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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>My Turn At My Website
melissa ann 02:49 PM 02-07-2011
Here's my website. For those who take a look, I would appreciate any input you may have and what changes I should make.
Thanks.
www.missyschildcare.webs.com
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lvt77 03:05 PM 02-07-2011
other than a few typos and font sizes that are different it all sounds pretty good.
also, why dont you charge for holidays? you deserve a day off with pay...you work hard.
also, I think it is nice to see pics of kids in action. painting dancing reading, any activity... shows the parents what their child might get to do while they would be in your care if they decided to send their child there.

here is mine, but i am in the middle of changing it...I was not really ready to share it yet.. thesandlotdaycare.com
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Michael 03:12 PM 02-07-2011
Originally Posted by lvt77:
other than a few typos and font sizes that are different it all sounds pretty good.
also, why dont you charge for holidays? you deserve a day off with pay...you work hard.
also, I think it is nice to see pics of kids in action. painting dancing reading, any activity... shows the parents what their child might get to do while they would be in your care if they decided to send their child there.

here is mine, but i am in the middle of changing it...I was not really ready to share it yet.. thesandlotdaycare.com
I made your URL linkable. All you need to do to make a sentence a link is highlight/select the words and then click on the icon and place the address there.
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momofthree 04:22 PM 02-07-2011
Ivt77 - I love the video of the little one learning phonics and sounds. Can share where I can get that info to teach the kids in my care.
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lvt77 04:54 PM 02-07-2011
zoo phonics.... love the program
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Abigail 08:53 PM 02-07-2011
Melissa Ann,

I would change some of your information in the ABOUT ME section. My name is Missy and I"ve had my childcare business since 2008.
--Missy's Childcare opened for business in month of 2008. I don't like how you have "my childcare business" I guess it is to possesive or something. LOL.

I live near the bus stop at Locust & Carpenter Ave.
--Can you introduce where you're located better than "near the bus stop"?

Because I do walk the children to the bus stop, I do not accept children under the age of 18 months.
--Don't begin a sentence with because. Change it to "Since I walk with the children...."

PHOTO GALLERY
Picture 2, the books looks really cluttered. You should clear some off the top shelf and take another picture.
Picture 3, make sure to dust your lamp. That's the first thing I noticed besides the cute train tracks.
Picture 4, this doesn't show anything "special" because the hooks are all different. You should take a picture with only 2 hooks in use or have names put above each hook so it looks more organized. Here we're not allowed to have children's belongings touch another child's belongings anymore. (Picture 6 shows a nice cubby area, so you could omit this one altogether.)
Picture 7, I love that you have Clifford, but what is that big thing on the wall next to him? You should crop it out of the picture.
Picture 5, does everyone have a name above the cubby? I only see one.
Picture 8, why do you have the word poster written on your poster? LOL, you do have nice wall decor though!
Picture 13, this actually gives out your last name because of what is hung on the wall. This picture doesn't really show anything besides formula sitting on a pile of craft materials. I would omit this photo or exchange it for a picture of a finish craft project done by the kids.
Picture 14, same and the previous photo. You love stamps, but you're not trying to get scrapbooking clients.
Picture 15 is very good! You're very organized. I would omit 16 since you have it in 15 already.

CONTACT ME, this is usually towards the end of the menu options. Do you have an option to move it to be last or second to last instead of in the middle of your sections?

POLICY/HANDBOOK, if you want me to read over this, I will. Want to read over mine in exchange??? I see you have spelling errors, but it's good to have details for parents to read online! Good job!

RATES AND HOURS, I would make sure you put 5:00 for closing since you have 6:30 as opening just so it flows better and also blankly states 5 o clock not 5:15, etc. LOL Great job overall, I love your general setup of everything. It's easy to read and nice to see pictures too! Also, it's nice to re-state your daycare name because when someone is surfing online they are most likely to remember information they read, but completely forget where they read it! Instead of saying "My hours of operation are from 6:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday-Friday." Switch MY with MISSY'S CHILDCARE. KWIM?
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countrymom 05:43 AM 02-08-2011
I was going to post some stuff about your pictures.
1. your dining chairs, can you cover them or paint them like fun colors to it looks inviting.
2. you need to put your art stuff in a storage unit that has doors.
3. also, you should get bins or more shelves and have things organized. It looks really messy and unorganized.

how about naming your daycare and not using your name. I like that your site is easy to navigate.
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missnikki 06:08 AM 02-08-2011
I am going to be perfectly honest here. Flame me if you want, this is constructive criticism, it was requested, sorry if I offend anyone.

If I made it to picture #13, that one would send me packing. The impression I get is unorganized and cluttered. I want to see what your kids have made with the art supplies, not the art supplies themselves. I want to see evidence of happy children, not a sale at a teacher supply store. I want to see a cozy place to play and read, not a shelf crammed with books so tight a child cannot find anything to read without bulldozing the shelf.

When advertising your program, keep in mind that your potential client is looking out for a place that will give their child room to play, explore their environment, and learn to get along with their peers. These are the things you want to show in your pictures.

