Oop's I Made Friends With A Parent

I think I messed up!!!! I made friends with a family who just moved in down the street. They have a little boy who will be 3. I told them I could care for their child, she was suppose to get this job and start. She hasn't started yet but they keep coming over her son is the age group of my kids so they like to play. I think he will be a handful since he did not start as a dck. I don't want to loose them as a friend either. She keeps going on interviews and she talks about him coming and is excited. I am not he doesn't listen!!!

What would you do? Have you ever been in a situation like this.

Oh and they just signed a year lease on the house to stay closer..

[cheerfuldom]

Do you even have openings? Can you just tell them that you are full for now? offer a list of resources where she can look for childcare when she does get a job?

PLEASE dont take a kid that you know is not going to fit in!

[daycare]

Originally Posted by athomemommy

I think I messed up!!!! I made friends with a family who just moved in down the street. They have a little boy who will be 3. I told them I could care for their child, she was suppose to get this job and start. She hasn't started yet but they keep coming over her son is the age group of my kids so they like to play. I think he will be a handful since he did not start as a dck. I don't want to loose them as a friend either. She keeps going on interviews and she talks about him coming and is excited. I am not he doesn't listen!!!

What would you do? Have you ever been in a situation like this.

Oh and they just signed a year lease on the house to stay closer..

No way Jose would I ever do business with someone that lives that close to me or that i was friends with.

I would find any excuse under the sun to not provide care for that family. They will view you as THEIR baby sitter and you will be hit up non-stop.

Another thing to think about, is how you will be able to deal with the parents should they not follow some of your policies. TRUST me when I tell you because you are friends, they will expect and want SPECIAL all of the time.

NOW I could be wrong on this, but I hardly ever hear that it does work out when you do business with friend and neighbors.

Maybe you can give her a price that is off the charts....lol

I would be doing anything I could to find away out....

One more thing to think about.....I made the mistake years ago and became friends with some DCP. The DCP was very open with me and was telling me things that I did not want to know. She was comfortable with me and I guess did not see what she was doing as being wrong. Well I had to end up calling CPS and it SUCKED sooooo bad.

[littlemissmuffet]

Originally Posted by athomemommy

I think I messed up!!!! I made friends with a family who just moved in down the street. They have a little boy who will be 3. I told them I could care for their child, she was suppose to get this job and start. She hasn't started yet but they keep coming over her son is the age group of my kids so they like to play. I think he will be a handful since he did not start as a dck. I don't want to loose them as a friend either. She keeps going on interviews and she talks about him coming and is excited. I am not he doesn't listen!!!

What would you do? Have you ever been in a situation like this.

Oh and they just signed a year lease on the house to stay closer..

You just broke the first 2 rules of how I DON'T do business... No neighbors, no friends - the 3rd is no family.

When they inquire about it again, just tell them you don't have any openings available at the moment. As a business, she can't just expect you to wait around for while getting a job anyways.

Next time a neighbor or friend inquires - just let them know honestly that you don't care for children of neighbor, friends or family.

[saved4always]

Most of my families have been people who live in my neighborhood. I live in a HUGE development so it is difficult to find anyone who lives close by that is not in our development...lol! I got most of my families through word of mouth/reccomendations. The only place I ever really "advertised" was on facebook and on our neighborhood website. I have really only had one family that we did not part on the best of terms due to differing ideas about potty training. I have cared for kids from my preschool pta, kids from down the street and kids from my church. I have not found it to be a problem and not many took advantage of me. I was pretty strict on my rules though and everyone had to keep to my contract. Maybe I was just lucky.

[cheerfuldom]

Originally Posted by saved4always

Most of my families have been people who live in my neighborhood. I live in a HUGE development so it is difficult to find anyone who lives close by that is not in our development...lol! I got most of my families through word of mouth/reccomendations. The only place I ever really "advertised" was on facebook and on our neighborhood website. I have really only had one family that we did not part on the best of terms due to differing ideas about potty training. I have cared for kids from my preschool pta, kids from down the street and kids from my church. I have not found it to be a problem and not many took advantage of me. I was pretty strict on my rules though and everyone had to keep to my contract. Maybe I was just lucky.

I have people in my neighborhood but NOT anyone on the same street and not any friends.

[saved4always]

Originally Posted by cheerfuldom

I have people in my neighborhood but NOT anyone on the same street and not any friends.

I have watched for friends but they were very temporary so that may by why I did have any issues...not enough time to have any. I have watched many children over the years who live on my street or over a street or two. One family was my second best family ever. I still see some of these kids when my husband and I take a walk and I will hear "Hi, Miss *****". It is actually kind of nice for me to see how they have grown up over the years. I am probably very fortunate though that there were no big issues that made anything uncomfortable. That could have been a nightmare and I am so lucky it all worked out okay for me. I know lots of providers DO end up with uncomfortable situations if they care for children close by and it doesn't work out.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Originally Posted by cheerfuldom

PLEASE dont take a kid that you know is not going to fit in!

This exactly. Its not so much the friend/neighbor stuff, but the fact that you just know he won't be a good fit. If it walks like a problem child, quacks like a problem child, its a problem child. If you know in your gut the child will cause issues, definitely go with your gut.
I have clients I consider friends, I have clients that live within a block of my center, we pride ourselves in being a friend-like, family-like, neighborhood little center. Good fit, in my opinion, is your central issue OP.

[itlw8]

good people are good people and the same for users

If she would take advantage of you then you would not want her for a friend

I have become friends with long time clients and it has been fine. Same with my sister good people are good.

[youretooloud]

I've done care for both. Neighbors and friends...and family.

Only once was it a problem. One neighbor mom was a psycho crazy evil woman. Eventually she took her child to a daycare center where they were promptly kicked out. She tried to blame the child's behavior which I knew was a complete lie. It was her.

Another neighbor tried to help her sell her house, and she was so horrible to work with that not only did that one Realtor quit on her, but Remax wouldn't have anything to do with them.

Other than that one bad experience, it's always been a good experience. I haven't have any problems ever.

[momofsix]

Everyone of my families is either friend, neighbor or from our church. No problems with any of them. This is just my personal experience. I prefer people I know rather han complete strangers
Do you think the child is not listening because he's with his mom? Often times (ok,most times) dc kids will listen to me much better than their parents.
If you're looking to fill a spot I'd go for it-but it's you and your business, so trust whatever your instinct is telling you

[DaisyMamma]

Originally Posted by momofsix

Everyone of my families is either friend, neighbor or from our church. No problems with any of them. This is just my personal experience. I prefer people I know rather han complete strangers
Do you think the child is not listening because he's with his mom? Often times (ok,most times) dc kids will listen to me much better than their parents.
If you're looking to fill a spot I'd go for it-but it's you and your business, so trust whatever your instinct is telling you

He very well could not be listening because it is mom. It happens all the time. But is it worth the risk?
Sticky situation. Can you try to fill the spot real quick? LOL