Babies, Babies, Babies

[Francine]

As I have posted before I have taken a two year break and am reopening June 1st. The only calls that I have gotten are infants, in Michigan legally we can only have two under 18 months at one time. So what would you do?

Baby #1 ( 2 months old boy)
I has already signed the contract, will start June 1. Full time but Dad is in construction so he might take a few weeks off during the winter. Great family, liked them alot.

Baby #2 ( 3.5 months boy) No contract signed yet but she sounded positive, I'm waiting for her to call. Full time but doesn't want to start until August because Grandmas are watching him until then. Good family, although I only met the Mom. I haven't even met the baby because the Mom stopped in after work, according to her he is a very good baby. Would make a great playmate for baby #1.

Baby #3 (5 months old girl) No contract, but wants to interview next week because they are going to be gone all weekend. Full time but Mom is a teacher, would work out fine with baby #1 whose dad might take time off during the winter. Doesn't want to start until September because again Grandma's are watching her and Mom has summer off. I did mention to Mom that she could either pay me a holding fee to hold the spot all summer or she could bring her a day or two a week all summer to hold the spot. I guess I should have told her that I had this other one pending but I didn't. This Mom knows two of my old clients that I gave her as references.

Now to be perfectly honest if in September when this one wants to start IF she was going to be 15-16 months and not just 9 I would probably go ahead and take her knowing that my ratio would only be off for three months but that's not the case so I won't. If Mom #3 calls and wants to interview Monday after work and I haven't heard from Mom #2 am I under any obligation to Mom #2? Would you call Mom#2 and ask if they have decided to take the spot or would you just say first to sign gets the spot?

What would you do? I open in two weeks and have only gotten infant calls.

[missnikki]

If #2 and #3 seem like a tie as far as a good fit, I would say what I noticed is that #2 will not be off all summer. Year round business vs. holding a spot for summer...

[QualiTcare]

i would call mom #2 just as a courtesy.

if she knows there's a chance she might not have a spot - she may go ahead and sign on. she could be depending on you in her mind. if you call and tell her and she doesn't act fast enough - oh well - not ur problem.

i had the opposite issue when i wasn't ready to care for kids yet, but had an opening date set. i told the mom (who could've used me ASAP) that i would be ready on X date and to call me if anything changed. i quit advertising based on the fact i didn't have any spots open (assuming i would be keeping her child). i would've been annoyed if she took him somewhere else and didn't call. mom #2 may have stopped looking for other providers because she thinks you're a sure spot.

it's just a phone call. i say do it.

[Francine]

Here's something else that I forgot to mention in the original post, when interviewing Mom#2 she asked if we have a cat, which we do. Apparently there have been a couple of times that they have had the baby around a cat that she "thought" he became a little bit weezy. I wasn't there so I don't know what she was hearing, if it is a cat allergy and I take him instead of Baby #3 and then find out a week later that yes indeed he is allergic, I'm down to just baby #1. This makes me a nervous, it might be nothing but if he's allergic to cats it's a no brainer decision for me which one to take. But how are we going to find that out 100% before next week when I interview Mom #3.

This is so hard, both of these family are wonderful.