This Is Why I Didn't Get Any Calls

[Sunchimes]

An ad appeared on all 4 of our local buy, sell, trade facebook pages this morning wanting care for 2 boys, ages 1 and 2. She can afford to pay $15 a day.

By 1:00pm, she had 6 offers. Six. I looked each name up on the state list of listed/registered daycares, and of course not one of them was to be found.

I want to post something on every page explaining that these people could have felons living in their house, no CPR, no first aid, nothing. But, the ones that would choose them would just think I was an old poop. So frustrating.

[Thriftylady]

It is frustrating. I am legally unlicensed, but I knew some registered providers along the way in Kansas who I have no idea how they got kids. They were sub par to say the least. I can't say about the responses you saw, but some parents don't realize that you get what you pay for many times. The one you mention is probably going to get someone who watches TV all day and does little in the way of teaching and such.

[Sunchimes]

I'm legally unlicensed too, we call it listed here. The state knows us, I have a license number, but they don't inspect us unless someone complains. I can only have 3 kids.

[Thriftylady]

I can have 6 and am likely not going to have that many. I was licensed for 10 in Kansas but worked alone and couldn't care for that many the way I wanted to. I just wish parents would realize that "you get what you pay for" works in daycare as much as anywhere else. I mean this is your child we are talking about for crying out loud.

[Crazy8]

same here…. I see people posting all the time that they will watch kids for $20-25/day when $40/day was the "normal" rate here for the past 10 years. :confused:

[Blackcat31]

I can have 6 and am likely not going to have that many. I was licensed for 10 in Kansas but worked alone and couldn't care for that many the way I wanted to. I just wish parents would realize that "you get what you pay for" works in daycare as much as anywhere else. I mean this is your child we are talking about for crying out loud.

That's an unfair statement.

It isn't always about the money for some providers. Low rates doesn't always mean sub-par care.

Quality doesn't always mean expensive any more than expensive guarantees quality.

There is a retired lady that lives a few houses from my child care. She has been watching 3 little boys for a friend of mine. Full time for barely nothing.

She is financially well off and doesn't need the income.

I know several similar situations like that.

Providers are in this for many reasons and it isn't always monetary.

I know it's hard to compete with so many providers who may be illegal and/or really cheap (cost wise) but I just try to do my best to follow the rules I have, provide a good quality program and leave the rest as I can't change any of that.

I knew going in that this wasn't a profession that offered job security.

@Sunchimes ~ I hope business picks up for you! Keep doing what you are doing and I'm sure good things will come your way.
:hug:

[Thriftylady]

Well Blackcat there are some situations like that. And I admire those people who do it that way. But I have seen so many people have way to many kids so they charge low. When my son was a baby, I was dirt poor and had a licensed provider the state was paying for my son. Everything seemed great until one day I showed up at lunch time after DS had a doctors appointment and there were kids I had never seen in the kitchen eating. She said "oh that is my downstairs group I have 16 down there". Then I found out she was leaving babies there alone asleep to take her kids and drop them off at school. Sadly I have heard of to many situations like that, so I worry about most people who offer super cheap care. I am cheaper than most in my area by $20-30 a week, but in reality the kids run up expenses to care for them properly, I have to make money or I would just go broke.

[permanentvacation]

The illegal daycares are killing us legal daycares here too. In my state, Maryland, it is completely illegal to watch children in your home for more than 20 hours per month if they are not related to you. If you are going to watch unrelated children in your home on a continuous basis, you must be licensed. But there are so many illegal babysitters here that many licensed providers have actually closed down because they couldn't get enough kids!

We licensed providers turn the illegals in every once in a while, but they don't really do anything about them. They go out, ask if the kids are related or not. Typically the babysitter lies and says the kids are all related, so they can't do anything about them.

I started a couple of years ago putting it in my speech during the interview to educate the parents about the fact that it its illegal to 'babysit' out of your house in Maryland. I have actually had a good bit of parents immediately tell me that they don't care if the person who watches their child is legal or not, they just want to have a good 'feel' for the person! I'm like, we licensed providers have to have CPR, First Aid, SIDS, an emergency preparedness class, other classes related to childcare, have our background check done by the police, and have our home inspected by the fire marshal. And you, the parents mentioned above, don't care about all of those safety measures, you just want to get a feeling that someone is nice!?!? UGHHHH!!!

