I had an idea for something and I am wondering if you, as a mom, would go for it or if it is weird etc. My daughter LOVES art, loves to draw and most of all loves to socialize. She is 6. Our schedule is so hectic that I can't possibly put her in an evening art class (plus the only one semi-close to us is 55 dollars for 4 weeks) so I had an idea... I wanted to extend an "invitation" to about 10 kids (hoping at least 4 or 5 will say yes) to join an "art club" which would take place right after school for an hour or an hour and a half in our home once a week. The students would come, do a somewhat structured art project, have a snack, do a bit of socializing and then go home. I was going to ask for 15 dollars from each parent for the month and this would cover the art supplies as well as a healthy snack each week. I only know two of the parents so the other ones would be "new" but I was going to offer my phone number and email address on the flyer that my daughter hands out and also request their phone number if they are interested so that I can call and introduce myself. I run a licensed preschool out of my home in the mornings so I am first aid certified/cpr trained etc. Is this weird? Would you go for it? Thanks! :)
ETA regarding operating without a license... there is no such thing as a specific preschool license in the state of California, therefore the license I have is for a Small Family Home Childcare which states that I can "care" for up to 8 children at a time if 2 of them are school aged. So I am not worried about that aspect of it. Plus parents can stay if they'd like. Thanks for your concern though, and thanks to the others who have answered, we are going to do it :)
Not weird at all--- I would love to have something like that in my area! I would charge more though- :) $30 a month.IMO
GL
M
I love this idea, Robyn. As a professional artist myself who got here largely on my own, I would have appreciated this kind of adult nurture when I was younger.
However, also having been asked to offer workshops to Camp Fire Girls several times, it always required a great deal more preparation, effort and expense than I expected. Since you do a morning preschool, you may have a much better setup than I had access to, so perhaps you'll have an easier time on the organizational end.
If I knew you, or knew another M. who vouched for you, I would not have hesitated to sign my daughter up. I think your idea is brilliant.
Well since you are licensed and probably more "legal" than some,, it might be a great way to expose a few kids and your daughter to some new art. It might also be good in return for your preschool business too. Do you have any type of art background yourself? It sounds like a neat idea to me.
I LOVE it. I would TOTALLY go for it.
I think you'd deserve more money for this but yes, I like the idea. I think the kids in your preschool would be great contacts for this. Also, I would stick with people I knew...at least at first.
I LOVE this, though I agree with Elaine that you could charge more. Maybe you go with half whatever the going rate is in your area for a similar thing at an art studio.
yes, yes, YES!!! i wish you lived here :)
Okay, here is my take on it.
You say a licensed pre-school, that does not say child care to me so I assume it is not.
Call it anything you like, you are caring for children in your home that are not your children. No matter what you call it it may be construed as a child care setting, if even part time like once a week.
You are watching kids without parents attending. You are accepting money to watch them. Even though you are planning a craft, like a teacher in child care would do, you are running a business out of your home, very much like a child care business. On the surface it would appear to be one, you know it's not but why put yourself into that kind of situation.
Here is what you state regulations state about child care:
"ARE YOU PROVIDING CHILD CARE WITHOUT A LICENSE?
You must be licensed if you care for children from more than one family and who are not related to you.
You don't need a license if you care for your children (or those of a relative), and children from only one other family.
If you are providing child care in either a Family Child Care Home or Child Care Center and are not licensed, you need to understand that it is against the law. Operating without a license is a misdemeanor and you could be required to pay a $200 per day fine. You may also be subject to criminal charges by local law enforcement."
The actual regulations for the state of California:
http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/getinfo/pdf/fcc.PDF
On page 10 of the regulations it does say you could file for an exemption if you only meet one day per week for less than 4 hours but it says just above that that money cannot exchange hands, the only thing that can be done is the kids can bring their own snacks and toys for their own use...
2C is where is talks about money exchanging hands rules
4 is where it talks about the one day per week for no more that 4 hours and no more than 12 children....
102358 LICENSE EXEMPTIONS 102358
Pg. 10
Health and Safety Code Section 1596.792 provides in pertinent part:
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(2) Any cooperative arrangement between parents for the care of their children where no payment is involved and the arrangement meets all of the following conditions:
(A) In a cooperative arrangement, parents shall combine their efforts so that each parent, or set of parents, rotates as the responsible care giver with respect to all the children in the cooperative.
(B) Any person caring for children shall be a parent, legal guardian, stepparent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or adult sibling of at least one of the children in the cooperative.
(C) There can be no payment of money or receipt of in-kind income in exchange for the provision of care. This does not prohibit in-kind contributions of snacks, games, toys, blankets for napping, pillows, and other materials parents deem appropriate for their children. It is not the intent of this paragraph to prohibit payment for outside activities, the amount of that may not exceed the actual cost of the activity.
(D) No more than 12 children are receiving care in the same place at the same time.
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(4) Any child day care program that operates only one day per week for no more than four hours on
that one day.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
So, my advice to you is that this is an awesome idea. If you wanted to run with it then call the state office nearest you, discuss in detail with the licensing worker, and make dead sure you have any possible paperwork filed with them to make sure they are aware of exactly what this program is and is not. That way if someone does call and complain that they think you are running a child care center they will already be aware of what is going on and it will never ever become an issue.
I think this would be a great idea to do. I would make sure that all the possible issues would be dealt with and then go have some fun.
Around here, these are offered through the schools. Parents set up various clubs (chess, art, robots, legos, whatever), and arrange through the school for a meeting space (cafeteria, art room, music room, library, etc.), and the clubs meet afterschool one day a week for an hour or two.
With nearly everything cut but reading, writing, and math... it's the only way a lot of kids are getting science, arts, music, PE... by being part of an afterschool club.
The club needs one teacher or staffmember as a point of contact, and the parent volunteers have to have a background check.
Sounds cute-create a flyer to highlight the details-good luck and have fun!
We had our kids in private school when they were younger (elementary) and this sort of thing was not unheard of. I think it is an excellent idea.
Love the idea, I would definitely put my daughter in something like this if she were that age.
Not with one adult and that many kids. Plus, I would charge more.
You may not realize how much snack some kids eat. I know I was shocked.
I don't think it's gonna go over to big. But give it a try and see what happens...if you want. Probably alot of the childrens parents already have afterschool arrangements...and can't change them for an hour long class. And how would they get there anyway if the parents are at work...and what would you do with them when class is over. Seems like alot of trouble for $15 bucks a month.
I think that it is a great idea. I suggest that you find a parent to volunteer. Is this a business, will you profit?
