Getting BETTER At Backbone And Other Stuff!

[beachgrl]

Well after giving both of my drop in families notice that i would only be doing ft or pt care and giving them copies of the contracts I have been waiting for them to let me know what they intend to do. The one family who has been PITA from the get go and continues to be I haven't heard from yet, their child can't even come back until they bring his physical that they did not have done in time..I haven't heard from them yet on what they are doing and they have until Friday. Everytime I think that they are not going to use me anymore or I give up on them, bam...I hear from them so who knows?

The other family who I thought would be more understanding and whom the dcm got into it a lil bit with me about the change saying I never told her I wouldn't do drop in (not true def told her I could do it as long as I didn't have full timers needing the spots and now I do and I can't keep the spot open all week for them to use when the child is here weeklky/regularly and not really a drop in)..well I held my ground and explained camly and repeatedly why I needed to make the change and to let me know what they decide....well....

Found out this am that dcb will be starting ft next week and I have let her have the flexibility in the week to pick one day she wants to keep him home when she is off as long as she lets me know in advance what day, np bc they have always let me know their schedule and paid ahead/etc. She even brought next week's payment with her bc of it being his last day this week, yay..just have to get her to sign the ft contract and we are good to go! I was so happy to find this out bc I didn't want to lose him, he is a sweetie so well behaved and the family is great to deal with, no problems and very considerate of doing common sense things w/o having to be told to!

So I will have one dcb ft and one dcg same age starting next week. (meet with her mom today to sign the contract and go over all the papework)

Had another parent come by last night and went over the contract and all in detail, waiting to hear back from her. She SEEMED very interested and pretty sure they were going to use me but she had to talk to hubby so we will see!

I have several other possibilities out there between now and Jan and still getting lots of calls so this has been an awesome week!

I am so glad I will have two consistent full timers instead of dealing with the drop in drama and lack of consistent income!

[Michael]

We have a whole section on Backbone https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.php?tag=backbone

[daycare]

doesn't it fell GREAT!!!! if they leave because you stand up for yourself and your business then you didn't want them there in the first place,....



One of the biggest bits of advice that I can give is that you, yourself need to re-read your PHB over and over. Know your rules and polices and enforce them to the T from day one. Once you open your rules for negotiation, you set yourself up for bad situations. YOu can't even let it happen one time.

Until these families have earned trust with you and you know that if you give them an inch they won't take a mile they get NOTHING but the rules as they are stated..

[Christian Mother]

That is sooo great!! I am drawling up a new contract and phb the end of this month to hand out the first of Dec. and making appts to meet with each family bc of the same situation..sort of. I have a family that is full time who will start there infant in Dec. so that is 2 full timers and then I have 2 part times who are kind of on schedule but makes it hard for me as I have a drop in that would like to come 2 days a wk and for the families that are almost part time or are would allow me to do that as long as I can get them to stick to there contracted days. They can either pay for the whole week and have the whole week to be flexible or only pay there contracted days but have to pay they regardless of whether there here or not. And the other days they don't contract for are given to the other family. That family would like a set 2 days but they may have to be flexible bc the FT and PT families get first dibs on days. We'll see how it goes.....

[beachgrl]

doesn't it fell GREAT!!!! if they leave because you stand up for yourself and your business then you didn't want them there in the first place,....



One of the biggest bits of advice that I can give is that you, yourself need to re-read your PHB over and over. Know your rules and polices and enforce them to the T from day one. Once you open your rules for negotiation, you set yourself up for bad situations. YOu can't even let it happen one time.

Until these families have earned trust with you and you know that if you give them an inch they won't take a mile they get NOTHING but the rules as they are stated..

it does feel good, I think I probably did loose one of the kids because I still haven't heard back, although knowing them they will call for a drop in tomorrow when I am closed ...won't be happening as I have plans all day!

I plan to follow that advice, the practice I have gotten going over my contracts and having positive responses has helped for sure in my being firm and confident in what my policies are. I totally agree they need to earn that trust just as I do with their children, and that no special favors for them until I see their true characters. I feel like the two families I have for sure ft right now starting next week are great and will be awesome! So lucky, and if I don't hear from the other by tomorrow they won't have a choice...it will be made for them and honestly, I won't be hurt over it in the least, I have dealt with so much aggravation from this PITA family, let someone else deal with it, it won't last. My hubby thinks they are shopping around again and will prolly find someone and will come back after those ppl get tired of their antics, or they won't be able to find someone the like as much as me and will come back in a week or so wanting a spot..ha

[beachgrl]

That is sooo great!! I am drawling up a new contract and phb the end of this month to hand out the first of Dec. and making appts to meet with each family bc of the same situation..sort of. I have a family that is full time who will start there infant in Dec. so that is 2 full timers and then I have 2 part times who are kind of on schedule but makes it hard for me as I have a drop in that would like to come 2 days a wk and for the families that are almost part time or are would allow me to do that as long as I can get them to stick to there contracted days. They can either pay for the whole week and have the whole week to be flexible or only pay there contracted days but have to pay they regardless of whether there here or not. And the other days they don't contract for are given to the other family. That family would like a set 2 days but they may have to be flexible bc the FT and PT families get first dibs on days. We'll see how it goes.....

yes, sounds like you are dealing with some of the same things I was with these families. I cannot keep an entire week open for two families to pick and choose (especially when one I never know what day until the day of, and only assume the child is not coming when I haven't heard from them after 10am) , nor can I deal with the fluctuation in income from week to week so I feel like it will all work out for the best in the end. With my one family staying and a new ft, I will already be making three times what I was before so I am glad for that! I just need a couple more and we are in business!!! I did give my one drop in that has gone to ft the flexibiility to pick one day to keep her dcb home bc she is off and she really never brought him unless she absolutely had to...she always tells me her schedule in advance and pays great so I told her I had no problem with her picking a different day to keep him home ea week just so she let me know in advance and she will, so what do I care..I am getting paid for ft spot anyway? yay!

[Christian Mother]

Totally!! All my families are like that I am just praying they don't feel let down bc I've changed my policy to pay regardless of whether their there or not. I am nervous but I've got to be able to depend on a weekly set amount now. I want to set my families down and talk it through with them and be fair. I am hoping they have a understanding heart. I wish I could keep things the way they have been and I am in some ways as I haven't raised rates in 2 yrs. But I've been enforcing late fees and now I want to enforce this policy. I just pray it goes well. I won't be handing the letter with revised policies til end of Thanksgiving so they will have a week to go over the letter and then we can set up a day to go over concerns together. That way I can have them either sign right there in front of me or give them the option to think about it some give them a date to return back to me and then we can all go from there. So nervous about it though. You just never know how anyone will react to a change...all my parents are great but you just never know if a change like this will send them over the edge. I really hope not. I love my parents and kids and want to be fair.

[beachgrl]

Yes, hope for the best for you as you work through it!