I am a stay-at-home mom with three kids, ages 8, 5, and 3. During and after my pending divorce, I plan to stay at home with the kids even if I have to dip into my savings until my youngest starts kindergarten. I figure it is probably still cheaper to do this than it is to find a job (don't know what kind of salary I can pull down after being out of the workforce for 11 years) and pay for childcare for three kids.
My children's elementary school does not offer before-school child care, because there isn't enough demand. I am thinking of putting up a profile on care.com or sittercity.com offering before-school child care in my home for one or two kids attending my children's school. I can transport the kids to school in my minivan. I am also thinking I can offer child care for sick kids and on days when the school is closed for snow days, institute days, and state holidays that most companies don't give their employees.
My question: Am I opening myself up to a huge liability problem if I do this? I am just considering this a babysitting job, and I wouldn't go through the process of becoming a licensed in-home day care. Have any of you offered this kind of babysitting arrangement? Would any of you need something like this? Thanks in advance! I'm trying to explore all of my options on how to make ends meet.
ETA: I actually live in Illinois (but I would move back to CA if I could!) and there don't seem to be any state regulations for "babysitting". I would have my three children in the home (during non-school hours) in addition to the one or two kids I would babysit.
ETA #2: Thanks so much for the additional questions! The insurance I currently have are homeowners and auto insurance. I would only babysit a child that attends the same school as my children. I am friends or at least friendly with a lot of the parents already, so I figure a potential client will feel comfortable asking other parents about me. Most of us stay-at-home moms know each other and stay in touch via Facebook or after school playground chit chat. I can probably put the word out to them first about my babysitting services. But most of the working moms or parents new to the school don't have a way to get in touch. (Hence the care.com or sittercity.com profile.)
As far as the sick children, I would only offer to care for them after having met the child and parent beforehand. And I do have an extra guest room to quarantine and care for the sick child, but I figure any germs they might have will be coming home from school with my children eventually.
Thanks so much for all of the advice! Lots to think about. I think I will end up just putting the word out to some of the moms at school for the occasional sick day and snow day child care. If I decide to do anything else, I will get licensed.
As a working mom, I think it's a great idea. I wish someone in my neighborhood did that.
But I have no idea of the legal/tax/etc requirements.
It sounds like a good solution, but I would consider becoming a licensed sitter. That way, you can write off expenses as a business expense. Also, know that some people, like me, will want to use you and write the expense off on their taxes. To do that, you would need to either provide them with your SSN, or Business Tax ID.
Don't jump in with both feet and two arms. If you offer before/after care, your 'attendance' rules should be the same as the school. I know folks need 'sick-kid' care, but having your 3, plus others, is asking for a mini pandemic through your house.
You'll also have to consider days when you or your kids are sick. You should have a backup sitter in mind.
Along that thinking, it might work for you to start as a 'sick-kid' sitter. That way you could have a 'sick' room. Days that you or your kids are sick, you wouldn't lose income.
I only have one comment. Be sure to have adequate home insurance. I ssuggest that everyone needs such insurance because accidents do happen. Because you will have extra people in your home it's even more important.
*ETA: Since you are going to care for other children, you SHOULD get a CPR and First Aide certification.
That is something else, to think about.
And YOUR kids, DO count, and is included in the number of kids you have under your care. You have 3 kids yourself. Plus, in addition any other kids you care for, will be in addition to that.
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You would not be licensed. This is a problem for some, and perhaps per State laws... also because there is a certain ratio of adult to kids.
If you go beyond that capacity, it is not "allowed" etc.
IF you have a parent, that gossips or talks about you, and per how many kids you have under your care or not and if you are licensed or not or if you are insured or not... then, you will have a problem.
ALSO, you need to, per taxes, claim your income from it. BECAUSE also, the parents of the kids under your care, WILL be claiming it on THEIR taxes.
And if you don't have a business license, you cannot write off your expenses.
