Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Neighbors
Unregistered 12:10 PM 09-12-2011
We have neighbors that think kids should be seen and not heard... Doesn't work well when running a daycare with 16 children in it! The other side of us says that we are lowering the property value by 25%... Any one had to deal with situations like this? what did you do?
Reply
Kaddidle Care 12:51 PM 09-12-2011
Well you had better be legal because they're watching and waiting to call the authorities on you. 16 sounds like a lot for one house. When they are out don't let them scream their heads off - you've got to be considerate in a residential neighborhood.
Reply
sharlan 01:30 PM 09-12-2011
16 kids running around screaming and shouting in a residential area is a lot. It seemed like I always had "day sleepers" so I always made/make the kids keep it down during the day when outside.

What you think is normal noise may be over the line loud to others.

Talk to your neighbor, see if there is something the two of you can work out to be better neighbors.
Reply
wdmmom 01:53 PM 09-12-2011
I share the same privacy fence as a daycare center located directly behind me. I've been in my home for almost 3 years and been providing daycare for the same. I haven't had an issue with any of my neighbors and I've never heard of property values decreasing. Mine went up by over $10,000 in the past 2 years!
Reply
snbauser 04:01 PM 09-12-2011
Like a pp said, make sure you are legal. That is the first thing. The second thing would be to talk to your neighbors. Find out if there is something specific that they don't like. Are the kids noisy coming in early in the morning when the neighbors may be sleeping? Are they screaming a lot when they are outside? An open communication is the best thing you can have. My kids know they can be loud when they are outside, but screaming is not acceptable unless they are hurt.
As far as the property value, I don't see it. In order to expand from 5 to 12 in my home I had to go through the zoning process in our county. That included getting a surveyor out to determine traffic issues, property value issues, etc. They deemed there was no decrease in property values.
Reply
daycare 04:31 PM 09-12-2011
Neighbors can be challenging at times.

I had a neighbor that was complaining that the kids were too loud and throwing things over the fence. And I only have 6 kids. He yelled over the fence one day at the kids.

So I decided to have the kids make a card to say sorry and we baked some muffins/cookies. We then went over the next day and said sorry.

We decided to take cookies and muffins to about 5 of my neighbors and now we make a habit of going to the retired people in my neighborhood to sing songs during holidays and bring treats.

All of the complaints from my HOA have stopped....

Kissing up works....lol

But, I would actually go and talk to them and see what things the kids are doing that are bothering them.....

btw 16 does sound like a lot of kids. I hope you have some good helpers..
Reply
Preschool/daycare teacher 06:30 PM 09-13-2011
I agree with the others, to talk with the neighbors and figure out if there's something particular that is bothering them, and if there's anything you can do (besides pressing the mute button on the children)
I've noticed several posters wondering if 16 is legal. I don't know which state unregistered is in, but in my state, 16 children can be in a class 2 home daycare. We are licensed to be a class 2 (had extra safety regulations, but nothing big), although we aren't full due to this being a small town and not many people need daycare/preschool that badly around here, I guess. At one time we were full, though, and we learned we don't want to be that full again!
Reply
Cat Herder 07:48 AM 09-14-2011
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
We have neighbors that think kids should be seen and not heard... Doesn't work well when running a daycare with 16 children in it! The other side of us says that we are lowering the property value by 25%... Any one had to deal with situations like this? what did you do?
I can think of a few things....

When you walk/drive by your house, is there anything outside that makes it obvious that you run a daycare out of your home? THAT would most likely be the biggest problem in reference to property values. Perception is realty when it comes to the real value; the ability to sell. Nothing has value unless someone is willing to pay for it.

My neighbors were nervous (even with several acres of heavily wooded land) at first but I assured them my yard would not look like Little Tykes and Toys-R-Us threw up on my lawn.

The biggies...

1. No yard signs, toys put away in a garden shed/behind a privacy fence each day, and a well manicured exterior/lawn make very happy neighbors.

2. Monitor noise levels. Incorporate them into your "Relationships" Curriculum as "Respecting Others". Enforce a "No Screaming" policy..."The Boy who Cried Wolf" and "Chicken Little" would be great to do a whole theme on.

3. Stagger arrivals/departures and sternly enforce speed limits and parking issues. Never let anyone slide, even for one day.

All said, I do understand that a retiree, who is home all day, can't enjoy bird feeders, gardening, grilling out or just having a nice read in her own backyard because of the extreme noise of 16 kids in one space (I do the same things. I am enjoying my retirement now while I can afford it ). We are limited to 6 kids for that reason. We cannot infringe on another's persons right to enjoy the peace or their property.

Q. Is it possible to maybe split your group up and have your assistant take them out at different times to reduce the noise/stress on your neighbors?

Q. Could you adjust your outdoor times so they can enjoy the morning hours in their yard and you can have the afternoon hours for business in yours (or vice versa)?
Reply
Tags:neighbors
Reply Up