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Hello,
I was wondering if anyone has any advice/questions I could use for two interviews tomorrow night and friday morning. I have a list of questions, but they applymore to older children/children that have already attended care. Both of these interviews are with moms still on mat leave.
Thank you for any help you can give. :)
I am assuming you won't be taking the children till they are closer to age 1 so sometimes it is important to remind parents that their child will be different than they are now. Parents that come to me get concerned when they see that I don't have infant swings and things like that and I have to remind them that by the time their child starts they will be too big for those things and ready for other things that I then show them.
As far as questions ask the current routine of the child - naptimes, how long, how is the child put down - awake and laid down, held till they fall asleep, must have a bottle to settle, etc. If foods have been started how it is going and if not what plan does the parent have to start them. Ask about any issues regarding feeding, spitting up, diaper issues. Confirm that the parent will need to provide the diapers, formula, puree foods or whatever you expect from the parents.
I like to get the parents to share with me an idea of what they hope for their child as it gives me an idea of what they are really looking for in daycare. Do they stress academics, do they seem unsure of what to expect and need reassurance.
Realize that the whole daycare experience is new to the parents and take the time to go over parts of your contract and what it means.
What I look for in an interview with an infant is the connection between the parents and the child and how the mom seems to be about separating - do they put the child down to play, let me hold the child, does dad hold or always mom, does dad get to ask questions or does mom monopolize the conversation. What tone of voice do they use when they ask questions - helps to tell how I will be treated - professional vice the hired help.
Do ask if anyone else has cared for the child such as a babysitter for a night out, has child been taken to places where other people are including playgroup, church nursery, family events.
One moms mat leave is up at the end of sept, I assume that the baby will be at least 11mo.
Now the other mom is quite the organizer and isn't done her mat leave until April. I said I don't know at this point if I will have an opening in April, but she is a teacher and said Sept would work too. Which then I will have a spot as a 3yo boy will be leaving for school and new sitter in his home area(I live by dads work and knew them previously). I think it's a little crazy to be looking this early-as she doesn't need care for another 8 months.
"What I look for in an interview with an infant is the connection between the parents and the child and how the mom seems to be about separating - do they put the child down to play, let me hold the child, does dad hold or always mom, does dad get to ask questions or does mom monopolize the conversation. What tone of voice do they use when they ask questions - helps to tell how I will be treated - professional vice the hired help."
Bingo.... other than finding out what the daily routines are/will be for them, I more so want to know how mom and dad will be about sending their baby to a dayhome. They may need some handholding, especially the more nervous/uptight first time parents. I go through our daily routine, and I have a handout for first-time childcare parents as to what to expect and how to transition easily.
For the early-birdie (8 months in advance!) I would interview, and give the tour, etc. HOWEVER; I would not secure a spot for her this early. And I would recommend that if she does feel comfortable, come back for another interview approximately 6weeks to a month before care will be beginning. Simply explain that care provided for a 4 to 5 month old is drastically different than for an almost 1 year old. She (and you) will get a more accurate picture of whether the arrangement will be mutually agreeable at that time.
I also ask parents if anyone else has cared for thier child, and whether or not the child has had much exposure to other children (be it family or strangers). If I get the feeling that mom and dad have been the only social stimulation little one has had, I will STRONGLY recommend that they begin to take him/her to some new environments. Playgroup, indoor facilities, even the park to hang out with other munchkins. It makes it easier when they begin to come to you, I find.
I agree totally with the infant/parent connection. You will be able to tell instantly the type of parents and child that will be part of your daycare. I always let the parents know that just as they are interviewing me to see if I am the caregiver they are looking for, I am interviewing them to make sure that they will fit into my extended family.
Go with your gut feeling as to whether you are going to register the child, this is usually the right feeling.
Hi,
Good ideal, pls try to keep posting. I like this topic very much and I will digged this one. Tks again.
It's been awhile since I've interviewed for spots, but I like to ask the parents their philosohy and expectations of discipline. Let's face it, one year olds are starting to learn and test boundaries and how they do things at home will have an impact on your dynamic within your daycare. I've had parents tell me that they use a tone of voice as deterrence and discipline...turns out the voice was a sickly sweet, sing songy wishy washy romper room voice...not gonna fly in group care. . If little timmy is about to bowl over little emily, using a sing song voice isn't going to work when there are up to 5 other kids vying for toys and attention around you. KWIM?
Go over illness policies too. Make it abundantly clear what is and isn't acceptable in group care/your home. I've also had parents dose their fevered kid with advil before coming and not telling me about it until it had worn off and the fever had returned....Deceptio n equals immediate termination in my contract. Some, not all, parents are too selfish to want to take time off work or make suitable alternate arrangements for their sick kid.
Make sure you feel 100% comfortable with bringing the family into your care. I've had parents tell me that they were on the same page as me with how I run things and how I discipline and when their kid started biting and grabbing the other kids by the hair and dragging them around, they just ignored it and played dumb....made me realize they fed me a line to get a spot.
I don't mean to be so negative, but I've had a few reprehensible families in my 2 years, so I have lots of "what if" questions in my arsenal now.
Also, make sure the parents know to have an alternate lined up in the event you need to close. I had to close because my daughter whacked her head off a coffee table and I had to wake her every couple of hours to check for concussion. Working the next day would've been hell so I closed for the day to take care of her and to get some sleep. One of my families admitted that they didn't think about having an emergence alternate lined up for these cases. They just had an alternate for planned days off and holidays.
