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New Members - Welcome to the Daycare.com Forum!>Very Discouraged And Need To Vent....
DragonTears 05:01 PM 09-06-2011
Hi all!

I have been reading threads on here off and on since my almost 7 year old was born. I only recently finally registered on here and I am usually quiet but I find myself needing to vent (which I don't have any opportunity to do anywhere else). So please bear with me and my long post...

I was fired from my 9-6pm Mon-Fri job in June after coming back from vacation (I was fired because I TOOK vacation - long story, but I was unfairly fired) and after being told by my boss that I was eligible for unemployment, they actually denied me instead. I fought for a while and couldn't get the decision reversed through the appeal (not sure how the state of Indiana can give unemployment to a person who was fired from a company for STEALING and it was proven, yet I cannot get unemployment for going to Montana). ANYhow, so FINALLY my husband decides I can go back to doing home daycare (REALLY wish he had decided this sooner since maybe I could have already had a few kids and not stressing out like I am now).

So I spent the last 4 weeks turning my downstairs living room into a dedicated full-fledged daycare area (see attached pics). I have spent every last dime I could to get things ready and have had several people call, set up interviews etc.

So here is a rundown of calls/interviews and the end results:

DCF #1: They have a 4 year old little girl and after interviewing decided I was perfect and that the little girl would start on 8/29/11. 2 weeks later around 11am when I had not seen or heard anything on the start day, I message mom and she apologized, claimed she lost my phone number (I gave her my biz card, and she has called me several times so I don't understand that one) but that her husband had lost his job and they didn't need daycare until the dad finds a new job. Still no word, not expecting them to call back. Lost child #1...

DCF#2: Single mom of a 19 year old and a 21 month old son. She needed daycare but is very picky (she has never had to do daycare EVER, not even with her older son) and to date we still have not met. She wants to bring her son here, but the only issue she has is that I have no other kids at the moment (easily remedied since I have neighbors with children under 2 yrs of age). We have not met yet since she had not been able to get her employment contract signed yet. To date, she stated that she starts 9/6/11 and that she would like to try bringing her son in a few days starting next week to allow him to adjust, and then full time starting the next week. So this is a possibility.

DCF#3: Family with a 3 yr old boy who were having issues with current sitter who wanted to charge them late fees etc (the wife would sometimes pick up a LITTLE late due to college class letting out late sometimes). DC provider is the wife's best friend. They were all set to start here, but texted me 2 days ago to tell me that they THINK they have worked out their issues with their current sitter and wanted to know if they could call me if things didn't work out. So another lost child....

DCF#4: Family with a 3 yr old boy who needed slightly extended hours (I was willing). The boy loved it here (as they all do) and the mother said he would start on Monday 9/12/11. Just got a text this evening stating that her hours have changed and she needs care from him until at LEAST 8:30pm three times a week so they moved in her mother in law to watch him. So again, lost child...

DCF#5: Family who needs before school care only 2-3 times per week for their 7yr old boy (will have to drop the child off at school since his school doesn't run through my neighborhood - good thing the school is only a block away). So this child is supposed to start sometime the week of 9/12/11 but there is hardly any income here. But, at least there will be a child there... And I will be kept as a backup for their 3 yr old daughter (who stays with her grandfather all day) in case the GF decides he wants a break. Positive outlook here, but money hardly counts...

DCF#6: Family with a 7 yr old boy in my neighborhood looking for B/A school care and they actually live in my subdivision. The mother emailed me this morning asking for information and then asked for my address on the second email but I have not heard back from her yet. So a possibility??

So out of SIX "promising" contacts, I have one potential full time to start next week and one kid that I would drop off at school 2-3 days per week only. I am beyond frustrated and disheartened by all the last minute cancellations. When I was fired, my husband took out a loan from his 401K to get us through until unemployment kicked in, but then we found out afterwards that I wasn't going to get unemployment. His income literally JUST covers our mortgage plus $150 per month. That covers gas. The 401K money ran out and I sold my Harley to come up with more money to try to get us through until the kids were supposed to start. Then the cancellations started.

We are down to our last $100 and I have a $300 payment due in 4 days, not to mention all the bills that haven't been paid yet. I have an entire room full of business supplies for making candles, soaps, lotions, bubble baths, lip balms, body sprays, gift baskets etc etc. My last hope is that I can sell of some of these supplies within the next few days. I have to go through all of it (talking $4500 worth of stuff) and split it all up into lots and post them on craigslist. I tried to sell it all at once but nobody wants to buy a large lot (only asking half of what it is all worth). So that is what is going to be consuming me in the next 24 hours.

I am just at my wits end now. I am frustrated, worried, and stressed beyond belief. I need to get kids in here. If I can get 3 FT kids, we will be fine, but every time things look up (I get a confirmation from a parent), I end up finding out last minute that a family isn't coming. I just need to see a light at the end of the tunnel and all I see is pitch black. ~sigh~

Sorry for the rant, but I had to get it out...
Attached: Daycare Room2.jpg (77.9 KB) Daycare Room1.jpg (65.5 KB) 
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Tags:bad economy, clients, discouraged, interview - no luck, vent
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