and a half before. It sounds like your are as frustrated with the system and the added expenses as I am. And I am afraid it is only going to get worse. I can't tell you what you should do, but I am really thinking of turning in my licenses so doing child care can be fun and free again.

[Heidi]

Heidi, I am considering doing the very same thing. Being licensed has taken all the joy out of doing child care for me. I long for the days when things were simple and care-free. Kids are being pushed way too fast now-a-days. What happened to just letting them be kids? It seems like everything we do we have to have a reason to do it. It can't just be for fun anymore. Preschool children should be working on self-help skills, good manners, safety issues, and social skills. They should be given free choices with-in reason and allowed to be creative. We should be interacting with them in ways that will build their self-esteem and that will allow them to make mistakes and be themselves. If I do everything that the state wants me to do on a daily basis and follow all of their rules, it takes way too much time away from the children and I resent that. There are way too many people coming in and out of house all the time...licencors, food program reps, YoungStar reps. And now there is talk about building inspections, fire inspections, and health department inspections coming in the future as well. I am about ready to throw the towel in. The children need my undivided attention. Sorry about my ranting, but this just how frustrated I am. The state seems to worry more about paperwork and other such things than they do about the children. And they certainly do not care anything about the providers. Now I know paperwork and rules are important and are needed, but they just go too far with things. Sorry, I kind of vented on your thread, but I think I answered your question somewhere in there. ::

It's okay! If you read my posts over the last couple years, you'll find I've ranted the same way.

On top of it all, in this area, NO ONE cares if their provider is licensed. We honestly have about 10 illegal providers in a county of 26,000 people. Not just unregulated, illegal big time. Some have been in business 20+ years. No one gives a hoot. I'm making all this effort and competing against that, too.

[LK5kids]

If it was me I would take the three and get out and about! Someone mentioned keeping your license for a future, what if. That is a good idea, but I get you on getting out from under our licensing regs and the expense of staying licensed.

I love the teaching aspect, but mainly for two's and up. If I had all infant/toddlers I would do as you do and just have fun in an inviting, warm, loving environment. I would say forget it to lesson plans for infants....yuck!

I would probably stay licensed for the food program, but would consider having parents bring food if I dropped my license.

What are you thinking as these kids get older? Will you keep them or will they age out?

I thought the alarm was required no matter how many you transport. That's interesting it is not. Good to know.

We have very few or no illegal providers. They were shut down years ago. That at least helped me. I don't know if it makes a difference that the pop. is only 6,500-everybody knows everbody, county seat=human services works out of this town for our county. I heard from a provider in Madison illegal FCC is rampant there. I would be sooooo frustrated if that was the case here, too!

I think taking the three only and getting out is a great idea!

Good luck with this decision!

[Play Care]

I would be unlicensed in a heartbeat if I could. Not because I am doing anything "wrong" but because I don't like the direction the state of FCC is headed.

My town sounds similar to yours in that parents are looking for kids to be safe and secure. I've mentioned before that multiple stars, accreditations, etc may mean something elsewhere but parents here are not going to pay extra for those things.

I wish...

[Willow]

Would be a no brainer for me, and it really sounds like you've already made up your mind if you go back through and read what you've written

[Maria2013]

I would renew. That way you can choose how many kids you want to take. If you only want 3, then you can have 3, if you change your mind and want more, then you can have more. If you don't, you will be stuck at 3.

This QRIS is getting to me too. I do do some "learning", but in no way do I want to be a home preschool! The lady from the resource center came over the other day and was explaining some things I can do to be a 4 instead of a 3 and it just doesn't sound like something I want to do. I'm supposed to be completing a plan (I can't think of the name right now) on things to work on to get another star, but keep putting it off because I don't think I want to be 4 stars! To me, the way they want things done makes it sound like I should be a center, not a cozy home!

I was going for the stars myself but changed my mind after I realized it would take most of the fun out and replace it with more rules and paperwork, I really do not need that besides it isn't a star that will determine how good I do my job (I love the misspelling on the front page of their magazine :

[kitkat]

It sounds like you are leaning towards not renewing. I'm in WI also and I've always been legally unlicensed. I have a rider in my homeowners insurance also. Keep in mind that you can still claim food expenses on your taxes if you are legally unlicensed. Good luck with your decision!