What Do Parents Expect From a Home Daycare
 

hello parents:} I would love to know what do you parents, looking for a home childcare provider, expect when you have an interview?. I am opening up my home to children and their parents and would love to fix up my home to them:} Thank you so much:}

I would expect someone who's honest about their policies and procedures. A person who has experience and appears to have their business in order (can show me all their forms, contracts, as well as pictures and outlines of their meals/ activities/ schedule). Someone who is willing to answer all my questions WITHOUT swinging their answer to favor what they want, but to a possible compromise... I hope they would appear to like kids as well. I've seen in interviews where the owner only talks about how they're so excited for my child, can't wait for the child, but they have no organization to their business or they automatically try to avoid certain questions because even though their hours are from 6-6pm, they want me to pick up my kid as early as possible!!! Why bother even telling me your hours lol?

What I want is VERY HARD to find these days since Daycare's ARE businesses and sometimes, it really is all about money :(.

That is very sad you are having such a hard time finding care- fingers crossed you find all you want and more!

As a parent who decided to open a dayhome after I, like you could not find one suitable for my child's needs was looking for;
Someone with a background working with children, either ECE or hands on time in the field ( let me tell you just because a person has qualifications and the paper to prove it, doesn't mean the are up to par)
A person who takes the time and inititive to stay on what's new in resources and childhood development
A nurturing, kind, calm natured individual
Organized and professional
Clean and safe environment
Positive Refrences from current clients
Able to go with the flow and break from routine from time to time
Up to date CPR first aid and criminal red. Check
A smoke and processed food free home ;)
I know it may look like a long list- but its your child and you have to really do y your research
I showed up to a scheduled interview and the daycare provider was outside smoking and the kiddies were strapped in highchairs glued to the television.

Expectations go in both directions
 

OP, I hope that you understand that if you try to meet every expectation that a parent has regardless of what is best for you and for the rest of your daycare children, then you will find yourself burned out pretty quickly.

For the people who responded, I hope that you understand that you are not the provider's boss and you don't get to call all of the shots. Remember that the parent/provider relationship works best if it's a partnership and not a dictatorship.

I agree that you should not be in a dictator role with your DCP- things will never work. However, to uphold high standards that are reasonable that the DCP should follow is not asking too much!

Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Someone who is willing to answer all my questions WITHOUT swinging their answer to favor what they want, but to a possible compromise...

What I want is VERY HARD to find these days since Daycare's ARE businesses and sometimes, it really is all about money :(.

I agree with everything you said BUT:

1. What kind of compromise? What kinds of things are you expecting that is not already provided?

2. Of course we work for money. WHAT do you work for? :confused:

Originally Posted by godiva83:
That is very sad you are having such a hard time finding care- fingers crossed you find all you want and more!

As a parent who decided to open a dayhome after I, like you could not find one suitable for my child's needs was looking for;
Someone with a background working with children, either ECE or hands on time in the field ( let me tell you just because a person has qualifications and the paper to prove it, doesn't mean the are up to par)
A person who takes the time and inititive to stay on what's new in resources and childhood development
A nurturing, kind, calm natured individual
Organized and professional
Clean and safe environment
Positive Refrences from current clients
Able to go with the flow and break from routine from time to time
Up to date CPR first aid and criminal red. Check
A smoke and processed food free home ;)
I know it may look like a long list- but its your child and you have to really do y your research
I showed up to a scheduled interview and the daycare provider was outside smoking and the kiddies were strapped in highchairs glued to the television.

I don't think your list is impossible, but I do think it is somewhat unrealistic. Any person providing childcare services may or may not have experience. The only thing I had going for me was that I am a mother of 4 school age kids and my children weren't at home with me during the day. That doesn't make me less qualified or make a person red flag me because I hadn't worked in daycare before. I now have previous clients and 3 years under my belt but according to what you posted, that still wouldn't make me qualified in your eyes.

I attempt to keep up on the "what's new" but I don't go to classes offered on the weekends or after hours. Does that make me a bad provider?!

I am kind and I am soft hearted and I love children. (Shouldn't we all be if we are dealing with children on a daily basis?!)

I am very organized and professional and possess a degree, just not in anything childcare related.

Of course a clean and safe environment is necessary...it should be the first thing on your list.

Positive references?! I have references...I'd like to think they are positive, but if I've learned anything, sometimes people have a tendancy of talking too much. (I had a child that liked to play with himself and would brag about how he had a penis and I told him that his language was unacceptable at the daycare.) The mom and I disagreed on what her son could and couldn't say in my home. Ultimately during a reference call, she told the prospective client that I had strict rules and her son got punished for saying penis which is not true. He wasn't punished. He was redirected.

Not all people can break away from routine. I run a strict schedule and a regular routine. Kids need routine. I need it even more!

