By starting your own daycare, you have the opportunity to not only
make some extra money, but you'll be able to stay home and spend time
with your own kids. Both benefits are very important -- who doesn't
need to make extra money? -- and your kids will only be young once.
But starting a daycare isn't as easy as buying a sandbox and handing out
flyers with your name, phone number and address. There are things that
you'll need to do before you actually start minding other people's
children.
First, do you actually like being with children? Do you like playing with
them? Does it bother you having to run after unruly children (and they're
all unruly sometime or another)? Will you be able to feel affection for
the children of strangers? Children need affection from their caregivers
-- parents and daycare providers alike. Some people can be very loving to
their own children, but can't seem to feel the same affection and love for
the children of others. If you can't provide that loving, patient
affection, then running a daycare is not for you.
