Family Childcare Providers

[Lperry2124]

So for all my family childcare providers do any of you just provide services for a certain age range or does everyone do birth -4 or after school? does any one do 3 and up or 2 and up? If so how is that experience for you? Or as family childcare provider do you think its better for us to service ages birth and up?? Thanks in advancehappyface

[Josiegirl]

I've always taken all ages until they age out. But as I've gotten older I am wanting to not accept school age kids anymore. I like the mix of ages but the older kids, unless they like little ones, don't seem to be a good mix. As challenging as the 2 yos can be I love that age group, they can be so darn cute and their rapid rate of soaking things up like a sponge always amazes me, plus sometimes they can be so much easier to entertain. Simple is good for them. Set up farms and animals, blocks and people, a sensory box, anything like that, and they're usually pretty good for awhile. I wish I could take just dcks under 3 but it wouldn't be financially feasible for me.
Probably not much help to you. Right now I have ages 17 months-almost 4. Potty-training is not my favorite part of this age group right now. And the aggressiveness they can display at times.... Other than that I love 'em!

[Play Care]

I think it really depends on your area. I find taking infants - 5 to be the best here. I know I could get SA kids, but they are a lot of work for little money.

I try to space infants out to every couple of years, but the nice thing is that usually by taking an infant I am getting 5 years out of it.

[NeedaVaca]

I don't take infants. I only accept walking/self feeding children. I have taken as young as 12 months when they had those skills but love age 18 mths and up and don't have problems keeping those spots filled. I don't accept SA.

[snbauser]

I take only preschool aged - 3-5 years old. I do occassionally have a school ager or 2 for a teacher workday but they are kids who graduated my program so they know me and my rules.

[KidGrind]

So for all my family childcare providers do any of you just provide services for a certain age range or does everyone do birth -4 or after school? does any one do 3 and up or 2 and up? If so how is that experience for you? Or as family childcare provider do you think its better for us to service ages birth and up?? Thanks in advancehappyface

I don’t know what part of Maryland.

In Montgomery County infant care is highly sought after.

I prefer 2 and 5 years old.

[LysesKids]

I don’t know what part of Maryland.

In Montgomery County infant care is highly sought after.

I prefer 2 and 5 years old.

If I could afford MoCo I never would have left (I grew up there), but it's too expensive for a single parent; I'm infants - 23 months only but even in the cheapest neighborhoods rent would still be too high for me... It's why I started doing childcare just over the state line .

[Thriftylady]

Right now I have two school aged children and three more starting Monday! I have them before and after school. I really didn't intend it that way but in my small town and with the economy I am having issues getting kids. My favorite age is the 2.5 to school aged crowd.

[KidGrind]

If I could afford MoCo I never would have left (I grew up there), but it's too expensive for a single parent; I'm infants - 23 months only but even in the cheapest neighborhoods rent would still be too high for me... It's why I started doing childcare just over the state line .

It is expensive, very. I am born and raised San Francisco bay area. I’ve also lived in Southern California for over ten years. So when I moved here and people said, “It is a high cost of living.” I thought, “Okay that is what we’re use to.”

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We moved here and I was shocked. The area grew on me. I love the public school system here. It’s excellent. Yet, we buying a home and moving out of state and I am looking forward to living in an area that has a lower cost of living.

The funny thing is we’re moving to an area that is supposedly higher end. What we’re paying for a house there we couldn’t even get a one bedroom shack here.

[Play Care]

Right now I have two school aged children and three more starting Monday! I have them before and after school. I really didn't intend it that way but in my small town and with the economy I am having issues getting kids. My favorite age is the 2.5 to school aged crowd.

I think if you only have SA kids it's fine. Mixing SA with littles is usually where I find the most issues. If I could be on SA kids the way they need (without having to change diapers, feed a baby, assist with toileting, etc etc etc) I could totally rock that age group ::::

[NoMoreJuice!]

I don't take infants for many, many reasons, but especially because of our capacity tables in Kansas. I chose to go with the one that allows the most number of children, table 4:

http://www.kdheks.gov/bcclr/download/GDCH_Table.pdf

Therefore, I only accept kiddos 18 months+. In order to fill my spots to capacity since I eliminated a whole age range of kids, I chose to start a preschool program. So my assistant has 6 "littles" while I teach preschool to my six.

[LysesKids]

It is expensive, very. I am born and raised San Francisco bay area. I’ve also lived in Southern California for over ten years. So when I moved here and people said, “It is a high cost of living.” I thought, “Okay that is what we’re use to.”

::::::::::::::::

We moved here and I was shocked. The area grew on me. I love the public school system here. It’s excellent. Yet, we buying a home and moving out of state and I am looking forward to living in an area that has a lower cost of living.

The funny thing is we’re moving to an area that is supposedly higher end. What we’re paying for a house there we couldn’t even get a one bedroom shack here.

My 2 oldest children & their families live in Rockville & Germantown... thank goodness for the in laws because no way could my dd afford childcare for 4. I'll be up there for Christmas - spending time with other relatives & my youngest dd in CA next week for Thanksgiving

[KidGrind]

My 2 oldest children & their families live in Rockville & Germantown... thank goodness for the in laws because no way could my dd afford childcare for 4. I'll be up there for Christmas - spending time with other relatives & my youngest dd in CA next week for Thanksgiving

I hope you enjoy the holidays, family and especially grandchildren during your visit!

[Nisaryn]

So for all my family childcare providers do any of you just provide services for a certain age range or does everyone do birth -4 or after school? does any one do 3 and up or 2 and up? If so how is that experience for you? Or as family childcare provider do you think its better for us to service ages birth and up?? Thanks in advancehappyface

I only take infants, so I'm only allowed 4 kids a time in my state. One of which is my own so really it's just 3. I enjoy it, I like being able to watch them grow and feel like I am helping them to get their best start in life. I was originally taking care of 'infants' up to age 2 but found that an 18m old and a 4m old just aren't....compatible...in the same care so I have no since terminated my 18m old (the one that practically lived with me for those of you that know) and will stick to that age. No kids over 18m. Currently all my kids are 9m and under and it's perfect!

[NillaWafers]

I don't do infants under 6 mo. I am terrified of SIDs and just couldn't deal with an infant that young and 2 year olds.

I really like to take just preschoolers but there is now TK in my area and it seems most people don't want a home daycare for preschool.