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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>What The Neighbors Think
Mary Poppins 07:20 PM 01-23-2012
For those of you doing hdc, do you care what your neighbors think of your dc?
The reason I ask, is that before I started I made sure to talk to all of my neighbors (except one) in the immediate vicinity of me so they knew about my hdc. They were all very supportive. We each have an acre lot so there's plenty of space between us and we live in a neighborhood full of young families. My next door neighbor is one that no one in the neighborhood gets along with, us included, so I didn't talk to them about it. I've been doing this for a while but for some reason, I seem to care TOO MUCH about what they think and feel like I have to keep this on the "down low". To the point I am paranoid they will start trouble over my dc. The thing is, there isn't much they can do since I am completely legal.
How do I get over this feeling of caring what they think, or worse, what they might do?
Anyone else BTDT?
The reason I ask, is that before I started I made sure to talk to all of my neighbors (except one) in the immediate vicinity of me so they knew about my hdc. They were all very supportive. We each have an acre lot so there's plenty of space between us and we live in a neighborhood full of young families. My next door neighbor is one that no one in the neighborhood gets along with, us included, so I didn't talk to them about it. I've been doing this for a while but for some reason, I seem to care TOO MUCH about what they think and feel like I have to keep this on the "down low". To the point I am paranoid they will start trouble over my dc. The thing is, there isn't much they can do since I am completely legal.
How do I get over this feeling of caring what they think, or worse, what they might do?
Anyone else BTDT?
Meyou 02:47 AM 01-24-2012
My neighbors love the kids. They're all seniors and enjoy watching them play. When we're outside the number of senior strolls around the neighborhood seems to dramatically increase. We also meet 6 or 7 couples regularly on our school walk who I'm pretty sure go out at the same time as us on purpose. Then there is the lady that waves from her door when we cross one street. She waits for us.... 
Yep, they're loved.
Now my old house.....had a crazy lady across the street who hated children. She filmed the neighborhood boys playing basketball all the time and called CPS on me. She also called the police and told them my mother egged her house. ??? Cuckoo!
Yep, they're loved. Now my old house.....had a crazy lady across the street who hated children. She filmed the neighborhood boys playing basketball all the time and called CPS on me. She also called the police and told them my mother egged her house. ??? Cuckoo!
seebachers 03:59 AM 01-24-2012
you may be legal within the state's guidelines but have you checked your township/county. I have a legal daycare in my state but if the township "knew" about it, they could re-zone my area as business instead of residential and my taxes would go up considerably. Our county lady that comes in does inspections even told us NOT to put up signs in our yard so that the township couldn't prove that we were running a business out of our home.
I am just throwing that out there as a "be careful".
I am just throwing that out there as a "be careful".
AnneCordelia 04:12 AM 01-24-2012
I didn't ask my neighbours. I figure they want me to be able to keep my house in good repair to maintain their property value...so this income is necessary.
We live on a small lot...30'x100'. My neighbours are happy with my daycare. It doesn't effect them in anyway aside from the occasional time someone has to (legally) park on the road to pickup. But I don't have so many families to create traffic congestion.
The kids are fun. The neighbours without kids always comment on how happy and polite mine are. The neighbours with kids are happy to have so many daycares in our area, because it means they have care.
We live on a small lot...30'x100'. My neighbours are happy with my daycare. It doesn't effect them in anyway aside from the occasional time someone has to (legally) park on the road to pickup. But I don't have so many families to create traffic congestion.
The kids are fun. The neighbours without kids always comment on how happy and polite mine are. The neighbours with kids are happy to have so many daycares in our area, because it means they have care.
Blackcat31 08:49 AM 01-24-2012
the neighbor on one side is a rental and some of the tenants have been worse than daycare could ever be!
The neighbor on my other side is sandwiched between me and another daycare!
But she is an elderly lady and loves the children from both daycares and I think she enjoys the joyful noise!
The neighbor on my other side is sandwiched between me and another daycare!
But she is an elderly lady and loves the children from both daycares and I think she enjoys the joyful noise!
Mary Poppins 09:08 AM 01-24-2012
Originally Posted by seebachers:
you may be legal within the state's guidelines but have you checked your township/county. I have a legal daycare in my state but if the township "knew" about it, they could re-zone my area as business instead of residential and my taxes would go up considerably. Our county lady that comes in does inspections even told us NOT to put up signs in our yard so that the township couldn't prove that we were running a business out of our home.
I am just throwing that out there as a "be careful".
