Oh Boy I Dunno

[daycare]

i get what you are saying that parents say your prices are too high, but you have to sell yourself.

I am only $25.00 cheaper than a very elite private academy, yes I know stupid for preschool but it is there and parents love it.

HOw can I do this Easy i sell my program to them.

They are closed all summer and have 3 major breaks, i don't.
they are only open until 430, I am open until 5

they won't take kids that are not PTrained, I will

They don't provide home cooked meals, I do.

I will provide consistent staff the entire time they are here I will be here, preschools can't offer that.

How do I compare with stay moms. Most of them do it for extra cash and then burn out within 9months to 1 year

they don't offer learning, consistency, routines and etc. they are a baby sitting service, you are not.

stay at home mom's are at home to be with their kids, not yours. So their childs everything will come first and the parent better be prepared to have to have back up care quite a bit.

You have been open for x amount of year with x amount of experience, most mom's don't have that on us.

I love stay at home moms, but they are not in the biz like we are. I applaud them for what they can do with their kids and take on a few more to make a little side money.


you get what I am saying.....You need to prep yourself with a come bac.

this mom left you for cheap and now she probably understands sometimes, you get what you pay for.

[Thriftylady]

i get what you are saying that parents say your prices are too high, but you have to sell yourself.

I am only $25.00 cheaper than a very elite private academy, yes I know stupid for preschool but it is there and parents love it.

HOw can I do this Easy i sell my program to them.

They are closed all summer and have 3 major breaks, i don't.
they are only open until 430, I am open until 5

they won't take kids that are not PTrained, I will

They don't provide home cooked meals, I do.

I will provide consistent staff the entire time they are here I will be here, preschools can't offer that.

How do I compare with stay moms. Most of them do it for extra cash and then burn out within 9months to 1 year

they don't offer learning, consistency, routines and etc. they are a baby sitting service, you are not.

stay at home mom's are at home to be with their kids, not yours. So their childs everything will come first and the parent better be prepared to have to have back up care quite a bit.

You have been open for x amount of year with x amount of experience, most mom's don't have that on us.

I love stay at home moms, but they are not in the biz like we are. I applaud them for what they can do with their kids and take on a few more to make a little side money.


you get what I am saying.....You need to prep yourself with a come bac.

this mom left you for cheap and now she probably understands sometimes, you get what you pay for.

See that is the part I am not good at the pointing out why I am better. Thanks for these ideas! I do plan to raise my rates some once I get my name more out there. In Kansas, I had little trouble filling spots, but got a lot of problem parents daycare jumpers, non-payers, people who thought they ran my program (and to a point I let them). It was a big reason why I quit (and we couldn't do both daycare and foster care and we did foster care for awhile). But I am stricter now and I know that is part of the reason some of my interviews have not worked out. I flat refuse now to "work" for the parents and cater to everyone. I know for a fact that is why two didn't work out. One rescheduled her final interview four times and I said nope, I am done . But I am trying to save myself some headaches now.

[MarinaVanessa]

Many of the people I have interviewed have told me I am to high.

Then your response should be a firm but gentle:
"No I'm not. I'm licensed, provide quality child care, am on the food program/follow the food program guidelines and serve balanced healthy meals, offer educational activities, and provide quality materials and toys."

Then just offer them a smile and an intense stare

[NeedaVaca]

So, how is the new (old) family doing? Following your new policies?

[Thriftylady]

So, how is the new (old) family doing? Following your new policies?

Well it is only day two. So we will see. Right now the one issue I am having is breakfast. Mom asked when we talked (since dad is on days for awhile), if DCG doesn't get here until after 8 can she still eat breakfast. I told her no, that she would need to eat at home. So yesterday mom came in at 8:15 and said "she hasn't eaten yet, I was going to get up at 7:45 and be here by 8, but I couldn't move that fast". I told her I would feed her yesterday late, but I won't do it again. So today she comes in at 8:05 and little one had clearly just gotten up (they live a block away). Mom said "I just got her up and she isn't ready to eat breakfast yet but you can feed her in a bit right?". I told her that tomorrow she will be sent back home to feed her if she arrives late for breakfast. I know I am being super strict with this, and some say well just feed the child already. But I feel the need to be strict with this mother and Monday my new DCB is starting and will be here at 6:30 AM some mornings. And I am only willing to make breakfast and clean up the mess once. And DCG is 14 months old so if she is late I have to sit with her while she eats. That isn't fair to anyone in my book. She rolled her eyes at me this morning and I got the big sigh, but I have been working hard on my backbone and I am not giving an inch with this parent.

