Wants a spot for March 2015??

[Josiegirl]

At the moment I'm playing phone tag with a mom who needs care, starting March. I don't know the details, but how far in advance do you agree to have a place? I mean a whole lot can happen in the next 10 months! And if everything seems perfect, how would you go about holding the spot?
Thanks!

[Leigh]

I will give two weeks free to a person needing to hold a spot (I want them to give two weeks' notice to their current provider). After that, they pay full price to hold a spot. It would be insane for me to give up over $5000 in income to hold a spot for 10 months (or any amount of time-holding spots costs me income).

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I will give two weeks free to a person needing to hold a spot (I want them to give two weeks' notice to their current provider). After that, they pay full price to hold a spot. It would be insane for me to give up over $5000 in income to hold a spot for 10 months (or any amount of time-holding spots costs me income).

Amen!

[snbauser]

At the moment I'm playing phone tag with a mom who needs care, starting March. I don't know the details, but how far in advance do you agree to have a place? I mean a whole lot can happen in the next 10 months! And if everything seems perfect, how would you go about holding the spot?
Thanks!

I think it depends on whether you are interviewing for a currently open spot or for one you think will open up. I have signed up to 5 months in advance BUT it was for someone to take the place of a child going off to Kindergarten so I knew I would have the spot. For an open spot, I wouldn't hold a spot that long.

[CraftyMom]

You really cant hold a spot that long, that's way too much income to lose.

I recently had 2 separate interviews for unborn babies, both coincidentally due at the same time, and wanting to start at the end of September or beginning of October.

One was very interested so I will let her have the spot that I have opening in Sept. when school starts, but will start charging after the 3rd week of Sept.

The other wasn't sure, still looking around, but interested. I told them I couldn't hold the spot without payment, and even still I probably wouldn't do that for a whole 5 months. (I wouldn't feel right about it, but still can't hold it for free)

I suggested to the 2nd parents that they call back after the baby is born to see if a spot was available if they are still interested at that time.

[LadyPearl]

I just had a brother and sister leave me to go to daycare near the jobs of the parents (dcd changed jobs). Dcm asked if I would take them back when dcg started kindergarten......in fall 2015! I said, "Sure, if I have the spots available!"

[nothingwithoutjoy]

I actually love it when parents call me that far in advance; I like to have a waiting list of kids that might actually still be interested when a space opens up. But I don't promise anything. I answer all their questions, have them visit, give them a handbook to read (to be sure they're really interested), and have them fill out an application. Then they get on my waiting list. When something opens up, I'll call. If I had something open now, I'd try to fill it now, not wait.

I'm anticipating four openings in Sept. 2015, when 4 kids leave for kindergarten. I tell people those are my next anticipated openings, but I don't promise anything (except to currently-enrolled families, for their babies, who may join us then).