Interviews?

[chouavang]

What do you do when you have someone interested? Interview and decide? What do you do for interviews? The questions you ask and questions they ask you? I need to be prepared for all that, a little overwhelmed. How do you do the 2 week trial? Do you prefer to pay first or after the 2 weeks? Anything helps, its getting close!

[Unregistered]

relax!

Pay after 2 week trial, you want to make sure they show up! Ask questions like, if a child was uncontrollable and was fighting with the other dck, how would you discipline them? (more specific though,) or what do you enjoy most and least about your job? and position specific questions that would help you see how they think and work when there is little time to think like: Describe a time when....

Hope this helps a little!

[momofboys]

Pay after 2 week trial, you want to make sure they show up! Ask questions like, if a child was uncontrollable and was fighting with the other dck, how would you discipline them? (more specific though,) or what do you enjoy most and least about your job? and position specific questions that would help you see how they think and work when there is little time to think like: Describe a time when....

Hope this helps a little!

ALWAYS get payment ahead of time! That is a cardinal rule of childcare. What if the parent decides they don't want to use you & decides not to pay. Always get payment for the week at the beggining of the week!

During an interview I always go over my policies & I let them know what to expect here on a typical day. I always ask why they left their past provider & require the past provider's number to contact. I also print off my policies/sample contract so they willo know what to expect & they can ask me questions while they are here.

[MommyMuffin]

I have the same question, but what do you do if your not starting for over month. I dont think anyone would pay to hold the spot that long? Or should I just start a list and when opening day arrives start calling people back and see if they are still interested? I dont know, or should I not bother advertising until it is closer to opening day.

[MarinaVanessa]

I had my families pay a 2-week deposit which is used to pay for their last two-weeks of care if they decide to terminate and the first week of care up-front and in advance when they sign the contract. Only if they sign and pay the fees do I consider that spot filled. I have a 2-week trial period where either of us can dissolve the contract if they are not a good fit. If they come and stay 1 week and decide that we are not a good fit for them then I refund the portion that was unused.

I didn't charge a fee to hold the spot in the beginning because I wasn't opened yet and it was my choice when to open the daycare. Now though if a family wants me to hold a spot because they don't need me right away they pay a monthly holding spot fee that is unrefundable.

And yes always ask for payment in ADVANCE. Also when they pay their weekly fees. I have them pay me at pick-up on Friday but you can always have them pay you Monday at drop-off for the next week of care. Doing it this way and not taking a child if the fees are not paid first can eliminate the problem of having a family getting behind in their payments. Also, just a thought, all families here pay weekly and fees are based on enrollement not attendance ... so in other words if a child doesn't come because of a Dr.'s appoitment, sickness, family day etc. they don't get reimbursed for that day. Of course on the other hand if I have to close a day because of me (other than a vacation) then I do not charge them for that day unless it's for a training or class or something which in that case directly benefits all of the daycare families. Just some things to think about.

[chouavang]

THANK YOU for all you replies!! IT HELPS SO MUCH!!