Interview/Tour - Do you Show Parents Your Bedrooms?

[Sandbox Sally]

I have an interview tonight. I have always shown interviewees our family bedrooms in the past because this is where I put the babies for naps in playpens.

I don't want to do this any more. Would it look suspicious if I didn't take the parents upstairs during the interview? My daycare is main floor. I kinda feel like that's enough.

The reasons I don't want to take them up are because my kids are getting older, and not only does that mean more mess for me to contain on interview evenings, but I feel like I am violating their privacy now more than when they were little by parading strangers in and out of their bedrooms and their bathroom. To be honest, I don't really like the idea of a stranger in my own private bedroom either. :no:

Anyway...what do you think? Can I keep the interview downstairs on the main level of my home? Everything but nap occurs here.

[mamabear]

My daycare is on the main level, and only the main level and I don't see any reason to show potential clients my bedroom or kids' bedrooms. I have only had 1 family who I was interviewing get miffed when I said those rooms are off limits. If the dckids don't use those rooms there's no reason to show parents looking for care.

[mimi]

I wouldn't volunteer the nap area as part of your tour. I would let parents know the kids sleep in their own playpen on the upper level in a private room. If parents insist on seeing the room, I would show them one bedroom, they don't need the grand tour upstairs, especially your bedroom. Or on the flip side, if you are dead set against showing the room, just say the room is occupied for personal use right now. I can show you during daycare hours. Hope this helps

[Inspired by Reggio]

Ya this is a tough one cause I see both sides of this ... this is our private space however IMO if we are opening it up to provide care to clients in that space than they do sort of have that need to see that the space is indeed 'safe' and so forth at least at the start of the relationship... and while there is that level of 'trust' that needs to be built between provider and client sometimes being able to 'see' the whole house is how one builds it.

I only do interviews 'after work' anyway so only Monday ~ Thursday ... so because the children sleep in our bedrooms daily our bedrooms do not look any differently on a 'tour day' than they do on a putting a kid in their to sleep day ... beds are made, dirty laundry contained and any toys or materials that are not 'child friendly' are removed and contained to areas out of reach. Clients are free to go up to the upper level and retrieve their sleeping child if they are sleeping late, they use the bathroom up there cause it is more 'adult friendly' and so would see bedrooms potentially anyway.

Now on the WEEKEND is a different story cause we cut some slack on those days and than Sunday nights I do the 'double check' that my step sons bedroom has been made 'child friendly once again' because well he is 16 now and his toys are so not appropriate for kiddies ;)

I always discuss nap time on the main level when doing that part of the tour and than 'ask' would you like to see where your child would nap cause sometimes they do not want to drag the kids up there too and just say 'oh its ok' ... I think having offered is usually enough to appease most people.

Kinda like a 'police check' the fact that you are 'willing to do one' should they require it shows good faith and tends to be enough for most clients to not ask you to foot out the bill for a 'new one' since the reality is they are not worth the piece of paper they are written on.

[apples and bananas]

I nap 3 kids upstairs, one in each bedroom. When I interview I always make sure one room is set up and pretty. (clean) IF and only if a parent asks to see the space I show them that space and assure them their child will sleep there.

but my kids are still young, so I'm ok with invading their space. LOL

I NEVER show my bedroom! I just tell clients I don't nap in there. It's my space.

[Cocoon]

I have 2 bedromm flat and I use one of them for my day home. I tell them 1 or 2 kids will sleep here and the other one will be in my bedroom but i do not show my bedroom to anyone. Even to my friends. Not that I have kinky stuff there :) It is my personal space and I don't want to show :) Don't show if you don't want to. It is your house and your rules.

[Mamma_Mia]

I too have the dcg napping on the 3rd floor but I do not show it. That's my personal space and all the kids do is sleep up there so no we don't go up there. Some hve asked and most are accaptable with the response that I've given. On dad was very persistant so I brought down the play pen and said this is where YOUR child will sleep :p

[playfelt]

I don't show the bedrooms. Basically they see the main floor and the basement playroom but we do not go up to the bedroom level - I sort of have an open area in the sense that the stairs go up in the middle of the house and you can sort of see around but not in the rooms.

