I had something else go through my head tonight that I'm not sure what to do. Our front door isn't in the daycare area, it's down a small entry way, I can see only a portion of the room from the door. My concern is when I have parents pick up their child I dont' want to leave 2 babies in a room with the older kids, not that they would be mean but stuff happens, someone could maybe not be paying attention and trip and fall on a baby, ect, most of the time but I can't rely on it, my husband or daughter could sit in the room until I'm finished with the parent but like I said I can't rely on that, so what do others do in this situation? I can't hold 2 babies.

the other question is, I interviewed someone who has a baby, but they wont start until mid august baby will be 8 mo, then after that I interviewed for another baby who is almost 4 months and they are starting tomorrow. When the first family interviewed me the dad asked if he would be the youngest, I said yes, he didn't ask in a way he was concerned or anything. The second couple that interviewed me asked and I told them I had the other baby starting in Aug and they were fine with it. So would you tell the other family you're starting another baby before they start or would you just let them find out when they start? I can have 2 under 2 so that's not an issue, but would it be the right thing to do or does it matter? I don't want someone mad they started with me if they didn't want me to have another baby, but they never asked it and never seemed concerned with it.

thanks

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I personally don't think you owe anyone an explanation of any sorts of who is in your care. It is not their business. They don't tell you how much they make or other specifics of their job.

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The decisions about my daycare - how I run it and which clients I accept - are solely **my** decision. If a parent is upset about any of my policies, or what ages/number of children in my care - then they can either choose to deal with it, or leave. I know it might sound harsh, but I'm not about to have a client dictate how I'm running my business, and neither should you.

When I have a new child enroll I simply make an announcement in my monthly newsletter for everyone to read. Something like "This month we welcome Suzie and her parents Bill and Diane to our daycare group. Suzie is a wonderfully delightful 4 month old who will be with us full-time. I'm sure that all of her new friends will fall in love with her as quickly as I did during our initial interview!"

Good luck!

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They can't expect you to take new babies. It's the only way to be a viable business over time. I don't discuss my kids with my parents. It's a no win deal. Either they are unhappy because their kid isn't the baby, they think you can't handle their kid plus babies, they want age mates for their kid, they want older kids for their kid, or they don't want their kid to be the oldest.

None of those make me any money. None of these issues make me prosper now and in years to come.

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I only used to take one infant at a time, but all the calls I have been getting is for newborns- infants, so I am going to try to do childcare for 2 of them. We will see how it goes come Aug.

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I agree about telling the parents about the other baby. You run a daycare, and I'm sure they expect other kids to enroll-kids of all ages. I don't forsee a problem.

As far as how to answer the door, when I had two babies I would put one in an exersaucer or something safe, and take the other one with me or else carry both babies to the door. This got really uncomfortable when I had my broken wrist, so I started unlocking the door about 5 min. before the parent would come and asked them to just walk right in. You probably couldn't do this with just anyone, but I trusted these parents and it made things SO much easier for me.

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Whenever I get asked a question like that - "how many daycare children do you have?" I always tell them, "CURRENTLY, I have ____." Then I follow that up that this is a business and things may change from week to week or month to month. It's easy to understand a high turnover here in MI, where parents are losing jobs left and right and many families are leaving the state (the great MI exodus!).

This explanation answers the question but also explains that the current group may not be the group in the future. So they have no expectations that I may have "promised" them something.

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I keep my daycare families in the loop when I interview a family if the potential child will be interacting with the current kids in my care. For my 3rd shift interviews, I don't feel the need to tell the other families because my 3rd shift ends before my 1st shift begins. I like to get my kids ready for the possibility of a new kid starting and I swear, I think forewarning the kids about a new arrival helps the new kid adjust! Just my theory, otherwise I don't think that any daycare parents should concern themselves with a provider taking on an infant. We're providers, not nannies, so to think that a provider will only take their child is ludicrous. As long as we follow ratios and capacity regulations, then it shouldn't be a cause for concern for a parent.

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I would let them know. Only because you were specifically asked and, even though you were honest about it, things have now changed and if the family that asked comes on the first day and see a younger infant, they may think you lied to them....that would not have a good outcome.

I agree that it isn't neccessarily anyone's business, but when it comes to infants, many parents feel more comfortable leaving them in care if they know that the provider will not be responsible for multiple babies, in addition to older children. That may be why the Dad asked, OR he may have just wondered and it won't matter.

My families always know how many of all ages are in care. But, mostly because all of my parents come into my program, they don't just stop at the front door.

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I think you should let the family know about the other baby. In my state the parents have a right to ask and we let them know how many we have in care and ages. I dont know why he cares but he did ask and what would it hurt to give him a call and let him know.
Otherwise like Crystal said, they will think that you lied to them. If they have a problem with it ( I dont know why they would, but its their child and their choice), wouldnt you like to know now so that you can fill their future spot.

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Thanks everyone, I'm not seeing them until a week before they start in mid August, what do I say in the email to them, just get to the point and say I wanted you to know since you asked that I started another baby that will be with him? thanks

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".....and it will be great that little Charlie will have a playmate. I just love it when I have two the same age."

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Would you just email them out of the blue and just tell them or wait until they come a week before? I feel weird just saying hey I wanted you to know that so and so joined our group and is 4 mo old and will make a great playmate for your son? Just like that?

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I guess I wouldn't tell them ahead of time at all. It is my business and a parent wont get a call or email if the child was in school and a new child was starting. I am licensed for 6, so parents are to expect me to fill my spots unless they want to pay for all of them.

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I let the other family know and she said oh that's great, now he'll have someone to socialize with. Nice what a relief. Sometimes I wonder if new parents think that way or not.

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i disagree - asking how much someone gets paid and asking if their child will be the youngest in daycare are 2 totally diff. things. those "little things" do matter when you're putting your child in daycare. if the ages/number of children your keeping don't matter, then what does? does the menu matter? does the length of naptime matter? does how much time they go outside matter - or is that just nobody's business? they could be choosing her because she doesn't have other infants - in which case it would matter.

to the OP - you were telling the truth when you told the first family that they'd be the youngest, but if you're concerned enough to post about it - i'd say give them a call and let them know that you'll have two infants...reassure them...and let them decide. otherwise, they might think u were lying.

i personally didn't have more than 1 infant when i was keeping 4 kids - and that WAS important to the parents of the infant i was keeping and ME.

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As long as I stay legal.....it is no ones business how many or what age I am caring for. And to me it is the same......asking a provider how many children they care for to asking a parent what they make. I can see a parents wheels spinning.....oh this provider has 5 children at $85 per week..........

I am asked this question a lot. "How many children do you watch", from now on, my response is going to be either "Not enough to pay the bills", or just come back with "How many hours a week and how much per hour do you make". Bet they wouldn't tell me. Amazing how some people think our personal business is their business.

Asking what is the youngest age of you care for, or how many under age 2 do you care for is different that asking how "many" you have in your care.

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