Slow out there?...

[espresso33]

So...is it just me, or are any of you ladies having a difficult time filling spots? I have one spot remaining, and this time last year I was so busy I had to turn people away. This year...not so much! :blink:blink:

[Mamateach]

I am really stressing out! I had two one year olds and was advertising for an over 2 year old. I have a three year old son and a 1 year old daughter. Finding it really hard to fill the 2 year old spot as they are harder to fill usually. Just found out yesterday that I am losing one of my one year olds in two weeks because of work change with Dad. So now I'm down to one DCK!! Started heavy advertising yesterday but I really need to fill these spots and not even getting a call!!! You are not alone espresso33.

[mimi]

Yes it is slow for me as well. I entered my postal code to see how many d/c's have spots and it seems everyone is wanting on average another 2 dck's. I think my area has a lot of good home daycares and parents are a little wary. I am holding off increasing my rates for a while.

[Daisy123]

Slow as molasses... (east of Toronto) I'm down to 3 part time and 2 school age. Last September I filled 2 spots within 2 weeks. I interviewed for a 10 month old this am but they're still looking at options and it wouldn't be until January. Yup, stressed!

[Skysue]

Yes I'm in Barrie and it's slow! I have 6 daycare kids all part time. I even have a 12 month old one day a week. I am making less than last year and I had 3 full time 2 part time.

I think the new trend is getting other family members to help to cut down costs. It's a tough economy.

Thinking of going back to school at night to change careers. Aviation is over for me and daycare is making it hard to pay the bills.

[Fun&care]

I've been advertising for a spot since the last week of August, had a few interviews but no bites...but I have a waiting list for next year at least. Getting a lot of calls from parents looking way in advance. Still though....slow.

[Spixie33]

Really slow here too. Sigh. I started advertising in June for 2 spots that were supposed to be filled but the parents changed their minds about going back to work. I have barely had emails from anyone or calls and only 2 interviews since that time. The 2 people that did interview didn't work out. Family 1 went with another provider and the second is still deciding. :(
I have spoken to the providers in the neighbourhood and checked by postal code online and there are a LOT op providers with openings.

I occasionally get emails that are not going anywhere i.e only a few days a week or only needing backup care etc.

It seems like finding a decent full time family right about now is like finding a unicorn. I keep seeing more and more grandparents at the park with their grandkids or else moms deciding to stay home :(

I also wonder if it is slow ever since the recent daycare death in the Newmarket area where the provider was over ratio and whether the negative CBC story and then the daycare death just have people backing away from home daycares :( I have never seen it this quiet. Usually I am turning people away.

[Momof4]

Do you have a website? I get enquiries all the time because people find my website. It's my location though, I'm near downtown where all the offices are located in our city so I get lots of interest. Find your niche and advertise your strengths and make sure your ad sets you aside from the ordinary. Mine is my home cooking, organic foods, cloth diapering is welcome and that I was in Guiding/Scouting for many years with my own children. Figure out what makes you noticeable to parents in your ad.

[FunnyFarm]

Agreed- it is slow!!!!!! I am almost completely empty and have been advertising in 4 different spots for 3 months. Yup- stressed! Thankfully Hubby just got a decent raise at work :)

[cfred]

Ugh..yep...slow. In the summer, when I was full, I was turning people away on a regular basis and had a wait list 5 deep. Of course, now that a client has given her 1 month notice, everyone's disappeared, back into the woodwork. Wait list? Already placed. Yep....thanks for holding the info that you were looking around so close to your chest....so I couldn't actually USE anyone on my waiting list. Grrrrrrrr........ Everyone's now looking for Jan, Feb, Mar....sigh.......

[Artsand crafts]

Slow here too, north of Toronto. I think what happen in Vaughan with the over ratio daycare has something to to with it. It does not help for me that that location is kind of close to mine.

I decided 2 couple of months ago to open a new spot and have not have found someone yet. My area is usually slow, but this is even slower than before. I have had 2 interviews so far. First one I was sure mom and I would not be a good match, the second one the family found a daycare closer.

