What is the right thing to do?

[DaycareLulu]

I have now put it in my Policy Handbook that I show during interview or email before interview that I can be interviewing several families at once and until deposit and completed paperwork have been returned the space is not guaranteed. Then there is no excuse when they miss out!

[Spixie33]

samantha - you are doing the right thing. Anytime I interview for a couple of months in advance I stipulate that I will need the contract and a non-refunadable deposit back if they want the spot.

The fact that family #1 has left you hearing the chirp of crickets is not a good sign. If they are not willing to bring the deposit then they are not committed to the spot yet and they have not decided on your daycare. They may still decide that you are the one for them but I would see it as a red flag like Playfelt said and it would not make me think that they are very interested.

That means you are free to interview. If the next family does seem great and wants to sign then you owe nothing to family #1.

I would not contact the original family again either. They know how to reach you if they are interested. They may also think you are just doing a sales tactic to try to close the deal and fibbing about the other interview and it could make you look desperate.

I think you are thinking straight by booking the other interview and keeping your options open. No reasonable human being could expect a daycare to hold a spot when they don't reply and the spot is 3 months away.

Good luck with that second interview

[Inspired by Reggio]

I have now put it in my Policy Handbook that I show during interview or email before interview that I can be interviewing several families at once and until deposit and completed paperwork have been returned the space is not guaranteed. Then there is no excuse when they miss out!

I agree - although I do not have anything 'written' this is the verbal explanation given during the interview process - I interview several potential clients at once and when I have finished my interview process I notify my first choice and let them know that I would love to have them in my program and if I am their first choice the deposit and contract needs to be signed with 24 hours of the offer or I will move onto my 2nd choice and so forth.

I am not going to miss out on filling a spot because someone else is 'waffling' on signing on or not ... someone selling a car is not going to turn down an offer from a second person because someone was by a week earlier and 'expressed interest' ... in business MONEY TALKS