A Look into the Life of Home-Based Childcare Provider Britt

on Oct 08 2026

After almost 10 years of working at a nursery, Britt started her own small-scale childcare business at home. She shares her story, her approach and why providing childcare means so much more to her than just a job.

Meet Britt

My name is Britt, and I live in Purmerend with my lovely family: my husband Guido, Jack (7), Mex (4) and our little dog Teddy.

I have always wanted to work with children, so deciding to train as an early years practitioner was easy. I loved the course and could not wait to start working with my favourite age group: children aged 0 to 4. After qualifying, I soon found a job at a nursery, where I worked for almost 10 years and gained a tremendous amount of experience.

From Nursery to My Own Childcare Business

When I became pregnant with our son Jack, we began looking for childcare for him. We wanted a small-scale setting, which led us to home-based childcare. We found someone to care for him, my maternity leave came to an end, and it was time to return to ‘my’ other children. I had mixed feelings about dropping Jack off and then spending the day making sure other children had a lovely time. After a lot of soul-searching and what felt like a thousand conversations, I decided to leave my permanent job and start my own home-based childcare business. It was a huge step into the unknown, but I simply had to follow my instincts.

Thanks to Jack, I started my own childcare business in February 2019. I was so nervous, but the energy it gave me made all the uncertainty worthwhile. A name, a logo, my vision, whether anyone would sign up, what toys and play materials I wanted to offer, what impression I wanted to give: it was all swirling around in my head.

Then came 1 February 2019: I opened my doors, and there was so much to get used to. No busy group, no colleagues, but calm and freedom. As I gradually found my feet, I realised that having fewer children gave me so much time for each child individually. You really give them a second home, while also helping them get ready for primary school.

A Second Home

Keeping in touch with parents was incredibly important to me. Throughout the day, I sent photos and updates about how things were going. Parents love being able to share in our day while they are at work. I discovered how much I enjoyed taking photos and started a social media account straight away. My aim was to let grandparents and other family members follow along too.

My honest glimpses of daily life on social media brought more and more interest in my childcare. After all, it is certainly not sunshine and smiles every day. For parents, choosing home-based childcare can feel like a bigger step than choosing a nursery. Many are unfamiliar with it, and because you work alone, there is no second adult present to observe or listen in, as there is under the Dutch ‘four-eyes’ policy. Even so, demand turned out to be high.

During introductory meetings, I always try to give parents a clear picture of how I work and the values I believe in. Above all, I want to reassure them that I will create a loving second home here. I know they are trusting me with what is most precious to them, and I care for their children with all my love. I also want every day the children spend with me to feel like a little celebration.

Thankfully, I can see that my social media has a positive effect. In meetings, parents almost always say, ‘This is one of the reasons we chose you.’ The lovely thing about home-based childcare is that you are not tied to a rigid schedule. You can adapt the day to what the children need at that moment, and that is one of its strengths.

Older Children Helping Younger Ones

Over the years, I realised I needed to change something in my childcare setting. Having babies and toddlers together was lovely, but it was hard work. With my background in early years education, I really wanted to help the little ones learn and grow before starting primary school. So I decided to stop taking babies and welcome children from 18 months onwards. That meant everyone followed a similar rhythm, and we could introduce a new daily routine.

It is always special to see the older children helping the younger ones. With a maximum of five children in the group, they become real friends, and it is wonderful to watch. When we put our coats on, they help each other with zips or point out that someone has their shoes on the wrong feet. If someone falls, they comfort each other. The older ones help the younger ones, all of their own accord.

Of course, the younger children need more care than the older ones. I always try to combine the two. How grown-up do you feel when, at three years old, you can help me set the table while I change the little ones' nappies? That really is something to be proud of!

Is it always easy having children aged 1 to 4 together? Definitely not. There are times when we need lots of cuddles to get through the day. But whenever someone needs extra attention, I always make sure the other children do not miss out. As soon as there is a moment, we play a game with the older ones, visit two playgrounds instead of one, or build the tallest tower. Everyone should leave after a day in my care feeling happy.

Misconceptions About Home-Based Childcare

To be completely honest, I had my own preconceptions about home-based childcare too. That probably came partly from working in a nursery and partly from not knowing much about it. I often hear these kinds of comments myself. Here are a few.

· Such an easy way to earn a living, just playing with children all day.

· You can sit in the sunshine all day while I am stuck in an office.

· It must be nice not having all those rules that nurseries have.

· You are so lucky, you can plan your day exactly as you like.

· How handy! Your own children can always bring friends home.

I could go on, but honestly, running your own childcare business is hard work. It is not a nine-to-five job. You have to do everything yourself, there are no colleagues to fall back on, and it is your business and your name. But providing childcare at home is fantastic! The fact that parents trust me with their child and deliberately choose my setting and my approach feels special every single time.

