Like any home-based business, there are both pros and cons. It's up to you to decide whether the pros outweigh the cons, or vice-versa. Below is a list of some specific aspects of starting a day care center, including the good and the bad about each one Take them into consideration as you make the choice of whether starting a Day Care Center is right for you.



THE KIDS

• The Good: Starting a day care would enable you to spend your day doing what you enjoy doing—being around kids!

• The Bad: The kids aren't bad themselves, but their actions can be. Kids are definitely challenging. If you struggle with patience, anger, or get easily frustrated, child care may not be the job for you.

CONVENIENCE

• The Good: The work comes to you. If you have kids yourself, the start-up cost will be minimal, as toys probably abound in your home anyway. If there's extra food to purchase, you can just pick it up during your regular weekly grocery shopping. And an added bonus: you can claim these items on your taxes at the end of the year!

• The Bad: Your home may take a hit…the mess, stained carpeting, sticky floors…it all comes with the job. If you are someone who takes pride in your spotless home, you would be in for a rude awakening. Besides that, you're pretty much stuck in one place for an extended period of time. Not the most appealing to those who like to be out and about during the day.

JOB SECURITY

• The Good: The demand for child care has never been so high. There will likely never be a shortage of kids needing good care.

• The Bad: Especially with today's economy, you never know when a parent will lose a job or need to pull their child out of day care. You could have four kids one day, one the next.

• The Good: The income potential is huge. Day care is not, nor should it be, cheap. Depending on how many kids you decide to take in, and the going-rate in your area, from a financial standpoint, starting a day care is a great choice.

• The Bad: See Job Security (above). Consistent income for any length of time may be hard to come by. As kids come and go, your income will, too. Also, remember that you will not get any paid sick days, vacation days or health benefits. If you or your children are sick, you will basically lose a day or two of income.

FLEXIBILITY

• The Good: Flexible Hours AND work load. You decide how many hours you want to work. Maybe it's full-time, 8 to 6 every day. Or two days per week. Maybe you prefer afternoons only. Or even evenings, to accommodate second shift parents. It's completely up to you! You also choose your own work load. Do you want to take four kids or just one? The number of children you are legally allowed to care for varies. Be sure to check your particular state laws.

• The Bad: You might not be able to find the exact schedule you want. Compromise just may be inevitable.

TECHNICAL STUFF

• The Good: There are a ton of tax write-offs for the licensed day care provider. You might want to check out the following link, which lists all kinds of helpful sites by State:

http://www.nccic.org/statedata/dirs/regoffic.html

• The Bad: The tax laws tend to be complex. There are lots of ins and outs you'll need to learn. Permits and licenses to earn and apply for. You'll need to consider whether this will be a problem for you. And, if you have any children of your own, your write-off allowance for toys and such will certainly be affected.

This only gives a glimpse at some of the pros and cons to starting a child care business in your home. If you find that the benefits outweigh the negative aspects, this may just be the job for you!