Quote Originally Posted by Valerie E. M-C View Post
....I am every good at letting people walk all over me, but for once in my life I am my own boss and I WILL NOT take any shit from anyone. That's why I make sure I am very clear about my policies (having them on my site) before I even meet people.
I hear ya Valerie this was me too once upon a time and years of having to work with people who did not share my values and deal with it with a 'smile' was so very stressful ... so now everything is spelled out clearly on my website, during the interview and contract signing and in my handbook too as a reference should they want to look up something. For me it is important to not just have the policy but a little educational component of 'the intent or why' with it and explanation around my values behind policies where I think clients might have a hard time 'getting it' so to speak.

Yes it is little more wordy, like me, and that likely turns some people off from contacting me but it works well for me ... I am always full unless I do not want to be so there are enough people who are attracted to that thoroughness and I tend to attract the anal organized types who LIKE clear rules and so forth with no ambiguity so do not have deal with hand holding clients and 'enforcing' my rules ~ thankfully have had no conflict with clients since I have opened, well with the exception of a princess parent I enrolled when I started and was not thinking about the benefits of being self employed being I do not have to accept 'anyone' but only ones who were the best match

Even with her there was never conflict or disrespect of the contract or policies on their part ... never late, paid on time, everything the kids needed were here once I got her organized to just keep it here, they listened and accepted advice anything I told them although did not always apply it consistently as suggested and the kids were basically well behaved here so just frustration on my part of having to deal with mom cause her parenting style was so VERY different than mine and as a result her children were a little 'rude/bossy/manipulative' types specially at drop off and pick up so not ideal due to that ... she was a wonderful learning tool for me on remembering I want the BEST match possible and better to leave a space open for a little bit than accept someone who is not ideal into my program and have to deal with that for 5 or more years!