Interviewing far in advance

[sunnydays]

Just wondering how far in advance everyone does interviews? I have had people contact me for a possible spot a year from now...I have no idea if I will have a spot then, but it seems a bit early to have an interview. I am getting a lot of people contact me now and I have filled all my spaces...I am not sure if I should let them still come for interviews in case something opens up or one of the families I have just signed on doesn't work out. I have one coming this evening, but don't want to be having interviews all the time. Just wondering what everyone else does. Thanks!

[kidlove]

I would invite them to come and check things out, meet you, and view your policies, then let them know how far in advance you would be able to hold a spot....unless they wanted to pay for it? even then, I always tell parents, I am here to take care of children not get paid for not having them. Would much rather have a little person to snuggle, than collect a paycheck for nothing!

[sunnydays]

Well, I'm okay with collecting a paycheck for nothing if they want to pay for the spot for months in advance, but I don't anticipate any openings, so that wouldn't even be possible at this stage. I figure I will let them come just so that if any of the kids don't pan out in their transition months, I can call them up and say, yes I have a spot. But a year in advance seems a bit too much!

[apples and bananas]

I've said it before... In order to keep our dayhomes full we need to constantly market ourselves. I've interviewed pregnant women! I hate to interview... the extra cleaning... the time away from my family... the stress... UGH! But, at the end of the day... when that pregnant woman needs me and I don't have room for her, she at least has a great impression of me. Mommy's hang out with mommy's. Some day a friend is going to ask for references on amazing daycares and that pregnant lady will hopefully say... "I know a great one, but they didn't have room for me... you should call her, she was amazing!"

It's all word of mouth.

[Momof4]

Trust me, don't interview until about 2 months before you have a space to fill or you will just get all the shoppers coming out to see your daycare. We work too hard, for long days and shouldn't be wasting our precious evening time.

[Littledragon]

I will do 6 months AT MOST. I had someone contact me for fall 2013 and I told her to contact me again in the spring. There is just no way to know if I'll have a spot and I am definielty not holding it for that long. Preferably, I like to do 2 months max, but I will push it to 6 months

[Mamma_Mia]

I do 2-3 months in advance. I've received emails re: care when the child now is only 4 months..LOL I told them that's I can't promise that I'll have an opening but I'll answer any questions they have and tell them to feel free to reach out to me again 2-3 months before care is to start and we will go from there.

I don't want to burn any bridges and really answering a 5min email isn't going to hurt. Word of mouth is BIG and if they don't use me maybe a friend of theirs can.