Not Meshing With One Of The Families...

[Unregistered]

Hi all, need some advice. I started doing daycare in my home about 2 months ago. I have 3 different families, two of them I love and one just doesn't seem to be working. Their 2 kids are extremely disrespectful, AND they don't get along with the other kids that I am watching. The parents have complained to me that I don't feed them enough and that what I do feed them is not healthy enough. I feed them meals from the certified daycare menus...and they eat more than I do most of the time. The other two families don't have a problem at all with what their child is being fed or how much. Has anyone had experience with this?? How do I tell their parents that I just don't feel comfortable watching them anymore??

PLEASE HELP!

[Meeko]

Hi all, need some advice. I started doing daycare in my home about 2 months ago. I have 3 different families, two of them I love and one just doesn't seem to be working. Their 2 kids are extremely disrespectful, AND they don't get along with the other kids that I am watching. The parents have complained to me that I don't feed them enough and that what I do feed them is not healthy enough. I feed them meals from the certified daycare menus...and they eat more than I do most of the time. The other two families don't have a problem at all with what their child is being fed or how much. Has anyone had experience with this?? How do I tell their parents that I just don't feel comfortable watching them anymore??

PLEASE HELP!

Let them go. Tell them that as they are not satisfied with the care they are receiving, you think they would be happier elsewhere. Don't beat around the bush with people like this. They are only happy when they are complaining.

[sunlight]

Hello, so sorry to hear you are having to deal with this type of family. It sure does make our jobs that much harder. If I understand you correctly, you have only been providing child care for two months? I really do hope you hang in there. The rewards will out weigh the issues in my opinion.

I agree you can certainly let them go. However, don't be in a great hurry. I have been providing care for nearly 12 years now, and I have dealt with families like this many times. What worked for me is looking at it like a business. Don't take what they say personally. Just do your very best. It's hard not to focus on the kids and their behaviors when they are with you all day. Rather try looking at them like one big group. Dont' single them out and let them iritate you. If you do end up letting them go, you never know what new family may come along. They may be worse. It's hard enough trying to get new families in the door, I encourage you to keep working with them and after they have been with you a little while they hopefully will see what you do bring to the table. Infact, try asking them all the questions at pick up time. Don't let them start asking you how the day went, what did they eat etc. Ask them first how did the kids do last night? What type of dinner do they enjoy eating? This always works for me! The super picky family just wants to make sure your worth it and will ask you a bunch of questions that seem like they are unsatisfied. Let them know your on top of it by being the first to start the questions. Try this a couple of times and see how it works.
Best of luck!

[cheerfuldom]

While i see what the previous poster is saying, you dont HAVE to keep any kids that arent fitting in well. Thats the joy of having your own business....your rules! Give the parents a two weeks notice (or whatever you have written out in your contract) and let them know that you dont feel you are the right fit for their family and want to give them a chance to find someone they are happier with and leave it at that. You dont have to detail every issue with the kids or the parents.

[sunlight]

Cheerfuldom, you are absolutely right! We don't have to keep anybody we don't want to. I guess I am refering to those of us who do this as a business because we do need the money. We can't always pick and choose the perfect family. Sometimes we really do need to work with it because it's what we've got.

For those providers who can pick and choose the perfect families and can wait a while till some one better comes along that is great too! I am just trying to encourage her to hang in there if she can. It might actually get better.

[Blackcat31]

Cheerfuldom, you are absolutely right! We don't have to keep anybody we don't want to. I guess I am refering to those of us who do this as a business because we do need the money. We can't always pick and choose the perfect family. Sometimes we really do need to work with it because it's what we've got.

I respectfully disagree.

I do this as a business and by no means am financially stable but I still have too much pride and self-respect to allow a rude and disrespectful family to hold me financially hostage.

I would rather scrimp and save and eat nothing but PB&J's than subject myself to a family that is rude, disrespectful and/or inconsiderate of me and my business....no matter how much money they put in my wallet.

[Unregistered]

I think my biggest issue is just that they are being disrespectful to me. The other families have no issues, so I don't see why they should.

Now, I just started doing this 2 months ago, and never even thought to have a contract. I see now that I should....is it too late?

Knowing there is no contract, can I just tell them its not working for me, and that I will watch the boys until they find other care?

I have no idea what to say to them, I guess that is my big question. As a mom though, I feel that if my daycare provider felt this way I wouldn't want her to care for my kids anymore. Even though I know that I am taking great care of them...does that make sense?

[daycare]

I think my biggest issue is just that they are being disrespectful to me. The other families have no issues, so I don't see why they should.

Now, I just started doing this 2 months ago, and never even thought to have a contract. I see now that I should....is it too late?

Knowing there is no contract, can I just tell them its not working for me, and that I will watch the boys until they find other care?

I have no idea what to say to them, I guess that is my big question. As a mom though, I feel that if my daycare provider felt this way I wouldn't want her to care for my kids anymore. Even though I know that I am taking great care of them...does that make sense?

never too late to create a parent handbook and contracts.....there are people on here who have great ones. I personally would never do business without one.

If you want to let the family go, I would type a letter telling them so and give them a cut off date. You both sign it and call it a day.

Be prepared for them to walk the next day..

[Unregistered]

If I write them a letter do I give it to them when they pick the kids up and wait for them to read it and sign it? Or just give it to them??? Sorry for being a pain I just want to make sure my bases are covered.

[canadiancare]

I have 5 families and they all pick up within 10 minutes of each other (weather permitting our pickup is outside). 4 stand around chatting with me about their child's day, socialising a bit with each other and just generally being friendly. The fifth mother picks up her child, grabs her back pack and says "thank you, good bye see you tomorrow". It isn't rude or disrespectful but the lack of social interaction is, strangely also evident in the fact that her 2 year old doesn't engage with anyone. I think it is just their personal style.

As for complaining about food quality and amounts send out your menu on a weekly or monthly basis along with an attachment to your state/province's food guide for daycares. It is educational for the parents, too and many have no clue as to what a proper serving size is.