How would you handle this..?

Today I received an e-mail inquiry asking me about my credentials for being a daycare provider. Asking me about whether I had the educational background or had worked in a daycare center. I have not worked in a center and replied with that and I do not have an educational background like ECE but I have experiences non the less from my family as well as the other provider I work with. This is the reply I recieved:

hi thank you for your quick reply. i am looking for care for our child who will be one come may. the reason i ask about working in daycare settings is because my sister is a director of many programs in bc. that includes overseeing home programs. there is i difference in care provided with someone who actually has a ece diploma/education/experiences. we do not wish to have a nanny or stay at home mom. i also do not understand the need for two providers with only four children unless you are caring for special needs children. we do appreciate the home program atmosphere as a center unless run by appropriate persons is not as nurturing as one would hope. but with that being said, we do like the persons to be educated just the same. the persons in her home programs she oversees do have their eces and have a system a little more indepth than the programs providers have to register here with. eventually the same will be expected here which through my searches will be a good thing for parents needing quality care. just to ad to my inquisitions, if neither of you worked in a center then how do you propose that a center is less personal? again, my sister oversees both ;)

thanks for your time ladies

In the reply to them from their first e-mail I never said centers were less personal I said "We prefer private home-based childcare as it provides a more 1 on 1 environment especially with two providers." What I mean by this is we have two providers to 5 children, one goes to the bus on a rainy day the other stays inside with the kids.

I have not replied to this e-mail I was stunned at this response and found it very rude. How would you handle a parent like this? My impression is they have not/never had any intention on going with a home daycare they want a center...which is fine but why bother sending me a message and then lecturing me on my credentials?

Honestly i don't think she is looking for care at all. I think she is spying for her sister. I may be a pessimist but she does not sound legit to me. I wouldn't give the satisfaction of a reply.

That is what we call huge red flags, someone out of touch with reality and before you get too worked up do not take any of it as a personal slight against you, your program or anything because the person is talking in general. She is basing what she is looking for in Ontario on what her sister does in another province and as we have said many times on this list each province has their own standards, limits to number and ages of kids in care, ability to become licensed, etc.

What this lady will find as she calls around is that what she is looking for isn't the norm for homedaycare. And good that you didn't waste time interviewing her and that you got it over with in one quick email. I would not reply just let it go. It isn't anything against you it is just a lady with an inflated ideal of what she expects. In other provinces it is normal for caregivers to have training as ECE or equivalent, to have their home set up as a licences credentialled centre - in BC just not a possibility in Ontario and the woman will realize that. If you do feel the need to reply to her make it short and simple and something to the effect of daycare is a provincial matter and the government of Ontario offers a different daycare format than in BC so please check on your Ontario options before dimissing possible care situations.

Oooooh, nothing like some thinly veiled criticism to make you feel like crap, huh?? :cursing:
First; I don't think I would bother responding. Unless it was to say "Thank you for your time, good luck in your search." (And that would just be for the good karma, lol)
Second; thank your stars that you don't have to deal with this future nightmare of a parent!!! She has trouble written all over, if indeed she is a parent looking for childcare (I also think she may just be snooping, for someone). Hope this gal figures out that regulations in the two provinces she is comparing are COMPLETELY different.
Third; she is, as playfelt mentioned, quickly going to learn that she needs to adjust her standards in what she is looking for in a home daycare. I realize that there are many home providers with the "credentials" she is seeking. I would hazard a guess though, that there are MANY, many more without. And, as I have said a time or two before; that doesn't make them better or worse!! Just different.
And if her sister is so super-awesome, why doesn't she move to BC and get her to watch her kids.... :p

..............NEXT!

And then delete that email and walk away. She's delusional and argumentative. Not worth your time.

That doesn't merit a reply. DELETE. Don't satisfy her with any reaction!

Agreed with everyone....delete delete delete.

I had a nut of a parent who managed to weasel her way into my home being nice up until the interview--read my thread OMG that was the worst interview ever" You will then know that prople like this only get worse:( Please dont reply.

I'm glad I am not alone on this one. I will admit that last night was a restless night as I was upset after reading this e-mail. It hurt because they have no clue what kind of daycare I run or my relationship with my daycare family's. I am over it now and am happy to see that others had the same idea. Definitely not worth my time nor a reply. Thanks for all your input, made me feel a lot better!

WEIRD just tell her to take her to her sisters centre and have a nice day!