Running a Licensed Home Daycare in Her Basement

Brandee talks with Alexa about running a licensed home daycare completely out of her basement. Alexa shares how her basement daycare setup helps keep her family space separate, gives the children a dedicated childcare area, and creates an easy flow to the backyard through her walk-out basement.They also talk about daycare licensing, food program visits, caring for infants through kindergarten, play-based learning, summer hours, parent communication, trial periods, daycare toys, provider support, and the mom guilt that can come with running childcare from home.Alexa on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@alexa.tomairKey Takeaways:Alexa runs a licensed home daycare from a dedicated basement space.Her walk-out basement connects the daycare area to the backyard outdoor play space.Keeping daycare downstairs and family life upstairs helps separate toys, routines, and personal space.Alexa can care for up to 10 children and also participates in the food program.She has shifted from structured curriculum toward more play-based learning.Her summer schedule gives her Mondays and Fridays off to spend more time with her own kids.She recommends new providers avoid comparing their beginning to someone else’s finished daycare space.She believes the provider matters more than the size of the space or the toys in it.Timestamps:00:00 Intro00:40 Licensing and Food Program01:56 License Categories by State02:58 Licensed vs. Unlicensed Ratios03:42 Kids and the Home Daycare05:31 Managing Teens and Sleepovers06:25 Summer Hours and Days Off07:14 How Parents Responded to New Hours07:58 Transitioning from Center to Home08:47 Ages Accepted and Preschool09:36 Curriculum and Play-Based Learning10:27 Working at a Daycare Center Before11:00 Sick Days and Closing Policies12:04 How Parents Pay12:46 Handling Parent Conflict14:07 Provider Community and TikTok15:31 In-Person Events Before COVID16:45 Long-Term Goals as a Provider17:51 Education and Starting the Business19:26 Mom’s Daycare Next Door21:34 Not Being Competitive with Other Providers22:16 Having a Support System23:23 Mom as a Backup Sub25:06 Balancing Kids’ School Events28:01 Mom Guilt30:33 Treating Daycare Kids Like Your Own33:22 Having an Assistant or Sub34:50 Infant Ratios and Sanity Rules35:55 Favorite Toys and Equipment39:56 Best Daycare Space Recommendations43:53 Nugget Couches and Knockoff Comparison47:12 Felt Boards and Magna-Tiles49:54 Parent Wish List on Facebook53:00 Parents Showing Appreciation55:55 Advice for New Providers58:28 Finding the Right Families59:08 Trial Period in Contracts61:00 What Providers Wish Parents Knew62:47 Infant Sleep Challenges at Daycare64:29 Outro#homedaycare #healthyparenting #daycarelife #inhomedaycare #childcareprovider #Musclemat #magnatiles