[Laurel]

Well it is only day two. So we will see. Right now the one issue I am having is breakfast. Mom asked when we talked (since dad is on days for awhile), if DCG doesn't get here until after 8 can she still eat breakfast. I told her no, that she would need to eat at home. So yesterday mom came in at 8:15 and said "she hasn't eaten yet, I was going to get up at 7:45 and be here by 8, but I couldn't move that fast". I told her I would feed her yesterday late, but I won't do it again. So today she comes in at 8:05 and little one had clearly just gotten up (they live a block away). Mom said "I just got her up and she isn't ready to eat breakfast yet but you can feed her in a bit right?". I told her that tomorrow she will be sent back home to feed her if she arrives late for breakfast. I know I am being super strict with this, and some say well just feed the child already. But I feel the need to be strict with this mother and Monday my new DCB is starting and will be here at 6:30 AM some mornings. And I am only willing to make breakfast and clean up the mess once. And DCG is 14 months old so if she is late I have to sit with her while she eats. That isn't fair to anyone in my book. She rolled her eyes at me this morning and I got the big sigh, but I have been working hard on my backbone and I am not giving an inch with this parent.

I don't blame you for standing firm with this mom. Wow, she has some nerve doesn't she?

That said, I found that offering breakfast as a service was easier for me than dealing with who had and hadn't eaten or kids coming in carrying half eaten granola bars or with a smashed banana in their hand. Plus if I gave them breakfast then I at least knew that being hungry was one less thing they would cry about in the morning. ::

But, since this is important to you, what I'd do is charge her extra. "Okay, I can do breakfast for an extra $10 a week. Let me know if you want me to provide breakfast." Keep adding charges to things. It's a win-win. You make more money and her child gets breakfast since she 'moves too slow'

Laurel

[Thriftylady]

I don't blame you for standing firm with this mom. Wow, she has some nerve doesn't she?

That said, I found that offering breakfast as a service was easier for me than dealing with who had and hadn't eaten or kids coming in carrying half eaten granola bars or with a smashed banana in their hand. Plus if I gave them breakfast then I at least knew that being hungry was one less thing they would cry about in the morning. ::

But, since this is important to you, what I'd do is charge her extra. "Okay, I can do breakfast for an extra $10 a week. Let me know if you want me to provide breakfast." Keep adding charges to things. It's a win-win. You make more money and her child gets breakfast since she 'moves too slow'

Laurel

I have no issue with providing breakfast since I will have one coming in very early some days starting next week. My main issue is that if you want breakfast, have your child here before my cut off. And don't bring in food from home. All this is in the handbook and we talked about it before she paid to start again. She asked me at the meeting "Well if I bring her at 8:15 you can still feed her breakfast right?". I told her no not a minute after 8. Now both days she has expected it. I am going to stick by it tomorrow if she has not eaten, she is not here until mom feeds her OR she can be here before breakfast cut off. The thing is I don't want more money from her really, I want her to follow my policies. I mean I hate mornings, but when you have kids you get up in time to take care of them right? Or maybe I did parenting wrong.::

[nothingwithoutjoy]

Good for you for staying firm.

Seriously...she thinks she can get up at 7:45 and be there by 8? She gets to sleep in, but you have to inconvenience yourself. Real fair. Don't worry about it a bit.

I made a mistake with one family, allowing snack-in-hand when he arrives on Thursdays, because he's super late having just come from a PT appointment. That turned into a baggie of junk food on a daily basis, spilled all over my house, munched on when it's not a mealtime... A firm no at the beginning would have been much easier than trying to fix it after the fact. (And yes, it says no food from home in my handbook, but I was trying to be nice and accommodating...big mistake.)

[mommyneedsadayoff]

I would not do cut off time. I would say breakfast is at 7:30. If you are here, you eat and if not, then snack will be at 9:30, so you will have to wait. If dck whines and is starving, mom can come pick up and feed him. The cut off at 8 would drive me nuts, because she obviously wants to come whenever and showing up at 7:59 is just as bad as 8:05, imo, so don't give her that option.

[Thriftylady]

I would not do cut off time. I would say breakfast is at 7:30. If you are here, you eat and if not, then snack will be at 9:30, so you will have to wait. If dck whines and is starving, mom can come pick up and feed him. The cut off at 8 would drive me nuts, because she obviously wants to come whenever and showing up at 7:59 is just as bad as 8:05, imo, so don't give her that option.

I guess I don't see the difference between the two you are saying?:confused: I serve at 8, so that is my cut off. Is that what you are saying? Maybe I am doing what you are saying already.

[mommyneedsadayoff]

I guess I don't see the difference between the two you are saying?:confused: I serve at 8, so that is my cut off. Is that what you are saying? Maybe I am doing what you are saying already.

Oh I see! I thought you served earlier and were done at 8, so that is why I said that!