Hello, Kristin:

I'm sorry that you're going through this. Let me first tell you that it is not uncommon-don't take it personally. Those who have already burned every bridge in town tend to smell fresh blood quickly! Many of your first contacts can be daycare hoppers/price shoppers/parents of toddler hoodlums/parents with unreasonable demands. Just keep at it! The hardest family to enroll, IMO, is the first! Be creative and use every contact you can: ask friends and relatives for referrals-ask your pediatrician for a referral, your dentist, your grocer. Tell EVERYONE that you're open for business and accepting applications! Get involved in local events or groups and get the word out! Don't be shy, either-leave your card everywhere! Put a few in the kids play area at the clinic, leave them on bulletin boards, the library-anywhere you can think of. Stop at the HR departments of large employers and ask if you can leave some info for their employees-dependable daycare helps employers, too! For every yes you get, you may get 20 no answers, but remember that you DID get a yes!

Good luck to you!

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