I am CPR/First Aid/Universal Precautions certified, I am a mandatory reporter for the state and I can pass a criminal background check...unless bouncing a check disqualifies me from providing childcare.:lol:

A smoke free home is the law here. But processed food free...that's a personal preference. Obviously a healthy diet is important, but to be completely processed food free...that's one criteria all of us would be guilty of every now and again. :)

Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I would expect someone who's honest about their policies and procedures. A person who has experience and appears to have their business in order (can show me all their forms, contracts, as well as pictures and outlines of their meals/ activities/ schedule). Someone who is willing to answer all my questions WITHOUT swinging their answer to favor what they want, but to a possible compromise... I hope they would appear to like kids as well. I've seen in interviews where the owner only talks about how they're so excited for my child, can't wait for the child, but they have no organization to their business or they automatically try to avoid certain questions because even though their hours are from 6-6pm, they want me to pick up my kid as early as possible!!! Why bother even telling me your hours lol?

What I want is VERY HARD to find these days since Daycare's ARE businesses and sometimes, it really is all about money :(.

While I admire the fact that you want a certain good standard of care for your child.....the part about "without swinging their answer to favor what they want, but to a possible compromise" is not reasonable.

A provider cannot "compromise" with every single parent she has enrolled. But if she does it for one, then she has to do it for all. If she did...she is no longer in control of her own business.

She has a set of rules and they should be in stone. If you do not like them, then choose a different provider.

I am licensed for 16 children. Sixteen sets of parents do not make my rules. I do. I decide what is best for my business and for the GROUP. Many parents forget that it's not all about THEIR child. It's about the GROUP. I can't "compromise" on the whim of sixteen sets of parents. "Compromise" really translates to "I want my child and I to get preferential treatment"

If you want cable TV...you call and ask what's available. You can't set the price. You can't tell them you want a special package made just for you alone. You chose plan A, or plan B. Neither may be completely perfect for your viewing pleasure. But you have a choice to buy them or not. You can try another company. You do not have the right to expect the company to "compromise" with you.

Same with day care services. Buy the service offered or don't. But don't try to change the service......it's not yours to change.

A parent who has a list of wants and requirements needs to hire a nanny. Then they are employers and THEY can set and change the rules to their hearts content.

Always remember...your day care provider does not work for you.

You are simply buying a service she offers. And yes...a service she offers according to HER wants. And yes...just like you...she does it to make money and support her family. (just like you do)

Originally Posted by godiva83:
I agree that you should not be in a dictator role with your DCP- things will never work. However, to uphold high standards that are reasonable that the DCP should follow is not asking too much!

The only standards a day care provider has to uphold are licensing standards and her own standards. If the parents finds those acceptable...great! If they don't ...they need to find another provider.

Well, it appears like my response my have offended some, and truly that was not my intentions.
Wdmmom- let me clarify what I meant by experience is experience working with a group of children( that doesn't mean centre based) having and raising 4 children puts a lot of exp. under your belt. I should have worded it better and left out the word field.

The original poster asked for what ppl look for in the daycare they would choose- and that list was just that- my opinion of what makes a good daycare and one where I would be happy sending my child.

Hi I am the op. sorry I forgot my log in id lol, but I found it. I asked because I am a daycare provider and would love to start making changes because my home is a home and not really set up as a dc, so would love to hear from all on what it is to have a great buissness. What about the size of a home? my home I feel is not that big but my home is kid friendly and I adore children. Thanks to everyone who is helping me. Also do you guys have pic of your home dc so I may have ideas:}

Hopefully I don't get blasted- but, again just my opinions.

I think the size of a home is not a big deal, if you utilize your space well. Also, a homey home is what a lot of ppl look for when choosing a HOME daycare. I would just work on organizing and perhaps ensure your home is not cluttered if it is! A cluttered, unorganized home ecspecially if it is smaller may end up looking even smaller.
Storage and good storage is your best friend :o) I use the cube shelve from IKEA with photo labelled baskets which help for easy clean up

You said it is child friendly and safe so that is a big one ppl will be looking for.
Do you have a separate play area? If so you can make it more colorful and child centered- but if not maybe look for mats in funky colors to spice up your adult space, that can be easily moved on weekends...
Again, for me I wouldn't worry about a small space if the space was used in a good way, and if you had the proper amount of children enrolled based on your usable space. Ex. I wouldn't want to see 5 children cramped in a tiny room with no room to move and find their own space to play.

Www.hemingways.webs.com

Personally, this could have been my response as well!

Originally Posted by godiva83:
That is very sad you are having such a hard time finding care- fingers crossed you find all you want and more!

