A home daycare could be the perfect solution not only for you as a stay at home mom, but for your children by providing early social development and built-in playmates. It's also helpful for stressed out moms in the workforce by giving them a more personal, flexible alternative to commercial daycare centers.

Many moms have to find a child-care solution. Most employers look on a woman with kids as a bad hiring risk, and of course will not be sympathetic if the daycare closes before the mom's shift ends or her little one is not being well treated. As for time off if the baby is sick and the daycare bans them for a week - forget it.

A home daycare could be the answer these mothers are looking for, customarily offering an environment that has less children and more personal attention. They also will get to know you well, and feel more comfortable knowing their child is well cared for.

Before you start a daycare, however, you should make sure you can meet the standards in place where you live. Every state has rules and regulations, and you want to make sure you follow the law.

You have the option of deciding what age children you will accept, and how much you will charge - although there may be set standards if you decide to qualify as a state provider. This can help you if you would like a guaranteed check for your services, as you can be paid by the state to care for children from low income families.

The upside to starting a daycare is that you will be able to continue as a stay at home mom and not have to miss out on your own children's first years! You can also find other at home jobs to do in your spare time to make more supplemental income.

There is a downside too, of course. Realize that it won't always be easy. There will be sick kids, crazy days when your house is left in a disastrous mess, and those parents who decide that their dry cleaning bill comes before their childcare tab.

This last is perhaps the hardest to deal with - and you must take a firm hand to nip such behavior in the bud. Make it clear in a kind but definitive way that you need to be paid on time, every time, or you will be unable to watch the child.

If you draw up a clear document of your policies, and make sure you each get a signed copy, you can head off a world of potential hurt, so protect yourself from as much unpleasantness as you can by making the rules very plain from day one.

Hopefully your home daycare will prosper and you will have a great relationship with the children and parents alike. Then you will have found a perfect way to supplement your income without ever leaving your home!