I might suggest that you set your extra supplies away from that area, and limit the amount of toys/ books you have out at one time. You can rotate them every week or whatever. That way, the kids don't have to sift through piles of anything to spark interest in something. They will always want to see what 'new' book is out on the shelf, or what 'new' toy you set out for them.

Bottom line, your program looks like a place that has everything it needs, just too much at once. Tone it down, and it will be much more enticing.
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Blackcat31 06:26 AM 02-08-2011
Nice web site! I am STILL working on getting mine...LOL!! Anyways, the only comment I want to make is that in the photo with the Thomas the Train set, your lamp cord would have me freaking out for safety reasons. In my state all cords and plug-ins MUST be contained and covered so that the cord is not a strangulation hazard. Other than that, nice job.
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dEHmom 08:00 AM 02-08-2011
LATE PAYMENT:

There will be a $10 per day late fee. This will start at 5:01pm day payment was made. This fee also applies for payments that were short, no matter how much. (Even if it's by $15)

Do you mean day payment is due?

And the following part about no matter how much....I think you should state something more along the lines of, "this fee also applies for any balance not paid in full on due date"


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ABSENCES:

There will be no refunds or adjustments made to your child care fee for your time missed due to illness, days off, or any other reason

If ever an occasion arises that I have an emergency or I am unable to provide care due to illness, it will be your responsibility to find alternate care for your child. If there is a day that I cannot provide care I will not expect to be paid for the day(s) that I am absent. I will deduct or credit your account.

Honestly, I'm getting a sense of attitude more than professionalism. Sorry I don't know how to say that properly, but so far what I've read in the contract parts is an attitude some parents may not appreciate.

I also agree with what was mentioned about the pictures of the supplies. I don't think it is necessary for it to be up there. More pictures of the space in general is fine. But the the lamp by the trainset, honestly, we have lamps like that too, and I just wrap the cord around the base of the lamp until it's just enough to plug in. Or remove the lamp just for the picture. I also don't think you need to take close ups of all the toys/books/etc. Just take a room shot or two. And the supplies and supply shelf definitely aren't necessary to share with the families.


Otherwise I think it is great! I would suggest keeping pictures 1,5,6,8 & 9 and maybe taking out the rest, or retaking the others and make them look more exciting.

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melissa ann 02:34 PM 02-08-2011
Okay, thanks everyone. I have done some work to the site since I read the comments.
I took out some pictures and will work on the things suggested.

To dHEmom, I'm sorry if some of the things seem to be like I have an attitude, I will work on that. But if you had to deal with my dcps and what I put up with and how I have to spell everything out to them, it might not seem so like an attitude. I will continue to try to see the things that maybe I should word it a little better.
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countrymom 02:51 PM 02-08-2011
don't you wish you can just write a contract like in slang words and lanaguage. Like instead of talking about illness, you want to say---"don't bring your snotty booger nose child here" life would be so much easier that way.
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melissa ann 04:52 PM 02-09-2011
Okay, I have taken as much as the "I" in my handbook as possible and reworded things. I have taken some more pictures. They are pics of 2 kids, which are mine, since my dcps are not comfy with me posting them on my website.
For the question why I have the word poster taped to a poster, I have things labeled so the kids can learn to recongize words. I have "sink" on the sink, books where the books are, etc. My son ( who is 3 and can recongize words and can spell them without looking at them.) I know of preschool teachers and kindergarten teachers who do this, so I just did the same.
Again, I wanted to say thanks for all of your imput. I was a top speller back in school, and I can't believe some of the errors I caught. I would look over it every day forward and backward and still missed some.
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dEHmom 05:56 PM 02-09-2011
Originally Posted by melissa ann:
Okay, thanks everyone. I have done some work to the site since I read the comments.
I took out some pictures and will work on the things suggested.

To dHEmom, I'm sorry if some of the things seem to be like I have an attitude, I will work on that. But if you had to deal with my dcps and what I put up with and how I have to spell everything out to them, it might not seem so like an attitude. I will continue to try to see the things that maybe I should word it a little better.
PLEASE don't apologize, I wasn't saying it in a mean way :S I had the same comment given to my by my mil when she read over my contract. There is a certain tone/attitude given soemtimes when we write the contracts that come off as less than professional. I had to fix mine up too, and I have to admit, less people ran away after an interview ! lol.
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dEHmom 05:58 PM 02-09-2011
I just looked at the site! Glad you twirled the cord around the lamp

looks GREAT! really does!

only suggestion I have now, is to put a picture of yourself on the about me. And if at all possible get some pictures of you and the kids together!
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Abigail 06:09 PM 02-09-2011
Originally Posted by melissa ann:
OkaFor the question why I have the word poster taped to a poster, I have things labeled so the kids can learn to recongize words. I have "sink" on the sink, books where the books are, etc.
That was me who asked. I get it now, lol. I have things labeled from years ago when I took spanish class. It's on certain things still at my mom's house like in the silverware drawer.....lol.
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