I also seen more day homes popping up and some are reducing their fees. I guess more moms are thinking on staying home and open a daycare. I am not reducing my fees and only would increase my working hours a bit if I end up several openings. In the meantime I will wait until the right family comes.

[Spixie33]

Ugh..yep...slow. In the summer, when I was full, I was turning people away on a regular basis and had a wait list 5 deep. Of course, now that a client has given her 1 month notice, everyone's disappeared, back into the woodwork. Wait list? Already placed. Yep....thanks for holding the info that you were looking around so close to your chest....so I couldn't actually USE anyone on my waiting list. Grrrrrrrr........ Everyone's now looking for Jan, Feb, Mar....sigh.......

My best prospects right now are for summer 2014. That is insane. I initially laughed them off but am now thinking I better keep in close contact because if things are slow like this then Summer 2014 might be the soonest I can do. :(

I have had the same issues. I had three on my waiting list in February and then I contacted everyone in June (for September spots) and they were all signed up elsewhere already :(

Buh humbug is how I feel right about now :unsure:

[espresso33]

Well, although I'm glad I'm not the only one having trouble filling spots, I am sorry to hear that you're all having a dry spell as well! I've tried plenty of various advertising methods that worked without a problem for me in the past, so I don't think that's the issue. Mind you, where i am just north of Toronto, daycares are popping up around here by the day, in addition to the countless ones that are already running. This business is VERY competitive where I am. I guess I ll have to just wait this out, and hope that we're all once again busy sooner than later! Fingers crossed:)

[cfred]

It's very competitive where I live as well. Aside from the multitude of day homes in my neighbourhood, I back onto a school with daycare and there's another in the highschool on the corner. Yep....oodles and oodles of competition. I've done really well here so far, but worked my ass off to get here. Lots of looking at other daycares to see what's already being offered and mixing that up a bit, totally flaunting my ECE (paid for it, might as well make it useful) and aggressive advertising. It's soooo different working in a high density area opposed to rural. Holy cow....soooo competitive! I'm very, very happy to see another provider has moved in not too far from here and upped her fees to even be above mine (I'm $5 above the rest). FAB!!! It's time for our rates to go up :) On the upside, I just did my budget. Even with just 4 kids, I'm still financially ok....got a good chunk left at the end of the month....big relief! For now, I'll enjoy the easier days and wait for my perfect client to walk through the door.

Good luck to everyone else who're finding it slow. Hope you fill soon :yes:

[espresso33]

Yes, Cfred, where I am, a few of the providers have upped there fees as well. Not certain whether that's a good thing or not though? Off topic, what's really annoying is other dc providers coming over to see my space, pretending to be potential sign ons. I've been on this same block for many many years, but lately I've had so many "fakes", that I now recognize at the local park with their own daycare kids. :rolleyes: ok, rant over. Best of luck to each and every one of us hard working ladies:thumbsup:

[jammiesandtea]

Yes, Cfred, where I am, a few of the providers have upped there fees as well. Not certain whether that's a good thing or not though? Off topic, what's really annoying is other dc providers coming over to see my space, pretending to be potential sign ons. I've been on this same block for many many years, but lately I've had so many "fakes", that I now recognize at the local park with their own daycare kids. :rolleyes: ok, rant over. Best of luck to each and every one of us hard working ladies:thumbsup:


Espresso33, I would be furious about that too! Now I readily admit that I check out other providers' ads and their websites and their pictures of their daycare spaces, to get inspired with ideas for my own space or my program, etc, and to keep tabs on my competition. ;)

But I would NEVER pretend to be a parent looking for care and take up a fellow provider's time and energy like that under false pretenses. That is disrespectful and way out of line. What is wrong with some people?? :no:

[espresso33]

Oh jammiesandtea, I really couldn't say what would drive certain people to think its ok to do this! Especially knowing we are all in the same business and treasure our personal time greatly...at least I do.

