Child Care Options For Stay At Home Moms And Dads
Affordable Child Care Options For The Stay At Home Business Parent
Hi Folks
A different blog from my usual 'Help' ones and this is because I do have a lot of young women who follow me. Time and time again I give tips and advice and don't see them implemented as soon as they should be. The highest percent of reasons is usually put down to having kids and all that entails when looking after them. This involves getting them up in the morning, feeding them, getting them off to school, picking them up from school, extracurricular activities they're involved in to mention just a few.
Although working at home can be one of the most rewarding experiences in the world, one of the biggest obstacles can come from the ones we love the most - our kids. To be successful home business owners, we must find affordable and effective child care to maximize our work at home productivity.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle for the stay at home business mom or dad is the kids. That screaming toddler is not going to be quiet when you have business calls or take that nap to let you get your work done. This will be the same child who will eat all of your post-its and stick food into your hard drive. As you are ripping your hair out and getting more and more frustrated you will wonder what the point of working at home was if you were going to still need childcare. You were probably envisioning no more commutes, flexible hours, and lunch with the kids’ everyday.
Your childcare options are flexible as well. That is the beauty of being self-employed. Here are some of the most common affordable ways to take care of kids while you build your family's fortune from home:
(1) Childcare Co-op:
Find a group of work at home parents and swap off childcare duties. You can keep track of how many hours you watch each child and use the time you accrue when you need it most. The great thing about this is it is free. The downside is that you will have to give up work time to handle other people’s children.
(2) Trading or Mom-swapping:
This is the smaller version of co-op. this will involve you and a good friend trading off childcare days. Make sure you set clear boundaries about when you will take the other child and when they will take yours. You don’t want to be taken advantage of. You will also want to make sure the kids like each other and get along well. If they don’t then this will end up being a bad experience.
(3) Sitter Sharing:
Share a sitter with a friend. You can have the sitter watch both kids at the same time and split the cost or use the sitter on alternate days. Make sure that you have a written agreement on how the sitter is used and what you will be paying to avoid any unseen complications.
(4) Barter:
Trade your products and services with a neighbour or friend in exchange for childcare. This will keep you from spending money and still pay the person doing the care for you.
(5) Day Care:
You will find that the right day care center will be a rewarding experience for both child and parent. Which day care is best is entirely up to you and beyond the scope of this blog. Costs vary from center to center and from state to state. But, you will find that the return on investment will be worth it because of your greater focus and productivity.
To come up with inexpensive childcare solutions you must have great networking prowess. Spread the word that you are looking for childcare to everyone you know. Think in terms of trading and business opportunities. You are looking for a partner in business deal. This will help you to get what you need. Some moms are lucky to have businesses that are kid friendly. They are the lucky for sure. Those ladies who have to make endless phone calls or have meetings may find that childcare of some sort is unavoidable. Try your best to get the right childcare for you and not spend an arm and a leg getting it.
I believe that I have made some valid points but I know that I as a mere male will probably have got it completely wrong and if so please feel free to put me in my place with a comment below.
Have a great day folks wherever you are in the world.
Robert Allan
ps
Last time I looked this blog is in the number one spot on Google.
Recent Comments
28
Hello Robert,
I really think that your theme is an excellent one. Since child rearing and Growth and Development is. So prevalent in today's society and. The need is greater than ever. Very hood research issues and methods.
Hello Louisa. I think this is the first of my blogs you've commented on so thank you for dropping by and for your comment.
I don't know if you have kids or not Louisa but child care that caters primarily to growth and development can be expensive and this could be out of the reach of most Marketers just starting out.
I think that most of them will be relying heavily on parents and grandparents.
Of course once they become successful and start to make money their circumstances will change.
Enjoy your Monday.
Robert
Hi Robert,
That is a true point. Daycare is Very expensive and has always been overbearing for most mother's. I am a grandmother of 11. Man let me tell you how the daycare systems changed over the years. I am presently taking care of one granddaughter because my daughter could hardly play rent and daycare.
Remembering back in the early eighties, was hard then for mother's. The center where I worked at was geared towards helping mother's and/ or parents; mainly there were a sliding scale in place. But nowaday, I don't think so. Maybe there are but under a different Plan.
Cheers and Laughter
Louisab
Yes indeed and the bottom line is always going to be the almighty dollar.
For some parents, single or otherwise dollars are pretty thin on the ground.
Enjoy your day.
Robert
child care can be difficult at times, especially now the red tape keeps growing seems no matter who looks after your children even if it is family you need to be registered to do so, my daughters will return to working place once they start school and work around that .. great post Robert
Hi Katie and thank you for your comment.
Its a sign of the times and the world we live in Katie.
Certainly changed days since we were kids.
We could go anywhere in our neighbourhood and walk in and out of anyone's house and people didn't bother coz everybody knew everyone else and which kids belonged to which family.
Hope you daughters get fixed up ok and if not you will just have to move down south lol.
