Strange Thing Happened To Me Today

[Leigh]

Totally normal where I live. There are simply not enough daycares to handle the infants in our area. A parent will tell you on the phone-I'm sure I want the spot, please hold it for me until our appointment...I'll bring the deposit with me.

[Meeko]

Because I am a new childcare provider, I may have more questions as the one I am about to post.

Is it normal to have a parent visit your facility after one email exchange and place a deposit for their unborn child at that moment? This parent was here for about 15 minutes and paid the deposit. I felt hurried and rushed. Maybe a little apprehensive and nervous. I was nervous because the child is not here and because the parent was rushing to get things done. I felt a little like she was casing my home as well. :confused:

Maybe infant spaces are in great demand?! I can not state. I just thought the entire exchange was STRANGE. The infant will not begin until Mid-November early December.

Please share your thoughts. Whatever they maybe.

We do have to be wary. The majority of people ARE actually looking for daycare, no matter how weird their methods may be. But I have often wondered about the fact we are also "sitting ducks" if anyone has other motives.

If I was a thief, I can think of nothing more convenient than setting up appointments at home daycares and being able to wander around a home, taking mental inventory of what I want to come back and get later.

[Jack Sprat]

I think this is fairly common. Around here daycare is hard to come by and infant spots even harder. Instead of casing the joint :: she may have been taking it all in. I know lots of my parents look around and I wonder if they see the dust on ceiling fan that I saw this morning..I also case places when I arrive. Its more taking it all in for me and noticing their dust on the ceiling fan.