Any Introverts Out There Who Can Get Me

[Unregistered]

I am trying to explain things to people but they don't want to hear it
They want to hear what they want to hear and tune me out

Its like the depth of there mind stops at some point and they don't hear truth or reason

I am having a hard time understanding some parents and they are having a hard time understanding me

There children are happy 90 percent of the time around me and I am happy being a part of there lives but I honestly don't know how much longer I can take the parents in this job

They seem to believe that I am an article of clothing or some tool that is placed in there hands and they can use me as they please

I have had two really bad interactions with people I had just met.

One parent was completely offended that I had rules as soon as she walked in the door and made snide remarks about it

The other parent I posted about on here.

The other issue I have is facebook groups and introverts. So naturally I am sure some providers have had issues with parents. If a parent has had a problem with someone there is always two sides to a story so why would they engage in hurtful things in a group to affect me personally?

Wow, this is my first time on facebook and I am in the older category of ages. This is my first time dealing with a facebook conflict and I honestly don't want to deal with it. I think it is terrible the way people are behaving on facebook and now I am going to have to get out of that group and take my post off of there because some parents are being little crazies because I am not being there doormat.

I completely left them out and only posted things about openings to find a fit for my childcare. I thought there was some unspoken rule on there but I guess any kind of lie here or there that could damage a persons reputation goes.

[Josiegirl]

I wonder if it's more difficult for introverts to stand up for themselves? I've always been like that. If parents see you as a doormat, they will treat you as one. You need to straighten and strengthen your backbone, stand tall, and treat YOUR business like YOUR business. Yes, being an introvert might make it trickier for you but it needs to be done.

It's in the way you present yourself, your policies and your biz. It's a never-ending learning experience, at least for me.

I belong to FB but hardly ever go on it. I don't use it for business at all.
Are these people who are bad-mouthing you clients, former clients, who? Let's face it, people talk for all kinds of reasons and a lot of the time it's because they need to make themselves heard or feel better and bigger. Unfortunately, once something is said, the seed has been planted.

Maybe, at least for now, find another avenue to advertise your business and spread word of mouth?

[Soccermom]

I am also an introvert and find it very difficult to find my voice when it really needs to be heard.

The truth is, in my eyes, that the daycare industry is a tough place to be these days, especially for someone who is afraid to speak up for themselves. It is so easy for people to make you look bad if they have had a bad experience with you because of all the social media. But not only that, parents have very high expectations of their providers now.

They have overly high expectations of their provider and little respect for what the provider does all day.

They are self centered, overly opinionated and full of entitlement and are raising their children to be the same way.

For introverts like us, the job doesn't end at 5pm either...we spend the entire evening and weekend worrying if we made the right choices, said the right things, what the parents will think about a new rule or how angry we are for not being able to stand up for ourselves after what a parent may have said or done.

As introverts, we have a difficult time dealing with people being inconsiderate or cruel since we spend so much time thinking about everyone else's feelings....it seems inconceivable to us that others can be so hurtful.

:hug: Hugs!

[KiddieCahoots]

I have the same issues as an introvert.

What has helped me is faking it, or acting it out.
I've taken my hb policies that I know inside and out, and have learned and stay up to date on regulations. Knowledge truly is power.
If possible, I'll practice in front of the mirror first, as if I'm having that conversation with the parents.
Then I put on my professional shoes, when the time comes for that conversation. When I say this, I mean that I stop the train of thought to my everyday normal behavior, and shift gears on purpose to the professional me with explaining my hb or regulations for everyone or anyone that needs to hear them. I can feel my whole body, breathing, and mind set change. Even my body language is different, I stand straighter, make direct eye contact with the parent (and try not to look away), articulate my words better, speak slowly, all while I have my hands folded in front of me. I also don't concentrate on my rapid breathing or heat rate, but instead stay focused on the parents body language, their eyes with pupils dilating, or averting my own eye contact, and what the parent is saying. This helps take my mind off of my own trouble with conversing, and engage more thoroughly to get to the bottom of what needs to be discussed.
For most people this comes normally, for me....it took a lot of practice. It is still a work in progress, but the more I practice this, the more I instinctively go into faking or acting it, when the time is called for it.
Hope this helps