Visits Before Care

[MamaBearCanada]

How many visits (unpaid) do you set up before a child starts care. I keep seeing ads where the parent wants numerous visits so to the child can "settle in." To me this is what should happen when they start care otherwise I feel I am watching their child for free.

Right now I do an hour visit with the parent and an hour visit without.

What do you do?

[Blackcat31]

I do interviews but I don't do play dates.

If parents are wanting the child to get "settled" in and don't consider the time an interview then I am paid.

Any time a parent wants to stay and observe while their child plays is so counterproductive in my opinion because I have rarely encountered a child who acted/behaved the same way they would with a parent as they do without.

I would discourage that type of visit altogether. If other providers are ok with it, that's ok. It is just not for me and not what works for me.

[blandino]

I do interviews but I don't do play dates.

If parents are wanting the child to get "settled" in and don't consider the time an interview then I am paid.

Any time a parent wants to stay and observe while their child plays is so counterproductive in my opinion because I have rarely encountered a child who acted/behaved the same way they would with a parent as they do without.

I would discourage that type of visit altogether. If other providers are ok with it, that's ok. It is just not for me and not what works for me.

I completely agree. Those visits where a parent wants to observe and help their child acclimate, are counterproductive. Actually, you are giving the child the false notion that the parent will be staying there. The hard part for a child is having the parent leave, not being in the new environment (IMHO).

A pet peeve of mine is multiple visits by parents. Especially when mom comes first, and then wants to bring dad back. To me it says that they don't want to waste both parents time with a first visit, but are okay with taking my time twice. I know not everyone is intentionally doing that- but that's how I feel when it happens. I do my first interview after hours (I know that's not everyone's style), and then offer another subsequent visit when the daycare is open so they can observe the children (if they choose). But that's pretty much it.

A few months ago, I had a mother come over while pregnant and interview. She decided to place the baby with us, and then the week before he started she called to see if she could set up an appt. (after hours) for her to come over so we would meet the baby and he could meet us (he was 4 months old at the time). I'm pretty sure a 4month old doesn't need a formal introduction to his new caregivers. Were we supposed to talk to him about his interests and hobbies ? It is a running joke around here now...

[Angelsj]

Once the parent decides (after one or no more than two interviews) everything else is paid. You can hang for a bit if you want, that actually does not bother me, but I am getting paid. I do NOT get paid based on when the parent leaves. My hours start when your child arrives, and end when you leave with your kid. (I get paid hourly in nearly all cases.) If it takes the parent an hour to leave at pickup, I am still getting paid.

[nannyde]

How many visits (unpaid) do you set up before a child starts care. I keep seeing ads where the parent wants numerous visits so to the child can "settle in." To me this is what should happen when they start care otherwise I feel I am watching their child for free.

Right now I do an hour visit with the parent and an hour visit without.

What do you do?

None. I don't do transition visits. I'm confident they don't make a bit of difference.

[Starburst]

I would say maybe I would do one initial interview after hours (so I can screen out the wierdos ) and if I feel safe enough with them then I may offer a during daycare hours tour were they can observe (from a distants) for about a 1/2 hour- no more than an hour (I will just tell them that it's a licensing rule since they aren't finger printed- maybe it will prevent loitering issues in the future ). If they are interested in my preschool program I may suggest they sit in during a preschool lession. Or I may suggest they sit in during lunch time, circle time, or when during outside play time were I am not too much of the focus point of the children. I may also suggest that they do this without their child present so they can see how things normally run and so that way their child is less likely to be a distraction to the other kids. If they did bring their child they would have to pay the drop-in hourly rate, If they didn't then they wouldn't. I have worked as a housekeeper and a sitter/mother's helper and I still got paid for as long as I was there even if the mom or dad was home- I gotten paid on trail runs were they would just show me the kid's routine.

But in reality most kids learn how to adapt quickly to a new environment, they adapt to daycare faster when the parents are not present- just like how people pick up languages faster when they are completely emerged in an environement were you have to learn that language. Also they act differently and try to push limits more when their parents are around. So mostly when they say they want to see if "their kid will settle in" it is either more about them making sure that they (the parents) like your daycare before commiting, for the parents security, or they are trying to see how much they can take advantage and get away with not paying for daycare. That is when a trial period comed in handy.

[Play Care]

I allow a couple of PAID weaning in days. The child is dropped off for a 1/2 day at their daily rate (I get paid for the whole day). This is more for the parent then the child.

Typically I do not allow parents to visit and hang out with their children. I will say I made one exception to this in eight years and it didn't work. Like another poster said it can confuse the children and cause greater upset.

[MamaBearCanada]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to stick with not offering "settling in" visits unless they are paid. This site has helped so much with my backbone! I just had another mother ask about an hour later pickup which I really didn't want to do. Before this site I would have said yes because I don't like to seem difficult but I politely said I don't work that late. I was worried how she woild react but she said no problem I can have my mother inlaw pick him up at regular time instead. I told my husband it paid off to stand up for myself and that it was thanks to the advice on this site. I'm thinking that if numerous unpaid visits are a deal reader for a family they are probably not the family for me.

[MarinaVanessa]

I do one interview during non daycare hours so that I can meet the family and the child and so they can meet me and my family and ask questions about the daycare. ow the dynamics of the family work. Does the family look comfortable, do they ask a lot of reasonanble questions, do they ask about a whole bunch of rediculous things etc. This is the time that I go over my policies and we discuss what their expectations are and what their needs are. I also check to see if the schedule they need will work for me.

Then if I feel like they will be a good fit I will schedule one more 30 minute meeting during daycare hours with one parent and the child which although I call it a playdate it's really an interview for the child, I want to see if the child meshes well with the other daycare kids. I've had one kid come for a "playdate" (3 years old) and after being here for 5 minutes had already hit 2 of my DCK's ... . I want to see them interact with the kids that I already have in care.

Other than that I don't offer playdates for free. Just two interviews. If they want to bring their child for a playdate they pay my drop-in rate (minimum of four hours) and the parent can't stay. They also sign my drop-in contract. Although it's an option I don't advertise it and only offer it if they are really insistent that they want their child to acclimate to the group. But it's not ever free.

[cheerfuldom]

The "transition visits" are almost always something that the parents need and dont make a different for the child.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

I only watch a child once all paperwork is filled out and I am paid.

[daycare123]

I do one interview and that's it, with the prospective child present. The next time they come it's to drop off for the first day. I also don't allow parents to just come hang out. It causes too much confusion for the kid. Great job on using your backbone!

[mema]

None. That's what the first 2 week trial period is for. If it doesn't work out, they can leave during that time without the regular 2 week notice.

[Mom&Provider]

I allow for a few 1/2 days and they are paid. I also don't allow parents to be part of the 1/2 days, or any days frankly, since I don't see the benefit of having the child stick to Mom or Dad when sooner or later they won't be there anyway!

[mrsnj]

I only watch a child once all paperwork is filled out and I am paid.

Yep! Here too.

I had a mom call me for an interview. I had set one up and she called back later and said she had to reschedule cause the baby was on a trial at another providers house for the week so we rescheduled. Then the day of she calls and says she will be late cause the child was at ANOTHER providers house for a trial run and she had to pick him up first.:confused: I knew the interview was a waste. I don't allow free trial runs. She shows....asks about a week trial but my paperwork clearly states NO. You pay you come. You don't, see ya. I think mom was looking for free daycare if you ask me. And bouncing an 8 month old around from house to house and person to person is NOT good. Did she really think he would settle in right away and fill her in on how fantastic the day was? Children that age look for routines and stability. Mom obviously wasn't.

No trial runs here.