Tweet
I'm a new provider (Nov 2016) and am struggling to find clients and get my name out there. I had an interview yesterday and the woman was telling me about how the center she sent her son to for years was not giving the type of care she wanted and requested that I install cameras. I told her I can look into it. I don't really want them and know she has trust issues with the other place. Ideas?
-
-
Oh lawdy.... this is a controversial subject/topic for sure!
Here is another thread that will explain why very well!
-
In my experience, there are very few parents looking for family day care that expect cameras. I wouldn't do it just for one potential family, regardless of how I felt about it generally.
It takes a long time to fill all available spots. When I attended the licensing orientation, the organizer said that the two biggest things to know are:
1. Employees = complications. Stay small if you can, and definitely stay small for the first few years
2. Budget for 1-3 kids for your first year or two. You will not fill all your spots until you've been operating for a while. This is a word-of-mouth gig
And that's true. I have one full-time kid and five part-timers right now, and only two of the six kids came through advertising. The other four were all word-of-mouth, and I'm about to start an infant waiting list for more friends of my current families. This is after 10 months of operating. (At one point I had 3 full-timers, but I learned the hard way that, when there are preschoolers on the market for day care, it's often because of issues that keep them bouncing from one place to another.)
I'm lucky that, a few months after I quit my office job, my husband was able to take that job! He was working a low-paying job and I was making the bulk of the income plus getting health insurance and life insurance through my employer, so basically we flipped our jobs and we're doing just as adequately as we were before I left the office. Otherwise, we'd be in trouble, since I have only two kids most days.Comment
-
I need to be able to work with dcps who trust me.
This dcm would get a big NO to cameras and a suggestion that if cameras are a deal breaker for her then she needs to go somewhere that has them already.
I wouldn't sign her on, either. Period.Comment
-
I will install cameras in my home for them if they install cameras in their homes for me.
Since parents commit the huge majority of abuse and neglect upon children, I would need to be able to watch them to assure they aren't abusing the child and then bringing them to me. I don't want to be in the window of suspicion if a child is abused by their parent.
If I can watch them at home it would make me feel much safer caring for their kid.Comment
-
Nope. I'm not putting cameras in MY house just so you can feel better. If you don't trust me to watch your child find care elsewhere.Comment
-
Yeah ok I will install cameras for a crazy lady? Nope.Comment
-
Same lady wants to pay monthly based on the amount of weeks/days. I told her that I charge my monthly fee based on:
Weekly rate * 52 / 12 months
She wants to pay the exact amount for the month we are in at the time. That's too much hassle and fuss. I told her that clients pay the same amount each time, regardless if they pay weekly, biweekly, or monthly.
I may be an individual, but I am a business first.Comment
-
Sound to me like this lady needs a nanny.
You are a business that gets to set your own rates, hours and policies. The ONLY thing this mom should get to decide is if those rates, hours and policies work for her.
If not, she needs to move on.
I understand you need the income but taking this client would not be a wise thing to do in my opinion.
Comment
Comment