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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Possible Moving and Pregnant
JeepGirl6 08:26 AM 01-07-2013
I have been operating my In Home Child Care for 4 years now, this year has been a great year for me, I finally am at my full capacity. I am 9 weeks pregnant and my husband and I have wanted to move for a while now. We would like to get a forever home, one with acres 
We said we would only live in this house for 2-3 years and have been here 6 years. Now that I am pregnant I would really like to move. The daycare now is on the second floor of our home and takes up the three rooms that are up there. I don't want to take away from the daycare rooms nor put infants room up there not on the same floor as us. As of right now, I care for 7 families. We plan to put the daycare in the basement of our next home, away from our living area. This wont be possible in the home we are in now. Our home is only 1,200 sq ft, we are looking for something 1,800 plus. The house we are looking at is 15 minutes away, only one of my daycare parents work in that direction so only one of the seven families will follow my move. This house is 3-5 minutes from 4 schools,3 minutes from the city hospital and also 2 minutes from a college so I don't think I would have a problem building my daycare back up or I hope I wont. I am worried about the new clients, are they not going to want to choose me because I am pregnant? Do you feel this effects you at all(pregnant women)? The OB where we go offer evening appointments so I wont have to take time off during the day. I hope to only take 2-3 weeks off and possible hire a temp person to be there for 3 weeks with me to do the lifting etc and I will be there to supervise and answer questions. I am due the second week of August, so if I get school teachers for new clients that will be a benefit because they wont need to find alternative care because it will be a summer maternity leave.
I havent told the parents I am pregnant yet or about us thinking about moving? How do I do this without them getting panicky? We are still looking for houses, the house are found we love, but it we would find one around here where I could keep all my clients, that's the way we will go. We have to sell our house first, so I need to figure out how to tell all the parents that I am pregnant and we are thinking about finding a bigger home before a for sale sign goes up in our yard.
How many of you have moved and had to rebuild your daycare clients? how long did it take?
We said we would only live in this house for 2-3 years and have been here 6 years. Now that I am pregnant I would really like to move. The daycare now is on the second floor of our home and takes up the three rooms that are up there. I don't want to take away from the daycare rooms nor put infants room up there not on the same floor as us. As of right now, I care for 7 families. We plan to put the daycare in the basement of our next home, away from our living area. This wont be possible in the home we are in now. Our home is only 1,200 sq ft, we are looking for something 1,800 plus. The house we are looking at is 15 minutes away, only one of my daycare parents work in that direction so only one of the seven families will follow my move. This house is 3-5 minutes from 4 schools,3 minutes from the city hospital and also 2 minutes from a college so I don't think I would have a problem building my daycare back up or I hope I wont. I am worried about the new clients, are they not going to want to choose me because I am pregnant? Do you feel this effects you at all(pregnant women)? The OB where we go offer evening appointments so I wont have to take time off during the day. I hope to only take 2-3 weeks off and possible hire a temp person to be there for 3 weeks with me to do the lifting etc and I will be there to supervise and answer questions. I am due the second week of August, so if I get school teachers for new clients that will be a benefit because they wont need to find alternative care because it will be a summer maternity leave.I havent told the parents I am pregnant yet or about us thinking about moving? How do I do this without them getting panicky? We are still looking for houses, the house are found we love, but it we would find one around here where I could keep all my clients, that's the way we will go. We have to sell our house first, so I need to figure out how to tell all the parents that I am pregnant and we are thinking about finding a bigger home before a for sale sign goes up in our yard.
How many of you have moved and had to rebuild your daycare clients? how long did it take?
JeepGirl6 09:03 AM 01-08-2013
Anyone have any advice?
JeepGirl6 09:08 AM 01-11-2013
I plan to tell the parents next week. Can Anyone reflect to the questions I have above??Please
ashleyh 09:26 AM 01-11-2013
Here's what I would do - Instead of telling them right away I would make a mention of it when you're ready to sell/made an offer on a new home. Something legally binding so you have dates to go by. This way it at least gives them some notice if they decide to use a different provider still close to them
If this new home is near the school I would start getting fliers and everything ready to go earlier so they can be handed out in schools with some kind of date that you know you'll be ready for so if you lose families you have a head start on advertising. Sure most families probably won't hold on to a flier but what if they know someone else KWIM?
Are there thrift stores, libraries anywhere you haven't already advertised that would allow postings once you move?
I personally haven't moved a business before but will be in a few years when we have some debt paid off and have the same things to think about and that's what I've come up with
If this new home is near the school I would start getting fliers and everything ready to go earlier so they can be handed out in schools with some kind of date that you know you'll be ready for so if you lose families you have a head start on advertising. Sure most families probably won't hold on to a flier but what if they know someone else KWIM?
Are there thrift stores, libraries anywhere you haven't already advertised that would allow postings once you move?
I personally haven't moved a business before but will be in a few years when we have some debt paid off and have the same things to think about and that's what I've come up with
MamaBearCanada 09:31 AM 01-11-2013
How much notice does your contract say you have to give? I wouldn't say anything about the pregnancy if you think you will be moving before it would affect your current clients. One less thing to prompt them to move sooner than needed. As for the move itself I would tell them a day or so before the sign goes up and explain that it might take months to find a house and that you will give them x amount of notice - as long as you feel you can manage according to your contract.