If you want to get more materials that related to this topic, you can visit: http://interviewquestionsandanswers....s-and-answers/
Best regards.
Do you have an Ontario Early Years Centre near you? In the city where I live this organization has a list of questions parents should ask potential HDCP's and if you look at the list it covers everything you should cover during an interview.
During the emailing or phone call stages I make sure parents have read my website entirely because it covers all my most important details - hours of business, fees and other important things. I ask them lots of questions at this stage to make sure I won't be wasting my time by having them come over for an interview.
I start my interviews with a tour of my daycare rooms, kitchen, dining room, toyroom, half bath for toilet training and tell parents how I have organized each room for daycare use during the day. Then I give a rundown of our daily routine and ask how they feel their child would fit in. I give out my resume and go over a few points in my contract. Then I ask them to tell me about themselves and I take notes, their jobs & locations, home location, child's behaviour and routines, and let the conversation move naturally along.
If we are in sync and conversations are moving along well I am willing to spend the time, but if someone comes in without their child or don't even take off their coat or have a clipboard and an attitude I try to move things along very quickly so I'm not wasting my time. Interviewing is a skill you learn as you practice, but you learn to spot the red flags and warning signals for families you don't want to have in your daycare.
I might be the odd man out in this but I will and do hold/secure a space that far in advance if I know I'll have an opening. They have to pay me a holding fee though as soon as that space opens up until they need it. Right now I know that I'll have 2 - 3 spaces open for July/Aug/Sept and I have actually already filled 2 of those spaes for that time. The space doesn't actually open up until July 1 so they pay me the registration fee and then a holding fee for July and Aug. Now it saves me from having to look and worry about filling spaces later.
As for interview questions...I agree with the others.
Hi
I found that a member asked same question in this forum some months ago.
Pls use search box to find this questions with comments
If you want to get more materials that related to this topic, you can visit: Child care teacher interview questions
Best regards.
Fruitloop, I'll hold spaces that I know are coming up too with a deposit and a signed contract. If the space stays empty because they aren't starting for a month I also charge a holding fee of the equivalent of one week pay. I don't think it's fair to have them pay any more than that but that's just me. Different daycare providers charge different fees for this.
For the advice about infant questions I love all the advice already given on this thread, but my main goals for the parents are to have them make sure they nudge the baby toward our schedule regarding food and naps as much as possible before starting. I want them to give me full info so I can keep the baby healthy and happy by making sure their home and daycare schedules are really similar. I insist on open communication with the parent and my newest families usually email back and forth with me during the day, especially at naptimes for questions and answers and the mother's peace of mind.
[QUOTE=Momof4;10978]Fruitloop, I'll hold spaces that I know are coming up too with a deposit and a signed contract. If the space stays empty because they aren't starting for a month I also charge a holding fee of the equivalent of one week pay. I don't think it's fair to have them pay any more than that but that's just me. Different daycare providers charge different fees for this.
QUOTE]
But it's fair for the parent to expect me to be out an income/short anywhere from $700 and up depending on how long they want me to hold the spot for? Asking a parent to pay a $200/month holding fee is not unreasonable I don't think considering our loss for doing so.
I'm really thinking about this subject right now so fruitloop, spur me on! I have a little boy going to JK in Sep. and his little sister is taking his space, but not until next Jan!!!!!!!! So I'm keeping his space empty for 4 months.
I have mentioned to the Mom that I want to charge her 1 week pay per month to hold the space. However, my contracts renew Nov. 1st every year and I'm considering adding something to the contract about this since I have never run into this situation before and currently there isn't even anything about this in there.
I like to give my clients lots of notice when I'm going to make any changes to the contract so I will have to make this decision soon.
Momof4, you were only charging a deposit and only 1 week pay to hold the fees? Is this right (just want to make sure I'm reading that correct :) )? So if you held a space for 4 months, that's over $2000 of income you would be out until they start. See, charging a piddley $200/month is nothing in the big picture but at least it's something...you would still make $800 and not be out as much. You're still out a lot considering but at least it's something right? It also makes parents stay put. If you hold a space for say 4 months and then they call you 3.5 months in and say "ya, we decided to stay home with our children or we found a place closer to us/cheaper"...or whatever their reason, then you really are out a crap load of money AND now have to interview again to try and fill the space that you had been holding for the last 3.5 months and you could potentially be out more money if you don't find anyone right away, kwim? Making the parents invest a little more money makes them generally want to stay so the money isn't "wasted".
I totally agree .... When I first started I had two different families sign a contract and I asked for a two week holding fee ....one spot was being held for 3 1/2 months and the other spit for 5 1/2 months .... Stupid me!!!! I integrated both of the kids but the parents cancelled prior to starting ... One mom couldn't handle being away from the child and spent the whole time he was here integrating crying so she stayed home and the other one was new to the area and found a caregiver across the street so after holding the spots for all those months neither child started so I lost a lot if income (3000$ for one and 4000$ for the other) never again ....and the worst part was I had to turn away other families because I didn't have open spots as these ones were being held.... I got a bit smarter and now I charge a monthly fee so far that has worked for me as i haven't had anybody not start after dropping over $1000 to hold a spot. A couple hundred bucks is way to easy to walk away from ... It has to be substantial enough to keep them.