So Frustrating! Other Provider's false advertizing

I was posting my ad on kijiji. I look through the other ads to see what other providers have to offer and to see if I'm competitive. Many of the ads claim they offer "quality" childcare. This one woman in particular. We belong to a few of the same facebook groups and I see on one that she doesn't run a program, she's also stated that she doesn't have a dedicated daycare room, she isn't set up as a preschool. That the kids just play all day.
I am in no way attacking those who do not have a preschool room!!
But how does she claim to offer quality care if she doesn't have a program! That's the definition of quality care. She's a babysitter IMO, not a daycare provider. She's close enough to my area to be 'my competition'. It's so frustrating to have someone like that claim to do the same job that I do!

Don't worry about what other do, just do your thing. I've had potential clients looking for everything from free play all day to structured 24/7. Simply state in your adds what you provide (and why) and you will find the parents who are looking for the same thing. Show off why you believe you are better without commenting specifically on others. For example, I offer a preschool program that helps children develop.... That way you are promoting yourself, not bashing others.

A lot depends on the ages she takes and what she does during play. I say that I offer a program but that doesn't mean I run a teacher led circletime/lesson time all morning long. The kids "just play" but our learning is built into our play. A "program" at the toddler level means that the children are exposed to the basics of academics letters, colours, numbers, shapes but that can be done by counting and sorting hot wheels cars or duplo blocks just as it can be with flashcards and stick puppets and crafts. As kids get older we do more and more "formal" lessons leading up to going to kindergarten. I work more on things we do together since it is a group rather than things they can do on their own with parents like scribble on paper or paint. They come to me for socialization and learning to get along.

When parents interview they will be able to see for themselves what is available to the children and will make up their minds based on what they want for their children.

I run my program like your's playfelt. I never bring up other providers because usually I just don't care what they're up to. My program and reputation is all that matters to me. I was just having a rant. It bugs me that my 'competition' these fly-by-night, unreliable, untrained, inexperienced people. Logically I know that if they are that bad they will fail, but at what cost?

In my opinion "quality care" does not necessarily refer to a structured program.
If the children's physical and emotional needs are being met, they are being offered the right quantities of the right types of food, they are being challenged developmentally with learning games, and they both have fun and feel safe; that says quality to me.
And you can do all of the above by "playing" all day long! As the other gals said, leave that for the parents to choose. You continue to offer the care program that you do, and the right parents will find you.

I agree with mom-in-alberta. Play, safety, and love are all part of quality care. I don't think it's false-advertising...

I agree with the ladies above that your idea of quality care may not be the same as the next person's. An educational program or structured learning may be considered paramount to one parent while another parent may not care for one at all and would prefer that the kids "just play" as long as they are fed well, given love and care and kept safe and clean etc. I would not call this babysitting, I would just call it a different style of care than the one you offer. One is not necessarily better than the other and it is not false advertising unless she is saying that she does things she does not actually do.

I do agree with the ladies above ~ quality care may not be the same as the next. There are a lot of different styles of daycare and parents have their own list of must haves for their little ones.
There is a lot of competition in my area but, I don't worry about it ~if anything I encourage parents to meet with other providers to let them get a better sense of what they are looking for and who they are comfortable with.

I agree with the others about posting what you offer and why. There are many caregivers in my area that advertise quality care but feed fishy crackers and hot dogs. TO ME, that's not quality care but to other folks it IS. Different strokes. I run a very play based program. We do have circle time and sing-a-longs, outdoor time and a formal activity time but it is all centered around playing :) Some parents would find my program too relaxed and some too rigid but I see it as a perfect balance and I can only hope to attract families that agree.

Not to be rude but isn't quality care ensuring the kids are fed, safe and free of hurting one self and others. If you have a quality program what makes hers not quality? How do you know how much she is influencing those kids? I don’t claim to have a pre-school program either due to the fact that I don’t have schooling to back it up. What is a piece of paper anyway? Teaching kids and getting through to them is a special gift and not everyone has, even those with degrees.

I also don't claim to offer a preschool program...or any particular "program" to be honest, but I absolutely believe that I offer quality care. I care for, feed, clean, keep safe and entertain the kids and I also include lots of learning activities (structured and unstructured) into our days. That is my idea of quality care and the parents who have signed with me seem to agree. I do not have a curriculum as a school would because I am not a school...I am a home daycare...and the kids feel like they are at home when they are with me (hopefully). I take mainly 1 and 2 year olds, but if I had a group of 3 year olds I would do more crafts, more preschool type activities, etc...I am not sure I would call it a program still...but I would call it quality care. Different strokes for different folks.

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Originally Posted by Skysue

Not to be rude but isn't quality care ensuring the kids are fed, safe and free of hurting one self and others. If you have a quality program what makes hers not quality? How do you know how much she is influencing those kids? I don’t claim to have a pre-school program either due to the fact that I don’t have schooling to back it up. What is a piece of paper anyway? Teaching kids and getting through to them is a special gift and not everyone has, even those with degrees.

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I don't think stating she offers "quality care" is claiming anything that isn't a regular standard of what we do. No one is going to say they offer "less then adequate" care!

I think if she were to stat that she offers "a fully accredited preschool program", and then doesn't, that there is something to complain about in that.

I as well feel your frustration though, there is a dayhome close to here, who charges significantly less than what I charge, is very close in location, and her ad shows all the things that she does with the kids, and sounds fantastic. I know it is not so, because my son attended her dayhome prior to me opening my own. And he was horribly mistreated. But rest assured, I have two kids in my dayhome now that are both familiar with this lady. One had actually attended there for a week, and one interviewed and opted not to take their child there.

So like the other have all said, don't worry about what she's doing, just keep doing a good job, and provide the childcare that children deserve! We are rewarded not only from the parents, but by having happy children in our dayhomes!