What else needs to be considered when starting a family child care business at home?
The decision to start a family child care business must take into account your own family’s needs first. Sharing household space with other children and their families poses challenges that require planning, organization, and flexibility. Some common concerns of a family child care provider’s spouse and children include: • sharing Mom; • sharing personal belongings and space with others; • additional clutter at home; • the comings and goings of children and their families each day; and • phone calls after hours. Family child care providers can minimize the disruption of family space and schedules by: • establishing clear guidelines with child care families about days and hours of the business operation; • being clear that certain rooms or toys are “off limits”; • building in special times with their own children in your lap during story reading, for example, or a half hour alone with Mom once the child care children have left for the day. Family child care providers can also create a p
