There’s no doubt that the world events of the last year have been difficult for parents. With so many schools closing or switching to online learning, many families are in a new place of having to find adequate daycare during the work week.
And this is only slated to continue. A lot of parents have made big decisions regarding virtual education and homeschooling, but still need a caregiver to fill in the gaps when other options or family members cannot.
One way you can really grow your in-home daycare business and help those in your area is by accepting older children into your program. Here’s what you should know about the process and why it might be a great idea.
Older Children Need Responsible Caregivers
Just like those under the age of five, older children need responsible caregivers, too. These are typically the kids that are old enough to spend the normal day in a brick-and-mortar school, but for whatever reason cannot currently attend in person. In most cases, they aren’t quite old enough or responsible enough for parents to consider leaving them home alone.
Ease and Convenience
One of the benefits of accepting older children into your in-home daycare is the ease of convenience. These kids are generally way past potty training and fairly calm, cool, and collected throughout the day. Keeping them entertained is simple, plus lunch and snacks are a fairly easy process. In some cases, you might even get a child in your program that wants to be a good helper and can assist you with various activities throughout the day.
Tutoring and Virtual School
Another option is to specifically market to parents who need assistance with tutoring and virtual school. If you’re a retired or former teacher, offering these types of services to parents of older children is a great way to grow your in-home daycare. Best of all, you’ll get the satisfaction in knowing you’re helping a young student thrive along the way.
Additional Income for Your In-Home Daycare
However, one of the top reasons to accept older children into your in-home daycare is that it is a great way to create additional income for your business. Even if you only decide to offer this type of service when the local school district is on break or during the after school hours when parents are still at work, you can easily improve your overall income by helping care for siblings within the same family.
Wrap Up: Accepting Older Children at Your In-Home Daycare
While it might be tempting to just stick with only the little ones, allowing older children at your in-home daycare does have benefits. By keeping a perspective where you’re assisting the entire family versus just the youngest members, you’re creating a scenario where your parents will be more than happy to stick with you for the long haul.
You’ve put a lot of work into running a successful in-home daycare. No matter what age level you specialize in, make sure you’re adequately protected with the proper level of insurance coverage. Please contact us or fill out the form below for a no-obligation policy quote.
