Birthday Idea for a Mom

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Originally Posted by KingstonMom

I think you are over thinking this.
Its just a Dad dropping off his kid to a daycare simply asking a favour of the provider.
Relax people!!!!

Whats next?? You are the kind of people who dont hold doors open for others because "If you do it for one, you will be stuck doing it for them all!!"
Where is a little common courteousy and generosity?!

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I'm not over thinking it.

Please tell me in what other service industry that it would be ok to ask for a favour?

Daycare is a business. Plain and simple. It has nothing to do with courteously and generosity. Do you think my server at the Olive Garden would run out and get me a bottle of Dom Perignon to be courteous and generous? No, that isn't their job.
Do you think that Walmart will special order me the flavour of coffee I want to buy? No, it isn't their job.

Why is daycare any different?

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Originally Posted by Nottellin'

I'm not over thinking it.

Please tell me in what other service industry that it would be ok to ask for a favour?

Daycare is a business. Plain and simple. It has nothing to do with courteously and generosity. Do you think my server at the Olive Garden would run out and get me a bottle of Dom Perignon to be courteous and generous? No, that isn't their job.
Do you think that Walmart will special order me the flavour of coffee I want to buy? No, it isn't their job.

Why is daycare any different?

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This is where we differ in opinion. That server should do his/her best to satisfy your request. I come from the service and tourist industry. I worked for a company that worked towards "wowing" customers. We went above and beyond every chance we could, and celebrated that.

You go to disney world and you are wowed left right and centre. Their job IS to satisfy the customer in any way they can.

That's how I look at my job. I go above and beyond to satsify my clients.

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Originally Posted by apples and bananas

This is where we differ in opinion. That server should do his/her best to satisfy your request. I come from the service and tourist industry. I worked for a company that worked towards "wowing" customers. We went above and beyond every chance we could, and celebrated that.

You go to disney world and you are wowed left right and centre. Their job IS to satisfy the customer in any way they can.

That's how I look at my job. I go above and beyond to satsify my clients.

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Disney world sure isn't handing out all those "wow" factors for fee. You pay a pretty penny for them.

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Originally Posted by sunnydays

A & B, I totally agree that flexibility is needed in home daycare. I have tons of flexibility and often do activities, crafts, etc spur of the moment because the kids ask for it or a question from a child leads to a great activity, etc etc etc. I don't think most of us have a problem with that, but rather the way it is assumed by a parent that it's no big deal to do this.
But, more importantly...I actually wasn't going to post again as this thread is getting rather long.....but I cannot let this go. You said that you don't do daycare as a "money-maker". Well, I am sorry, but I DO! There is no way, much as a I love kids, that I would take in 5 kids every day ll day if I were not making money doing it. Perhaps that' s why I value things like paid stat holidays, paid vacation days, and paid personal days and being paid a decent rate on time and without any argument from parents. I work HARD in this job. I deserve to be paid fairly and to be able to afford to support my family. That is why I am doing it. To stay home and to make a living while raising my kids. I love what I do and find it very rewarding watching the kids grow and thrive....but there is NO way I would do it for free or even for the extremely low rates some providers charge. I would find that demoralizing and it would not be worth putting all of this time and energy into. Every time a daycare provider says they are not in it for the money, we all take a collective step backwards. It reaffirms the public view that we should not want to be paid well...that the pure joy of looking at those little faces and wiping those little bums should be enough. For me, there is no job joyful enough that I would submit myself to these demands and not be financially compensated for it. If I wanted a job like that, I would be a volunteer.

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Thank you sunnydays. Sums up my thoughts exactly!

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Originally Posted by monkeymama

Disney world sure isn't handing out all those "wow" factors for fee. You pay a pretty penny for them.

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Absolutely! I don't care for kids for free either. I have a business. I do charge to care for children. I know I'm not going to get rich doing it. If I didn't love it, I wouldn't do it. And making clients happy, making kids happy, going above and beyond makes it enjoyable for me.

I also have a full daycare and am booked solid for the next 2 years. I have referrals all over the place. I have people call me because they've heard about me. I'm sure you all do to, but this is how I maintain my business and this is the model I choose to follow.

Some days we have flexible schedules and some days we don't because I have big plans already made. It was rude of the dad to assume that what I had planned for the day was less important than what he had planned for me for the day - um my daycare, my plans. Does it take much to have a child make a card no - but it would be a piece of paper folded in half with me printing Happy Birthday Mom on it and child scribbling with crayons on it taking only a few minutes while I made lunch and not detracting from our day. The other kids would get to do one too.

Actually I would probably just do it for all of them and write To Someone Special on the front and then let them draw on the inside as they wanted. I would not turn it into a craft that used my supplies, etc. as that is not what I am paid to do.

I traced the boys hands... I left him to colour them... I cut them out during quiet time (took all of 2 min) Then I had him cut a straight line of paper. I folded it and wrote "this much" On it. On one hand I wrote "I Love You" Then we glued the hands to each end of the straight paper and he had a nice little card that when opened said, I love you this much.

Thank you to the person who pm'd me their pinterest board and I found it there.

I cut out 3 hearts and made a book, dcg colored and glued and used glitter (glue and glitter are only used when the babies are sleeping) she's so proud. You can't bottle up that grin thats for sure! I like the hand idea.

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Originally Posted by momofnerds

I cut out 3 hearts and made a book, dcg colored and glued and used glitter (glue and glitter are only used when the babies are sleeping) she's so proud. You can't bottle up that grin thats for sure! I like the hand idea.

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What a great idea! Thanks for sharing. That might work for shamrocks too. A little glitter and glue goes a long way!

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Originally Posted by apples and bananas

This is where we differ in opinion. That server should do his/her best to satisfy your request. I come from the service and tourist industry. I worked for a company that worked towards "wowing" customers. We went above and beyond every chance we could, and celebrated that.

You go to disney world and you are wowed left right and centre. Their job IS to satisfy the customer in any way they can.

That's how I look at my job. I go above and beyond to satsify my clients.

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You can "wow" your customers and still say no.

Can you imagine if I went to Disneyland and said " I don't like fireworks, I want a light show instead". Do you think they would do it or would I get a "No"?

Do you really think your server is going to run to the liquor store for you and neglect all, her other tables and miss out on tips just to do you a favour?

Do you really think Walmart is going to go out of their way to contact a supplier and create a ton of paperwork just to get you your coffee?

No. I have also worked in the service industry, and big companies aren't in the habit of saying yes, they are in the habit of saying no , but not making you feel bad about it.