I too used to show bedrooms but stopped it when my kids were older feeling they gave up enough and shared enough and deserved the privacy of their bedrooms. The only daycare that is in there is a packnplay in the middle of the room.

If a parent is concerned I remind them that their child will only be up there as an infant and that after that they nap on the main level. I also remind them that this a family home and not a daycare centre and that I prefer to keep a certain amount of my life private. That what colour my bedroom is or whether I have an ensuite bathroom does not effect the napping of their infant. When you put it in those terms I have only had a few parents that stil questioned it but usually I had already decided I wasn't taking them anyways because they just seemed to have a suspicious side to them and I usually suggest they might want to look into a daycare centre where there would be more adults and security around.

[gcj]

my daycare is on main level and basement, but they nap in the upstairs family bedrooms. I do not take them up during a first interview. IF they out and out ask, I will bring them up after a disclaimer about the state of my kids rooms ;) It's only happened once. I may offer when they come back to sign....most have never even been up...

[Spixie33]

No I don't show the bedrooms. My main playroom is upstairs and to walk there we walk past my son's bedroom. I don't make a point of showing it - we just walk past and I make sure it is clean.
I always have the door to my bedroom closed. I show only the area we eat, the backyard, and play areas/play room.
If someone asks where the children sleep I say that I put them each in bedrooms and if they want to know what they use - I show a play pen and a mat depending on the age.

In your shoes - I would not take them upstairs. It sounds like your set up is on the main floor so that is where I would stay. If they ask about nap areas then say that you put them in bedrooms upstairs and move into a convo about their child's nap routine. I doubt they would blatantly ask to see. Most people just go along with the pace you set.

Good luck with the interview :)

[MonkeyPrincess]

Right now i only have one DCK that naps, and come hell or high water, she will not sleep in her playpen in our spare bedroom. The mom is ok with her sleeping in the living room on one of those toddler pull out couches- as long as she sleeps! With that being said, i don't show our bedrooms, unless the child will be sleeping while in my care, then i show our spare bedroom. As for the other bedrooms, no one needs to see them, it's none of their business.

[Sandbox Sally]

I didn't show the bedrooms. They asked about naps, and I mentioned that they are in playpens in our family bedrooms upstairs. They nodded and smiled, and I moved on in my chat seamlessly. :)

Thanks for all the advice!

I think they're going to sign, too. She emailed me this am and told me they need to see one more place on Monday, but that she and her husband agree that they are very comfortable with me, and she said, "but to be honest, we both think that you are exactly what we are looking for". :D Fingers crossed.

This will be the child that replaces the two after school kiddies from my other thread. I will be giving notice to the older kids as soon as I hear a confirmed yes from this interview.

Thanks again, everyone.

[Sandbox Sally]

Oh and will somebody PLEEEASE remind me in the future that I hate doing daycare for school aged kids?? LOL My second sib set is leaving in June, and I can't WAIT to replace them with a baby! :wub:

[Momof4]

Congratulations in advance Alpha! I hope you are writing in this thread on Monday that you have the signed contract in your hands.

[Sandbox Sally]

Haven't heard from them yet. I think their last interview is tonight. I am counting down...hopefully they sign. School aged dcb said the EFF word twice on Friday afternoon in front of my toddlers and babies. I am tired of his shenanigans. Just way too many reasons to terminate, kwim?? lol

[angelina]

My kids bedroom is their sacred space. I don't show it, and i remind all daycare kids that it is a private space for them.

My living room is where they nap: 1 baby, 1 toddler, my 2 toddlers go up to their bedroom to nap. Also, half playroom, music and dance room. I sing with them and dance ZUMBA here.

My basement is finished, it is also a full play area. And when its summer, my fence backyard counts.

[Harmoni]

That's my personal space and all the kids do is sleep up there so no we don't go up there. Some have asked and most are accaptable with the response that I've given. One dad was very persistant so I brought down the play pen and said this is where YOUR child will sleep :p

Yikes! Is it just me, or do others find it weird when they don't drop it after being told it's a private room?? I had one lady come for a interview and it felt more like I was doing a open house for sale! She was opening doors and cupboards, wanted to see EVERY room! It left me with a wtf was that feeling?? So glad she didn't sign on! Geesh!

[fruitloop]

I only show them our bedrooms if they ask to see them. I don't offer it up ever.