Meeting With a New Family Daycare/Child Care Provider
When you are searching for care for your child, you will most likely interview with the provider. Sure the purpose is to determine whether this is the best place for you and your child. You want to want to learn as much about the provider and program before making a decision and enrolling your child. But did you know the provider will be looking at you to determine if your family is a good addition to the program? Family providers that visit our forum have shared some of the "warning bells" they have encountered. Here you can learn what may cause a provider to decline your interest in enrolling.
"...Another thing is
something that is intangible, but if I get a feeling that the
client doesn't respect me, my rules, my home, my business, and
most importantly my policies, that is is BIG deal breaker. I
always try to read between the lines when people say things
during interviews to look for clues about what type of client
they could be."
~Jennifer:
"When a family ask you
to break state mandated rules"
~Lysekids
"I will not take a
family if the FIRST thing they ask is WHAT DO YOU CHARGE?? that
tells me where their main concern is. I don't like that at all!!"
~Bkj43
"when the first word
out of there mouth is what do you charge. the call and want to
start care and do not even want to come tour the childcare
center. those are two biggies to me. any parent that says you can
spank your child anytime you want. another biggie."
~Ern43
"If they are late for
interview, that is another red flag. The main one is if the are
reluctant to bring the child with them."
~jkelly543
"If the
first question out of their mouth is how much do you charge.
- If they ask if I charge late fees or holidays or charge when
the child is not there.
- If they are late for an interview (and I mean more than 10-15
minutes) or do not show up and don't call, forget it
- If they do not have back-up care
- If they try to talk me into changing a policy or my hours just
for them
- If their child is a holy terror! LOL
- If someone calls and wants me to start the child without an
interview
- If they say they don't want their child to get dirty"
~munchkins6
"Some red flags for me
are:
When they suggest I make a major improvement to my home (such as
add carpet because my hardwood floors are too hard) just for
their child. (Yes, this actually happened. LOL)
When they want me to change my policies just for them.
Not giving their old provider proper notice for no good reason.
Not willing to give me references if I ask for them.
No call/ No show or more than 15 minutes late. Half an hour or
more early. (I like it when they are right on time. :-)
When the children behave horribly. (No, I don't want your child
to single-handedly destroy my home and sanity.)
Don't even look at the handbook or contract while they are here.
(Big Red flag that they aren't going to even read it, hence not
follow the policies.)"
~Msampel
Copyright 2004 ~Joni Levine