[mimi]

OMG expresso33 that is really criminal in my books. For someone to lie like that...........and they take care of kids. Just wow!!!

[cfred]

Jeez....hope I didn't give the impression that I actually went to these daycares to check them out. Criminy....I'm way too lazy for that! I looked at their websites and ads and went from there....still do. I keep track of who's full and who isn't and for how long, how many spaces are available and what they charge. As far as I'm concerned, I think that's fair game. It's a business and I want to be full as much as possible. I think part of that is finding out what's available in your area and offering something others don't. It's just good business I'd imagine. But no, I'd never actually go there. I've had a fake or 2 in my day and wasn't terribly appreciative.

[Momof4]

I suspected a fake or two in my early years as well, so now the pre-screening process is verrrrrry extensive.

[Daisy123]

How do you ladies feel about holding spots for several months? I interviewed for a January space yesterday and told them that if they chose to send their little guy to me I'd charge a holding fee. No sure that I'll hear back- I don't think that many in my area actually charge. I usually tell people that I won't hold spots because what if I otherwise fill it next week- I'm out a lot of money! Feels like roulette sometimes! Yet maybe I'm just giving up money by saying no! Especially with the lack of people looking for spaces!

[espresso33]

I suspected a fake or two in my early years as well, so now the pre-screening process is verrrrrry extensive.

Momof4, I'd love to know how you pre-screen...any advice would be helpful regarding this matter.

[Momof4]

Daisy123, how much are you planning on charging for your holding fee? Can the new child start at maybe 3 days/week in Dec. before the parent goes back to work? I've done that before. Then you only have to charge a holding fee for 2 months. I also made an addendum to the contract that said the deposit and holding fees are non-refundable monies due to the later start.

Esresso33 when I get an email I write back and give information about the basics of my daycare. Then I ask the parents to write back to me and let me know what area of the city they live and work, ask them what their hours will be, ask them for some of their parenting philosophies so that we can see if we will be a good match and I ask them to tell me about their child. People who are seriously looking for a daycare space love to talk about themselves and especially about their child. It kind of sets the tone for them to know that I'm in charge even though I know they have to make the final decision about the daycare that suits them best. But even then, that doesn't mean I have to accept them. Always remember that it is YOUR business.

If somebody is trolling for daycare info to improve or start their own daycare I think they will get bored with all my questions before they get here to waste my time. When I started out in my first few years I was finding out in the middle of an interview that something was way off. All of a sudden they requested a 6:30am start time, nope, or advise that they may not be here until 6pm once in a while, nope, or their child has a hundred allergies, nope. So I try to get all those kinds of things screened in the emailing stage.

There is a definite learning curve to interviewing, so much to learn.

[mickyc]

I am having the same issue here in Manitoba. Last year I had 2 spots open for September and interviewed 5 families. This year I have 1 spot open and haven't had any interest at all. My spot is for 2 and over and I have been advertising everywhere I can think of. Not sure what is going on.

[Daisy123]

Thanks Momof4. The holding fee would be $25 a week and should I get to contract stage I will definitely make sure that I have a policy sheet with "nonrefundable" stated. I'm really not sure about this though as the baby would only be 3 day a week anyways. Early visits are definitely a good idea. I usually do offer this as a way to transition anyways. Here's hoping that business picks up for everyone soon!

[Momof4]

Thanks Momof4. The holding fee would be $25 a week and should I get to contract stage I will definitely make sure that I have a policy sheet with "nonrefundable" stated. I'm really not sure about this though as the baby would only be 3 day a week anyways. Early visits are definitely a good idea. I usually do offer this as a way to transition anyways. Here's hoping that business picks up for everyone soon!
That's only $100/month. I charge $200/month for a holding fee and never for longer than 2 months. I'm losing too much income. I know some caregivers charge 1/2 fees or even full fees so think it over carefully.

[espresso33]

"Jeez....hope I didn't give the impression that I actually went to these daycares to check them out. Criminy....I'm way too lazy for that! "

Just to be clear, I wasn't referring to you Cfred! :)