Awhile back I shared with you all that one of my parents was going to open her own daycare. She asked for my help and I was hesitant to help her because we are in the same area. Will yesterday I went on Craigslist to post an ad. I usually look at the other ads to check out the competetion. To my surprise she ripped off my ad! It was like reading my own ad. She also took statements from my website. I looked at the photos and she had all the crafts that her child did at my day on her walls giving the impression that they were done at her daycare. The reason I am upset at that is because she knows I have the very same crafts on my wall becasue the kids DID do them at my daycare. It is upsetting because we are in the same area competing for the same kids (she doing the same age group). She is even advertising a summer program which she knew I was doing. She prob has stolen my paperwork, contract and curriculum set up as well. I put ALOT of work and time into putting together my program, paperwork and policies. I just don't want parents to see that we are the same right done to the paperwork and art on the wall. What should I do? She is even coming back for preschool grad. I need to change out some things to stand out or at least look different... it's very slow right now. Plus how do I handle her coming to my home again?

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Is there any chance you could talk with her? Not sure of your relationship, but maybe she'd be open to talking.
I would change the pictures on your website. Make some new projects, take some older pictures and post them instead. Add things that she doesn't have on her (your) ad.
Sorry this happened. Hopefully she just didn't realize what she was doing. If so, that's not so cool.

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Busymom..BEEN there!!!!
I have had TWO people (one semi local and the other in another state) One simply picked what she wanted to copy and another...ready for this copied EVERYTHING from my site!!! My vacations, my personal data etc. I was horrified.

I contacted BOTH of them!!! I work hard on my DC stuff and I will be damned if someone is just going to copy and paste my hard work

If I was you..I would call her out on it. Knowing her makes it a bit harder however you CAN NOT have people doing that. I also now have my site copy written and stamped with a date!! Let her know how you feel and that being her competition now she must begin as you did..with her own thoughts, ideas etc. Also let her know she needs to make it CLEAR to parents that this is a new world to her.

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I'd confront her for sure. "So, I saw your ad on CL...eerily similar to my ad" What a biotch.

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Agh! That is awful. I would definitely talk to her...and I am not so sure I'd want her back in my house!

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If you have a domain for your website, you own the content within. I would mention it to her and tell her that you are copy-writing your handbook, policies, etc. I would call her out and suggest she steal someone elses hard work!

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She knew darn well what she was doing! I would send her an E-mail that you saw her page and would greatly appreciate her taking off the picture of your crafts and any other information she got from you. If you feel funny confronting her then send an e-mail.

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"I saw your ad on craigslist! Looks great, I couldn't have written a better one myself" LOL I agree with pp, I'm not sure I'd let her back into my home if I were you. I'm not usually the confrontational type, but I would say something this time. Other than plagiarizing from your stuff, did you help her? I know you were hesitant, and I understand why. Just curious.

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I would add a statement on your website in large font on front page,... " the pictures and content of this site are mine. There have been instances where I have found them included in other programs claiming them. While I am flattered at the admiration of those using my ideas and photos, I wish the persons involved would have asked for permission to use my items instead of copy and pasting. "

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Yes! Or:
"The names of children have been changed for their protection. Any policies, pictures, and intellectual web content relating to this site is the property of ____ Daycare, thus duplication of any whole or part of the contents within are not coincidental and will be subject to infringement law."

Feel free to use any part or whole, hahaha

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I love both....wow that is just wrong. and the sad part is that she acts as if it's NOT wrong............... wtheck are wrong with people

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That is just wrong on many levels!!

Is this the same Mom who needed to send her kid back after a couple days? If so then she won't make it as a provider anyway so her ad won't be there long. If I am mistaken I apologize and say, tell her off! In a professional manner that is.

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She probably wants to attend to the preschool graduation so that she can copy it for her own program.

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This is another example of why it's SO easy to start a home day care. A newbie can poach other providers content for free with little risk of anything ever happening to them for doing it.

It took me YEARS to come up with a tight set of policies and forms.

I have heard this so many times before over the years. When I started home day care I found a mentor and she helped me get my policies started. She was a veteran provider and really knew her stuff. I was fortunate that I had her advice but I didn't steal anything from her.

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Now, I have to confess I do copy some ideas from others when I see something new pop up in a handbook that I don't have or haven't thought of but to just swipe an entire program is just beyond rude!

