Just Venting....

[Monday 2 Friday Mama]

I cannot believe how long it is taking me to find a family to fill this last space in my program - I've been advertsing and interviewing but no luck. Does anyone have any good suggestions about where I could place an ad ? I'm located in Ottawa and I'm already posted on Kijiji, Craigslist, UsedOttawa, and (of course) here. Any help would be appreciated ? Is anyone else finding this to be a particularly "dry" year for finding clients ?

[Toregone]

Here in Edmonton I found August and Sept to be "dry" months. I tried for AGES to fill a spot and finally compromised and allowed in a part time girl (I'm down $200 a month vs a full time spot). Then all of a sudden last week the phone starting ringing off the hook and I'm getting emails all the time. It'll pick up, it always does. It's hard to wait but it will happen.

[Wonderwiper]

Right there with you!!! I am on mat leave but have started advertising in case it takes awhile to find good clients. Literally hundreds of people have looked at my ads, taken business cards and contact forms from my flyers but no one gets in touch. I realize most people checking out my ad are other caregivers but some have to be parents right?? I have had lots of people look over my ads and am confident they are good. Where is everyone, ha ha!!!! Hope someone takes your open spot soon!!!

[playfelt]

M2F Mama this is the leanest year I have ever seen and I have been doing this a whole whack of years. I am in Orleans and it seems everytime I check on kijiji, usedottawa or daycarebear there is at least one more new daycare added. I also notice most ads are saying 2-3 spaces open rather than one space coming available as in there has just been an exodus of kids to somewhere. Parents laid off work, government restructuring, plus new full day kindergarten programs are not working in our favour at all.

Are you a member of CCPRN? Check out their childcare connection meetings for your area. At least it will give you a chance to meet some other caregivers in the same situation that you can network with.

[mimi]

If it wasn't for my referrals I would seriously have 1 full time child. I currently have 2 f/t and 4 p/t which is not enough. I have two clients on mat leave, but those p/t babies won't be here till Sept 2013. It is really dry out there. I have lost 2 clients to Grandma care and my p/ters are p/t due to Grandma care. I don't begrudge my clients for economizing, it is just difficult on my finances. I almost never get a call for f/t care. When I received a call in May from my current teacher client I almost fell over from shock. So you are not alone trying to fill an empty space. Good luck to us all!!!

[kidlove]

Yes. I too am finding things "dry" and I am in the US. I wonder if it doesn't have to do with the economy and the outright difficulty to make things work financially right now. I think everyone is feeling the "pinch". I have heard of so many people cutting their hours back at work just because the price of working is so expensive, gas and other expenses (including daycare). I have also had a couple of my families cut back to go with less expensive alternatives such as family rather than paying daycare at all. Hang in there, I have a full time spot as well I can't seem to fill. Have had a few options....no one I felt too great about though, holding out for a perfect fit....may take a while!!!

[Monday 2 Friday Mama]

Thanks for your thoughts and comments ladies. Good to know that I'm not alone in this ! =) Fingers crossed someone will come along, and in the meantime I'll just have to keep slogging. Hope everyone has a super Tuesday !

[Mamma_Mia]

I seriously think that more and more moms now-a-days (like most of us here) are seeing that its financially-silly to go to work for most families so....they stay home are find a way to make ends meet. In most cases apparently it's daycare! Does it suck...uhhhh yeah!