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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>First Parent Wants To Sign....But I'm Hesitant
MommyMuffin 04:22 AM 08-04-2015
I am reopening after being closed for 4 years. I don't need the income but want extra things. I am looking for 2-3 dcks, preferably infant to 3. Anyways I've had lots of interviews but nobody sign up.

Last night I had my first interested parents but
- 2 yr old has never been to daycare before
- parents say he is strong willed and wild, he took out every toy I have while here
- he has a dairy allergy...which I don't know how to make fit with what I feed my kids...I'm not a good cook
- dad is between jobs...may or may not start in September

Since I don't need the money I keep telling myself to pass and just wait for the right family.
How do I tell them they are not a good fit?

They were very eager to sign up and love that I have a Christian curriculum which was good to hear and they are very nice people.
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DaveA 04:40 AM 08-04-2015
I always keep it simple, vague and polite:
I enjoyed meeting you but after consideration feel my program's goals and your family's needs would not be a good match. I will not be offering to provide care for your child. Thank you and good luck with your search for child care. If you need additional names the local Resource and Referral agency's number is XXX-XXX-XXXX
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Blackcat31 06:14 AM 08-04-2015
Originally Posted by MommyMuffin:
I am reopening after being closed for 4 years. I don't need the income but want extra things. I am looking for 2-3 dcks, preferably infant to 3. Anyways I've had lots of interviews but nobody sign up.

Last night I had my first interested parents but
- 2 yr old has never been to daycare before
- parents say he is strong willed and wild, he took out every toy I have while here
- he has a dairy allergy...which I don't know how to make fit with what I feed my kids...I'm not a good cook
- dad is between jobs...may or may not start in September

Since I don't need the money I keep telling myself to pass and just wait for the right family.
How do I tell them they are not a good fit?

They were very eager to sign up and love that I have a Christian curriculum which was good to hear and they are very nice people.
I have a child in care with a milk allergy. He can have dairy in cooked forms but just not straight up dairy as in drinking from a cup, cheese, yogurt etc... so maybe the dairy allergy isn't really bad? Or maybe it's just a choice on the parents part to not serve dairy?

Also the "strong willed" comment always makes me laugh because I take that to mean "My kid can hold out longer than I can and since I am too lazy to actually enforce the rules, I'll just call him strong willed".....

I also think kids act a lot differently when their parents aren't around.

I don't know.... I guess I'd probably pass too but at the same time, unless there are GIANT non-negotiable red flags I am always willing to give the two week trial period a go....
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Controlled Chaos 07:29 AM 08-04-2015
I would give them a trial period too. Its always easier to fill spots when you already have children. Maybe he could help you fill more spots and then if he doesn't work you can term later.
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bklsmum 09:25 AM 08-04-2015
I, personally, would give them a trial period. The nice thing is that he can't disrupt the group since he is the group right now.
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Snowmom 09:50 AM 08-04-2015
Originally Posted by MommyMuffin:
I am reopening after being closed for 4 years. I don't need the income but want extra things. I am looking for 2-3 dcks, preferably infant to 3. Anyways I've had lots of interviews but nobody sign up.

Last night I had my first interested parents but
- 2 yr old has never been to daycare before
- parents say he is strong willed and wild, he took out every toy I have while here
- he has a dairy allergy...which I don't know how to make fit with what I feed my kids...I'm not a good cook
- dad is between jobs...may or may not start in September

Since I don't need the money I keep telling myself to pass and just wait for the right family.
How do I tell them they are not a good fit?

They were very eager to sign up and love that I have a Christian curriculum which was good to hear and they are very nice people.
I say go with whatever your gut is telling you to do.

