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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Rebranding After a Move
MelissaP 07:49 PM 12-27-2020
My family and I are moving up north in the spring so this past November, I shut down my current in home so that we could start prepping our home to sell. During this down time, I have had enough time to start to think about how I would rebrand when we do move and I am able to open again. A lot of epiphanies have happened in the last month you could say. I was over worked and under paid. I was unprepared and I want to make this work more then ever. I have been super happy that I was able to take this time and think about what I wanted and I want to be back with the kids AND be a better wife and mother.

This is kind of an 18 part question (LOL).. if you could just start over again, what would you change and how would you go about doing so?

I wouldn't fill a space to fill a space. I would take my time to interview people and reflect. I also would have a higher standard. You can't help everyone and those that you want to help so bad are the ones that usually make you miserable and burnt out super fast. I also would require a tuition rate that I and MY FAMILYwould be happy with and not have to worry so much about how we were going to pay the bills.

If you are already doing this, what are some of the programs that you are using to make things more sufficient?

I'm going to try to do away with every thing paper with everything that I can (all paperwork, lesson plans, accounting (including receipts), ect). I'm tired of spending my weekends doing everything. I also need to have my plans and everything ready before I open again. I don't want to spend every waking moment revolved around daycare. I literally, I was always doing something daycare related and missed out on a bunch of life. I went into this wanting to do childcare AND run my own business.

If you could do me a super solid, would you be willing to share your policy books with me?

I would be forever grateful. In the last three years, I have done 15 rewrites of my policies because I neglect to put things in that I never would have even thought of needing.

And finally, if you are a teacher provider, does that work well for you?

I think this would be the way that I would like to go, with limited summer availability. However, this whole covid thing has got me jittered.

Thank you,
Melissa

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Annalee 08:32 PM 12-27-2020
Originally Posted by MelissaP:
My family and I are moving up north in the spring so this past November, I shut down my current in home so that we could start prepping our home to sell. During this down time, I have had enough time to start to think about how I would rebrand when we do move and I am able to open again. A lot of epiphanies have happened in the last month you could say. I was over worked and under paid. I was unprepared and I want to make this work more then ever. I have been super happy that I was able to take this time and think about what I wanted and I want to be back with the kids AND be a better wife and mother.

This is kind of an 18 part question (LOL).. if you could just start over again, what would you change and how would you go about doing so?

I wouldn't fill a space to fill a space. I would take my time to interview people and reflect. I also would have a higher standard. You can't help everyone and those that you want to help so bad are the ones that usually make you miserable and burnt out super fast. I also would require a tuition rate that I and MY FAMILYwould be happy with and not have to worry so much about how we were going to pay the bills.
I would begin with a tiered scale based on pickup time similar to BC. I would also be more consistent with a three-step interview with an "I will call you persona"....Make sense...that would weed-out/eliminate many "just give me a spot SOON" without REALLY seeing if client/provider are a good fit.

If you are already doing this, what are some of the programs that you are using to make things more sufficient?

I'm going to try to do away with every thing paper with everything that I can (all paperwork, lesson plans, accounting (including receipts), ect). I'm tired of spending my weekends doing everything. I also need to have my plans and everything ready before I open again. I don't want to spend every waking moment revolved around daycare. I literally, I was always doing something daycare related and missed out on a bunch of life. I went into this wanting to do childcare AND run my own business.
ALOT of what I do is computerized already but STILL being self-employed, I still spend too many non-daycare hours doing "stuff"....not sure how to eliminate that and I've been in business 28 years now!

If you could do me a super solid, would you be willing to share your policy books with me?

I would be forever grateful. In the last three years, I have done 15 rewrites of my policies because I neglect to put things in that I never would have even thought of needing.
I ALWAYS put in contract/policies "Guidelines are listed but not limited to" to save me when it comes to time-off, what's expected, etc. Clients in today's time need it elementary-ized as they can't/won't/don't understand/follow/simply do what is expected
And finally, if you are a teacher provider, does that work well for you?

I have contemplated getting another job so MANY times; but I can't make what I do now, nor can I work the hours I want to, nor can I be there for my family like I am now which is priceless; plus not sure I could work for anyone else EVERY DAY.

I think this would be the way that I would like to go, with limited summer availability. However, this whole covid thing has got me jittered.

Thank you,
Melissa
FWIW, I like to re-brand EVERY September, when I kind of start over for the year; that's just me! However, the clients I have now mentally drain me and I do have a three-step interview process....so I kind of think that is a generation/culture thing and not sure how to avoid it altogether. At the end of the day, I am washed out! Lots of COFFEE with Flavored creamer (and I have many kinds as it all depends on my mood).

Take lots of time for yourself and your family....be non-negotiable with your contract.....tell; do not ask clients....keep the upperhand.

These are just my thoughts....hope they help a little

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MelissaP 06:08 AM 12-28-2020
Thank you. It does. There was a dad of a little girl that would try and push his MLM on me at pick up all the time. That's the stuff that I couldn't believe that I had to put into my policies.. he was relentless. Mom was awesome (divorced) so that's why I kept them.

I have been working outside of the home since the end of November. I HATE working for other people. The pay sucks (12.50 an hour) and the hours are awful (7:30 - 6:30 M-T-W with an hour lunch. F - 1:30 to 6:30. with a half hour lunch). I've been there until 7:00 some nights because people can't add correctly at night and undenounced to me, we are also the accountant. With all the time I am gone, you would be surprised that I only bank about 30 hours a week, which I was hired on as full time Monday - Friday and one Saturday a month (M-F 8:00 - 5:00 and 8:00 - 1:30 Saturdays but a half day another day to make up for that time). They want us to sign our names on credit card receipts to keep track of who took that payment.. nope. Not a chance! Asking for time off isn't what I'm looking for anymore AND I miss my daycare babies. Even with all the noise, parent problems and all of that.. it was worth it and I miss it a lot more then I thought I would.

So! Time to rebrand and get my happy back. Do everything the way I want to do it and not do something because I have the pressure of parents. My business, not theirs.

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Blackcat31 07:04 AM 12-28-2020
When you say up north... where up north do you mean?
Feel free to PM me if you don’t want to post on the board as I am in northern MN I might be able to offer some assistance as it’s definitely different up here compared to the metro area in southern part of the state.
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MelissaP 09:24 AM 12-28-2020
We are looking into possibly buying some land between Aurora and Virginia and building OR just buying but it's hard to find a place that is suitable to do daycare in and after my first go round, I know that I want a basement with a walk out. It doesn't have to be finished as we are pretty handy people. LOL. But I need at least that.

It's just hard figuring out how far from Virginia is too far in order to make the in home work. We will probably have to rent for a year or two as we have some things that we will be paying off in order to be able to get the rating we want with another mortgage (think student loans). Which is fine as it would give me another 2 years or so to get it all together and "do it right" this time so I'm not doing everything by the seat of my pants and losing my love for it.

We love the small town mining feel of Biwabik and Aurora. Maybe even Eveleth would be okay too but like I said.. how far is too far out from a "major" smaller town.

I'm was strictly play based previously but would like to have a schedule with some preschool time in there also. I lost my motivation because it was the same thing over and over and over again. Is that something that is wanted up there? I know you are on the other side of Virginia so it's probably different over there too. So much to think about.

Thanks!
Melissa
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