Would This be Okay to Do?

[Momof2Boys]

I am opening my own daycare and I am SO excited about it! I have a 3 year old and 7 month old boys who I have been longing to be home with Anyway, I have been advertising over the last couple of weeks on Craigslist, and hung up some flyers in two of the local gently-used kids clothing stores yesterday. I have had a few people interested, unfortunately they have all seemed to be the type of parents who want the best deal ever on rates so they haven't panned out.

I'm not sure what else to do to advertise, so I was wondering if it would be okay to call some of the daycare providers in my area (there are a lot of them) and ask them if they can refer the people that call them to me if they are full. Would you as a provider be willing to do this for someone starting out a daycare? I am not licensed yet, but I'm working on it.

Unfortunately, I can't really advertise through word of mouth because I don't want my co-workers knowing yet (I work part-time outside of the home) and I don't want the daycare lady who is currently watching our boys to know yet either.

Anyway, thank you for your time!

[Pammie]

I'm not sure what else to do to advertise, so I was wondering if it would be okay to call some of the daycare providers in my area (there are a lot of them) and ask them if they can refer the people that call them to me if they are full. Would you as a provider be willing to do this for someone starting out a daycare?

Absolutely I think it would be okay! I now have a "network" of providers in my area that we all refer to each other. However, I do know that MANY providers around here are extremely "territorial" and would never give out anyone else's number even if they were full....sad but true.

So I don't think it would hurt to call and ask - just be prepared if someone says "no"

[Momof2Boys]

Thank you for the response! After reading it I went ahead and called a lady on the family day care list for our city...

She was amazingly sweet! She is currently full and was more than willing to give my information to whoever calls her. She even informed me of a local referral agency and classes I can take in the area for training and such If everyone else I call is just as nice this will be a breeze!

She asked me what other information she could tell people other than my contact info. I couldn't really think of much so I told her to let them know that I'm in the process of getting licensed, I have a 3 year old and 7 month old boys of my own, and that this fall I am starting a preschool curriculum. This lead me to another question..what information should I give other providers to give parents?

[Former Teacher]

First of all congrats! I am very excited for you! It sounds like you are doing what I would be doing ie: craigslist etc..

I would go ahead and call your local centers. In fact that's what I would do when I would get a call and we were full. However I would only recommend this one home center because I had known her for years. We would always wind up being together at our required meetings yearly. When a parent would ask me for a regular center I would just politely tell that I can not recommend them only because I didn't know anything about thatcenter (which was true)

However I see nothing with calling. Just be careful so you know whoS don't find out! ::

[Pammie]

..what information should I give other providers to give parents?

Honestly, just name and phone number and location is what we (providers here that refer each other) give out. Plus, I can't keep track of what other providers current status is - #openings, ages of kids, rates, etc. Those things change so frequently, it's just easier if the parents call and ask that info themselves