Before the interview questions

[little sunflower]

Hi all
I am extremely pleased to report after only a few days of posting some ads I have now booked 8 interviews and more emails keep coming in. I am looking to fill 2 spots up front as soon as possible then my 3rd spot I will either allow someone to pay a holding fee for right away or just advertise later for. Financially I need 2 spots filled asap.
I am new to home daycare business so I haven't really done a lot of prescreening before I have set up in person interviews. Mainly didn't ask too many questions ahead of time as I didn't want them to ask too many questions ahead of time as I want to talk to them in person before I mention I am actually a newbie provider. I set the interviews to be in a two week period (first two weeks in April) but I want to know a few things before going to do them;

1) I want to tell each parent a deadline that I will give my decision and would it make sense to say the same date to every parent (so it would have to be a date at least one day after the last interview booked)

2) I have read many of the interview threads on here and like the idea of having parents know that they should tell me if something else comes up before my deadline that they have gone with someone else instead so not sure how to say that in the interview (would I ask for an email or phone call? my communication with all has been email so far as is my preference so that I can give my full attention to answers)

3)if I find during an interview I really want the family do I nix the deadline and go with my gut and tell them they have the spot if they want (I have 3 spots to fill in total, my plan was to fill 2 as soon as possible, hopefully staggering the start dates for the two by a few days or week, then the 3 spot I'd fill a bit later or let someone hold that spot that has a more future date they need care for)

4) I can't decide if I should be giving all parents that come a handbook/contract to look over at home or not (I didn't want them to have it before the interview as I just am still making sure it is how I want it and I also wanted to ensure I was giving to actual parents and not someone trying to scam my contract etc) I am tempted to send only the parents that seem promising home with the paperwork but then I also don't want to spend the majority of the interview just reading my handbook/contract to parents

5) I want to have control of the interview but I also don't want to sound too pushy and want the parents to also ask me their questions

6) I have heard different things about where children should nap and am now confused to where I should put the kids I will watch. I have either a room off the living room that is our computer room to put the children or I could put the children in either our master room and/or our son's room. Our son is 2and half and naps in his room and will continue to nap in his room when daycare kids come, a third option is having them sleep in the main playspace which is the basement but I've had a few parents I know think that is bad idea as then in an emergency I will have to race upstairs for my son and downstairs for the daycare kids

Any help with any or all these q's would be appreciated.

[BlueRose]

1/2) I tell parents at interview time that that if they would like the spot the have to email me (i like to have things in writing) by XX time on XX date and that the following day I will make my decision and starting calling family's I would like. I let them know that if they do not email mail me then I will just assume they do not want the spot.

3) Interview all family's you have scheduled. You never know you might find a even better family. this happened to me. I found a good family the next day did another interview and found an even better fit. but you do have 3 spots so signing on one before the deadline might be ok.

4)I don't hand out my handbook or contract until they have signed on. you will just waste a lot of paper. I have posted all the information and copies of my contracts on my website I just tell them to go and look at them there.

5) I ask parents if they would like to asks questions first or have me go through everything then ask questions. this works for me.

6) kids should nap in a safe room, that you are comfortable having them in. Make sure you can check on them easily. The kid I watch started out sleeping on my living room floor and now are in my boys room. you might find that your son wants to nap with the other kids in that case the play room would work fine.