If you could change something about your DC

[Learning Daycare]

What would it be? I mean, besides the obvious: rude parents and late/inconsistent pay. Also, what mistakes did you make in the beginning that you've rectified and how you fixed them? Thanks ladies and a few gents!

[JoseyJo]

In the beginning I was much too worried about what the parents wanted. I made concessions I thought I would be okay with, to get them to want to go with me.

I realized (like so many other ladies on this board!) that it is MUCH better to just be confident in what you want to offer and let them sign if they want. Not to make any concessions because they always end up making things harder.

Some of the specific things I changed were:

Allowing toys from home (no toys from home- they cause a fight, bad feelings, get broken, lost, etc)

Allowing extended goodbyes (just amps the child up and feeds into negative feelings, no matter how positive the intentions)

Allowing parents to come and stay to watch whenever they wanted (kids act horrible when their, or other, parents are here and I feel like I am under a microscope- open door policy but no extended stays)

Allowing no nap, different meals, different rules- really anything "special snowflake"

I extended my trial period from 2 weeks to 30 days so I would have time to assess after the honeymoon period.

I started interviewing the parents- not just having them interview me!

[Scribbles]

At first, I operated on the context of I needed to offer what parents wanted and/or needed even if I didn't really want to.
Now I understand and realize I get to choose which services I offer and parents get to choose whether or not the services I offer work for them.

[midaycare]

I upped my prices fairly quickly. I also took one client outside of my business hours - never again! I'm waiting not so patiently for our contract to end in 4 weeks ...

[Josiegirl]

My first kids needed to be dropped off at 5:30 a.m. and mom could only afford to pay me $40 a week for her 2 ds. I've changed SOOO much since 32 years ago.
I had no handbook, policies, contract, nada. No routine, no FP, no support.

Now I've got all that in place and have great support through our resource and referral agency. FP, dc insurance, nice fenced in back yard, lots of different age group activities, and I like to think I halfway know what I'm doing. I've learned so much over the years. I used to be such a 'yes' dcprovider it was pathetic. I still try to remain flexible to a degree when I can but if it doesn't suit me, it won't work.

The one thing I'd love for my daycare(only 1??) is a super nice natural back yard.

[DaveA]

Little thing- figure out how to fit or build a changing table in the bathroom the kids use. Just no space for it, but it would be a huge help.

Big thing- when I opened I thought about building a room on the other side of the garage with a kitchen and bath to serve as the classroom. If I were doing it over, I would it so that the daycare stuff would be completely out of my house and we could do a remodel that we've thought about but can't because it would mean the main area of the house torn up for at least a month.

[lynne]

Dave, my boyfriend built me a changing station that fits on top of the bath tub. I padded it and stapled a plastic shower curtain on it...I love it, I have the bigger kids climb up and I can sit down on it to change the kids. I can also pull it off and store it if I need to. Ill see if I can get a picture.

[lynne]

This is my changing pad.


I

I stapled felt around the outside so the kids wouldn't get splinters. It's built out of 2 by 4's and 3/4 inch plywood.

[DaveA]

I like that idea. I'll have to make one.

Thanks

[craftymissbeth]

Lynne, that's a great space saver! Do you use that bath tub very often to bathe in? I would love to make something like that, but I worry about it being heavy and having to remove it to shower.

[lynne]

No we don't use this very much. It's the guest bath, it is a little heavy but I can lift it and slide it up against the wall. But this makes it so much easier to diaper and saves my back!

[Sunshine74]

It would be something huge, the layout of the building. I work in a center and there are some things that worked 30 years ago when we opened, but don't work now- for various reasons. The biggest thing is that we have 3 bathrooms for the children, one for boys, one for girls, and one for the older toddlers. They are all right next to each other, and down the hall from where the preschool and older toddler classrooms are. I wish we could just have bathrooms in our classroom, or at least on that side of the building because is is so disruptive to constantly be running kids to the bathroom. Not to mention we still have to stay within ratio, so we have to bring a whole group every time someone has to go.

[coolconfidentme]

Location.
I'm currently in an *ok* neighborhood. I want to move my DC to rental property I own in a nicely area of town. The house is on a dead-end street & has a feel of being in the county. I plan on doing it when their lease is up.

I now cater to my needs & not that of every parent.

[Maggie]

I would love a drive thru window for drop offs and pick ups it would make my days so much easier! I would be ok with one like a fast food drive thru but if I could get one like they have at the bank with a chute, even better.

[hope]

To finish my basement and have all the toys down there. My playroom is right of my front foyer so it's the first thing you see when you come in. I have dcks pictures and art work up. It would be nice to get away from work when I'm not working and be able to have all the toys away from sight.