To Tracy Pilbeam, scaling her in-home daycare of 12 children to a larger, more academic-oriented enterprise seemed overwhelming. However, she found there was a massive need in the community for such an institution and was determined to fill that void. According to Tracy “I was an ordinary daycare back in the day, where kids played all day. We all need to improve every day and I look for that.”
However, with Tracy’s hope for improvements, came numerous uncertainties. Foremost, she was unsure if she would be able to have enough children to fund the facility or find qualified staff. She began by going to Lenawee Now, who helped her plan for the new facility, easing her apprehension.
As for staffing, Tracy was looking for many teachers with a rather specific skill set. Tracy had an extensive background in Montessori, which she heavily integrated into the curriculum. Another thing she prized in her employees was a high standard of care. Through advertising and various community connections, she was able to find sufficient staffing, which left her free to work out the details of her curriculum.
Tracy’s goals were to ensure independence, kindergarten-ready academic skills, and an overall well-rounded experience. This included focusing on shapes, colors, various crafts and activities, and group interactions. Tracy hoped to create a loving culture through the various activities, but still one of growth. “I want independence, we strive for that.” Tracy noted about her daycare.
Through much hard work, Friends and Family Daycare has become very successful in the Clinton area, having many families who are incredibly pleased with the care their child has received. Looking back, Tracy notes that the process of starting a daycare is more involved than one might think. According to Tracy, one of the main things she learned from her venture was: “Do your homework. The state throws you the book and you’re either going to swim or you’re going to sink.”
Throughout her journey, she was very grateful to Lenawee Now for their help, not only for business planning, but she was glad for someone to call up and ask questions when she needed to. Tracy is looking for this business to be a pillar in the community for generations. According to Tracy “My goal for the center is to keep it in the family, where my granddaughter will take it over at some point in her life.”