Now I am going to risk sounding like a hypocrite here but... A couple years ago I had some time off and just sat and thought about what I wanted for my daycare. I really added a lot of detail to my handbook and the monitor liked it so much he wanted to "share it with others so they can get an idea how to make their own" Since then he has taken it to classes I have been to and he passes it around. Sure I get the praise but it kinda bothers me when I see people copying my handbook down on paper 1 after the other. Now he is talking to the resource center because he wants them to publish 6 sections of it in the newsletter. Again makes me feel good but guess what I'm thinking will happen. A lot of providers are going to have the same handbook and program/routine.

I don't think there is anyway to stop people from swiping anyones ideas/program. I have seen websites that don't allow a copy paste so that's a great idea but if they are desperate enough they can sit there and type it out.

I hope u can talk to her and she possibly just had a brain fart in the courtesy department and changes her program. Good luck!

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I had the same thing happen but it wasnt someone I knew. It was a new daycare in the area and she copied my ad and parts of my website word for word. It really ticked me off. I called her & emailed her. I told her that my website it copyrighted and if she didnt change her wording asap then I would get her for copyright infringement. I wouldnt really but I wanted to scare her! lol -- It worked because she changed it asap and then blamed "her friend" for being the one that wrote her ad and that she wouldnt let it happen again. Whatever!

I think you should email or call her and tell her that you'd appreciate it if she doesnt use the pictures of YOUR crafts and makes her ad sound like what HER daycare offers and not what your daycare offers. That would really irritate me. I say confront her. Shes pretty ballsy for copying it so much like that... Or stupid.

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I have also taken ideas from other peoples sites when i started, but these were not people that i was in competition with. These people live hunders maybe thousands of miles away. I also didnt use their ideas word for word...


this really sucks that it is not only someone in town, but someone who attends your daycare...

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I added this onto my website after that lady tried to copy a lot of it. This is on the front page of my site. It seemed to do the trick. I also added some things on my site so they cant copy & paste anything anymore. This is what it says:

***The text in this website and the pictures within this website are owned by me & copyright protected. All pictures of the children were posted with the parent's permission. Do NOT copy any text or pictures from this website or further action WILL be taken***

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[quote=MamaBear;111261]I added this onto my website after that lady tried to copy a lot of it. This is on the front page of my site. It seemed to do the trick. I also added some things on my site so they cant copy & paste anything anymore. This is what it says:

***The text in this website and the pictures within this website are owned by me & copyright protected. All pictures of the children were posted with the parent's permission. Do NOT copy any text or pictures from this website or further action WILL be taken***[/QUOTE]

Can I steal that? ~running away~

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I'm going to add this to my site. Thank you everybody for your advice. I was hesitant to help her but everyone thought it would be nice to help a sahm...which I agree. I gave her advice on where to go, who to call, what the process it, where to get things, etc. She never asked me about helping her write an ad, contract or policies I'm assuming because she already had mine to copy. She ripped off my art and ideas by just coming to my home everyday and my website. At first I was pissed now I'm upset because I liked her. I even gave her a baby shower gift that I made. It's sad that you can't trust people.
I don't want to confront her because she is scheduled to come to my home for the preschool graduation. I really don't want her to come back into my home but I already invited her and her child. I was thinking about emailing her and saying that because her child is only 3 technically he hasn't completed preschool. The other kids are all going to Kinder in the Fall but he has one more year. He can't even write his name. What do you think? What she did was wrong but I don't need enemies I just need her out of my house and out of my business.

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I agree with pp's!
I am SO sorry you are going through this. I had a former DCM do the same thing, and while she did not (I don't think) copy my handbook she did copy someone else's. I contacted an attorney. It is accurate that when you right something original it is automatically protected by copyright. I would not joke about it and let the other provider know that you will not tolerate her using your words/info/etc. You can also send a 'cease and desist' letter with the attorney's help. Keep us posted!!

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Although it is frustrating that she just copied your stuff, I personally wouldn't worry too much about it. Anyone can write anything they want on their website, but it will come down to how she runs her business. If she can't "live up to" what is on her website, then she won't be able to keep clients. I work with new providers all of the time. I share with them the knowledge I have gained over the last 8 years. I don't consider any of the providers around me "competition". I consider them "co-workers". That is the whole idea of networking and being part of a family child care association.

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