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i had a mother speak with me in walmart about how she supposedly waited at my daycare for five hours and i wasnt there. i didnt let it get to me because my phone numbers are on the window and she could have called....and i know she didnt actually wait at my door for five hours. so she tells me about the children and the hours she needs...and i figured lets set an interview up so i can meet children. so i set it up for any time between 7:30am and 10 am on monday...here is a block you can come at...nope...no show. i see her tuesday afternoon and she didnt acknowledge me so i got over it. her boss sees me today and says she will be right over in a few minutes...she needs you to take kids tomorrow. um...we have no paperwork filled out...i have no shot records...i havent met kids...and im not interested in doing drop in business with this woman. so...a couple hours after seeing her boss...she shows....at nap time. i didnt open door but help up three fingers indicating when i would open door. so...she may or may not come back. she works ten feet away from the day care...so we are bound to cross paths regardless. none of this chnges the fact that she blew me off on monday and that i dont feel comfortable caring for children i have never met and that she tells me have special needs...possible adhd and autism. wwyd if she camr back and asked for care tomorrow...no kids in tow...?
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Ok...wait...
When did she wait for you for 5 hours? Did she have an appointment?
She didn't wait at all if she didn't have an appointment.
Secondly, do you always schedule interviews in vague blocks of time? A 3 hour window? It's not a birthday party or open house. It's a business. You set a specific time and if they don't show and don't call, you don't take on the client. Period.
If she shows up at your door for care, you say tell her she needs to make a NEW appointment for an interview, and based on the interview, you will decide together whether or not your program is a good match. -
It would be a no-go for me. I dare a parent to show up at my door and demand care when they didn't have the decency to show up to our interview. Not to mention the fact that she says she waited at your daycare for 5 hours
. Next!
ETA: I guess I did miss the part where the OP scheduled a block of time rather than a set interview.Comment
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A no-call/no-show is enough for me to turn and never look back. It's a complete disrespect for your time. I don't care what the excuse is/was, I wouldn't allow her to waste another minute of your time with her nonsense.Comment
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If a potential family is more than five minutes late for an interview, I lock my door or leave. I will not schedule an interview again. My time is valuable to me. I want a client who respects and values my time from day one. If they don't then they are not a good fit for my program.Comment
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to be honest im new...so im still learning ropes. no she didnt have an appointment when she supposedly waited for five hours. the vague block of time was me being an idiot i know that. im terrible when put on the spot and i had my children with me and i was shopping and she wouldnt give me an answer and i let it all get the best of me. the whole thing was odd. i know i should be setting specific times. im still trying to build my back bones as well as my interviewing skills.Comment
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Don't worry and don't beat yourself up. Ive been in the game for 10 years and I still make a lot of rookie mistakes. It's all a learning process and you are in a great place here on this form. I have gotten sooooo much help, support and have gained so much more wisdom from it...Comment
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Schedule interviews for specific times. I do not reschedule late shows or no shows.
I also do not care for children whose parents live or work extremely close to me. If the relationship ends badly I don't want to deal with/see that person every day. I also don't want to see that they are home/not at work when they should be
RUN!Comment
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I would tell her, "I'm sorry; I don't accept kids into my care unless I've had the chance to meet with them and their parent(s). I had hoped to do that on Monday but unfortunately, you didn't show up. I really don't feel that we will be a good fit but I'd like to help you out. Here's a list of area child care providers I printed out for you. You may want to try calling them to see if they have openings. Good luck tomorrow!" (Then I would call any of those providers on the list that I know and warn them!
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I'm new to daycare too. I just opened the end of May. Thank goodness I spent LOTS of time here on the forums before I started. I've learned to have a backbone and it's come in handy a few times already.
As far as getting caught off guard at the store... when something like this happens just remember to automatically (even when you think you know your answer) tell them that you'll get back to them.Comment
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Speaking of not showing up at a scheduled time for an interview, I had a potential client show up 55 min. early! They said they read somewhere to show up early to catch me off guard, see what state the house was really in, etc. My husband had to answer the door while I was throwing clothes on and brushing my teeth (it was a Sat. morning). Needless to say, I made it a short interview and did not take them. I understand where they were coming from, but good Lord! I still laugh about that one!Comment
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Next!Comment
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The whole 5 hour thing would have led me to say "sorry, I'm full" but even if I had allowed to schedule an interview after that I would have been done after that for sure, I don't do second chances.Comment
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