Frustrated GRR

[pink]

On Thursday, I lost a family, this was the month caring and compassionate family, I had, back a few month ago she wanted me to look after her sister child in January. I explained that I would need to charge a holding fee, asking me to hold a spot for month without income. I gave them the proposal and their answer was "We will take our chance". that you will have a spot available. My DCK had a special diet, I always make sure that he only ate his food, he was such a joy to be with and such a good little boy, kissing me all the time. On Thursday, she told me that she wants the cousins to be together and that he is leaving in October, well I was so upset after she left, I called her back and told her to pick-up her son's belongings and leave. Thank god my husband was home for morel support he told her that she wasn't being very nice and People Only Look after themselves and she said it's not true and my husband told her to leave. Previous to that family, I had a family that their child was in my care for two weeks, they were using me until she got a night shift, because they couldn't afford childcare. It seem that all I have with running a home daycare is bad luck, I trust my instincts, screen them really well and this is what I get. Just lost another $350.00 every two weeks, every time I update my add on Kijiji another daycare provider in our neighborhood and to boot they are opening a licensed daycare in our neighborhood that will accommodate 46 kids. Considering strongly to find a job that I can work from home, if such a thing exists.

[Other Mummy]

That is frustrating. I feel your pain. This business is erratic. one day you are full and turning folks away, the next you are down 2 or 3 kids. It happens. I lost 2 kids in 2 weeks. One I termed due to aggressive behaviour and the other is moving in 2 weeks to another city. So now I'm frantically interviewing so fill those 2 spots.

I would not stress about the daycare centre opening in your neighbourhood. There are many families who prefer a home daycare over a centre care. In my immediate neighbourhood there are two daycare centres and still plenty of clients left for the many providers in my area.

And yes, parents will only look at what is best for them. They will not give a damn about your income or you when looking at pulling out a child for whatever reason (eg. your client pulling out to put with her sister's child in another facility). Get a stronger back bone and always do what is best for you and your business.

Hang in there.

[mimi]

Oh, I am sorry you are going through this. It is really discouraging as you are transitioning the child, getting to know and enjoy them and then poof everything changes in an instant. Unfortunately that is the nature of this business.
The Mom did give you ample notice of her child's departure. Perhaps you could have accepted the notice and proceeded with care until the child's last day as you don't have a replacement.
I have been blindsided a couple of times to and have learned not to react until I have given the situation some thought. In my younger days I was very much a reactionary and found it never helped a situation. So now I control the instinct to react strongly.....nothing good ever comes out of it.
That said, why not give yourself some time to find another family. In my area there are a lot of providers as well and it is daunting sometimes to find a new client. I have been wanting to raise my rates as I haven't for the last 3 years, but fear those couple of extra dollars a day might be enough to send a client looking elsewhere even though I run a great daycare.
Remember, a lot of people do not want to put their child in centre care for many reasons. They prefer the more personal touch of a home daycare and like not having to pay centre prices.

You can also keep an eye out for a home based business, but you will probably be dealing with different clients who will disappoint you in other ways.

Keep your chin up and carry on. I am sure you will find another client. Just let the shock of this departure wear off.

[Crayola kiddies]

Unfortunately you should have held your tongue because now your the one out the money .... You could have kept him till oct and you would not have been out the income and you would have had time to find a replacement. Also in that time they may have changed their minds. All kinds of things could have happened. Maybe they wouldn't have been able to find a child care together .... And if this child was leaving in oct does that mean the cousin was going to be starting care then too? I think you probably could have made some compromise with the cousins. Good luck in your search for a new family hope it all works out !

[2cuteboys]

Last month I was in a similar spot! It's frustrating but it does pass.

I was out A LOT of money over the summer. I'd "reserved" a spot with just a deposit (will NEVER EVER EVER do that again), as I'd had a child who would be moving up an age bracket the same time this guy would start (I'm with an agency in AB, limited to ratios). Well what do you know, one of the dcps quits their job in July, so I'm out 3 months pay for the one turning 2 years, and 2 months for the sibling who was over my ratio-ed age, but it took me a while to find another to fill it. On top of that we'd planned 2 weeks of vacation, which not only made it harder to attract potential clients, but I also don't charge parents for my 3 weeks off/year. It was really stressful, but it did pass! And I learned a couple of valuable lessons, the big one being not to expect parents to be in it for the long haul. They can pull their kids whenever they feel like it and we just need to be ready to react.

Hang in there!