OT-am I in over my head?

[la79al]

For months now I have been posting ads on Craigslist to find a babysitter and also to do babysitting. If I went back to work, I would only work enough to cover my bills and daycare anyhow and I haven't been able to find anyone that I would like to leave my daughter with. So after months of hearing from no one needing a babysitter, in the past week I have had 2 replies. Both are meeting with me within the next week and want me to start watching their kids next week or the week after. The issue is that one woman has a 21 month old daughter and the other one has a 2.5 year old son and a 13 month old daughter. This would be in addition to my 15 month old DD. They both have crazy schedules and it looks like it would be 2-3 days a week for each of them but not set days and one could be mornings or could be afternoons. Am I crazy to think about doing this? I am walking around my suddenly somewhat small house trying to figure out how I would feed them all (I have 1 highchair and 1 booster seat) and where they would nap (we do have 2 PnPs and DD sleeps on the floor). DDs changing table is upstairs which won't work when I have 3 other kids downstairs. I would have to at least get a double stroller. Obviously just because they are meeting with me doesn't mean it's a definite but if everything looks good, would I be insane to try to take them all on? This is not even to mention what in the world do I DO with them all?!?!?!

 

[smkiya]

Obviously just because they are meeting with me doesn't mean it's a definite but if everything looks good, would I be insane to try to take them all on? This is not even to mention what in the world do I DO with them all?!?!?!

It sounds like you have would have 2 groups of 2 in different developmental stages. The 21 month old and 2 year old could actually do activities together (blocks, puzzles, coloring, etc.), with less supervision needed than with the 15 month and 13 month old. If you took them all, it would probably take you a couple weeks to establish a routine, and get to know their personalities, so plan for this. Google is good for finding age appropriate activities for kids, that you don't have to run out and spend money on. With meals, this age is pretty good. They should be able to all eat many of the same things, without you going broke. Applesauce, scrambled eggs, mixed fruit, pretzels, PB & J, grilled cheese are just some suggestions. Protect yourself though, especially because these will be strangers. You don't want to find yourself in the middle of a lawsuit for non-payment, operating without a license, etc. Make sure your homeowner's insurance is up to date and includes injuries, and if you rent, get renter's or liability insurance. I guess what I mean to say is, do a little research and consult an attorney (or free legal service) first; the legal backlash could be very bad.

Good luck, I hope everything works out!

 

[powellrj]

this is from the view point of a parent who used lots of different types of child care.

You have 2 trips planned to WDW in less than a year, do you have a back-up plan?

What happens when your DD is sick or you need to go someplace for an appointment? Do you have a back-up?

DO you have an area set up for the kids or do you plan to keep them in your house and if so, what about your family when the kids are there.

Do you have a price schedule worked out dealing with time off and multiple children from a family?

These were just a few of the issues that came up when we used in-home care. Because of issues we had, I vowed never to use an in-home sitter unless they ran their child care like a center would run. I ran into too many situations where the sitters didn't treat the child care professionally. It makes for hard feelings.

 

[tjbaggott]

I run a home daycare and work through an agency here. Our government rules for home daycare (here in Ontario at least) are "No more than two under 2yrs, No more than 3 under 3yrs, and no more than 5 daycare children total.
I know several people who run private home daycare and have more children than that. I think more than 5 if most were 3 and older, even I myself could handle, but I would stick with the no more than 3 under 3 rule even if I did do private care simply because those are high needs years compared to the older ones (your own child would be counted into those numbers as well).

As for what to do with them, age appropriate activities.
I have morning tv time when children arrive as that is usually when my own children are waking, me getting breakfast ready ect. and during the school year, getting everyone ready for school. Tv goes off by an hour after the daycare children arrive (might go on again some afternoons duriing quiet time for the older ones while the little ones are napping). We have a free play time, time where I play with them, dress up, hide and seek (more for the older ages), go to the park, go for walk in the rain, play in the back yard, water play on hot days, craft time, ect.... Before we know it, the day has gone. Occasionally we do field trips to a museum or children's paly center or water park (splash pad ones only), but tend to save those trips for when my one year old charge is not here (she's 3 days a week), because it's too much to take her and the two 2 year old, the 4 & 5 year olds and my own 6 year old.
I find it's great income, thats what's sending us to Disney this year and next, plus pay some bills pay down our mortgage ect....

In previous years when I did do private care, it was up to the parents of the daycare children to provide their own backup for when I was not available. To some extent, even through the agency that is still the case, though the agency tries to supply a backup. I've worked it out great for this upcoming fall Disney trip. My mother is house and petting sitting for me, and SHE suggested that she could look after the daycare children for me here in my home. The daycare parents LOVED that idea, so my mother is haveing her police check done and filling out the agency paperwork.
If you do private care, I would reccommend using a contract!