Red flags in interviews

Just had an interview cancelled for the SECOND time...I should have known better than to allow them to reschedule, there were a couple big red flags...now I've wasted more time on people I obviously probably don't want to have as clients anyways.

What are some red flags during interviews or pre-interview that you've learned to watch out for?

Mine - rescheduling multiple times, having clients tell you pre-interview that they know the hours/days they will need care for, and then they let it slip that they don't even have a job yet, kids having absolutely NO discipline or manners during the interview, parents being extremely vague about what pickup time they need, parents trying to negotiate the contract and get out of paying for things like stat days...the list goes on...anybody care to add?

Totally agree with the ones you mentioned. The kids having absolutely no discipline and trying to negotiate are big red flags. Also parent constantly asking why our policies are the way they are is annoying too.

When they ask in detail about the late pickup fees or late payment fees, or show up late for the interview without calling, or are surprised that I won't administer fever meds. These are the future clients that pickup late/pay late and dose and drop. Also when I hear that infants/toddlers have no nap routine at home. Those will be the screamers that take months to settle quietly at nap time. Also children that have had no socialization prior to starting care. And the classic "let's see if I can negotiate the contract or fees" or question my illness policy. The list goes on...

I have thankfully had pretty good interviews and families....knock on wood!!!

However, I have a new little boy starting next Monday and during the interview his mom did ask about my late policy and how it worked and how flexible I am. I close at 445pm but I know that 5pm is often needed so I am a TAD flexible. She said she was asking more for "what if" but I admit, it does have me a bit worried that she will be late a lot. I'm hoping it doesn't result in a lot of late pickups but I did tell her that if it happened a lot, I am not okay with it. She gets off at 430 but because she is the one who has to lock up the office she sometimes gets out late if other coworkers are in there. The city I live in takes no more than 10 minutes to get anywhere so I'm hoping it works out!! She has to pick up dad at 5pm so it shouldn't be later than that if at all!! lol

I would be annoyed with having to reschedule a lot but I have had a few parents who needed to reschedule days or times and I have had to do the same so I don't necessarily take that one as a red flag but I can see why it would be.

Negotiating fee would be a red flag for me. I have had people tell me that I charge a high fee and some of ended up coming here anyways but none of them have tried to negotiate it with me. I do have a family who supplies their child's food though because of a dairy allergy and they mentioned that their last provider charged a bit less because of this and they asked if that is something I could offer as well. They were fine and going to stay if I didn't but I did offer $3 less a day for them. It makes them feel better and it's not a huge decrease to me. It actually worked out better because I had raised my daily fee by $5 and I think it was too big of a jump for my area so I was going to charge all new clients the $3 less one anyways.

My biggest red flags have literally been the child's behaviour. All 3 of my difficult families (who have now been either terminated or are just gone) I just had a bad gut feeling and thought to myself 'it's ok, I can handle it'. They have either been extremely hyper at the interviews or just disrespectful. One boy had actually crawled on and layer on top of my coffee table (he was 2 at the time so I just assumed it was a toddler thing - this was one of my first families), the other was so hyper that he found one of my sons ride on toys and was literally going around and around and around the kitchen table and my dog was very sketchy around him as well (he ended up having a behavioural issue and needed more aid than I could offer so I had to terminate him - my only termination so far), and the other one refused to come out of my sons pop up tent that we had set up and refused to listen to his mom and come out so they could leave (again, my very first family).

All of them I just had a bad feeling. I gave it my all with those families but was so relieved to see them go. Now I am smarter and think I will be a little bit more picky and not just jump at the first family that comes around.

Another big red flag for me is unaccountability. People who say they will show up for interviews and don't but want to reschedule last minute or those that say they will do something and not follow through (like for paperwork and such)

I am going to say that first-time-parents would be a big red flag for me, in the future. From experience they are more clingy with their babies, want constant updates (which i understand to a certain extent, but I am not going to text u after every nap, meal, poop, playtime...u will be filled in at the end of the day). It is almost another job, trying to assure them that their child is okay. All of which, makes my job harder. I have made big strides with one baby but at the beginning of every week, I am starting all over again; sleep training, playing independently etc....it is honestly an up hill battle.
Another red flag, would be the negotiating, guilt, "confusion" over the rates. This is my income, this is a career I have chosen, this is how I provide for my family, this...is....a....bu siness. My incentive not to be sick, is that I LOSE PAY. Am I entitled to vacation...u betcha! The hours for the daycare is time that I am caring for your child-ren, without taking into account that I am also preparing meals/snacks/planning menus/activities etc, after the daycare is closed....Believe me, the amount you pay is nothing compared to what I would love to charge. I feel insulted when they negotiate, as if I am entitled to less. What do u think I do all day? lol

teddybeartots...I just said to mickyc this afternoon that I think I am done with first time parents!! (of course, I'm not really going to be but it was my vent of the afternoon lol)

During interviews I am going to be more aware to how they do things at home. Self soothing is an important skill IMO and would make my life easier some days.

I agree with a lot of the above. I quickly became very choosy with who I accept and what to look out for.

Older children: they need to be present so I can see how they act and how parent's 'parent'. Of course, take it with a grain of salt b/c they are in someone else's home, but ime, what you see is what you get.

Younger children: I always ask their expectations, fears about placing their child in care, home routine, etc. This is a pretty good indicator for me as to whether or not their child will do well in group care.

First time parents: So hard in this field as most of my parents are first timers, many of whom don't have a lot of experience with children outside of their own child. I do appreciate my more experienced parents, for sure.

Interview/pre-interview: Asking questions about policies and trying to negotiate them after I tell them that they are non-negotiable; rescheduling or being late to interviews; asking if I will do ec with their child while at daycare (I've had this request more times than I can count); changing the hours that they need care after they get to the interview (usually extending them); asking about being late for pick ups before I get to that policy in the interview; I could go on and on.

Oh yes, it's very important to perfect your pre-screening skills so you don't waste your time interviewing people who really won't work out. Either by phone or email, ask all the important questions and get them out of the way. I even ask people their parenting philosophies in prescreening now because I've had an experience with an attachment parenting family, wow did I learn a lesson!

Then at the interview I'm watching the family like a hawk to see if the parents are relaxed and open to suggestions and willing to work with me as a team for the next several years. Ours will be a business relationship. I'm watching how they interact with their child, if the child seems like a healthy, happy, content individual who doesn't have to be attached to their parents necks and have the ability to go off and play with a toy and smile, you know, the family dynamic. I'm clear with the parents that I have a nurturing relationship with the child but I need to be able to help them raise their child as the secondary important person on their child's life, so we will have to solve problems together.

I've had a woman show up a day early for her interview, no, a lady with a clipboard and crazy questions, no, a woman speaking another language to her child between the father and me conducting an interview, no, a woman who wanted to know why I have plastic toys and how I clean my house in details, no.

You see, if I don't like the family I don't accept the family, period. Once you learn that, you won't be angry and upset with your families, you will be like me, mostly happy and contented and without major complaints. It's a great life and a great way to make a living once you get through the learning curve in the beginning years of this job. Of course, there is always something that comes up and throws a wrench in the best laid plans. But once you have interviewing down to a science you will do much better.

I've only a few families who have brought their little sibling to me, the rest have all been first time parents going back from mat leave with their first baby. But as I said, in the beginning I accepted parents who I shouldn't have accepted into care and now I'm more careful about that. If I didn't interview first time parents I wouldn't have any interviews.