No Calls Anymore

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

It has been so slow here. Slightly worries me since kids are going to kinder.

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

It's been fruitful here. I have been getting a call or e-mail almost every day, but this is one of the busy times. It seems like there's a flood at the start of a year, at out-of-school-soon time, then at back-to-school time. Like another poster said, it's feast or famine. I remember dry spells and one time a high turnover of all but 2 DCFs. Those were scary and uncertain times. I really hope yours doesn't last long!

:hug::hug::hug:

[TwinKristi]

It was pretty dead from Aug to Dec then as soon as Jan hit I get calls or emails every week. I've added 1 PT & 1 FT but still need to fill one more FT spot. I almost had it filled but mom decided to stay home with her baby instead. I had 2 interviews this week but both cancelled, found other arrangements. I have another 1 day only interview Mon and a FT interview the next week.

[melilley]

It is opposite here for quality home daycares. I wish I could take more Kids but I'm full.

Same here and the calls keep coming in! I keep telling dh that I should open a small center..
There was a 4 month period of time when I couldn't fill abspot,; but that drought is over.

[Childminder]

Day cares in my zipcode alone have closed. Two years ago I did a search and there were 17 now there is 9, Group and Family combined. I do see a LOT of SAHM and unlicensed advertising for 1/2 of what I charge and I just lowered my rate to 2004 rates. I have curriculum, meals, experience, etc... but parents want cut rate care. I am not getting the calls and my licensing rep says it's all over Michigan.

I am open extended hours and weekends, after school transportation, doing everything to get more kids. Just not happening. I have seen many ups and downs in this business in the 40+ years in the field but have never had it this bad.

[Naptime yet?]

I have never received that many calls & I've been opened 2 years (although admittedly I do not have a website, facebook account, etc., but I am on the state's referral site & local childcare association site).

It's total feast or famine here, but all the calls I get are for infants, and I'm at capacity for infants (or it's for sibling sets that include an infant).

I'm in a weird area, not many daycares where I am, but 2 miles down the road, in a much larger "city", there are tons of daycares.

But right now I am not complaining. I would like just 1 more child & I would be happy. Or all my children can leave, I'll learn to weave & will start selling my spectacular original rugs online. I wish.

[Unregistered]

A lot of people here switch over to group centers here about age two because they want the kids to go to school. The providers are called "teachers", but I've had experience with a number of the centers and from my experience these centers are not the greatest. All I can think is "This is all the further child care has progressed in the last 20 years?"

This is just my experience working in a number of group centers here.....and it ain't pretty!

[jgcp]

Its like that here every other sahm has decided to watch kids....unlicensed and prob over ratio. So frustrated right now. And I'm losing 1 in April and 1 in may. Everyone wants childcare for nothing!! One of the reasons I became certified is the state told me they refer des children to us but in the yr I've been open I havnt gotten one!!! Errrr I've been upset all evening I might have to go back to work uggg

[MarinaVanessa]

Sorry, but I have not been experiencing this. I'm where I need to be right now and still get calls weekly. I have a 1yo that's leaving in the summer because they are moving (military) and DCMs SIL tried to enroll recently but I have no room. So she's going to squeeze in when DCB moves out. I also have some preschoolers that should have aged out this summer but their parents want to have them continue coming after kindy for the same rate ... alrighty then. For me this means that I can look for 2 more DCKs to take morning slots and essentially be paid twice for the spot, I'm thinking about whether to do that or enjoy an easier day.

So sorry some of you are experiencing dry spells. I know things are rough in other parts of the country.

[misslori50]

the minute i got full i started getting at least 6 calls a week. It is crazy

[saved4always]

One of my neighbor friends who is on the neighborhood "Mommy Board" on FB has noticed a lot of sahm's starting to do in home daycare lately. At one time, there were about 5 in home daycares on my street alone (and those are only the ones that I know of). There are some moms quitting jobs to stay home with their kids who have been starting in home daycares, too. I think the slow economy has contributed to this, too. I have a friend who lost her job who is now doing in home care instead of going back into the work force.

Most of these are unlicensed. Ohio allows us to watch up to 6 children in out homes so it is easy to start as a business without going through licensing.

[saved4always]

Its like that here every other sahm has decided to watch kids....unlicensed and prob over ratio. So frustrated right now. And I'm losing 1 in April and 1 in may. Everyone wants childcare for nothing!! One of the reasons I became certified is the state told me they refer des children to us but in the yr I've been open I havnt gotten one!!! Errrr I've been upset all evening I might have to go back to work uggg

That is the way it is here, too. Parents in this area looking at in home care don't even ask about licensing. It isn't on their radar and they definitely would not want to pay more for it.

Just a note though, unlicensed care is not necessarily bad or over ratio care. I did care legally unlicensed for years in my home. The kids got excellent care and seemed to love me, I paid my taxes, and the parents all seemed happy with me. I was allowed by law to care for 6 kids but I rarely took more than 3 at a time. I preferred a lower ratio. My home was totally safe....I see danger everywhere, possibly even more than the state.

[Crazy8]

I get nothing and it ****s!!! By me it just seems everyone is a SAHP. I really wish I could live on just my DH's income but I can't. I've done this for 13 years and every time a kid leaves I panic but it usually works out - the last 6 months or so have been the toughest. I'm taking on more babies than I would like just to make ends meet.

[TwinKristi]

In my state you can only care for one family at a time without a license. I see moms posting on our FB groups all the time and finally someone got irritated and asked if she's licensed. She said our R&R said she could watch 1 child but I pointed out she needs to be fingerprinted and background checked to comply with state laws and should have her CPR license at the very least. She got all snooty and took her posts down. Someone else posted that she watches kids for her friends and I pointed out that more than one family is against the law. Mostly single moms trying to make some extra money but they don't realize that's not what this job is! LOL

[MarinaVanessa]

In my state you can only care for one family at a time without a license. I see moms posting on our FB groups all the time and finally someone got irritated and asked if she's licensed. She said our R&R said she could watch 1 child but I pointed out she needs to be fingerprinted and background checked to comply with state laws and should have her CPR license at the very least. She got all snooty and took her posts down. Someone else posted that she watches kids for her friends and I pointed out that more than one family is against the law. Mostly single moms trying to make some extra money but they don't realize that's not what this job is! LOL

Not sure if I read it wrong, I apologize if I did, but for licence-exempt child care you can take care of 1 family's children at a time (in your own home) and it doesn't matter how many children they have or you can take care of children that are related to you and as long as they are all related to you it doesn't matter how many children you take care of. You don't need a license in these situation and you don't need to be finger-printed, background checked or CPR certified. The state licensing regulations don't apply at all.

Once you add even one child from a 2nd family and you're already watching another family's children or if you watch relatives children and you add even one friend's child (or another family's child) then you HAVE to get a license and go through all of the licensing requirements.