This is iffy...What is Your Policy

[jojosmommy]

I think it depends on the client and how they percieve your business relationship.

My BEST client is our neighbor. We are fb friends, both my and her hubs chat, we stop by when we take our kids on bike rides, text etc. I have dropped off meals, they have too when in need. Mom understands that business is from open to close and personal after. She never talks daycare after hours, like bringing up pmts etc. Her mom did daycare for 30 years so she "gets it".

My worst client was my SIL. Treated me like an employee, like her personal slave. Obviously we saw each other and interacted outside of care. I dont think that helped or hurt the relationship. I think its all in weather they respect yoj and your business, regardless of how you interact outside of business.

In fact, my best clients have been one which I have connected on a personal level with. I wouldnt want my kids in a care setting where the provider was cold or closed off. I think its hard to stike a balance with that though.

Go with your gut.

[DayCareDynasty]

There are some good points made here. I believe a Provider can be sincerely warm and friendly without crossing their business into the buddy zone.

In some cases as many of you have pointed out some day care parents will continue to respect you as a business professional even if you socialize after day care, in my opinion those parents are hard to come by. However as providers the majority of us are a people person, we can read our clients and distinguish if we should keep that boundary drawn.

I totally agree with the providers who have a fb business page for their clients and a personal page, for instance I dont know what the parents would think about the pic I posted... teasing my sis, I stole her pants when she was at work and posted the pic turned around to my backside

My point is if my dcps were on my fb page I would feel I needed to be constantly in provider mode.

EntropyControlSpecialist, that was funny :: about them trying to add your
husband!

saved4always, I had a dcp that drove me nuts asking me to come to her Bunco Game Party almost every friday! At first I was like huh..you mean Bingo she said, No... Bunco. She said, it was really fun, still havent played to this day. I think, I got out of it by telling her that was my family night...which was true "Fast food Friday and a movie"

MaritimeMummy, Please let us know how the Bellyfit class goeshappyface

I think this thread will help a lot of new providers

[Meeko]

I've been at this for 27 years. For the most part, my clients have been just that and nothing more. I am friendly...but not friends.

But there are one or two who I have become VERY close with over the years and now count them in my dearest and nearest friends. Not planned or forced...it just happened over the long years we've known each other. Kids are all grown up now.

I think everyone just has to go with what they feel comfortable with.

[AmyLeigh]

My situation is a little different. All of my dcf's were friends long before I started watching their children. So I'm more like "Aunt Amy" to their children. Because we love and respect each other so much, it has made our business relationship pretty smooth. We do our best to communicate. When there have been isses (small, rare) they were taken care of immediately. They are my friends on fb, we socialize when we can, and are all in the same church. They are definitely family to me. So I might vent about little things they or their children do that drive me crazy, but only here or to dh, who knows them all very well too.
Now if I provided care for an individual whom I did not have a personal relationship, I would tread very carefully. I see how it could cause problems.

[Jewels]

I have families that I have befriended, I have become friends with 2 of my daycare moms, niether of them would take advantage of me, they are great people, and I do think you can judge people, now I watched my husbands best friends kids this summer, he even lived with us for a few months going through his divorce, and he is a great guy, but he actually is the only one to ever lag behind on his payments, my husband actually called him the other day and made him come over to pay, he is good for it though and would never out right stiff me, But he's an alcoholic, and is spending his money on booze..the other families I have I am very social with here, one invited me to zumba, but I'm not super fond of her, and just don't want to, and then I have one family that I absolutly love, they are great people, but I would not hang out with them, I just wouldn't completely feel like I could just "be myself" especially with my husband, but I do feel with this family, when they do not attend here anymore, we will probably hang out...but my two that have become friends, i can be myself, We went camping with one of them, and their whole family for a weekend, been over for dinners at both places, I consider all my daycare famlies "friends" I see them everyday, we all talk about everyday things daily, not just daycare, I care about all of my families, it is buisness, but I think of them all more as friends/family. I'm an extremely social person though.

[saved4always]

There are some good points made here. I believe a Provider can be sincerely warm and friendly without crossing their business into the buddy zone.

In some cases as many of you have pointed out some day care parents will continue to respect you as a business professional even if you socialize after day care, in my opinion those parents are hard to come by. However as providers the majority of us are a people person, we can read our clients and distinguish if we should keep that boundary drawn.

I totally agree with the providers who have a fb business page for their clients and a personal page, for instance I dont know what the parents would think about the pic I posted... teasing my sis, I stole her pants when she was at work and posted the pic turned around to my backside

My point is if my dcps were on my fb page I would feel I needed to be constantly in provider mode.

EntropyControlSpecialist, that was funny :: about them trying to add your
husband!

saved4always, I had a dcp that drove me nuts asking me to come to her Bunco Game Party almost every friday! At first I was like huh..you mean Bingo she said, No... Bunco. She said, it was really fun, still havent played to this day. I think, I got out of it by telling her that was my family night...which was true "Fast food Friday and a movie"

MaritimeMummy, Please let us know how the Bellyfit class goeshappyface

I think this thread will help a lot of new providers

I have since dropped out of Bunco...it was a great way to meet alot of the neighbors in our new neighborhood at the time. Got some clients and leads on clients there, too. It got to be that even once a month was too much and the night it was on conflicted with my dd's gymnastics class.

[Bookworm]

My center encourages relationships with the parents. They believe that getting to know the parents and actively involving them in their child's class leads to better cooperation if ther is an issue. Obviously this doesn't include every parent, but it's at least 60% in each class. Many of my parents have my cell # and if they have any questions,they know they can call or text me. No one has ever abused this because I know who I can trust with my number. I also have many of them in my contacts list.

As far as Facebook, a lot of us are friends with certain parents-past and present-as a way to keep in touch. We are always invited to birthday parties or Mary Kay parties and the like. Sometimes we go, sometimes not. Because we have this type of relationship with the parents, we get a lot of "benefits". We have parents that work in Dr.'s offices who can get us in ASAP. Parents in banking to help with loans or what not. Parents in retail who get first dibs on stuff we would never know about or be able to afford. I guess this is a case of to each his own.

[jojosmommy]

I forgot to add that the family which I have the closest relationship with is always bringing things over to give to us. Today she brought over a brand new pair of shoes which didnt fit her mother. She has also supplied us with my DD entire fall and winter wardrobe for this year and a few toys which the dck have loved. All out of the kindness of their hearts. She is really a genuine person who would rather we use it than donate it to someone random charity and never know if it ever went to good use. I think there are good clients you can have a more personal realtionship with. Those who treat you more like a friend.