What to Know About Owning an In-Home Day Care

Name: Samantha O’Neill

Location: Maryland

Title: In-Home Daycare Provider/Director/Owner

Credential: 99 Hour Certification

Want to literally shape the future? It’s no small task. Today we meet Samantha O’Neill. Our family affectionately calls her “Sammy” and she’s owned her own In-Home Daycare for five and a half years. As parents, we often say, “it takes a village”; and Sammy is a pretty incredible person to have in your village. She’s worked with kids her whole life, and she has created such a positive, fun, and creative environment for the kids in her care. As working parents, one of the first and most difficult decisions we must make is who we leave our children with when we are not there. As a working mother, I know firsthand the peace of mind that comes with knowing your child is in the best possible hands when they can’t be with you. People like Sammy and the many other types of caregivers from nannies to daycare teachers make that possible.

When I asked Sammy why she wanted to own her own daycare, she said she decided when she was 19. She didn’t know what she wanted to do in high school, but volunteered in the preschool and elementary school aftercare program. A family from the aftercare program asked her to watch their daughter over the summer, and she loved it so much she decided to become a nanny. She realized she had found her path, and her dream became to one day open her own daycare. Sammy was a nanny for 8 years before making her dream a reality. She took a 99-hour certification course, she and her husband bought the perfect house with dedicated space for her daycare, and in September of 2017 she opened for business.

From there she has created a beautiful space and a wonderful network of families that have also become friends. There have been many times I’ve dropped in on Sammy and she was wearing tall striped socks, a sparkly tutu, and a head band with mouse ears on springs. Other times she was fully invested in an art project with the kids – with paints out and all the googly eyes you could ask for. I, also, love that she’s not afraid to let the kids outside on rainy days or let them get muddy in the backyard. Those moments are some of the best memories from my own childhood. Sammy’s incredible ability to provide structure, lovingly guide through tough moments, and still maintain a creative and fun environment is truly remarkable and speaks to her talent for this role. Though I know there are tough moments to the job like any other, I will say, she makes it seem like a lot of fun!

What does it take to open a daycare?

“A semester of classes that cover everything from planning a schedule and activities to cognitive development to health and safety. I think it was evenings from 6-9 on Mondays and Wednesdays. There are a few different avenues to qualify for a license to open a daycare, but that’s the one I chose.

Once you turn in an application, the process begins to get a license. The fire department will check your whole home. They will also check your daycare annually once you are certified. A case worker will come out and check your home to make sure you are meeting all regulations and that you have all needed equipment. There are a lot of regulations, so make sure you check into those when planning your daycare space! The application process can drag on a little bit and depending on your specialist they can be tough about approving you, so stay determined through the process and make sure you stay on top of them as well- especially once you have defined an opening date and you have kids starting.”

(Note: requirements vary by state, be sure to look up the requirements for your state)

What prepared you most for owning a daycare?

“I always worked with kids, my whole life, but definitely nannying or working in a preschool or daycare could really help you decide if this is a career path for you. Babysitting for three or four hours is completely different then guiding the day, all day every day, especially with so many kids. “

What’s the day in the life like?

“Changing a lot of poopy diapers! Our days are really fun actually. Most of my kids get dropped off around 8 am. I have 3 separate rooms: an art and lunch room, a nap room, and a playroom. They have free play in the morning, I start circle time around 9:15 am, then snack, art, free play, shoes on, then get them outside. That’s my favorite part of the day, just letting them run free and explore, and have fun with each other. That’s my favorite to see, especially in my yard because we have a big hill and they love that! We come in, wash hands, and clean up for lunch. We eat, and then have quiet time where we read books and calm down for nap. They nap ‘till around 2:30 pm or 3:30 pm. Some kids keep napping while others play. Then eat snack around 4, and more free play until pick up. If the weather cooperates, we’ll get back outside in the afternoon, too, and if it’s a nice day we even eat lunch outside!

I’m open from 8-5:30pm though hours can vary a lot from daycare to daycare. I have a second teacher for 2-3 hours in the morning, and I have 3-6 kids in my care depending on the day.“

Why did you choose an in-home Daycare, did you consider opening a center?

Preschool focuses on just that PRE. SCHOOL. They’re going to learn the alphabet and their numbers no matter what. But they’re not necessarily going to learn to be kind or get personalized guidance in social interactions. Kids don’t always get empathy. They don’t understand they can’t walk up to another kid and kick them. Some kids do, but every kid is different, and some kids need more understanding and attention. So it really depends on the kid. With smaller class sizes it’s easier teaching kids how to be kind to each other, learn what’s appropriate, and how to interact with others. I can also be flexible with the schedule, if everyone is really hungry at 11:30 we can have lunch early. So, the day can flow with the needs of the group.

What motivates you to get up and do this every day?

“I love kids, I fall in love with all of the kids that I watch, and I am still in touch with all of the kids I’ve nannied. I get so deeply invested in these kids and their lives, and how they are as a person. I have a lot of empathy, and it makes me pour myself in to these little humans and make them want to be good people. The world needs good people, and it makes me happy to be, hopefully, part of raising these kids to turn out well. That’s always in the back of mind, like, what are they going to learn from me, what are they going to take and carry on?”

She also says being a mom has helped her understand the depth of her profession, and what it means for another mom to leave their child in her care. It also helped her to take a more laid-back approach to the details. She recognized how much parents have on their plate, and that it’s ok if they forget that extra pair of back up pants for the day!

What’s the best part of your day?

“Laughing and being silly all day. I love being able to be home with my son. I love seeing the friendships form between the kids I care for. I love when I see them learn something we’ve been talking about, for example when they get overwhelmed and give themselves a break because they understand they need a few minutes to calm down. Or instead of yelling ‘get away’ they learned to say ‘I need some space.’“

What are some of the challenges in your industry?

“The regulations can change. So, it can be a challenge to keep up. For instance, there was a rule change that required all kids to sleep on the same floor. I have a friend whose daycare is in a townhome so that was tough for her to accommodate. There are also a lot of little rules to keep track of, like you have to keep the nap room door open or ajar when the kids are sleeping, and for kids under two you have to go in and check on them every 15 minutes.”

What advice would you give to yourself in high school?

“You can get paid to work with kids. I would also tell myself that you’re smart. I really didn’t believe that. I didn’t get good grades. I think it was because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Once I found direction, I realized what I was really capable of. Also, don’t smoke!! It’s so bad for you.”

What would you tell the average high school student today?

“You don’t have to go to college. I know that’s kind of the norm now, but there are so many trades you can do. On the other hand, you can feel limited. Sometimes I feel like I have nothing to fall back on. With that said there are SO many other trades I could do too. For me, cosmetology is something I would like to do. So, in the future when I know I’m ready to do something else, that’s what I want to do next.”

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I’m just going to take a minute to thank all of you caregivers, who pour your heart and soul into your profession, for the incredible work that you do.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

To find out more about what it takes to become a licensed provider in your state check out: https://childcare.gov/index.php/state-resources-home

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