Do you ever feel pressure?

HI everyone....
Just wondering if anyone else ever feels the pressure to live up to really high expectations?
I run a pretty tight and fun ship. The kids and families are all great.
One family is so great they recently OFFERED me a voluntary raise of $15 per week. I never mentioned a peep about fees and they just email me and tell me that they are so happy with me that they want to increase it and won't take no for an answer.

Pretty amazing parents but now I feel pressured to live up to this ideal that they seem to have of me.

Then I interviewed a new family (17 mo old girl from my other conflicted post). Fantastic family and child and they were going to wait and start January and now they call and say they are so anxious and pleased and 'excited' about my daycare that they want to start as soon as possible and not wait for their existing provider to shut down. They keep going on about how thrilled they are to have found me and how wonderful my daycare and program seems that now I feel like they like me 'too' much and I feel pressure that I have to impress them or keep them at that level.

Ahhhhh! It seems silly probably but when people have really high expectations of me I get stressed and panicked and feel like I have a weight on my shoulder to live up to it.

Oh I hear ya ... I try to look at it as a compliment but sometimes that kind of shiny pedestal makes one constantly aware of how far they have to fall should they accidentally topple off it .... just focus on doing what you do naturally and being who you naturally cause that is whom they've fallen for!

Spixie33 take a moment and enjoy your success!!!!!!!!!!!!! ! You are obviously doing everything right and have instilled confidence in the parents and they are soooo relieved to have someone they can trust to care for their child. Just keep doing what you are doing, keep communicating with the parents as you have been and run your program like you have always done. You are so fortunate to be appreciated. I'm sure you have read on this forum that that is a common complaint amongst providers so enjoy the respect and admiration you have earned. :thumbsup: I just thought of a funny analogy, you are like some one who has won the lottery and then laments "now what am I going to do with all this money?" :)

Spixie, that's wonderful! I agree with mimi and you should enjoy the compliment and realize that you are valued by your clients. Don't worry about a thing because you're obviously doing everything right!

I often feel the same way Spixie! I am very happy and proud that my daycare is going so well and that parents are eager to start with me and I have a waitinlist...but I do feel pressure to live up to the expectations. I just try to tell myself that I must be living up to them because nobody has ever left ;) I think we have to give ourselves permission to have days when we don't do much and not feel that we have to have something amazing to tell parents about each day...otherwise we will burn out! It is a good problem to have...much better than not being able to fill our spots, but I know exactly how you feel :)

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Originally Posted by mimi

I just thought of a funny analogy, you are like some one who has won the lottery and then laments "now what am I going to do with all this money?" :)

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I know I am weird. I want them to like me and then they like me and I panic and feel like I might disappoint them. I want them to realize they are in a good daycare and then they sing my praises and I am thinking "wow - how do I top myself now?"

I quess it is also like when the best looking guy in high school asks you out. You are thrilled at first and then your insecurities want to be heard and then you feel like a fraud and think once he gets to know you he won't like you anymore. So tell those nasty insecurites to hit the road

I totally get you! I've had a few cases where the child is either switching from another daycare because they found out I had an opening, or their a friend of someone I've had in the past and have heard great things and I have felt the same.

But, you know what? It motivates me. They expect a lot, but since it's what they've heard to be true or have learned from me it's all realistic expectations and it motivates me to WANT to do more, plan more, etc... Not in a burn-out way, but in an I like my job way! It's like starting fresh with something to prove to someone who is already happy with you! It works for me.

Try thinking about how impressed they really will be when they see it all for their own eyes instead of a stress.

Just do what you are doing. They arent asking anything extra from you. Obviously you run a great program and I wouldnt worry about adding any extra pressure to what you do by worrying that you will let someone down. :)

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Originally Posted by Spixie33

HI everyone....
Just wondering if anyone else ever feels the pressure to live up to really high expectations?
I run a pretty tight and fun ship. The kids and families are all great.
One family is so great they recently OFFERED me a voluntary raise of $15 per week. I never mentioned a peep about fees and they just email me and tell me that they are so happy with me that they want to increase it and won't take no for an answer.

Pretty amazing parents but now I feel pressured to live up to this ideal that they seem to have of me.

Then I interviewed a new family (17 mo old girl from my other conflicted post). Fantastic family and child and they were going to wait and start January and now they call and say they are so anxious and pleased and 'excited' about my daycare that they want to start as soon as possible and not wait for their existing provider to shut down. They keep going on about how thrilled they are to have found me and how wonderful my daycare and program seems that now I feel like they like me 'too' much and I feel pressure that I have to impress them or keep them at that level.

Ahhhhh! It seems silly probably but when people have really high expectations of me I get stressed and panicked and feel like I have a weight on my shoulder to live up to it.

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That's wonderful!!! You should be very proud of yourself! Sounds like you just need to keep doing what you're doing :)