Working in a daycare vs my own playgroup

amother

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 5:15 pm

I'm new to Lakewood and am thinking of working in a daycare or having my own playgroup next year. Dd will be considered older 2s next yrs and I'd like to be on her schedule (and on a school schedule in general as I have some older kids as well). Although I never ran a playgroup, I have a Masters degree in early childhood. I worked in early intervention for a long time so have experience with children and have been around to a lot of playgroups (so see how they run things.... )

If I'd open my own playgroup it would have to be an older 2s group (bec of dd), if I worked in a daycare I would want dd to come, but am flexible with the age group that I'll work with (I don't necessarily need to be together with dd). I have room in my house for a playgroup so don't need to rent.

I was wondering what some of the pros and cons of each choice would be that I'm not thinking of.

Also a big deciding would be how much I could make (the area is right by Westgate) and which choice is harder/more draining.

amother

Crystal

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 5:24 pm

Many daycares have a fuller schedule than the typical playgroup.
Meaning daycares tend to not have off for Chanuka, midwinter vacation. They tend to work up to erev Yom Tov (or the day before) and start again immediately after Yom Tov.
They give much less off in the "school to camp" and the "camp to school" time
But ultimately if you need to take off a day, technical it's your boss's responsibility to find the sub. You're a paid employee.

Your own playgroup, there are days off. Most playgroups go by the girls schools calendars.
But beyond those days, it's very difficult to find a sub.

amother

Aubergine

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 5:28 pm

You'll make much more $$ on your own.
9:30-3, people pay $500+ per month.

You take 11 other kids, it's $5500 a mth.

You can put in your contract that parents need to be ok with occasional non sub, or alternatively, each parent may need to sub or find a sub max once a year.

amother

Sunflower

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 5:35 pm

amother Aubergine wrote:

I have never heard of this and would not send my child to a group where this was in the contract. It’s on the morah to find a replacement if she needs to take off, it is not on the parents nor is it on the parents to do the subbing!

amother

Cherry

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 5:40 pm

amother Sunflower wrote:

This has absolutely become the norm. It's become almost impossible to find subs and mothers understand that. For the last few years the demand for moros far outweighed supply so moros gained the upper hand in these areas.

amother

Cherry

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 5:44 pm

Op, daycares do not run on school schedule at all. Aside from yt, they are closed I believe on erev pesach and erev yom Kippur. One of the main benefits of teaching dissappears on a daycares schedule. That said, certain things are off your head when you're an employee vs. self-employed.

amother

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 6:08 pm

Good point regarding the schedule in a daycare, I didn't realize/think of that. Thats making it a bit less attractive to work there.... Around what could I expect to get paid in a daycare?

amother

Cherry

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 6:12 pm

amother Amethyst wrote:

Right now there are plenty of subs with not enough jobs for them. Just saying.

Times are a changin...across the board it's become an employers market. Let's see how things shift.

amother

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 6:13 pm

amother Aubergine wrote:

Thanks. Would people pay $600 Westgate area (for older 2's) if I take in 8 other children (instead of 11)? Would I get filled up for that price? I can do a bigger group, just really like the idea of something a bit smaller where I could give each child a bit more attention. And the hours you where referring to 9:30-3, does it include hours for Friday as well?

Being able to find a sub was something else that was getting me nervous about my own playgroup but if I could really put the above into the contract, it would help calm me down.

the world's best mom

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 6:15 pm

Depending on the setup of your house, if you run a playgroup at home, you have to deal with the mess. But you can wear what you want, eat what you want without prior preparation, and put your dd to sleep in her own crib at naptime. You are generally more comfortable at home.

OTOH, it can be lonely at home. And a little nerve wracking if you are the only morah- what happens in an emergency?

amother

Camellia

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 6:25 pm

amother OP wrote:

Some people in West Gate fill up with people from Jackson
People will pay more if you give them more such as longer hours

Friday is until 12:15\12:30

amother

Amber

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 7:49 pm

amother Cherry wrote:

Yes, the last Morah I used had a clause that she reserves the right to take off three days in the year with no sub, but that she will try her best to find a sub, and any of us is free to be the sub if we can. She didn’t end up taking any days off.

amother

Amber

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 7:52 pm

There is someone in westgate this year charging $600 for a typical size group so you could probably do that.

With Fridays- a pp said 1215/1230 and that might be the case in some groups but I’ve sent my kids to many different Morah’s and never ended after 12 that I can recall. I think 12 is typical.
If you can go to even 330 instead of 3 it’s a huge draw

amother

Floralwhite

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 7:52 pm

amother OP wrote:

Owning own daycare is definitely much harder, but you can take in so much more money that way as well.

amother

Cognac

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 7:58 pm

Pros of daycare:
Social life
No mess
Can take off
No take home work

Cons of daycare:
Less money
Always work
Have to leave house

Pros of playgroup:
More money
Stay at home
More days off if follow school schedule

Cons of playgroup:
No social life
Mess is in your house
Have prep
Have to find subs

I personally love getting out of the house. Yes I'd get paid more if I did a group on my own but I'd also have the headache of dealing with parents and dealing with finding subs, also would have a mess to clean up and wear and tear on my toys and house

You can't take off left and right and leave parents without childcare. It's extremely not menshlicht.
People do it, doesn't make it right.

amother

Mintgreen

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 8:40 pm

amother OP wrote:

I got quoted $650 for an older 2s group in Westgate for next year that's 9:30-3 and till 12 on Fridays. It's a bit more professionally run causing the higher price but you could most likely charge $600 and fill up no problem

amother

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 8:50 pm

happy7 wrote:

If you are teaching older twos, parents expect activities and projects, not just free play.
The expenses are on you. It’s not all take home pay.

Thanks. I'm trying to factor that in. I love being creative and thinking of activities and arts crafts ideas .

amother

Sun, Jan 07 2024, 8:50 pm

amother Amber wrote:

amother Mintgreen wrote:

Thanks for this info.

Do those prices include snack and/or lunch?