Price vs. Quality:
Why is there even any debate? We are talking about wonderful priceless little human beings.....and I am still surprised when I run into a parent who sets cost above quality!
Had a Mom recently call for care of her unborn, first child! I informed her I was near my limit for infants so I would need a schedule to know what days she would need care in order to give her a solid answer on whether or not I would have room. She also asked how much I charged. I informed her I charged a certain amount per day for infants (which is about the average for our area) not high at all! but I also informed her that I charge a minimum due for each week, but was willing to go outside my minimum due IF we could manage to work her schedule needs in with the current part time family I have. Long story short, I gave the schedule to the other (current) Mom I have, and she said she would be willing to work around the days needed, which I greatly appreciated. I called the pregnant Mom back to let her know and she said "thanks, but we decided to go with the daycare center in town, because they charge a daily rate and it's cheaper"......
My concern is this: not only did she not ask, how I ran my day care or any questions regarding the direct care of her child, but I didn't get a chance to even explain to her, that centers don't provide food, wipes, and many extras. (I do) day cares have MANY people in contact with children, not just one solid reliable adult, this particular daycare has an outside area for play that is about 20 by 30 feet tops and is all rock, no grass, no room to run, and is surrounded by bar fence because the busy road is literally 5 feet from where the kids play......not to mention, a lot of people have come to me from this particular center and complained of improper treatment of their children and such.....I'm not saying all centers are not good, but this one in particular seems to have a bad reputation, and why oh why, do you forgo quality care over cost of care? thanks for allowing the vent!!!!! I feel better now....i do treat life as "everything is meant to be, and when a family doesn't work out, I do trust that it wasn't a good match and that's fine, but why do some focus on the money rather than what is more important?