Just turned away my first family

[ttremble88]

Have you ever had an interview and within the first 5 minutes just knew that it was not going to work out well?

Well, I just had my first. Up until today, I have never turned away a family after I have meet with them. Maybe I have been lucky enough to find great families right from the start. Or that it takes a lot for me to throw up the red flag.

Anyhow, I had an inquiry over the weekend about a full time spot that I have opening up in September, but she wanted to start next week. I was not able to accommodate that, but I suggested that she can start part time here (family is currently caring for her) and I can fill her in on my other part timers day off (1 day per week) and then come September, she can go full time. She was a go.

Yesterday was our scheduled meeting, after waiting for 30 minutes to show up, I emailed her and she got back to me right away saying that she was bathing her daughter and that she missed her afternoon nap. She asked to reschedule and I did.

She comes in today with her daughter and as I am heading upstairs to show her the upper level, my dcb awakes from his nap screaming. I go in, pick him up and show her the sleep room and one of the play rooms. As we go down stairs she says that her mother in law let her daughter cry it out yesterday and she freaked out. She never lets her cry it out and she believe that it is selfish to do so. I am not sure about you all, but I let my daycare children and my own, cry it out to an extent.

She told me that she tried to let her cry it out once and she threw up everywhere. Not what I want to hear. So I asked her how she puts her to sleep. She breast feeds her to sleep. Great. She is not weaned. Not only is she not weaned, she will not take pumped milk in a bottle. So if she is not taking a bottle, how are her eating habits? She does not eat. She only gets cheese puffs and yogurt melts. So how is the family getting her to sleep. They walk around with her in their arms until she passes out. On top of that, she does not have a set nap time. Her afternoon nap is anywhere between 1-3 (when my daycare kiddies start waking up!) and she apparently is a very bad sleeper.

If this was not enough, I have my own 11 weeks old that I am breastfeeding throughout the day. How am I suppose to feed him, know that she is sitting their starving, waiting for breast milk?

*sigh* As nice as it would of been to fill in that one day per week and have a set full timer come September, I am sure that this would of been a disaster.

[Wonderwiper]

Honestly....that child is not ready for daycare and I think you dodged a bullet there!!

[ttremble88]

I told her that what is needs is a nanny. I never sat through an interview and tried my hardest not to 'up sell' myself. I knew that she was desperate as family (both her mother and mother in law) decided last minute that they were not going to care for her daughter (I wonder why?!?!). And I felt bad getting her hopes up. But after she left, I thought everything threw and figured it was not worth the money to put myself, my children and my daycare children through it.

[mickyc]

agree with Wonderwiper!

I hope you explained it to her though. Someone needs to tell her how having a child in group daycare works so she can get her butt in gear and start making some serious changes at home come September.

[ttremble88]

agree with Wonderwiper!

I hope you explained it to her though. Someone needs to tell her how having a child in group daycare works so she can get her butt in gear and start making some serious changes at home come September.

Oh yes. I most certainly explained it to her. I told that in a daycare setting, we cant rock children to sleep, or have specialized nap times, as it is unfair to the other children and quite frankly...myself! I told her that 'crying it out' is very common in the daycare setting, but she thinks that it is selfish to do so.

She needs a NANNY! One that can work one on one with the daughter and give you 100% of her attention. The thing is, she does not have until September. She needs care starting MONDAY!

[mickyc]

ha ha, she is in for a rude awakening! lol

poor provider that actually does take her on