Humm. Perhaps This Isn't The Right Place

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  • mrsnj
    New Daycare.com Member
    • Jan 2013
    • 465

    Humm. Perhaps This Isn't The Right Place

    Fast background....
    I am interviewing families from another family daycare who is shutting down. The owner asked if I could take them all to keep them all together but I really cannot. I agreed to interview with them, figuring that some might not show or it might not be a fit etc. Basically first come first serve.

    The owner came for her interview for her two children the next day. And the following day I interviewed another family. Etc. I know I have till the beginning of May before any come as she is giving them like a two week notice. So I am interviewing, making notes on who are good choices and waiting.

    It has been a week since the owner contacted me and I am JUST NOW getting a call from the last mom at the family daycare. Turns out I interviewed this mom last year. It was not the best interview. After chatting with her I find that she is asking for free trial weeks for a baby to see if he "likes the provider". Like a baby, bouncing around from provider to provider is going to adjust in 2-5 days time like magic. She cancels the first appointment as she got a free trial at another center. She arrives late to my interview the following week because she has to pick the baby up from yet another provider who he is on a trial run with. I know this interview is a waste of my time. I do not give free trial runs. I see her as a daycare bouncer looking for free daycare. You either come and pay or your dont. But she comes for the interview...the interview is ok but I can tell she doesn't like my rules. I am strict and everything is laid out in a parent handbook. You pay here, this is the late fee, I close this day, my hours are this, etc. She closes the door and I said she won't be coming and that was a waste of my time. I am right. Forward to today......

    It is the same mom. She tells me she took so long to call because she already went to a daycare center to check them out but her child is too young and they won't take him and she interviewed another person in the next town over but it is a "ghetto area" and she isn't happy (totally did not like that comment. Why tell me that??). So now she is calling ME. She remembers me from last year when we interviewed and I already met her son and blah blah blah.

    Ok.....so.....if you interviewed and you didn't come why call me now? I get why last year. It was all about money and this provider who is closing was a pay as you go provider. No rules. No activities. Basically a babysitter for close to nothing. But if you remembered me when the owner told you about me and that she was looking to come here, why did you interview all those other places and THEN call me? Why not say "Oh I remember her, I will call her" knowing it was a first come first serve. No. You called around first and then called me last. Obviously the other places were issues and now you are calling me cause you wasted a week and need a place in 7 days.

    My husband says to take her. It is money he says. But I am kinda rubbed wrong. If she were happy she would have come last year. If she were in need and already knew me, why not call me first thing. You call around first and then call me? To ME that says she has issues with coming here. My husband is concerned that the owner won't come if I don't take this woman cause she wants to keep the kids together. But obviously that isn't going to happen. Some have already gone to centers and I can't take them all! My feeling is if that is the case then it wasn't meant to be.

    Is it me? Would you take her?
  • sharlan
    Daycare.com Member
    • May 2011
    • 6067

    #2
    R U N

    Is your husband going to stay home and deal with this mother? Is he going to deal with a child who has had way too many caretakers and cries all day?

    Comment

    • Luna
      Daycare.com Member
      • Oct 2010
      • 790

      #3
      I would not take her. She has shown you pretty clearly what she will be like to deal with, and I wouldn't want to work with her.

      Comment

      • kendallina
        Advanced Daycare.com Member
        • Jul 2010
        • 1660

        #4
        I wouldn't take her either.

        Comment

        • MamaBearCanada
          Blessed
          • Jun 2012
          • 704

          #5
          No way would I take her - I would not have even offered another interview

          Comment

          • daycare
            Advanced Daycare.com *********
            • Feb 2011
            • 16259

            #6
            in all my 10 years of doing daycare one thing that I have learned...

            never take a family because they are income.................... you will regret this later if you do and who knows how much more issues will arise at the time when it does.

            I have learned to only take clients that I mesh well with, that I know will be a good fit for my program, trust will follow my rules and make every effort to put their best foot forward.

            as others have said RUN

            Comment

            • mema
              Daycare.com Member
              • Jul 2011
              • 1979

              #7
              Originally posted by sharlan
              R U N

              Is your husband going to stay home and deal with this mother? Is he going to deal with a child who has had way too many caretakers and cries all day?

              Comment

              • preschoolteacher
                Daycare.com Member
                • Apr 2013
                • 935

                #8
                No, you deserve more respect than she's given you, and I'm sure more problems are on their way with her...

                Comment

                • Lyss
                  Chaos Coordinator :)
                  • Apr 2012
                  • 1429

                  #9
                  Originally posted by sharlan
                  R U N

                  Is your husband going to stay home and deal with this mother? Is he going to deal with a child who has had way too many caretakers and cries all day?


                  If she's already rubbing you the wrong way, think how much more annoyed you will be when the issues start popping up (and you know they will). You'll be frustrated and annoyed with her and yourself for not listening to your gut.

                  NEXT!

                  Comment

                  • cheerfuldom
                    Advanced Daycare.com Member
                    • Dec 2010
                    • 7413

                    #10
                    do not take this family

                    and tell your hubby to shut his piehole (in a nice way)

                    Comment

                    • MissAnn
                      Preschool Teacher
                      • Jan 2011
                      • 2213

                      #11
                      "We're full, sorry"

                      Comment

                      • Meyou
                        Advanced Daycare.com Member
                        • Feb 2011
                        • 2734

                        #12
                        I agree with RUN! This family sounds like nothing but a problem.

                        Comment

                        • snbauser
                          Daycare.com Member
                          • Jan 2011
                          • 1385

                          #13
                          I would not take her. Like someone else said - if you are already annoyed, things that wouldn't have bothered you otherwise will really irritate you.

                          Comment

                          • DaisyMamma
                            Advanced Daycare.com Member
                            • May 2011
                            • 2241

                            #14
                            I would most definitely NOT take her. Nor would I take the children of the owner whose facility is closing, but that might just be me...

                            Comment

                            • mrsnj
                              New Daycare.com Member
                              • Jan 2013
                              • 465

                              #15
                              See! That is my thinking!! I just smell bad news here. And what got me is that she TELLS me she has checked out other places and wasted time. She could have opted to say nothing and just called for an interview. She didn't. She is filling me in on all the other places she called and their issues and now she is down to the wire and wants to bring the child here "to keep them together". It sounds like I am a last resort. I know why she doesn't want to come even if she doesn't say it. But to tell me you are finally calling me almost a week and half later after looking elsewhere and I am a last option (not that she actually said those words) kinda rubs against the grain!

                              I DID tell the owner I was already interviewing and in transition for the summer. I DID tell the owner to tell her families to call ASAP as I have limited spots. Everyone called but this one.

                              Well here is the news.......after I posted this the DC owner took two spots. Her kids start the first week in May. I have to call this morning and confirm I got the message she left on my machine. And one of my summer SA kids is returning and took the other FT spot. I am officially full. Husband thinks I should interview and then tell her I am now in waiting list mode.....OR take her cause...well...it is money. (I like the pie hole comment!:: ) I want to call and let her know. Then she can decide to even bother because it will really be a waste of time at this point. And honestly I don't want her. I agree. I see bad news with this one. It wasn't a fit last year. I doubt it will be one this year.

                              Comment

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