Omg !

[crafty]

Yup so I know many of you have been down that road but I am really starting to freak out about money issues.

So I have opened back in Feb. and I have had this little P/T guys ever since and had a few temporary cares over the summer. I had filled all the spots I wanted but all of them started only this fall or winter.I found people in my area start to look for daycare very early. I had two families signed for sept. and one DROPPED me like 2 months ago. A friend of theirs opened a daycare. I was really relying on my only full time client to start...whatever I had set asside to cover me a few months is getting low and the other one starting in 2 weeks is another p/t. My other two dck only start dec. and jan. So I have still a few more months to go before getting a descent income.

Now I just learned that my little guy's parents split up and will move soon... I have been advertising for my last spot for the last 2 months hoping to find someone asap but no calls nothing. How on earth will I fill 2 spots in such a short time ! I am totaly freaking out right now.

Thanks for listenning Or should I say reading !!

[apples and bananas]

That sucks! I think we've all been there. When I'm desperate I advertise for drop ins, nights, mornings, everything! (temporary care of course) You might also want to consider networking with other daycares in your area. If you make a good impression they might use you as back up or pass some clients they don't have room for onto you.

[Momof4]

Oh crap crafty! If it helps, these things can happen to anybody. I had a little boy here for over a year and a relative decided to open a daycare and wanted him for her first client. So I just lost him in June.

Don't be afraid to ask family and friends to spread the word about your daycare. Do you have a website? Do you advertise with large companies and at Mom & baby groups? Get your name out there everywhere you can possibly think of and interview like a mad woman until you find the right families. You will find them.

[crafty]

That's what I try to keep telling myself ... It happens right. I'm so use to a steady income and planning eveything. If that family had not dropped me for Sept. I would have been fine. I will be pushing the advertisment as best as I can for sure. Thanks for the tips.

It's just so much stress and I think the worst part is that I am SOOOOOO looking forward into having a house full of kiddies. Right now I'm feeling like I'm failing. I"m not loosing hope or anything but it's a difficult business to manage for sure. Some days more than other and today is one of those days.

Thank godness for all of you guys ;0)

[Cocoon]

Where are you based? I have been turning away clients and I have another one left message on my phone looking for care which I need to call to let them know that I don't have available spot.

[Crayola kiddies]

Yup the first year is the hardest. My first year I had one f/t and one p/t for the whole year plus I had one after school from Jan to June and a different one b&a from sept to dec ....then in dec my p/t left .... It wasn't until dec that I started to get a ton of calls and I filled 3 ft spots for Jan and one for feb and just like that I was full. Now I have one leaving for jk and I'm advertising that spot ..... Summer isn't really a great time IME for inquiries unless it's for school age kids which I only take one at a time. ...... So you have to persevere but it will come. Can you perhaps take a part time job in the evenings or a day on the weekend to bridge the gap till you sign a few more on? Hope the calls start coming in for you

[DCP_But_Momma_1st]

this happened in my first year as well. I think it was a combo of things. Firstly I was new and I *think* that some families might have not been fully comfortable with that even if I did win them over in the interview. Secondly I now know better than to hold spots for anyone. If I do hold a spot for more that a month now (which I really wont do anymore unless the spot is full until they need it) I make the families pay for it. I lost out on thousands of dollars that first year.

Good luck. I often find that things always seem to have a way of working out, and usually for the better.

[crafty]

Thanks a lot Coccoon ! But I am way out in the est end. I don't think we are close.

@ Crayola, yeah I have definately been lookikng around for a part-time job. Thing is my husband works long hours and every other weekend as well and we don't have easy acces to a sitter. So it has been difficult to find that as well... but I"m still looking.

You are totally right Momma 1st. I sure learned my lesson. I will ask for a bigger deposit and holding fees. Thing is, out of everyone who had called me only 3 were looking for sopts righ away (that was back in april/may I think) and it did nto work out (allergies and relocation) . People call me WAY to much ahead of time. I have 2 people on a call back list for March 2013 ... they both called when the baby was one month old !

Anyway hanging in there ... Thanks everyone !!

[kidlove]

Hay Crafty: I feel for you, just know that it WILL get better. When I started the first year or two were a little tough to keep regulars and solid income. The longer you are open the better the "word" will get around and you won't even have to advertise much. I remember after my first year I actually attempted to leave daycare and work in the schools,thought I was done with it....until I left, then realized how much I loved it! stick in there, for your kid and family! it will be worth it!!!

[lainey76]

Where in the East end are you ? I've had a few calls in the past few days ... I'm in the Trim road area.