Anyone Else Worried/Struggling For Clients??

[Crazy8]

For the first time in 11 years I am actually worried about the future of my daycare. I am just not getting any calls AT ALL. My own kids are getting older so I'm not in a circle of people with babies/toddlers anymore and in general there are just A LOT of SAHM's in my area. Its always been a little tough to get kids, daycare is just not a high demand here, but I've never had this much of a dry spell. I am ok for summer, but come September I only have 2 kids left so I am in deep trouble if I don't get some kids!!!

I've calculated the cost of going back to work outside the home but it really isn't worth it - a $14/hr. job 40 hrs. a week after taxes will be about the same as I'd make with just the 2 kids I have left here.

I have one option to take back a family but while they followed policy they were a bit of a pain to deal with - center of the universe mom mostly (have posted about that before). I always said they wouldn't be worth the money to take back (knew mom was trying to have another baby) but now I'm thinking maybe they are.

Is anyone else having a hard time getting kids right now???

[AfterSchoolMom]

I always get nervous this time of year, because I have no one lined up for the fall. Last school year I didn't get any activity whatsoever until January. I think it's just as you say...there are a lot of SAHM's, and people just don't have the income they used to. In my case, too, they all really do seem to be expecting a very low rate.

[SilverSabre25]

Yes, very much so. I have a spot open, I've been advertising, and the only people looking for care right now seem to be more than one child or looking for care in the fall or winter or next spring. I won't hold a spot for free and as soon as I mention the holding fee I never hear from them again, which is fine; I'm happy to mention the fee early on because I don't want to waste my time or theirs interviewing if they won't pay.

We're actually in dire financial straits and about to take a drastic, drastic move to try and fix our grim finances.

[countrymom]

its happening here too, but I think more people are opening up daycares for very low prices too.

[Kaddidle Care]

You're not the only one but I think we live in an area where there are a lot of procrastinators.

[crunchymama]

I'm right there with you. Our state (WV) has cut nearly all child care subsidy so all but 1 of my families will be gone after Aug 8th. And of the staying family only 1 child will still be here. Private pays are few and far between here and people only want dirt cheap. My family simply cannot make it on the income from 1 child. I've been advertising all summer and I've only got 1 interest, and after giving rates she never got back to me.
Our area is very rural with no public transportation and I don't drive so working outside my home is next to impossible.
So I feel for everyone having trouble finding more DC families.

[momma2girls]

I think it is all over the U.S.

[Springdaze]

same here. I have 2 kids very part time, and while its nice for summer, cant live much longer. we are redoing the school area but no one is calling. when its finished hopefully in the next week i am going to have to do a media blitz! i have the same prob with going outside to work....aftercare for my kids would be 450 a month and if I was full I could make almost 700 a week, not so if I "got a job".

[Country Kids]

HHHmmm, maybe people are just waiting to call? I have had 3 calls in the last week for full-time care and I'm full as of next month. Thats the most calls I've had in a while.

[Jenniferdawn]

Yep. Here too. I've seen at least 5 new daycares open up in my little city in the last 6 months. Makes it really hard when before they opened up, the going rate was $45 a day. Now they are opening up for $30 a day. So frustrating!

[Kiki]

I didn't get any calls for the last few months, but with school right around the corner, I'm getting more and more each day.
I live in an area with a ton of SAHM as well, but I'm also right on the border of 3 other cities, so I've been getting calls from those areas.

Honestly I just think more and more parents are choosing to have mom or dad stay at home after they have children, and they are cutting out whatever unnecessary things they might have bill wise... In my area it's pretty common for mom to be home while the kids are younger, and then for her to work once they are all in school.

[queenbee]

Almost all of my city's craigslist is filled with sahms who are looking for 1-2 additional kids but, surprisingly, they charge between $150-$160 a week and the norm around here is $100-$135 a week. Most parents are probably NOT going to take their children to a sahm when they can take their preschooler to a licensed daycare/preschool and pay around $50 less a week! We also have a lot if college students who want $15-$20 an hour for nanny care. Ummm.......yeah, no thanks.

I'm feeling incredibly blessed right now. I've never once had trouble (knock on wood!) staying full and I get between 4-8 emails a week from my website by people looking for care. It definitely depends on the area and the need of the current residence. I'm the only daycare running an organic daycare and it's definitely sought after here. My waiting list gets impressive around August and January.

[Crazy8]

You're not the only one but I think we live in an area where there are a lot of procrastinators.

yes, but I haven't been getting calls/emails for a long while now - its not like school agers who are waiting till Sept. I get one email or call every few months if I'm lucky and most never make it to the interview stage. I've just run out of families with multiple siblings coming along and now I am really trying to find families and not having any luck.

For example of the number of SAHP's - my son's football team wanted to have practices on a weekday morning because of the heat last August (instead of the usual 6-8pm) - out of 24 families I was the ONLY one who could not do it because my husband works a "normal" job and I don't transport the dck's.

[Country Kids]

See thats one thing I really struggle about doing childcare! Not having the ease of taking time off/spending time with my kids without it being a big production.

I love how all my parents will walk in and let me know they are going on so n so's field trip, taking someone's birthday off, someone has something going on at school so they are going, personal appts, etc.

When I try and do something like that, I have to take the afternoon off (making everyone upset it seems) or try and find a sub and no one seems to want to do that.

We just received a text that their will be morning football practice in a few weeks! What, how are all the kids going to get there? Well, someone has offered to give rides and such but what a pain if they are at childcare or something. I think we should just wait till in the evening when ALL parents can bring them.

[Countrygal]

I am VERY worried. I had a family leave to stay home with a SAHD and I have not had one call in over a month!! They took 2/3 of my kids with them (I can only have 3 at this point). I am already struggling and winter is coming!!!

I was hoping to use this time to save up and start paying off some bills, but sure ain't happenin' now!

You are NOT alone! I have the highest rating in my county(along with Heidi), do nights, weekends, pt, and I still don't get any calls.

Again, all people want around here is 1.50 per hour or less. They don't care about the rest.