Fruitloop, I'll hold spaces that I know are coming up too with a deposit and a signed contract. If the space stays empty because they aren't starting for a month I also charge a holding fee of the equivalent of one week pay. I don't think it's fair to have them pay any more than that but that's just me. Different daycare providers charge different fees for this.

For the advice about infant questions I love all the advice already given on this thread, but my main goals for the parents are to have them make sure they nudge the baby toward our schedule regarding food and naps as much as possible before starting. I want them to give me full info so I can keep the baby healthy and happy by making sure their home and daycare schedules are really similar. I insist on open communication with the parent and my newest families usually email back and forth with me during the day, especially at naptimes for questions and answers and the mother's peace of mind.