Venting Thread

[DaveA]

I don't get it.....what do they get out of calling you? Seems so weird????

Unfortunately it's the 10-15% percent of people who have an issue with a guy taking care of children. I'd say I'm used to it, but it's still annoying.

A big part of the problem is the local R&R list has me listed as "Armour Family Child Care" (a DBA they said I needed rather than just using my name). So people calling from the list don't know it's coming. Any ad materials I put out has my name on it so to avoid confusion.

I always joke after I retire I'm writing a book on childcare called "Nothing Duct Tape and a Cattle Prod Can't Handle". I could do a couple of chapters on some of the weird, aggravating, and downright comical situations being a guy in ECE has gotten me into.

[LysesKids]

Damn it man.. today gets worse

just had a cancellation of a family I held a spot for cancel ( for free over 2 months); start date was tomorrow... I now have no choice but to enforce holding fee due to loosing 2.5 months of income. Only time I did it, and I got burned... BIG TIME

[LysesKids]

I keep telling myself that. But I can never leave well enough alone. .
I keep getting emails that end up being damn spam!

It's why I don't use a CL addy; my ad makes them go to my website - you can set it up that way... specify, no Cl addy; if they actually read my website, I know by the email that the contact page sends... I avoid a lot of spam that way... and I see you can't list a webpage either on here

[Mister Sir Husband]

I get this phone call at least once a month- it still drives me nuts.

Me: Hello
Prospective Parent: Hi. Is this the home daycare?
Me: This is me.
PP: I want to talk to the person who takes care of kids.
Me: Yeah- that's me.
PP: UH.... OK. CLICK!!!!

Today added a new wrinkle--"Ok, so you run the business. Who do they let around the kids?"
Me: I do- it's a home daycare and I am the care provider.
Now disgusted PP: Oh that's just f#$%'d up. CLICK!!!

I HATE MONDAYS

I haven't gotten this call yet.. but an expecting it at some point..

[MsLisa]

It takes time... especially in summer

I've been trying to fill a spot for over 3 months now... I also have a website ( I think it saves me aggravation by weeding out people that won't abide by my policies - they are all online ), I have a FB page, I do CL... I don't post fees. I set fees similar to you, but don't list it online... If they won't meet me in person, it tells me they are just shopping for a lower rate and I don't need a family that wants to dicker over money. I want people that fit with my way of doing things... that includes organic food and being eco friendly

I keep telling myself that. But I can never leave well enough alone. .
I keep getting emails that end up being damn spam!

[LysesKids]

WTF more can I do???
My CL ad is the best it can get, enough to make a licensed daycare nosey.
My website is professional & up-to-date, more then I can say for anyone posting on CL who don't even have one.
I update my FB page every day, although I basically talk to myself.
Still nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada. None.

I feel like just saying F-it and deleting it all. Then wait the excruciatingly long 2yrs until I have my Associates in ECE & then just go apply to a normal daycare job. It feels like forever away.

Why can't life just let me do what I love?!

It takes time... especially in summer

I've been trying to fill a spot for over 3 months now... I also have a website ( I think it saves me aggravation by weeding out people that won't abide by my policies - they are all online ), I have a FB page, I do CL... I don't post fees. I set fees similar to you, but don't list it online... If they won't meet me in person, it tells me they are just shopping for a lower rate and I don't need a family that wants to dicker over money. I want people that fit with my way of doing things... that includes organic food and being eco friendly

[LysesKids]

Parents, if you aren't serious...

about needing care, don't set up an in person interview; if you don't call for the address I know you plan to blow me off (1st interviews are 6pm or later)... it's why I ask parents to text 2-3 hrs before the meet & greet to get my address. I talked to you on the phone and we get along, that's why the dang meeting was set...

I'm so tired of trying to fill this last space ( over 3 months now)

[dave4him]

The parents will bring him when he is sick and just tell me to leave him to rest during the day. I really hope they have no serious issues anytime soon.

[hope]

I get this phone call at least once a month- it still drives me nuts.

Me: Hello
Prospective Parent: Hi. Is this the home daycare?
Me: This is me.
PP: I want to talk to the person who takes care of kids.
Me: Yeah- that's me.
PP: UH.... OK. CLICK!!!!

Today added a new wrinkle--"Ok, so you run the business. Who do they let around the kids?"
Me: I do- it's a home daycare and I am the care provider.
Now disgusted PP: Oh that's just f#$%'d up. CLICK!!!

I HATE MONDAYS

I don't get it.....what do they get out of calling you? Seems so weird????

[DaveA]

I get this phone call at least once a month- it still drives me nuts.

Me: Hello
Prospective Parent: Hi. Is this the home daycare?
Me: This is me.
PP: I want to talk to the person who takes care of kids.
Me: Yeah- that's me.
PP: UH.... OK. CLICK!!!!

Today added a new wrinkle--"Ok, so you run the business. Who do they let around the kids?"
Me: I do- it's a home daycare and I am the care provider.
Now disgusted PP: Oh that's just f#$%'d up. CLICK!!!

I HATE MONDAYS

[preschoolteacher]

WTF more can I do???
My CL ad is the best it can get, enough to make a licensed daycare nosey.
My website is professional & up-to-date, more then I can say for anyone posting on CL who don't even have one.
I update my FB page every day, although I basically talk to myself.
Still nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada. None.

I feel like just saying F-it and deleting it all. Then wait the excruciatingly long 2yrs until I have my Associates in ECE & then just go apply to a normal daycare job. It feels like forever away.

Why can't life just let me do what I love?!

Your updates to your site look SO good. I'm sure you'll get clients soon. I've found that my Facebook page doesn't help me get clients. I do get clients from Facebook by posting on other pages. There's a "my city name moms" group I belong to, and I have successfully posted openings there.

Hang in there!

[MsLisa]

WTF more can I do???
My CL ad is the best it can get, enough to make a licensed daycare nosey.
My website is professional & up-to-date, more then I can say for anyone posting on CL who don't even have one.
I update my FB page every day, although I basically talk to myself.
Still nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada. None.

I feel like just saying F-it and deleting it all. Then wait the excruciatingly long 2yrs until I have my Associates in ECE & then just go apply to a normal daycare job. It feels like forever away.

Why can't life just let me do what I love?!

[Play Care]

I'm sick. On the weekend.

[MsLisa]

A lady asks my license and ratio info...
Turns out, after to some internet digging, the woman who asked me about my license/ratio.... is an owner of licensed daycare 20 min away from me! Like a whole river and bridge away. What nerve! She posts on the same CL and everything. But seriously, is it really that cut throat? I mean I would never do that! I got my ducks in a row, why bother me? *sigh*

[craftymissbeth]

A couple of things...

My 7 yo ds fell down my stairs on Tuesday and cut his head. He did really well, but had to have 3 staples to keep it shut. He's terrified of going to sleep now because the ER doctor told me that he had a mile concussion (but that there was nothing to worry about). Apparently he had heard from wherever that if you have a concussion and go to sleep you will go into a coma and never wake up. So he's been forcing himself to stay awake until 1-2 am all week. Also, he won't shower because he's afraid it will hurt his head. He no longer smells very nice

And... I bought a microwave off of Facebook and the lady delivered it to me today. It was only $15, but it smells like a giant freaking ashtray and the idiot left SO much food on the inside of it. I tried to clean off the outside with Odoban but it still smells terrible. It's currently sitting on my front porch while I wait to see if the lady can "try to round up some money to pay you back". I want this crap gone and I want my money back.. it's disgusting and disrespectful that they had the audacity to bring that nasty thing into my home AND daycare!

That is all for now