How Many Kids Do You Care For At Once And What Ages?

[Nisaryn]

Amount of kids you can have depends on your license, so you would have to look into it before you could take more kids. As for me, I chose to do infants only because of my sons age. I can have up to 4 all under 2 years. My oldest is 16 months and my youngest just turned 7 months. If I want more kids I would need to terminate one or more and then I would be able to have 3 infants and 3 toddlers or I could do 2 infants, 3 toddlers, 1 K and 1 SA...but I most likely will never do that....I admire those of you that can handle SA kids!!!They scare me!

[MarinaVanessa]

I'm going on almost 7 months prego right now so I only have 2 clients plus my own kids.

Clients
- 2mo FT boy
- 3yo PT boy 3 days a week

My own kids
- 4yo DS
- 2yo DS
- 10yo DD

This pregnancy is #4 and has really done a number on me so I'm keeping it low numbers for now until after my baby is born.

[littletots]

My license is 6. 18m, 20m, 2y3m, 4y, 5y & 6y. My 8y can come over anytime after school hw done. Personal children over 8y doesn't count in ratio.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

In Ohio. I can have 6 kids, 3 can be under 2.

I have varying schedules.
2 yr old is here every day.
7 month old no Fridays
6 month old 3-4 days a week it varies (hospital)
3 yr old 4 days a week off day varies (dad does shift work)
5 yr old kindergartner . wow he will be 6 on Monday. Before school every day some days after
8 week old and 3 yr old are here Tuesday/Wed (These are #3 and #4I have had kids of theirs now for 6 years. It use to be Tues/Thursday but she switched schools, music teacher) it is kind of a pain but I love the family and it always seems to work out. I will loose the 3 almost 4yr old to preschool next year so just one awkward spot. But she drops of after SA leaves and picks up before he gets back.
Then I have two one yr olds that are occasional drop offs usually a couple of times a month obviously not on Tues/Wed!
So like today... I just had 2 yo and 3 yo girls. Fun, relaxing day. Last Tuesday was full with 3 babies here! I like the variety to my schedule. oh and right now everyone is picked up by 5! I don't think I will go back to later closing time!! When my husband went back to college.. like 10 yrs ago now. I had 6 kids full time and it was chaos. It was everything I could do to homeschool my 2 and take care of the kids. But, we did it.

Advice- I only plan one "extra" thing for the day. Today scooping the insides of pumpkins, yesterday was the kinetic sand in the bin, day before was painting. I have learned that I don't have to do it all. There were lots of things we didn't get to this Halloween. I will do them next year, or not. Now, I do regularly change out toys and add "stuff" to the playroom. We do a lot more playing independently now than when I first started and thought I had to do circle time, and a letter, etc. Some days we just sit with a stack of books.. If an opportunity arises for something else, I take it (a break in the weather and a chance to play in the leaves). I try to be outside every day!(even if it is just for a walk or playing on the patio- babies change things) Teach them to play. They have the best conversations! Listen, feed their interests but don't play for them. Let them discover and learn. My house is always a work in progress. What is working today may not next week. I had to put up the baby cage this week because 7 month old learned to army crawl and she is godzilla to building block children. We learn, we adapt. I am constantly taking out and putting away things- today, no babies so no baby area in playroom. I am currently contemplating if we could nap elsewhere instead of in the playroom so that we could leave an under construction site out for my builders. I am working on logistics of that because right now littles are only in the back part of my house.. babies nap in dining room/ living room. Anyway I digress... Toddlers, I would work on teaching them to play and loving naptime!

[BabyMonkeys]

I'm in Florida and I can have 6 as long as no more than 3 are younger than 12m; or 4 if they are all under 12m.

I have two 22m boys and a 16m boy. I have had all of them since birth. I keep my numbers tiny by choice. Unless one of the families has another baby, I am full! I majorly lucked out in that all of my families are amazing!

I don't know that I could handle larger numbers like most of you ladies handle! I have been a sahm with my own kids for the last 17 years, so out budget has always been dependent on my husband's income alone. He is just thrilled that I have an income! He knows that if I were to add more it would most likely overwhelm me and I would quit! By keeping my numbers so low I can charge quite a bit more too, so that doesn't hurt!

[Febby]

I work in a three year old room at a center. Ratio is 12:1. Maximum group size is 24.

Right now we have 14 on our roster with two teachers, but due to staffing issues in the other three year old room, we've been having to take some of theirs so we usually end up with 16-18. The room's capacity is 24, but children cannot transition to the 4 year old pre-k rooms until school starts in August so the lower number is intentional. There will be 24 in the room before August.

Consistent routines keep that running smoothly. We make our expectations for the children very clear. The classroom is arranged into centers and the number of children allowed in a center is limited to avoid overcrowding, which eventually leads to conflict. Toys and materials are clearly labeled and organized.

I worked in the older SA room (7 years+) for part of the summer. Ratio was 20:1 with a maximum group of 30. Reminded me of why I don't usually work in SA rooms. SAers are too old and too tall for my liking.

[DestinyAja]

I have 12.

3 months
9 months
18 months
3-two yr olds
3-three yr olds
2-four yr olds
2-five yr olds

One of the 5 yr olds fills the empty spaces during the week.

