Saturated with daycare providers...nothing I can do about them.

[bright sparks]

So...I am trying to keep upbeat and positive with my business so I am going to be having a bit of a "refreshing" of my daycare since the last 6 months have been my hardest in all my years with multiple babies, all of which have had major transitioning issues along with a toddler whose parents are going through such a bad separation that his behaviour has been terrible. Things are just starting to settle down so seems like a good time to "shake things up" Obviously changes are going to benefit the children but also myself and who doesn't like a new lease on life and a good old shake up. Yesterday I did one of my random internet researching sit downs to update myself on the home daycare situation in my area. I found on daycare bear, within a 10-15 minute drive, so the bordering areas of either end of my town, there are 27 daycare providers advertising open spots!! 27 holy smokes that is a lot for my area. A year ago there were 12-15 providers up from a couple of years prior when there were at most 4 of us actively advertising online. A lot of the newbies are advertising as stay at home mums and charging on average 10 to 15 dollars less a day than us old timers. Anyway, this is brought up lots on this forum and quite frankly there is nothing I can do about them so I'm opting to change my attitude towards the whole situation. There are a few new providers who have relocated to my town and are charging comparable rates which I am happy about. I am going to for sure be making some changes to maximize my program and minimize my costs. Just little extra touches which may not seem like such a big deal but I hope in the grand scheme of things will be enough to show prospective families that this is my business and I run it like one and hopefully it will show and really make them see my worth. I am excited to share something positive with you as I am full of enthusiasm.

Some of these things if not all of them will be things people already do and are things I have done in the past or I am currently doing but am revamping.

I am going to start following a more structured learning program. I currently mainly do free play which the kids love and I currently enrich it with treasure baskets as my group are very little, sensory and malleable play equipment and then themes around holidays limiting crafts. I am going to put together a more structured plan of activities through resources that are available at my local resource and lending library. I have had experiences with 2 other regional resource centres where most product available for loan is geared at preschool and older but my local centre has almost everything in an "infant and toddler" edition too which I think is fantastic. I also always incorporate more of a preschool program for those in their last year of care prior to commencing kindergarten and as I have all boys, this one little guy does not like pen and paper so we will be working on numeracy, abc's etc through the learning kits available for me to borrow with lots of manipulative toys. It enriches my program substantially but someone else has done the work for me. I have had a couple of programs prior to this which have been equally wonderful, but I have compiled the activities myself which is a lot more work and quite frankly I am bored of the same old same old year after year. A lot less work but a lot more fun. Still not to many crafts as in not weekly but still following themes with themed toys, stories and games which are all fully prepared with a teaching learning guide that is super easy to follow...I'm very excited!

I am revamping my website. I have had so much positive feedback from my current one which has always made me laugh to myself to be honest as it couldn't be more basic but as long as the parents like it then fine. I have to step up my game with the initial "sell" if you will because it's not like I have an abundance of enquiries and it's just that people come and don't like me, it's just tough to even get interviews and when I do and they are interviewing others they like just as much who are charging substantially less, it's no wonder they go with them.

I am going to add extra sections to my website like photo's and a resources and links page to help people in their search for daycare with helpful hints and links to useful websites. I'm also going to do a monthly blog post/online newsletter. It will be in a format that will not only let current parents know what we did this month and our plans for next but it will give prospective parents some insight into what a daycare day would be like with me and also give them an idea of what I do.

I am altering my meal plan to eliminate organic produce and honestly, I'm just not going to think about it to much. I will include in my website photos pictures of wholefoods, meal prep and the children enjoying their meals. Sounds BORING lol but I think for those who appreciate the nutritional aspect of childcare, they will appreciate seeing evidence of my hard work and effort that I put into providing healthy food and those who don't will skip over it. I also have had all current parents and past write a blurb to publish on my website.

I am finally getting my bloody sensory wall done too...For goodness sake it is long overdue. So my playroom will have a revamp and as a result new pictures for my website of a very unique playing experience. I'll be sure to post the finished thing on here also...sounds like de ja vu as I've said that before but I'm getting my act together and getting it done!

I have already arranged to have the fire department and the health department come through my house so that I can offer new parents some extra reassurance with the whole Bill 143 issue and licensing issues that make the whole industry somewhat unsettled at the moment. This will be in addition to already having my CPR and First Aid always current and up to date and the ongoing option for police checks at parents requests. Some parent's won't care, correct, but others will and when they are faced with so many options for childcare, I want to give them every possible reason to choose me over another provider who charges less because they will see very clearly how serious I am about my daycare and I will have offered them every bit of reassurance possible. This isn't me saying that people who don't go to these lengths aren't providing equally good care as I am, absolutely not, this is just me pulling a few extra stops out in a very competitive market in the hopes that I can fill my spots or at the very least get interviews. In August I will have had a full 12 months of an open spot and another one to add to it. If I have any hopes of giving up work and getting my degree I need a good solid year minimum of making a decent income although I do plan to stay doing this longer and just study part time but it all depends on turn over and how full I am. I will still stick to my policies without wavering and the same for screening prospective parents but when I meet with a family or when they initially come across my advertising, I need to make myself stand out in anyway I can.