Personally, I had an interview about 5 years ago that sounds close to what you're describing (wild child) and I ended up hesitantly signing the family on. 3 years later, when the little girl left me, it broke my heart because she had become one of my all time favorite dcks. I look back at that 1st interview with them and laugh now

I've also currently have a child whose parents do not allow dairy (but no allergy). It's a little more work since I need to basically make a meal just for her (no cheese, milk, cream, etc) and she has Almond (no soy) milk...which then means I cannot claim her on the Food Program (because of the milk). So, that's a little annoying, but the Family and dcg was worth it to me.
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MommyMuffin 12:25 PM 08-04-2015
thanks everyone.
I would like to give it a go. I'm not sure about the food thing, but maybe if I talk to the parents more I could find ways to make it work.

You all are right. 2 week trial period couldn't hurt.
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Thriftylady 12:27 PM 08-04-2015
I agree they can act differently without parents there. Ask for a letter from the doctor about the milk allergy stating what he can and can't have. I have that in my handbook. Funny how quickly allergies just disappear.
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JoseyJo 02:57 PM 08-04-2015
Originally Posted by MommyMuffin:
thanks everyone.
I would like to give it a go. I'm not sure about the food thing, but maybe if I talk to the parents more I could find ways to make it work.

You all are right. 2 week trial period couldn't hurt.
We had a little girl with a milk allergy. She drank goat's milk. I used goat milk whenever a recipe called for it, and served it instead of cow's at lunch just for her. Was able to claim her on the food program that way, and it really wasn't that expensive. When I made a recipe with cheese I would just leave it out of a couple of servings, and I kept a couple of servings of milk free meals in the freezer for her just incase we had something she couldn't eat at all.
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Thriftylady 03:19 PM 08-04-2015
I had a mom call me today. Her child has a cinnamon allergy. Talking to her more, she can't eat it and it can't touch her skin. So for me that is pretty easy. But cinnamon is easier to work around then milk. I told my mom that wouldn't be an issue. But if it were milk, I may ask she provide food.
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mamamanda 05:12 AM 08-05-2015
I have one with a milk allergy, but it is mild. She can't drink it, but it can be used in recipes. She doesn't have an airway reaction, but she gets terrible diaper rash if its given to her. I would get more details on the severity of it.
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Scribbles 08:20 AM 08-16-2015
Originally Posted by MommyMuffin:
thanks everyone.
I would like to give it a go. I'm not sure about the food thing, but maybe if I talk to the parents more I could find ways to make it work.

You all are right. 2 week trial period couldn't hurt.
What did you decide to do?
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MommyMuffin 05:47 AM 08-17-2015
Well, it was really a tough decision. I had some other families want to sign up and I have 2 interviews tonight.
But I really thought hard about it this weekend and some things some of you said kept going through my head....he may behave better when his parents are not around....
I have a 2 week trial so if it absolutely isn't working then I can back out.

I am nervous but I am trying to stay positive. I chose them because I only have 2 spots to fill and they would fill those 2 spots and everything I ask of families/kids they fit into..so I thought why not
- ok with me driving my son to preschool
- has to be fulltime (I will never take a part time infant again...been there, done that)
- has to be okay with my Christian preschool program
- parents that I can communicate with

So I thought ..it may be a bad business decision to not fill the two spots.
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Scribbles 07:28 AM 08-17-2015
Originally Posted by MommyMuffin:
Well, it was really a tough decision. I had some other families want to sign up and I have 2 interviews tonight.
But I really thought hard about it this weekend and some things some of you said kept going through my head....he may behave better when his parents are not around....
I have a 2 week trial so if it absolutely isn't working then I can back out.

I am nervous but I am trying to stay positive. I chose them because I only have 2 spots to fill and they would fill those 2 spots and everything I ask of families/kids they fit into..so I thought why not
- ok with me driving my son to preschool
- has to be fulltime (I will never take a part time infant again...been there, done that)
- has to be okay with my Christian preschool program
- parents that I can communicate with

So I thought ..it may be a bad business decision to not fill the two spots.
I hope things work out for you. It sounds like it's a good fit over all. As for the boys behavior, he may just surprise you and be really well behaved. If not, you do have the two week trial period to fall back on.
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