DH is usually around from 11-2ish daily/as needed.

How do you do it with all the different ages? I have varied ages and it just seems so hard. An infant will wake up to be fed in the middle of Circle Time...A toddler will have to rush to the potty right when I'm trying to get the infant to sleep....A crawler will have a temper tantrum while I'm trying to make lunch or snacks....When I try to switch to coloring or an activity they are not interested. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

[laundrymom]

There is one miss laundry and 10 of you. You need to be patient and wait.

This is a rarely taught concept anymore.

How do you do it with all the different ages? I have varied ages and it just seems so hard. An infant will wake up to be fed in the middle of Circle Time...A toddler will have to rush to the potty right when I'm trying to get the infant to sleep....A crawler will have a temper tantrum while I'm trying to make lunch or snacks....When I try to switch to coloring or an activity they are not interested. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

[Luke25]

I have 5 and I definitely couldn't do any more.
I have 1 10 month old
1 18 months
2 22months
1 2.5 year old.
All boys!
they are very wild. I working on having a more structured day but it's really tough with their ages.

[DestinyAja]

There is one miss laundry and 10 of you. You need to be patient and wait.

This is a rarely taught concept anymore.

No it's not taught anymore and it's very frustrating. I have 5, plus my own 2.
1 - 2 months
1 - 13 months
3 - 2 years
and my 2 boys are 8 months and 3 years

Aye yi yi!!!

[Blackcat31]

How do you do it with all the different ages? I have varied ages and it just seems so hard. An infant will wake up to be fed in the middle of Circle Time...A toddler will have to rush to the potty right when I'm trying to get the infant to sleep....A crawler will have a temper tantrum while I'm trying to make lunch or snacks....When I try to switch to coloring or an activity they are not interested. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I am lucky enough that I have a completely separate home in which I run my child care from. This leaves me with lot of space and the ability to set up spaces strictly for specific age groups.

I have an infant/toddler room. It's divided in half for mobile toddlers and floor creepers. It allows both developmental ages to co-exist without fear of them injuring each other.

I have a preschool room where centers and activities geared toward that age are kept there.

I spend most my time in the kitchen/dining room which is centrally located. I can see all areas of the house from the kitchen.

I do circle time DURING morning snack. That way I have everyone's attention and the kids that don't have the skills to sit and listen (toddlers especially) have something to do with their hands.

As for a toddler needing to use the bathroom, I do not consider a child toilet trained until they can use the bathroom on their own so they would simply get up from the table and use the bathroom when necessary.

I change everyone in diapers and have the others use the rest room during normal transition periods which usually happen every 2-2.5 hours.

Yes, there is some massive chaos now and then but I am pretty chill and don't get bent out of shape very easily. I don't have the same type of relationship with my clients as some providers often do. I am very forward, blunt and business like when it comes to dealing with issues.

I am also very play based so I don't spend alot of time entertaining the kids. They do that on their own. I create the environment and rotate out toys and centers and they do the rest. (I am often bored. )

I do not tolerate certain behaviors and am swift and quick when resolving. I have no qualms about terming a parent or child that creates strife within my program.

It also helps that I am the oldest of 6 children and and grew up with my parents taking in foster kids. My mom always says I was a natural born caretaker. It also helps that I was born bossy.

[MunchkinWrangler]

Well, I am going to answer this post although I have lost 2 of my dck's

1- 6 mos
2- 18 mos(1 gone, 1 leaving in a week)
2 -3 yos( 1 mine, 1 not mine)

I would have 2 SA's as well after school and off school days, family has 3 yo with me.

I manage although most of my day revolves around diaper changes, potty times and meal times. I manage and I feel it is actually easier to handle with more than less. My light days are almost more off schedule and loose which is not good for my personality as I am a time schedule type of person.

I am now looking to put in a 7 month old for part time and looking to fill in my other ages.

On a side note, everyone except for one drops off on a consistent schedule, I learned from the forum to contract times and this works better for me so I know when to expect drop offs and pick ups.

[Jazzii]

We have 12 daily + 4 schools agers (5+) so a variation of these

3 month old
9 month old
13 month old
18 month old
20 month old
23 month old

4- 2 year olds
2- 2.5 year olds
3- 3 year olds
3- 4 year olds
2- 5 year olds
1- 6 year old
1- 8 year old
1- 9 year old

And the owners kids: 10,7,6

[Jazzii]

We have 12 daily + 4 schools agers (5+) so a variation of these

3 month old
9 month old
13 month old
18 month old
20 month old
23 month old

4- 2 year olds
2- 2.5 year olds
3- 3 year olds
3- 4 year olds
2- 5 year olds
1- 6 year old
1- 8 year old
1- 9 year old

And the owners kids: 10,7,6

We are a group family in NYS, infant ratio is 2:1 we always have 3 people on.

During the day, everyone pitches in to do diapers and meals. During our academic time each staff member takes an age group, one has the 2.5-3 year olds (4 year old go to pre-K) , one has the kids from 18ish months to 2.5 and the last one has the babies.

Each member works on lesson plans for their age group.

[jenboo]

I'm licensed for 5 under 2yrs old.
I have:
4 month old dcb
10 month old dcb
11 month old daughter
15 month old dcb
18 month old dcg