AND if you will be transporting... kids, in YOUR vehicle, yes, this is a liability. And you will need car seat for all of them etc.
So say the least.
And you will need to be providing any foods etc., for the kids unless you stipulate that you do not, and the parents have to provide any and all foods and hygiene things, for their kids.
And you will need to have a "contract" for the parent to sign. And on the contract it must clearly stipulate any and all rules you have. And costs and any "late fees" etc.
And what you will do if a parent is late in picking up their kid.
AND if you offer care for sick kids, how will that affect your own kids and family?
And is that going to cost more than your regular child care?
Just a few thoughts.
I used to do child care.
Check with CA's state licensing laws. I'm pretty sure you're exempt if you're just watching one or two children. I'm sure it's on their website.
Sounds like a super idea! There's a real need for that kind of service.
From my perspective:
If you aren't going to be licensed, you have to do it within the state's statutes. Just because you call it 'babysitting' doesn't mean you aren't, in essence, providing care out of your home. This varies from state to state as to ratios, how many children within certain age brackets, etc.
Consider the logistics of doing sick care with two or three other kids who have to go to school. What do you do with the sick kid? Take them with you? I see problems in this regard. Personally, I wouldn't want my kid in someone else's home if they were really ill and I am not sure I'd want a provider to bring their child to my home if my kid was ill.
You would also need to look into other protections; besides liability waivers, you would need to purchase insurance for your business(there is insurance specifically for care providers, and you can find it at a reasonable rate) and to protect your home from being taken from you in a lawsuit as an asset, you would need to become an LLC. This is what I did when I had an in-home preschool.
Also consider-- if YOU are sick, who does the before-school care? If you are down with a flu or something serious, you will have parents left in a lurch.
I'm not saying this to get you down, but these are some of the very real requirements many providers have to deal with. In my case, for example, part of my preschool paperwork made it very clear that the parents HAD to have backup care available as I did not have a substitute. I had this in writing for them to sign an agreement to. I refunded or prorated clients tuitions for the days I didn't provide care, but it was certainly inconvenient for them to have to scramble to make other plans. Thus, my program was suitable for moms who could work flex time or families with a stay at home parent.
My suggestion, really, would be to find a nanny job in someone else's home while bringing your three year old with you. This means taking in less money (just as babysitting at home with your own kid would) than a regular nanny job, but your kiddo would possibly have a playmate. I had liability waivers I asked the parents to sign as a nanny (basically-- it was mutual-- if their kid broke my glasses, I would cover the cost, if their kid broke their furniture, etc. they would cover the cost.) but without the expense of having an insurance policy. Just a different thing to think about.
I also want to warn you-- you don't get insurance because you aren't familiar with the families, you get insurance to protect your home and assets. I would find it extremely unwise to operate a child care situation without it. You could get the pants sued off of you-- from the very nice mom you might have sat next to at the PTA meeting. Friends sue each other sometimes. It happens.
Because you already have three of your own children, you can only care for children from one family at a time legally in the state of Illinois without a daycare license.
The licensing process is actually pretty easy. It would allow for more opportunity for you, too. Many families prefer a license home. When word of mouth doesn't work, a license helps. You will be on the CCR&R (child care resource and referral) list. People call them looking for child care in their area, and your information would be passed along. I have received a lot of my families this way.
Another consideration is accepting YWCA payments. It is a subsidized child care program that helps low income families afford daycare. If you get licensed and accept it, you would be on their list too.
I have had before and after school kids for the past several years. I set it up through word of mouth. I am not licensed. I claim my income and the parents claim their childcare expenses. I have extra home insurance. I do not charge a lot for before and after, but it is no trouble having a couple extra school age kids around.
Unless you were a close friend I would not let someone I did not know well who was not licensed drive my kids and act as their day care ect. How would you be covered (as far as insurance) should one of the kids in your care get hurt?
You can do it by word of mouth for friends. If you open up a daycare you open yourself up to health dept regs etc.