Some people think it must be lonely because you always work alone, but that could not be further from the truth. I am a sociable person, and my days include plenty of conversations with other parents at the playground. I also regularly exchange ideas with other home-based childcare providers. It is lovely to meet up with them and enjoy a day together too.

I always think your working day is as enjoyable as you make it, but you do have to make an effort yourself. I love taking the children out: finding lovely playgrounds, visiting the petting farm, walking through the gnome trail in the woods and, of course, our absolute favourite, visiting the care home.

Is it always easy? No. You also have to come up with everything and prepare it yourself. This is where social media comes into its own again, because I regularly exchange ideas with other childcare providers on Instagram or find fun things to try.

I also have frequent, good contact with parents, and sometimes I am a little too easy to reach, even during holidays and at weekends. But that is my choice too. I run a professional childcare service, but I want it to feel like a warm, loving home where parents feel comfortable as well and always feel free to contact me. After all, we are doing this together, and they are trusting me with what is most precious to them.

My Own Family and My Childcare Business

I am now the mother of two wonderful boys, both of whom I have been able to keep with me thanks to my decision to run my own childcare business. Was that always easy? Definitely not. But I am incredibly grateful that I have been able to do it this way, also thanks to my husband's support. He has opened up his home to all the little ones too.

When the boys were younger, it was not always easy for them. My approach to childcare and to raising my own children is much the same. I share the same values with the children in my care as I do with my own. There are clear rules, and they still apply when there are no childcare children here. That was very important to me, so my own boys knew where they stood and did not have different rules on days when I was not providing childcare.

Rest Routine and Cleanliness

While working in childcare, I noticed that children often thrive with the Dutch ‘three Rs’: rust, regelmaat and reinheid, meaning rest, routine and cleanliness. These give children clarity and structure. Alongside paying attention to each child's needs, they became the foundation of my approach to parenting and my vision for my childcare setting.

And then there is love. Love and patience help children grow. Once a child feels safe and seen, their development flourishes. And really, isn't that what every parent wants to give their child?

Thank you Britt for sharing your story with MyRoyalKids!

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Eating with young children does not always go smoothly. A child who used to eat almost everything can suddenly start refusing foods, no longer want to try new things or only want to eat a small number of familiar foods. That is why we asked Bianca Gerritsen from Blijf Voedingsadvies en Coaching to answer a number of common questions about children and eating. Bianca is a children’s eating coach and supports parents and children with challenges around food and eating. In this blog, Bianca answers six common questions about picky and selective eating and shares her advice on how to approach these situations at home. 1. My 1.5-year-old used to eat everything and suddenly refuses almost everything. Is this normal? This can indeed be very normal. Around the toddler and preschool age, many children develop more food neophobia: a natural reluctance towards unfamiliar foods. This is part of their development. 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How many times should you offer something again before you can say: my child really doesn’t like this? There is no magic number of times after which you can say: “See, they really don’t like it.” Children often need many repeated, relaxed introductions before a food feels familiar. And there is something else at play: children naturally have more taste buds than adults. Because of this, flavours, especially bitter and sour flavours, can taste much more intense. What tastes mild to us can taste quite strong to a child. That is why “I don’t like it” is not always simply a matter of taste. A child may also need to get used to the smell, texture, temperature, colour or appearance of a food. So: don’t give up after two times, but don’t keep pushing endlessly either. Continue offering it calmly without turning it into a battle. And remember that looking, smelling and touching are also all forms of becoming familiar with food. 3. What do you do if your child refuses to eat dinner, but asks for a sandwich or snack an hour later? The principle of ‘kitchen open, kitchen closed’ can be very helpful here. As a parent, you decide what is served and when food is eaten. Your child then decides whether and how much they eat. During an eating moment, the kitchen is, so to speak, open: there is food on the table and your child gets the space to decide whether and how much they eat. After the eating moment, the kitchen closes. This means that a new eating moment does not immediately arise because your child has left their dinner untouched. The next planned eating moment is another moment when the kitchen opens. For picky and selective eaters, that clarity and predictability is especially important. Your child knows when they can eat again and does not have to keep negotiating about what is going to be eaten now. And importantly: kitchen closed does not mean that you are denying a child food. 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And what do they need to experience more calm and confidence around food again? From that calm, you can work step by step towards expansion. Don’t force it, but build on what your child already can do and knows. From there, take very small steps. A different brand, a different shape, a different preparation method or a food that is close in taste or texture to a familiar food. And perhaps most importantly: don’t turn every meal into a test. Your child does not have to eat something new every day to make progress. Want to learn more from Bianca? Would you like to learn more about Bianca, her approach or her guidance for children and parents around eating? You can find more information and practical advice on her website and Instagram page. Visit Bianca’s website Follow Bianca on Instagram

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