[mom-from-missouri]

I used to be a licensed daycare provider. First in my home, then I owned a center licensed for 57 children. It is not easy to get your license in our state. Did you know, that even if your daycare is only in your basement they still inspect your entire house?? They even have the right to go thru your bathroom medicine cabinet and request it be locked--even if it is upstairs and the children do not go there--and the door to the upstairs is locked. They also go thru your refrigerator, as well as the daycare refrigerator.....If your husband works nights, and sleeps days, the inspector can also say he has to have all the medical tests for tb and such, and a background check done on him, even though he is not around the children. Same with other children you have in your home. Yet, the state does not require the children you watch or care for to have tb test and such done before they can be in childcare..(double standard??) (If you have a child with a disease you may not get a license or if you do, you have to tell the parents of the children you watch that your child has it--yet, you could be caring for a child with aids, and those parents are not legally binded to tell you that they have it). In our state, they now don't like to license daycare in a building or home that has a fireplace or woodstove or heat, because you could use it and cause a fire or lung problems. As a result, more and more people are not licensed. In Missouri, you dont have to be licensed unless you are watching 4 or more children at the same time who are not related to you. (in otherwords, you can babysit your sisters 5 kids for money and you are fine, but not the neighbors 5 kids). You also have to have a huge insurance rider, and permission in writing from the landlord if you don't own. If the landlord has access to come and go, they have the right to request a background check on the landlord as well. (This turns a lot of landlords off).
Also, there is the issue, that if you work all day, you really want to be with your kids at night instead of going to night classes. They don't stay kids long. I checked into the "online" degrees. Most are scams-not accrediated. The ones that are legit, cost 4 times more than our local state college here in town. Also, our state college does not offer complete degrees at night or on line. At some point, you still have to take over half your classes in the classroom. If I were to quit my job for a full year, and lose my insurance, then I could qualify for tutuion assistance and such. after 6 months of no insurance, my children and I could qualify for state insurance. But, to qualify for benefits, you have to be activily seeking a job, which is hard if you are trying to go to school and raise a family. I think it is easier for people who are in the system to stay in the system, than it is for someone who has been on their own to try and get assistance.