Stressing Out

[playfelt]

Depending on how far down the road their start date was they may not have finished interviewing. Parents are busy with their lives just as providers are and not everyone sets aside a couple weeks to do an interview every evening and a few on the weekends. Not hearing back till 2-3 months before the start date can actually be perfectly normal. Parents are afraid to make the wrong choice and always keep hoping for something else to be out there. When they reach a certain point they look at everything they saw and pick one.

[Vtorrance]

Thank you everyone for you advice. I never thought about the nap area seeing as it is upstairs and my daughter usually makes a mess up there before an interview come. I just got an email back tonight from an interviewing saying they decided on a nanny. How do you guys advertise? I know it takes time but I figured with 6 interviews I would have at least 1 interested.

[playfelt]

I never show the nap area for infants as it is family bedrooms and my upper floor is not on the daycare tour. Toddlers nap on mats in the diningroom (main floor play area). Normally I don't even mention this till we are down in the basement playroom doing the interview. This is a family home and as such I am allowed some privacy. What the colour of my bedroom or if I have an ensuite bath or not is not important since their child will be in a packnplay in the middle of the room.

As a military family that moved the kids spent many weeks with their rooms having to look like showhome rooms and life is not normal that way. Again during daycare interviews their private space is there for them not the parents - but I borrowed their space during the day for naps while they were at school and the daycare kids didn't care if dirty clothes were on the floor or the bed wasn't made. I doubt that showing the napspace would make any difference in their decision.

[bright sparks]

I agree Playfelt. Since moving in August I have been able to put all my kids to nap in 1 room, but in my old place it wasn't so. I would never show the bedrooms to prospective parents. Like you said this is the family home and I have some right to privacy. If they insist and push me after I tell them why not, its usually a good indicator of the lack of respect they have for me, my job and my family. I am not interested in this kind of person. Its not like I just say no, I give them a reason and expect them to be respectful of it. I do think that some parents really like to see the sleeping area and have the right to ask to see it but should understand when we politely decline and explain why.

[lainey76]

For me , when I went back to work after my son I wanted to see the whole house ( where he would nap /play/eat) I didn't want him sleeping in a room with others (I know picky lol)

Now that I'm a daycare provider I do show my whole house as I have nothing to hide and my house is always clean ( my husband is a clean freak so thanks to him the house is always clean )Two of my latest clients (police officers) were nervous that other providers they interviewed were hesitant to show where the kids would nap and that was their reasoning for not using that provider as well as a few other off the cuff comments that were made to the parents lol.

[Skysue]

For me , when I went back to work after my son I wanted to see the whole house ( where he would nap /play/eat) I didn't want him sleeping in a room with others (I know picky lol)

Now that I'm a daycare provider I do show my whole house as I have nothing to hide and my house is always clean ( my husband is a clean freak so thanks to him the house is always clean )Two of my latest clients (police officers) were nervous that other providers they interviewed were hesitant to show where the kids would nap and that was their reasoning for not using that provider as well as a few other off the cuff comments that were made to the parents lol.

I am trying to draw on the parents perspective as I was there once to. I think all spaces that the child will be using should be shown.

I had a parent once ask me if she could go get her her DD from her crib and I said no as it was a bit untidy on my upper level. LOL Since then though I always keep every area of my home that the kids will be using immaculate as they have every right to access those areas at anytime.

Something this small can seriously make or break an interview.

[Skysue]

For me if you decline as a provider then I wouldn't sign with you either based on your lack of respect to me. Trust and respect is a 2 way street and we need to understand that these parents don't really know a thing about us. Seriously out of 20 interviews I have had 16 people sign on the spot, and only 2 people decline.

[Vtorrance]

Thanks. I enjoyed reading everyone's opinions. I have told them that the kids have individual play pens upstairs for napping. No one has asked to see it. Should I be offering to show them regardless? I was wonder if anyone knows where to buy a retractable gate? Very hard to find.

[Skysue]

I always mention it and ask if they want to see the space and I have never had a parent say No, they all say yes!

These adjustable gates are amazing and can expand to very long!

http://www.sears.ca/product/evenflo-...111740-4491100

[mom-in-alberta]

I always assume that they parents will want to see where the child will nap. Therefore, I do a bit of a mad-dash clean of at least one bedroom, hahaha. My last 2 interviews, I offered, but they said "Nah, that's ok. We can already tell you're normal." LoL
I don't mind, especially for new parents. They just want to make sure that we don't have swords hanging over thier precious little muffin. But after that, they are restricted to our entranceway.