As a parent who decided to open a dayhome after I, like you could not find one suitable for my child's needs was looking for;
Someone with a background working with children, either ECE or hands on time in the field ( let me tell you just because a person has qualifications and the paper to prove it, doesn't mean the are up to par)
Ditto! I don't have a college degree in anything but administrative duties, and I have good hands-on child care capabilities. I've met people with degrees and they just don't have the magic touch.
A person who takes the time and inititive to stay on what's new in resources and childhood development
I am on this site almost daily learning new things. I talk about daycare and practices with friends and google to learn more. I have books at home I occassionally read about childcare. I take classes online that are all about an hour or two hours which are all free. I don't think this is a tough request to fill either.
A nurturing, kind, calm natured individual
I bet we all are, or at least most of the time.
Organized and professional
I'm very organized and professional on the job, I just don't know how professional I am at interviewing since I've never had to do it yet! This isn't a tough request to meet either, but if I met two wonderful providers it would come down to how organized and professional they were as well as rates and location and general services offered. It's just part of the package.
Clean and safe environment
Clean and safe environment we all would most likely run into with someone who is licensed and serious about business. If I saw safety concerns, only a few at least, I would mention them and see if they would be changed. If I saw too many issues I wouldn't consider the person or explain.
Positive Refrences from current clients
I would love to provide possitive references, but it comes down to how references are offered. If someone said they would try to give me references and took forever and ended up being just a friend and family member then I would be disappointed. If someone had 5 references including family, friends, previous dckids, or babysitting experiences without hesitating I would be happy! This also ties into being organized and prepared and professional.
Able to go with the flow and break from routine from time to time
This is getting into a little more detail here but good to look at and use in the question/answer time of the interview.
Up to date CPR first aid and criminal red. Check
This is commonly done everywhere and expected IMO.
A smoke and processed food free home ;)
I don't smoke and my personal opinion is that I would never put my own kids in a smoking environment even if it was outside only.
I know it may look like a long list- but its your child and you have to really do y your research
I showed up to a scheduled interview and the daycare provider was outside smoking and the kiddies were strapped in highchairs glued to the television.

Originally Posted by Catherder:
I agree with everything you said BUT:

1. What kind of compromise? What kinds of things are you expecting that is not already provided?

2. Of course we work for money. WHAT do you work for? :confused:

I understand some things can't be compromised, but I'd like to at least discuss why things are the way they are. Such as no toys can be brought. Not asking for an exception just a reason so I can understand. I should have used a different word than compromise.

Yes, but some owners make it VERY obvious it's all about money. Have some tact? We all work for money obviously.

Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I understand some things can't be compromised, but I'd like to at least discuss why things are the way they are. Such as no toys can be brought. Not asking for an exception just a reason so I can understand. I should have used a different word than compromise.

Yes, but some owners make it VERY obvious it's all about money. Have some tact? We all work for money obviously.

For me, I don't allow toys from home because I got tired of trying to fix all the issues Billy's toy caused in regards to sharing. That toy belongs to Billy so naturally he isn't keen on having to let everyone play with it and possibly ruin it. He wants it but because he has it, now everyone wants it too...basic children's behavior. It is easier if ALL the toys belong to someone else (me) and the kids are equal users with no more rights to a toy than the next kid.

I also got tired of parents being upset that I wasn't watching Billy when he was playing with the toy he brought because Billy's Great Grandma gave it to him for his 3rd birthday so it has, not only a monetary value, but a sentimental value too. KWIM? I wasn't watching Billy with his toy because Billy left it where Joey can get it and Joey is really hard on things. In normal situations where it is only the daycare's toys they all play with and Joey breaks something, I am the only one who is responsible. No one else is involved. Not Billy or his parents or possibly Joey's parents.

And probaby the biggest reason I don't allow toys from home is, a toy that is appropriate for a child in his own home as an individual child under his own parent's supervision is not always an appropriate toy for a group of children of mixed ages and multiple kids playing with it at once under the care of a provider who is governed by far stricter guidelines than parents are.

FTR~ I have no problem discussing any of my rules and policies with my daycare parents. As a matter of fact, I feel better if I know they are understanding the "why" and not just the rule. I also admittedly make exceptions in certain situations. It is absolutely impossible to have blanket rules that just cover everyone. Each family, child, and situation is a separate and individual thing. I try to have general rules and policies and I do tweak them to work for each individual relationship I have with each family I have as clients.

This is all part of a healthy communication style AND the foundation of a trusting relationship. I agree with you 100%, both parties should have the right to discuss and question things without automatically feeling like the other is asking for some special priviledge.

As a single mom, the I usually trust my instinct first and foremost... Because no matter how great the house looks - but I have to have a connection with the daycare provider. But would appreciate if she has genuine love for children, which is icing on the cake!

But if it will be detailed list, my wants are simple:
- no smoking
- clean house
- not so much kids if possible
- a nice routine with a bit of reading and even nap time

:D

Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I understand some things can't be compromised, but I'd like to at least discuss why things are the way they are. Such as no toys can be brought. Not asking for an exception just a reason so I can understand. I should have used a different word than compromise.

Yes, but some owners make it VERY obvious it's all about money. Have some tact? We all work for money obviously.

That makes sense and a perfectly understandable expectation. ;) I am sad to hear some don't explain it during the interview process. :(

The toy issue, for me, is that it makes the child with a "new" toy the target for the day. :( They can't participate in activities because their entire day is consumed with "keep away".

Ever seen the kid at the park whose mother gave him a sucker?? :lol::lol: The kids are on him so fast he does not know what to do. Poor little guy.... :p

If I take it away and put it in his cubby then I am the meanie. I work hard to get the kids to like being here so parents can go to work feeling good because their child is happy here. If the child is convinced I am a big meanie, our relationship will never develop well. :o