Running a Home Daycare with Twins

Running a home daycare is one thing. Running one while raising twins, managing a first responder husband’s schedule, and figuring out policies as you go? That’s a whole different conversation.In this episode, Brandee sits down with Danielle, a certified early childhood educator and private home daycare owner in Ontario, Canada. Danielle has been running her daycare for five years, including through a twin pregnancy, maternity leave, and solo parenting more days than she can count.CHAPTERS00:00 Welcome and meet Danielle02:56 Having pets in the daycare, dogs, chickens, and animal safety06:36 How the daycare is set up in the home07:29 Licensed vs. unlicensed, how it works in Ontario vs. the U.S.11:28 Winter outdoor policies and snow day decisions13:12 Getting sick with no sub, and what happens when twins are sick14:10 Running daycare solo while your husband is a first responder15:13 Burnout, hours, and protecting yourself18:08 Building a handbook and setting policies21:15 Why she opened the daycare, it wasn’t a calling27:50 Maternity leave for home daycare providers in Canada vs. the U.S.31:19 It’s okay to complain, the provider community online35:01 What she wishes every new provider knew46:21 Advice for providers who have twins or take twins50:24 Letting a family go, knowing your limits56:12 Where to find Danielle and closingWHAT YOU’LL HEAR• What it’s really like to run a home daycare when your own kids are part of the group• How Danielle navigated licensing decisions in Canada and why she chose to stay unlicensed• How Canada’s 12-to-18-month maternity leave compares to the U.S., and what that means for infant care• Why she didn’t have a handbook when she started, and why she does now• Honest talk about burnout, long hours, and learning to set limits• How dogs, chickens, and nature became part of her daycare curriculum• What she wishes every daycare parent understood about this workCONNECT WITH DANIELLEInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sincerelydanielleeFacebook: Search Danielle LindsayABOUT DAYCARE SISTERSBrandee and Erin are sisters with years of combined home daycare experience, sharing real talk for home daycare and family child care providers.Subscribe for honest conversations about running a daycare from home, building policies that work, and taking care of yourself while you take care of everyone else.www.TheDaycareSisters.comBusiness inquiries: [email protected]#homedaycare #inhomedaycare #daycarelife #childcareprovider #parenting #daycaresisters