This post is inspired by stressed out Moms. Because you are looking at the calendar and counting the school vacation days.
- Columbus Day
- Teachers Conference Day
- “The wind blew so we wanted to take a day off” Day
I celebrate our educators. Yes, they deserve love and time off. But when you are a busy Mom trying to schedule for your child/children, it’s tough.
So reach out to a responsible teen or college age student and give them this inspirational idea.
Start a “School Vacation Day” Camp
It’s akin to babysitting. But solves a different problem. The random holidays that parents often don’t have vacation time.
It will solve your “what to do with the kids” problem. And it will get her started in her first mini business.
And help her get started earning some extra holiday cash. Yess!!!! #nomoreaskingMom
How does she get started?
Brainstorm a theme for School Vacation Camp
While the kids could zone out on television all day, it is more fun to have a focus. So look at local activities – ie. at the library, apple picking, parks. Or brainstorm indoor ideas. Arts and crafts are always fun. And if she is athletically inclined consider sports like like soccer, basketball or frisbee. They don’t take much equipment and are easy to set up for an hour or two.
Draft a flyer
The flyer could include the following:
- Location (either your home or theirs)
- Contact info (cell phone or social media handle)
- Date
- Theme for the day
- Cost
Pass out the flyer only to neighbors and friends. She could also post them in places like school and have a third party filter the interest. For example, the local class Mom can be the contact.
Make payment easy
Collect payment in advance. Parents can rush in to pick up their child/children and not stress about finding an ATM. Consider an online account like Paypal account. Or offer a discount if people pay with cash in advance or sign up early.
Keep in mind that you may have to offer refunds. If you have to cancel the camp for any reason, refund the parents their money. Also give them as much advanced notice as possible. So don’t spend the money until you finish the camp.
Important details to consider
Even if your daughter has babysat before, consider a few factors.
- What are the local regulations about youth gathering? Most locales will not be disturbed if you have under 4 children. But if you get too many youth, it might cause a problem.
- Ask the parents to sign a permission slip. Discuss food allergies or have them bring their own lunches and snacks.
- Get an emergency number contact number
- Ensure that there is an adult around to support her
- If possible, get first aid certification. There are a host of places that offer 1 day programs. While an accident probably won’t occur, it is always a good safety precaution to be prepared.
If you take into effect the safety factors, this should be a wonderful experience for the kids! And a great way to get your daughter comfortable with starting her own business!!!
