Day 3 :)

[jenboo]

Hi! I opened my home daycare on Monday and I finally have a second to post on here Boy am I tired!

Things have been going well so far...just trying to get through the day. I'm hoping to have a good routine in place in the next couple of weeks. I have been looking forward to opening a home daycare for over a year so I am loving every minute of this!

I'm still working on finding my backbone....I already learned one lesson the hard way. A family keep rescheduling every time I tried to get them over here to sign my contract. Finally they came the night before I opened... Mom decided to change up the schedule on me and now I'm short $85 a week I have a spot open on three random days so I have yet to find anyone needing care on those days. Next time I will make sure to give the families a deadline so this doesn't happen again.

Other than that I am really enjoying my days and trying not to stress about the money loss and bills that need to be paid.

[Blackcat31]

Hi! I opened my home daycare on Monday and I finally have a second to post on here Boy am I tired!

Things have been going well so far...just trying to get through the day. I'm hoping to have a good routine in place in the next couple of weeks. I have been looking forward to opening a home daycare for over a year so I am loving every minute of this!

I'm still working on finding my backbone....I already learned one lesson the hard way. A family keep rescheduling every time I tried to get them over here to sign my contract. Finally they came the night before I opened... Mom decided to change up the schedule on me and now I'm short $85 a week I have a spot open on three random days so I have yet to find anyone needing care on those days. Next time I will make sure to give the families a deadline so this doesn't happen again.

Other than that I am really enjoying my days and trying not to stress about the money loss and bills that need to be paid.

Surely mom understands that a schedule change means a rate change....

Do NOT sell yourself short and simply accept the loss of $85 per week just because you want to keep a client....

Respect and value what you do and parents will as well.

[Maria2013]

congratulation happyfacehappyface

unfortunately most of us had to learn the hard way, but once you develop that "back bone" things will get much easier for you, and believe it or not when you demand respect for your program, parents feel more secure leaving their kids with you

[butterfly]

Congratshappyface

I did some things in the beginning that I would never dream of now. I bent over backwards for clients that didn't respect me or my family. I thought I had to do it to retain clients. I also thought I had to take everyone that wanted to enroll and say yes to every phone call I got. (until I was completely full) I've since learned that I'm much happier if I'm selective in my clients. I care less about them "choosing me" and more about me "choosing them".

But these little lessons all help grow the backbone!

Hoping things continue to run smoothly and the right clients enroll for you!

[Maria2013]

Congratshappyface

. I thought I had to do it to retain clients. I also thought I had to take everyone that wanted to enroll and say yes to every phone call I got. (until I was completely full) I've since learned that I'm much happier if I'm selective in my clients. I care less about them "choosing me" and more about me "choosing them".

But these little lessons all help grow the backbone!

Hoping things continue to run smoothly and the right clients enroll for you!

that's me

[TheGoodLife]

Hi! I opened my home daycare on Monday and I finally have a second to post on here Boy am I tired!

Things have been going well so far...just trying to get through the day. I'm hoping to have a good routine in place in the next couple of weeks. I have been looking forward to opening a home daycare for over a year so I am loving every minute of this!

I'm still working on finding my backbone....I already learned one lesson the hard way. A family keep rescheduling every time I tried to get them over here to sign my contract. Finally they came the night before I opened... Mom decided to change up the schedule on me and now I'm short $85 a week I have a spot open on three random days so I have yet to find anyone needing care on those days. Next time I will make sure to give the families a deadline so this doesn't happen again.

Other than that I am really enjoying my days and trying not to stress about the money loss and bills that need to be paid.

I'm assuming mom changed from FT to PT? If you had another family wanting FT, I'd tell her that your sorry, but you were filling a FT spot for her child and cannot accept the PT spot at this time. Especially if she changed without asking- that's a HUGE red flag that she will not respect you or your business. Gone her the option to stick with the original contract or find another provider with a PT position available!

[Cradle2crayons]

I'm assuming mom changed from FT to PT? If you had another family wanting FT, I'd tell her that your sorry, but you were filling a FT spot for her child and cannot accept the PT spot at this time. Especially if she changed without asking- that's a HUGE red flag that she will not respect you or your business. Gone her the option to stick with the original contract or find another provider with a PT position available!

Yes, in the last I've had is happen and I made mom sign a paper stating that she was aware that when I was able to get a full time child, she would lose her pt position.

[Familycare71]

Just and FYI but my part time rates are higher than my full time ones. So I can have pt kids and make close to full time rates. For me it works- I work less for more $$

[jenboo]

Yes, she switched from FT to PT the night before without even asking! And she expects me to leave one day open in case she needs drop in care!! ugh. I wish I would have said something right then. Well, I told her drop in is first come first serve. Her schedule will be changing in the next couple weeks. I really like DCM and DCG but I can't handle so many changes. Im going to continue to advertise and see what I find. Maybe her new schedule won't work with mine.....

[Blackcat31]

Yes, she switched from FT to PT the night before without even asking! And she expects me to leave one day open in case she needs drop in care!! ugh. I wish I would have said something right then. Well, I told her drop in is first come first serve. Her schedule will be changing in the next couple weeks. I really like DCM and DCG but I can't handle so many changes. Im going to continue to advertise and see what I find. Maybe her new schedule won't work with mine.....

access to full time space = full time rate

[jenboo]

Im so glad I have all of you here!!! I knew this part was going to be the hardest for me...Im glad I have a support system to help me stand up for myself.

So here is how it all went down..What should I say to her??
-we emailed back and forth. I told her I had one full time spot available and a monday available. She said great DCG will be full time and DCB will be mondays.
-she comes over to tour, loves everything and sticks with that schedule but needs to talk to her husband before signing anything.
-I contact her the next week and to schedule her to come sign my contract and pay for her first week. She informs me that DCG will only be four days a week but DCB will come on the day that the DCG isn't coming anymore. I say ok.
-Schedule times for her to come over to sign papers but she cancels multiple times.
-Finally she comes over at 8pm the night before I open!!! She says that DCB isnt coming anymore and DCG is only three days a week but might drop in one day a week. I say Oh. I tell her that i have to advertise for the three days that have an open stop and drop in is first come first serve. She says ok. Schedule might be changing in a few weeks. Signs papers and leaves.

I got myself into a pickle. I cannot afford to loose $85 a week...Now how do i get myself out. I am already panicking about having to talk to her about it...I hate confrontation.

[Josiegirl]

access to full time space = full time rate

Well said and agree 100%