Saying No :(

[AshleyJean]

Am i the only provider that has trouble saying "no"? i feel like I'm drowning in unfinished sentences with my DCPs and bending over backwards and biting my tongue again and again because i can't say that little word...
"yes i provide occasional open Saturdays but they are on my time and not for you to schedule for me thank you DCM."
yet I'm stuck leaving that unanswered because idk how to tell her no..
"stop bringing so many supply for your child please I will let You know when they are low" is all i have to say. yet I've cleared another shelf in my personal towel closet for this DCM.
"my Closing time is 5:30. That is not to say you are 'in the clear' if you get here at five so you can sit and talk at me about how cute your kid is till 5:50 everyday. Im Closed now please leave.. Please.."

Anyone please help?

[Michael]

Welcome to the forum!

Here are some similar threads: https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.p...backbone+-+not

[nanglgrl]

Am i the only provider that has trouble saying "no"? i feel like I'm drowning in unfinished sentences with my DCPs and bending over backwards and biting my tongue again and again because i can't say that little word...
"yes i provide occasional open Saturdays but they are on my time and not for you to schedule for me thank you DCM."
yet I'm stuck leaving that unanswered because idk how to tell her no..
"stop bringing so many supply for your child please I will let You know when they are low" is all i have to say. yet I've cleared another shelf in my personal towel closet for this DCM.
"my Closing time is 5:30. That is not to say you are 'in the clear' if you get here at five so you can sit and talk at me about how cute your kid is till 5:50 everyday. Im Closed now please leave.. Please.."

Anyone please help?

I don't have that problem (anymore). One thing you can say is "let me think about it" actually it's something you should say to every request and it will help immensely.
Also, the more you say no the easier it gets.
I used to be like you but would have never lasted this long if I hadn't started saying no.

[Josiegirl]

I think there are a lot of people pleasers within a group of childcare providers. I tend to be the same way. I am terrible with confrontation and saying no. Good thing I only have 1 dcf who tends to overstep their boundaries a little(not a lot but a little ). Everyone else seems to have the 100% respect for my needs and rules.
We do need to do what works for us. Like a PP said practice and it'll become easier.

[Blackcat31]

Am i the only provider that has trouble saying "no"? i feel like I'm drowning in unfinished sentences with my DCPs and bending over backwards and biting my tongue again and again because i can't say that little word...
"yes i provide occasional open Saturdays but they are on my time and not for you to schedule for me thank you DCM."

Saturdays are available at the PROVIDERS discretion. I will post available Saturday dates. Please do not request additional dates/times.

yet I'm stuck leaving that unanswered because idk how to tell her no..
"stop bringing so many supply for your child please I will let You know when they are low" is all i have to say. yet I've cleared another shelf in my personal towel closet for this DCM.

I am not a storage facility and cannot store excess supplies, the provider will notify parents when supplies are needing to be refilled.

"my Closing time is 5:30. That is not to say you are 'in the clear' if you get here at five so you can sit and talk at me about how cute your kid is till 5:50 everyday. Im Closed now please leave.. Please.."

The daycare closes AT 5:30 SHARP. This means your child must be picked up and off the daycare property BY 5:30 p.m. Late fees begin at 5:31 p.m.

Anyone please help?

Write up a newsletter or memo stating the above (in bold) changes.

This is your business, take control of it or the parents will continue to run it for you.

Setting boundaries is not necessarily saying no. It's setting boundaries. We ALL have them no matter what we do in life.

If you don't respect and enforce your own polices, I guarantee you that parents won't either. Be a leader and set the stage for the behavior you want to see and lead your parents in that direction. Saying no, does not have to be confrontational or uncomfortable. It CAN be done with a smile on your face but a FIRM follow through.

You can do this!

[Thriftylady]

I am horrible at it. I had DCM text me last night and I wanted to say no, should have said no, but I didn't. This week is spring break and I only have her kids before and after school. Many mornings they don't come. She texted and asked since she is keeping them home Wed and Thur if I will apply that money to Fri. I said yes, just this once when everything in me was saying no. Now of course I am kicking myself.

[NoMoreJuice!]

Hope this helps!

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/212232201164061690/

[Blackcat31]

NannyDe wrote an article about it being hard to say no in daycare.

Well worth the read!

https://www.daycare.com/nannyde/why-is-saying-no-so-difficult-daycare-com-forum-discussion.htm

This is an awesome list on how to say "No" that DaycareDiva posted a while back

http://thehalfwaypoint.net/2010/02/fifty-ways-to-say-no/

[Unregistered]

I have pretended to go somewhere every day to make a point. As soon as closing time comes the dck has their shoes and everything ready and I have my purse and keys. I walk out with them and get in my car. Play around on my phone or with the radil until they leave. Lol