So, I completely understand what you are going through. I hope you can get the kids you need.

[Sunchimes]

Thank you. I did fill my last spot on Wednesday with a beautiful little preemie. One day and I've already lost my heart to her and her mom.

After seeing one of these ad recently, I fb stalked one of the responders. Her fb page was full of pics that were almost *****graphic with pics of men grabbing her and way more skin than I wanted to see. Served me right for stalking. . But still not an environment I'd want my child in.

[Blackcat31]

Well Blackcat there are some situations like that. And I admire those people who do it that way. But I have seen so many people have way to many kids so they charge low. When my son was a baby, I was dirt poor and had a licensed provider the state was paying for my son. Everything seemed great until one day I showed up at lunch time after DS had a doctors appointment and there were kids I had never seen in the kitchen eating. She said "oh that is my downstairs group I have 16 down there". Then I found out she was leaving babies there alone asleep to take her kids and drop them off at school. Sadly I have heard of to many situations like that, so I worry about most people who offer super cheap care. I am cheaper than most in my area by $20-30 a week, but in reality the kids run up expenses to care for them properly, I have to make money or I would just go broke.

I hear you and understand. I'm in this business for the money too but it still doesnt mean you get what you pay for.

You yourself just said you are cheaper than most in your area... Does that automatically mean you are providing a little less quality than the higher priced providers?

That was my point. Price does NOT guarantee quality.

[MsLisa]

Every time I refresh my post on CL, 4 "ten dollar Tina's" follow behind me with their hands outs. Its just how this business is.

[KidGrind]

The illegal daycares are killing us legal daycares here too. In my state, Maryland, it is completely illegal to watch children in your home for more than 20 hours per month if they are not related to you. If you are going to watch unrelated children in your home on a continuous basis, you must be licensed. But there are so many illegal babysitters here that many licensed providers have actually closed down because they couldn't get enough kids!

We licensed providers turn the illegals in every once in a while, but they don't really do anything about them. They go out, ask if the kids are related or not. Typically the babysitter lies and says the kids are all related, so they can't do anything about them.

I started a couple of years ago putting it in my speech during the interview to educate the parents about the fact that it its illegal to 'babysit' out of your house in Maryland. I have actually had a good bit of parents immediately tell me that they don't care if the person who watches their child is legal or not, they just want to have a good 'feel' for the person! I'm like, we licensed providers have to have CPR, First Aid, SIDS, an emergency preparedness class, other classes related to childcare, have our background check done by the police, and have our home inspected by the fire marshal. And you, the parents mentioned above, don't care about all of those safety measures, you just want to get a feeling that someone is nice!?!? UGHHHH!!!

So, I completely understand what you are going through. I hope you can get the kids you need.

Illegal childcare providers are rampant in Maryland due to the higher end prices for daycare. You have centers and providers here milking the H*LL out of parents with waiting lists fees. I am a legal provider without a state license. I am in the process of getting my state license. I am close to D.C. and I am not shocked by parents who don’t care about the license.

[SignMeUp]

How does a "waiting list fee" work? Providers charge if you want to be on a waiting list??

[NightOwl]

I posted a craigslist ad about 2 months ago because I was so angry at the "$10 Tina's". It wasn't an ad for an opening tho. It was a warning. I simply said, if you are looking for childcare and someone offers you care in their home, ASK TO SEE THEIR LICENSE. It is illegal in this state to keep non related children in your home for a fee. The people advertising these services know this information and are operating illegally. If I am able to identify these people, I will report them to cps immediately.

And that was it. Since then, the amount of $10 Tina's posting there dropped dramatically. My ad was flagged once and removed. I reposted and stated that I would continue reposting no matter how many times they flagged it. Now, it's 90% legal providers/people looking for childcare and about 10% illegal providers. Before, it was about 50% legal, 50% illegal providers. I was really surprised that my ad apparently had such a big effect.

[KidGrind]

How does a "waiting list fee" work? Providers charge if you want to be on a waiting list??

Some centers and providers charge parents to be placed on a waiting list; then some go further and charge a weekly or monthly fee to remain on the list.