I am 100% legal here, no signs or anything "commercial" looking and I have no zoning issues or ANYTHING. It's just this one particular neighbor who likes to start trouble with EVERYONE from what I've heard so it's just one of those things where it makes me feel like she'll turn on me next because she can. Or thinks she can. Ugh.you may be legal within the state's guidelines but have you checked your township/county. I have a legal daycare in my state but if the township "knew" about it, they could re-zone my area as business instead of residential and my taxes would go up considerably. Our county lady that comes in does inspections even told us NOT to put up signs in our yard so that the township couldn't prove that we were running a business out of our home.
I am just throwing that out there as a "be careful".
I hate feeling like this. My dh tells me to stop caring what they think or do but I can't help it.
renodeb 09:09 AM 01-24-2012
When I first opened my hdc I received a complaint letter in the mail that one neighbor saw kids running around the neighborhood and that I was running an illegal business from my home, it wenton so say that thye thought it was gonna raise other peoples insurance rates.
I checked our CC&Rs and Im perfectly legal in every way. Never heard any other complaints again but I know which neighbor it was b/c they were never friendly to me. Nobody else seems to mind.
Debbie
I checked our CC&Rs and Im perfectly legal in every way. Never heard any other complaints again but I know which neighbor it was b/c they were never friendly to me. Nobody else seems to mind.
Debbie
Ariana 09:13 AM 01-24-2012
I don't have signs and my daycare is pretty small, so it's no different than if a family lived next door with 3 children really. They have nothing but positive things to say about it so it's nice. They comment about what a wonderful provider I am and how it's nice that we go outside so much which is always appreciated in this thankless job 
I don't know why a person would just turn on you out of the blue if you're doing nothing wrong. I mean they certainly can but why waste your time and energy worrying about it BEFORE it even happens kwim? You just keep on chugging along and stop worrying about it!!!
I don't know why a person would just turn on you out of the blue if you're doing nothing wrong. I mean they certainly can but why waste your time and energy worrying about it BEFORE it even happens kwim? You just keep on chugging along and stop worrying about it!!!
Mary Poppins 09:20 AM 01-24-2012
Originally Posted by Ariana:
I don't know why a person would just turn on you out of the blue if you're doing nothing wrong. I mean they certainly can but why waste your time and energy worrying about it BEFORE it even happens kwim? You just keep on chugging along and stop worrying about it!!!
LOL! You sound just like my dh. I don't know why I worry about them but just the fact that I know she has started trouble with at least 3 other neighbors over very petty things bugs the #$%^ outta me I guess. She is just one of those people who isn't happy and it's obvious. I don't know why a person would just turn on you out of the blue if you're doing nothing wrong. I mean they certainly can but why waste your time and energy worrying about it BEFORE it even happens kwim? You just keep on chugging along and stop worrying about it!!!
It just makes it hard when I let what "could" happen affect my whole program. Part of me wishes she would file some sort of complaint just to get it over with so I can sort of "in your face" her. But that's horrible of me, isn't it?
small_steps 10:20 AM 01-24-2012
I didn't mention it to any of my neighbors when I opened my daycare, of course I moved here and opened my daycare soon after I moved. So far, I've been very lucky. My neighbors right next door to me are probably in their 60's and they love the kids. In fact, the husband was Santa for me this year and will be the Easter bunny at Easter. And I also have 3 different neighbors that have children in my daycare. The house on the other side of me is for sale right now and I'm hoping that it will be a friendly couple...maybe even a couple that will enroll a kid or two
Meeko 11:04 AM 01-24-2012
My neighbors HAD to know! I am a family group and in order to be state licensed for 16, I had to be individually re-zoned to have a large at home business. I had to post a sign in my yard for 30 days and then there was a hearing, when neighbors could come to voice their objections if they have any. Nobody showed up and even if they did, the city planner said they would have to have very valid reasons. Just saying "I don't want it" wouldn't be good enough.
But all my close neighbors know me from church and nobody had a problem.
I understand that the zoning part is no longer an issue and the childcare licensing just measures the size of the property and decides how many kids you can have. Even those who only want 3 kids may later have up to 16 if their home is big enough and they want to expand and have a second care giver. Their license doesn't change at all.
I wish it had been that easy when I wanted to expand!
But all my close neighbors know me from church and nobody had a problem.
I understand that the zoning part is no longer an issue and the childcare licensing just measures the size of the property and decides how many kids you can have. Even those who only want 3 kids may later have up to 16 if their home is big enough and they want to expand and have a second care giver. Their license doesn't change at all.
I wish it had been that easy when I wanted to expand!
laundrymom 11:06 AM 01-24-2012
My neighbors think I'm nuts. But they don't mind the dc. Lol