Robert
Move south never lol as if, her youngest has started school so she has things arranged , after school club and summer they can come to me and yes times have certainly changed and not for the better in some ways either
I take it you have not yet enjoyed the joys of being a grandad yet Richard.
Its great coz you can hand them back lol.
Thank you for your comment and enjoy the day.
Robert
Actually, Robert I have 10 grandchildren, and I agree with being able to hand them back. They are a joy!
Hello Jude - c'mon now, never say never or are you past it lol.
My oldest daughter is going through the 'Change' as they say and she doesn't like it one bit - I have told her - god forbid you want another one lol.
Seen her last weekend and bought her a new Smart Phone to cheer her up so she went home happy anyway lol
Thank you for your comment Jude and enjoy the rest of your Sunday.
Robert
Sorry Jude I can never understand those Initial messages I get except lol or lmao
I will ask one of my girls so hope its not rude lol.
Enjoy your Sunday evening.
Robert
Another option is Grandma. But then, Grandma may be busy building her own online business. :)
Another option is to live tightly on one income and one parent be home full time with the kids.
I worked in day cares. Be sure to check them out very carefully. Had to report one of the day cares to Child Care Protection Services. Visit when not expected, and keep your eyes and ears open. Always make sure your baby or child is happy at the day care. There are good day cares, but you do need to be watchful.
The best option is to teach online entrepreneur skills in high school, so that young adults have build their home businesses financial success, before having children. Then, they can afford the best daycare or nanny care available.
Hello Myra and thank you for your comment.
I was going to mention grandparents as they were usually the dropping off point for babysitting duty.
But a lot of grandparents are no longer available now because they have their own lives to lead and even in retirement they find themselves busy with their own activities.
There are lots of people like myself and you who are now retired and see what we are doing.
Its great to see the grandkids but its equally great that you can hand them back lol and do it on a full time basis - no thank you far too busy doing my own thing lol.
So with grandma and grandpa out of the picture of course you want your kids to be safe and it has to be a priority.
Like your suggestion about teach entrepreneurship at school as well.
Now there's an idea that could take off in a big way.
Enjoy your Sunday Myra.
Robert
Robert,
I think it's wonderful that a mere male could come up with these creative solutions :) Hats off to you!!! When my kids were young I had a successful business that I ran from home (employee benefits insurance broker, lots of phone calls). I was also fortunate to have a female partner who didn't have any children at the time. I tried 1 and 3 and they worked very well for me.
Hello Lynn and thank you for taking the time to read my blog. Quite a deviation from my normal blog but people tend to forget there is a family life in the background that has needs and wants to be taken care of as well.
Get that sorted and you're well on your way to being a successful at home entrepreneur.
Enjoy your Sunday and hope you're enjoy all those PDFs.
Robert
ps
just checked and it was another Lynn - sorry but if you do want them then give me an email address in a PM.
Seems you've done some excellent research- doesn't matter whether one is man or woman, doing the research and getting the info out- that's what counts!
Hello Therese and thank you for your comment.
Glad you approve and yes it doesn't matter if you're male/female. Kids are kids and business is business whether its at home or not the kids needs have to be taken care of if you are ever to make a success at earning an income.
Enjoy your Sunday and hope you got those PDFs ok.
Robert
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Robert you are always thinking of others and trying to help them grow..this is valuable to many people. Thank you for this very creative and useful blog and have a wonderful day! Alisa
Hello Alisa and where have you been hiding.
Haven't heard from you in a coons age as they say (how long do coons live anyway lol)
As I say in the blog a lot of my followers are moms (married or not) and of course dads.
I would think that once the novelty has worn off being at home there will be days they wish they were back at there 9 to 5.
There are options for childcare as I have pointed out in the blog and with a wee bit digging I'm sure the WA members can find something locally (unless they're at the back of beyond).
Thank you for your comment Alisa and you have a great day as well.
Nice to see you are still here.
Robert
Hello Robert I have heard that expression and it has shown true. My family has needed me to take a leadership role in a new way and I'm learning the ropes, as they say also:) I have kept up my membership even though I have not been able to stay as active as I had hopes for, but I do see its value still within myself and in the lives of others. Thank you for recognizing and for your kindness, you have a beautiful day!
Hi again Alisa.
I have a gift dear lady.
Don't know what it is but people tell me all the time I'm very astute when it comes to solving problems before they become problems if you can follow that.
Anyway not to worry you keep doing what you're doing and I'm sure you will work everything out to your satisfaction.
If not then you ask me lol.
I'm going to sign off for the night now as its getting late here.
Goodnight, take care, and stay safe.
Robert
God has blessed you with this great gift and how wonderful for others that you recognize it and enjoy sharing it:) Alisa
Wednesday now Alisa and thank you for your kind words.
Enjoy your day when you wake up and be successful in whatever you plan to do today.
Stay safe and take care.
Robert
Thank you Robert and the same wishful thinking towards you:) Alisa