Am I scaring people off?

[Starshine]

Previously when I have done childcare, it was rather informal in the sense that I did not have a contract, I did not ask for paid stats/sick days, etc. I had tons of interest when I advertised and I was full.

Now after reading a lot of information on here and other places, I decided to be more professional about it. I made a contract, a website, everything is outlined including that parents will pay for days there children are scheduled to be here even if they're sick/it's a holiday, etc. I'm still getting inquiries, but I'm finding that people are not calling after the interview.

The only thing different now than before is that I have become more professional/formal, and I'm concerned that I'm scaring people off. But at the same time, I hear that this is what everyone does now and that it is the norm to have a contract like this, etc. Should I go back to the way I was doing it before? I might have to if I don't start getting kids here. I thought that being more formal about everything would help, but it hasn't at all!

[Momof4]

First, if you are getting inquiries and scheduling interviews that's a good first step. You have to fine tune your interviewing skills with your new methods of running your business. Are you in a large city or a small town? It sounds like you used to 'babysit'? Is that correct? But now you want to run a daycare and follow all the rules of the Day Nurseries Act and be a real business woman.

Don't throw away your contract, please! You deserve to be treated fairly and you need to attract the kind of families who respect that fact. I consider myself to be very informal, yet I keep a schedule for the children and have definite rules that must be observed by all parents and children and I expect my contract to be followed to the letter.

It's really difficult to get started. You have to get that first client to prove that you are doing a good job to get more clients and that's hard sometimes. Do you have a plan for your daily routines, activities you can do inside and outside the house, food and naptime plans, teaching plans and all the rest ready to go? If so, go over all of that in your interviews and describe how you will run your daycare.

Don't give up, you will find the right families. It took me a while but now I know what kind of families I want and what kind I don't want and I am comfortable during interviews now. Sometimes rejection still stings and then right around the corner will arrive the perfect clients. Be patient, and above all else, don't be desperate, be confident. I'm sending you all the luck I can.

[Starshine]

Thank you so much for your reply.

I'm in a large city. I have always had a schedule of activities, meal plan, nap time, etc--that hasn't changed. The only thing I've changed basically is writing it all out in a contract that I'm asking people to sign. I cared for full-time children before, just like I'm looking for now, but if their kids were sick or if it was a holiday I didn't require payment. That's all that I'm changing. I don't know if I'm imagining it or not, but as soon as I start discussing those things with parents, I feel like they are not expecting to have to pay for sick days/holidays. Everything else in the interview goes great, but as soon as that comes up they get quiet. Those things are on my website, and I do ask them to read over it before they come. I had an interview this week and the mother outright questioned why she should have to pay for the time her child isn't here. And I explained that she would be paying for the spot, not the time used, but she basically told me the income loss is my concern, not hers. And that's the vibe I'm getting from everyone, is that they don't feel they should have to pay for time their kid isn't using, whether it's sickness/holidays. And since I'm not hearing back from these people, I'm assuming they are finding a provider who isn't asking them to pay for these things. Gah, just so frustrated.

[Inspired by Reggio]

I feel your pain Starshine - it might depend on your province and how childcare works and viewed and what is 'customary' for you area - this is the NORM in my city to have theses things... the Ontario Early Years centres and other government agency do a great job of promoting what to look for in 'quality childcare' and contracts and policies and so forth are things on their 'checklists' and in fact those who do not are well often red flagged by most clients seeking care as 'why not' and they have the opposite expereince as you - they struggle to be full.

However some people will just never 'get' it - the reality is that either way they ARE paying for these things either directly or indirectly ... this is why I offer clients TWO payment options a lower consistent fee for the 'spot' where the fees are the same 52 weeks a year regardless if I am closed, sick, on vacation (as long as I do not exceed the agreed upon closures) OR a higher weekly fee where they do not pay me for the closures but in the END after 52 weeks both plans are the SAME it is just in how you BUDGET .... so for some people SEEING that option A) is a nice consistent fee easier to budget for verses option B) which is well much higher for the most part because it factors in the 'lost income' on the weeks I am closed and therefore they are paying me less and than I have to budget to put aside money for those closed without pay times

[playfelt]

Another thing to look at is the way you are doing interviews now compared to how you did them before. It is one thing to be professional but it is another to come across as authoritarion and unwilling to budge and while that is the way we intend to be it doesn't set the best tone at the interview. Make sure the interview is still about being warm and friendly and not just about what is in the contract. To some degree the initial interview is about you, your home, setup, and their needs and all of your personallities gelling. There are very few people with contracts where there is anything totally unusual in them so they are comparing you on the first elements I mentioned.

So much has to do with supply and demand. When there are tons of caregivers then people can interview most of them before picking. If the people that have come haven't outright said thanks but we have gone with someone else then there is still a chance they are weighing their options and will be back.

[Momof4]

Sorry to be so slow but I've been away on vacation. Starshine, I tell people that I charge full fees no matter if there are holidays, sick or missed days for any reason for 49 weeks every year. That makes it easy for them to budget and for me to budget and no questions ever on how much is payable.

Yes, if they average out the actual days their children are in attendance they are paying a slightly higher rate than my base rate. For instance, I have 15 closed paid days per year when I list all the stat holidays I take so I get paid a little more per day that way for every day I work, but my rates are fair. If they want to do that much math, power to them!

I take 3 unpaid weeks of vacation per year and if I had to close for an emergency they would not have to pay me. But I also wrote 3 paid personal days into my contract that I rarely use but it's nice to know if one of the children makes me sick (and that's how I get sick!) that I can still be paid.

Stick to your plan and the respectful, responsible families who will value your work and contributions to their children's lives will find you. Parents are very educated these days and can research other daycares and see the similarities and differences between the daycares and choose the ones that are best for their families. But we also have to choose the families that fit our daycares. Nobody questions my days off ever because they are listed in the contract and they have lots of notice and if they don't have the day off they can arrange for a grandparent, etc. for the day.