Daddy Daycare

A Father's Journey Caring for Kids

By Michael Sheridan

Sitting back in a darkened theater, I laughed along with everyone else as Eddie Murphy stumbled over himself as he tried to start his own daycare business in Daddy Daycare. Little did I know at the time the arrival of my own son was only two weeks away, and I was destined for my own fatherhood adventure.

But looking back on that comedy, I wondered if getting a daycare center set up is really as simple as the movie suggests. As I looked into the issue, I found that there is no real simple answer. The truth is every state has its own set of rules regarding daycare centers, each with a variety of requirements and regulations.

"The first thing that we always recommend is that you consult your local state licensing requirements," says Barbara Hamilton, assistant director of the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care, a resource and referral service that helps parents find quality childcare, and also provides information to those seeking to start their own childcare business. "You really do have to go through a process. There's a lot of health and safety regulations and other things that providers must adhere to."

Beyond the technical requirements, childcare providers need to understand how children develop in order to identify learning disabilities and other mental handicaps, says Hamilton. But ultimately, the most important things are patience and a love of children. "They must be physically and mentally fit for 10 to 11 hours a day," she says. "They should also, and most importantly I think, love children."

As daunting as this may be, the idea of a father starting a daycare center is not just Hollywood magic. There are several dad-owned daycares throughout the country. One such place, Big Daddy's Day Care in Nanticoke, Pa., as been around since 2001 and provides for 50 children between the ages of 18 months and 13.

Want to see more?

• Preschool/Daycare Checklist
• The Modern-day Daycare: Meeting the Needs of Moms and Babies
• 4 Steps to Finding the Right Childcare
• Talk about it!