How do I open my own preschool?

I would like to open a preschool center in my home and would like advice from other preschool owners.?

• I've been working in childcare for around 8 years and I would like to open a facility in my home. Does anyone have any experience with this? Advice? Pros and Cons? I would also ...show more

• Answer:

  When they are in your home it's a whole different ballgame! The stress is much higher! I know kids are kids but when they are in my home doing damage to my property, belongings and causing emotional stress for the rest of my family it's too much. I ran in in-home day care with emphasis on socialization and a little academics and after 4 years I had to get out of it. From the outside it looks ideal, you get to be at home, possibly with your own children and make an income. But for me it just was too much for my family. My husband hated coming home. He worked 5AM-2PM and would literally find other things to do besides come home to relax because the kids were loud and in his space so he couldn't enjoy coming home and relaxing in his own house. My kids were always asking when the other kids were going to leave, they enjoyed having kids to play with but grew tired of them being there all the time for long hours. I even cut back to 3 days a week and cut my hours and it still was just too much stress for my family. I often felt like I did not have much of a life, I spent all day at home and then in the evenings I had to clean the house and do laundry and prepare things for the next day. It just was far less enjoyable than I had thought it was going to be. I do understand how you would think it would be a perfect situation, I thought that at one time also. I took online classes to get my state certification, had my husband turn a part of our basement into a playroom/classroom, I spent a lot of money buying classroom furniture and toys and supplies and the kids really didn't like to spend time in the classroom/playroom and the rest of my house took a beating. We built our house 5 years ago and many, many things need to be replaced, things that should not need to be replaced already, mainly due to to physical stress the other children placed on our home and the furnishings. I can teach my kids to be respectful of our home and others but that does not mean other parents teach their children the same and they don't. Just be sure you are willing to share your home with these other families.