SHOULD I BE A FAMILY DAY CARE PROVIDER?

Ruth Wait
Cooperative Extension Agent
Home Economics and Family Living
University of Rhode Island

Copyright/Access Information

YOU WILL LEARN:

– if working as a family day care provider would be a good
job for you.

WHAT TO CONSIDER

To become a family day care provider takes times, work, and
money. There are many things to think about. You need to think
about your feelings, your skills, and your hopes for the future.
You also need to consider how other important people in your life
feel about what you want to do. This fact sheet will help you
decide if family day care provider is the job for you.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

Is this really what you want to do?

1. You need to like children and to enjoy playing with them. It
is okay to enjoy children of one age more than of another age.

2. You should be in good health. It takes lots of energy to care
for children every day. People are depending on you, so you can
not afford to get sick very often.

3. You should be willing to keep records. You should know where
to go for help keeping your business in order.

4. Your house must be clean and organized. You must have food
and supplies for the children.

5. You should be willing to try new activities with the children.
You should be willing to learn more about how children grow.

6. You need to be honest with yourself. What do you really like
and dislike? What are your skills?

Write why you would like to be a family day care provider.

Now answer the questions below. [Answer YES, MAYBE, or NO to each
of
these questions.]

1. I enjoy young children very much.

2. I could work with children all day.

3. Children make noise, but their noise does not bother me.

4. During an emergency, I am calm.

5. I can keep business records.

6. Sometimes my house gets messy; but it does not bother me.

7. My family will move things around to make our home ready for
a child care program.

8. My own children and other family members will not get upset
if other children are in our home.

9. I will buy toys and supplies for the day care children.

10. I have a lot of energy.

11. I would like to talk with parents about their child.

12. I can discuss problems with others calmly.

13. I can discipline children without yelling.

14. I expect to care for my day care children for at least two
years.

Count the number of “yes” answers. Count the number
of “no” answers and the number of “maybe”
answers. If you answered “yes” to most of the questions,
you will probably enjoy providing family day care. If you had
lots of “no” or “maybe” answers, you should
talk to other day care providers before you start a day care program.

DOCUMENT USE/COPYRIGHT
National Network for Child Care – NNCC. Part of CYFERNET, the
National Extension Service
Children Youth and Family Educational Research Network. Permission
is granted to reproduce
these materials in whole or in part for educational purposes only
(not for profit beyond the cost of
reproduction) provided that the author and Network receive acknowledgment
and this notice is
included:

Reprinted with permission from the National Network for Child
Care – NNCC. Wait, R. (1991). *Should I be a family day care provider?*
(Family Day Care Facts series). Amherst, MA: University
of Massachusetts.

Any additions or changes to these materials must be preapproved
by the author .

COPYRIGHT PERMISSION ACCESS
Gretchen May
Tillson House
University of Massachusetts
Box 37605
Amherst, MA 01003-7605
PHONE:: (413) 549-8800
FAX:: (413) 549-6337
E-MAIL:: gmay@coopext.umass.edu

FORMAT AVAILABLE:: Available only on the
Internet
DOCUMENT REVIEW::
Level 2 – Cooperative Extension Systems: Universities
of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut
DOCUMENT SIZE:: 10K or 3 pages
ENTRY DATE:: March 1995