I thought I would just share this optimism with folks amidst recent days where things have been a little negative in places and amidst all the bloody spam lolol In order for me to be happy and productive I have to throw myself into things with a better attitude and determination. We all get stuck in a rut at times so this is me pulling myself out.

[5 Little Monkeys]

Glad to hear that you're being positive and pro-active!! You are exactly right...there is nothing you can do about the other providers but you most definitely can change how you approach things and it sounds like you have a great and solid plan in place!! Good luck with getting it all going and being successful I hope your spots fill quick!

27 is a lot of daycares!! I'm not sure how many there are in my city (it only takes a max of 15 mins to get anywhere so my whole city is my "competition" lol) but I would bet it's around that number! Seems like everyone I run into runs a home daycare! It's one of the best ways to stay home with your own children and still make a bit of money so it's understandable.

I've been in a rut this week but I have bronchitis so I'm using that as my excuse lol. I have 2 kids out sick with it as well, 1 who was pulled so she didn't get sick (love parents like that!), 1 who is done for 2 weeks today at lunch and only 1 tomorrow (which is also his last day as mom goes on mat leave) so at least it's been an easier week! I'm hoping I feel a bit better tomorrow and have some energy as I am planning on taking him out for the day and having some fun on his last day. He's a great kid and I'm going to miss him Thankfully, I have his spot filled already so that part of it isn't an issue. I am having issues with another parent though and am sorta hoping she breaches contract again so I can terminate but that's a whole 'nother story for another time LOL I've already rambled too much.

So anyways...good luck Bright! I think things are going to start looking much better for you and I'm sure your spot(s) will fill!!

[jodaycare]

I am very interested in your sensory wall, bright sparks! It sounds very interesting and something that I would like to incorporate into my program. I will have 5 children 3.5 years and under in Sept so I think a sensory wall would be great.

[bright sparks]

I am very interested in your sensory wall, bright sparks! It sounds very interesting and something that I would like to incorporate into my program. I will have 5 children 3.5 years and under in Sept so I think a sensory wall would be great.

Well I will try to keep that in mind to keep me motivated so I can share it with you when it is done I'm also getting a big long piece of acrylic for my back garden next week and hubby is going to make a stand for it to securely stand up in and then the kids can stand on either side of it and paint it, slap mud on it, wash it with soap and water...all sorts of possibilities and great for all ages

[jodaycare]

That would be awesome, thank you. I am trying to come up with ways to changes things here too, I am definitely in a rut!

[CrazyEight]

I am feeling optimistic and a bit revamped today too...I think maybe it's just the calm before the storm as today is the last day of school, and starting tomorrow I'll have 8 kids here most days (my own 3 and 5 dckids)...super-organization is the only way it works!

I re-organized my playroom over the last 2 days, moving some things around, creating a "reading nook" under the stairs with those comfy fuzzy chairs, most of my books, and board games/puzzles/felt boards all together, and brought out this homemade "cars table" that someone was selling online...sort of like a train table for toy cars.

I am currently spending nap time planning our meals and snacks for the next month. I have made a chart with snack, lunch, lunch side, and afternoon snack for each day, then made a grocery list for each week based on that.

I haven't felt so organized in a long time...hopefully it lasts!

[bright sparks]

I am feeling optimistic and a bit revamped today too...I think maybe it's just the calm before the storm as today is the last day of school, and starting tomorrow I'll have 8 kids here most days (my own 3 and 5 dckids)...super-organization is the only way it works!

I re-organized my playroom over the last 2 days, moving some things around, creating a "reading nook" under the stairs with those comfy fuzzy chairs, most of my books, and board games/puzzles/felt boards all together, and brought out this homemade "cars table" that someone was selling online...sort of like a train table for toy cars.

I am currently spending nap time planning our meals and snacks for the next month. I have made a chart with snack, lunch, lunch side, and afternoon snack for each day, then made a grocery list for each week based on that.

I haven't felt so organized in a long time...hopefully it lasts!

You made me laugh with the "hope it lasts" I feel the exact same way lol. My kids have Friday in school and I don't work Fridays so I am going to savour my last day at home alone and look after myself I love having my kids at home over the summer, the busier I am the better, and they are a huge help so we can do lots more adventurous stuff with their extra helping hands. We also absolutely love board games so I kid you not that every naptime will be a mind boggling 9 weeks of hard-core butt kicking in the world of board games

[AmandaKDT]

I just rearranged my daycare too, it was alot of work but the kids like it. As my crew is getting older (all but 2 of them are 4 or older) they definitely like having their own private space to play, so I rearranged my spare bedroom to give the older kids another space to play. We also just finished landscaping our backyard.

And we are off on our vacation to Minneapolis after the work day is done today, I am very excited. I really need a vacation, so do my girls - they were both abit grumpy this morning and my older one spent a good part of the day playing by herself in her bedroom today. I think everyone needs a break, soon I will be having 7 kids all day for the summer and that will be busy! Luckily they all bring their own food so I'm not having to worry about that.

[jodaycare]

I am planning on rearranging my playroom during the last week of August when I am on holidays. the big kids will all be gone so I can set it up to suit my young group of 3.5 and under.

[Lee-Bee]

What do the fire department do when they come through? Is this something they typically volunteer to do (when asked)? I'd be interested just out of curiosity as to what they would say about my place!!