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I have a private FB page and the parents give consent to post pics. They themselves post pics of their kids on FB so they really don't care obviously. I like it as a way to post pics, post daily menus and activities as well as share interesting articles and workshops.
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I have a Facebook page I use for advertising and I don't update that as much, usually only a couple of times a month but I need to get better at it especially with posting our activities. I do sometimes post faces and names but only after given written permission. I've onky had one parent not give permission and oddly enough that parents entire Facebook account is public with pictures of her children, their names and even their birth dates as the titles to the albums with their first baby pictures. I've gotten a lot of interviews because of that page and a lot of good clients. It's also easy for my friends to share when I have openings.
I also also have a private Facebook group that is just for current and former clients and I post to that almost every day. On that page I post closed dates, curriculum, special information, tons of photos etc. Parents always love it and look at it as a bonus to my program and love the idea to be able to "share" their child's day with them. I like it because when I post something it lists who "saw" the post so when I post a day I'm closed I can see if one parent didn't read it and so I can remind them in person or if someone says they didn't know something I can see if they saw the post on Facebook. I often use it to post policy reminders (illness, potty training etc.) and have seen a lot less people trying to break these policies in return.Comment
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I also have a private page, all parents have a signed consent form on file. I have one parent that checks it religiously and is great about "liking" everything and writing great comments. My family is on the page, too- they enjoy seeing pics of the grand kids. I can tell who has seen my posts, but only a few ever "comment". They all remark that they love being able to see what their kids are up to during the day- but I do wish some would comment more. I also tend to post at naptime, but sometimes I post as the craft or activity is happening. I think most people are glued to their phones, so I don't think anyone minds that I get on mine to put up pics of their kids so they can see.Comment
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I started a facebook business page, inspired by others here, for advertising purposes. I don't do facebook personally. There are no "friends" for a business page; anyone can see it.
I post most working days, during nap. I do use photos of the kids, but not of their faces (except my daughter, because other relatives have put her picture all over the internet anyway). (Well, I've gotten a bit sloppier about that, since most of the parents post them freely. I use some with blurred faces, or partially-obscured faces.) I use first initials and ages, no names. My goal in posting is to show a range of things we do for prospective families. I document our days in other ways (email, blog) for enrolled families. But of course, they peek at my facebook page, too, and their "likes" get my program out there.
It's amazing how much one person's "like" can get something seen. I have only 80 page likes, but a post I put up today was viewed by 243 people (a big jump in numbers, as far as I can tell due to a new person--a parent recommended to my program by a current family--"liking" the post).
I'm actively seeking older kids right now--hoping to add some homeschooled kids to my group. So I try to post pics of stuff the older kids do more often than little-kid stuff. I also seek out pages of other businesses/organizations that would appeal to local homeschoolers, and visit them every so often. If I see something interesting there, I make sure to click "like." That puts my program's name on their page. It feels creepy being so deliberate about using it for marketing, but I try to be real about it ("liking" only stuff I actually like) and remember that facebook is the networking tool my prospective families use, so I need to be there.
You may see my page if you're interested, here.Comment
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Okay, I put a picture of my daycare child showing his snowman craft he did today on my daycare Facebook page. I'll try putting pictures and information about our activities on Facebook for a little while and see what I think about it.
It kind of just seems like I just added 4 more jobs to my already busy day, though. Photographing the child and craft, uploading it from my camera to the computer, uploading it then to my Facebook, and trying to think a cute saying to write with the picture. But, as a business owner, I am used to and know that I have to market my company. So I am going to give this a try for a little while and see if it helps me get new clients.Comment
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Nothingwithoutjoy,
I like your Facebook page. You do show a variety of activities. That's what I plan to do. The problem is that I only have one child right now, which will be obvious in the pictures! I like your idea of liking other companies to get your name out there. I might just try that.Comment
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Thanks!
Your one child is a cutie!!
You could take advantage of your time with only one to post a whole bunch of stuff that doesn't include him, and then it won't be so obvious. Some ideas:
a favorite book you're reading this week (can use a photo, or link from Amazon)
a great new toy you just got
the tempting way you set out materials today
a newly-organized shelf or other area
a beautiful meal you made for "all" your kids
a cozy nook for reading or sleeping or... whatever looks most appealing (could even say something like "just waiting for your child...")
Good luck expanding your network!Comment
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I do have a Facebook page, I don't post on it regularly maybe once every other week or so. The parents love it and I post on it when I have a sec mostly at nap time or after work. sometimes if I can get everyone served at lunch I post a quick thing. Its mostly pictures. (I never post the kids names)
DebComment
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Yeah, he's a cute little boy. He's 17 months old.
Thank you all for your suggestions. You gave me a lot of ideas on things to post that won't show a picture of just the same one child over and over. I'm going to work on getting more pictures on my Facebook page soon.Comment
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Okay, I put up a few pictures today. Now I just need to get people see my page.
Thank you all for your help.Comment
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My Facebook page is coming along. I even posted videos of my kids (older videos of when I had more than one child!) doing Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes, and of them playing. I put up older pics of my previous children doing some preschool activities as well as during free play time. The videos and pictures are of previous children, but they do show the type of activities we do here.Comment
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Nothingwithout joy you page is great. I grew up in Westfield and love the Florence area. I used to loving spending days at Look Park and now my daughter loves going there when we visit my parents. If we still lived in the area my daughter would be at your childcare.Comment
Or even just pictures of your one LOs hands doing things, so it isn't as obvious. I think those are all great ideas above. I sometimes share new parenting articles from the huffington post or cnn.com that I think parents would enjoy. Just to mix it up a bit 
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