Finding Joy in Childcare: How Joy Budine Realized Her Lifelong Dream with Wonderschool

For Joy Budine, education has always been a cornerstone of her life. After a remarkable 32-year career teaching in public schools, she decided it was time to turn a lifelong dream into reality. Together with her husband, Joy founded the Joy of Learning Farm School, LLC, in her community in Missouri. Here’s how her journey unfolded and how Wonderschool played a key role in helping her bring her vision to life.

Turning a Dream into Reality

“It has been my lifelong dream to start a school of my own,” Joy shares. After retiring from decades of teaching, Joy saw an opportunity to reconnect with her passion for education in a new and impactful way. Within just seven months, with unwavering dedication and hard work, Joy and her husband established their childcare program, providing children with a safe, engaging, and fun environment to grow and learn.

Children are able to pursue their own interests and revisit and build upon ideas with the support of teachers and interactions with their peers in the center.

Connecting with Wonderschool

Joy discovered Wonderschool serendipitously at the Conference on the Young Years in Missouri, where she met a Wonderschool representative at their vendor booth. Intrigued by their mission and services, she decided to partner with them to navigate the licensing process and set up her program for success.

A Suite of Tools for Seamless Operations

Wonderschool’s tools and services proved to be invaluable for Joy. “The incentive program helped me along the licensing process for things that I was already going to have to do to become licensed,” she explains. Additionally, Wonderschool’s family invoicing feature stood out for its simplicity and efficiency. “It makes invoicing families effortless and allows us to be paid online,” she adds.

Overwhelming Demand

Since opening in April of 2024, the school has been successful, and there has been significant demand. Joy's program is in a childcare desert region of Missouri where there are very few childcare options. Her program is helping close this childcare gap, however there is still a need for more childcare. “We cannot house all the families that would like to enroll—therefore, a waiting list has been created,” Joy notes. Despite this limitation, she remains committed to providing the best possible care for those she can accommodate.

A Sustainable Approach to Childcare

Joy’s financial outlook has remained steady since starting her business, but she appreciates the cost-saving benefits of partnering with Wonderschool. “Wonderschool helped me with components to the business that I would have had to pay out monthly for,” she explains. With Wonderschool provided at no cost through the state of Missouri until the end of 2025, Joy has had the time and resources to establish a strong foundation for her program.

Advice for Aspiring Providers

To others dreaming of starting a childcare business, Joy offers this advice: “Take advantage of the support Wonderschool offers. Don’t do it alone. Their tools and guidance can make the process manageable and rewarding.”

Her journey is a testament to what’s possible with determination, a clear vision, and the right resources. Today, Joy of Learning Farm School stands as a shining example of how retired educators can continue making an impact in their communities.

To learn more about Joy’s program, visit Joy of Learning Farm School, LLC.

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