I dont know what it is lately, but we have been getting a SLEW of people calling and dropping by asking if we're hiring. Just about every other call is people wanting a job. That's not what bother's me

What gets me is, no matter who the visitor, what chaotic time it is...my director allows them to come in, sit around and occupy our time. Potential parents show up for impromptu tours at random hours, people hawking their resumes, people bringing back paperwork...it just gets crazy.

Last week, a family dropped by to enroll a 3 year old boy...the mom and grandmom sat around filled out the paperwork and dumped the son into my group for two hours. Plus the mom was strange, she just stood and stared at the kids and mumbled to herself the whole time. They clearly just wanted to get out of the hot sun and sit around in the air conditioning and dump their kid, because they didnt plan on actually starting him for another couple months.

And as we know, kids go berserk around visitors...it just gets me. I wish she'd establish some kind of visiting hours or make people make appointments.

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I work for someone else so we may have a lot in common. I'm glad we're full right now because I don't like people stopping in all the time. We have visitors often, but they're there for the kids to interact with, not for enrollment. We also take about 3-5 calls a day. I answered the phone at the same time a child fell and got a cut and was crying at the same time the child's mom walked into the room and I had to interrupt the person on the phone three times to ask them to hold because they kept rambling on about who they were and the age and hours they needed, ugh....Soo glad we're completely full!

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How odd! If I post an ad on Craigslist for daycare, I'll get at least 1 to 2 people contacting me for a job. HELLO?! I was advertising a toddler spot, not a job! Desperate much?!

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you work for a center. get used to it. sadly, the directors most often care about the amount of money they can bring in - and they don't care if they have to inconvenience you (or even replace you) in order to do it. they'll let kids behave badly and get away with it because the parents PAY and they don't have to deal with the behavior anyway so who cares? they'll tell you what you want to hear which is, "i'll talk to johnny's parents," and then they'll tell johnny's parents what they want to hear which is, "johnny is doing great." that's what directors are for. they keep you from coming between the parents and the money - they're the mediators. they're there to collect the big checks and hand you the small ones. one child's tuition can pay your salary, and if you leave - she'll just stick one of the many warm bodies you mention stopping by every day looking for jobs in your place. my advice - get used to it or get out. i'd recommend getting out. i've worked in a center and i'd never do it again. good luck.

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Oh I plan on getting out as soon as I can...I'm about 1/3 through my CDA and they're assisting in the cost (which I really can't pay right now and I really want to finish soon so I can leave). So they kinda got me by the short hairs.

I really do have affection for the center I work for, my kids and even for my director, but the place is just not being run correctly, and its driving me to drink (not really ).

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Install a suggestion box?

I work at a Center and we have monthly meetings to air things out and make suggestions. Thankfully I have a director that's very open to suggestions.

As far as the influx of work applicants - Colleges are out for the summer and the College kids are having a rough time finding Seasonal employment. A lot of the places, even though they may be hiring don't want Seasonal employees.

I know - my son inquired/applied to over 60 jobs. Thankfully he finally found one!

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How can you take a child that fast? Don't it take a while for the new student packet?

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I have/had my RESUME on Craigslst. People call me asking about a job. Hello it is my RESUME not a JOB OPENING!

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I don't know. Its ridiculous. A person can literally walk in off the street and leave their child that day. My director is that desperate for money. All she needs to know is the child's name, age and the parents phone number, and its a deal.

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[quote=Hunni Bee;221151]I don't know. Its ridiculous. A person can literally walk in off the street and leave their child that day. My director is that desperate for money. All she needs to know is the child's name, age and the parents phone number, and its a deal.[/QUOT

Don't children have to have paperwork filled out by dr? I can see needed the money, but there are laws about paperwork. . .

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[quote=TGPII;221186] Enrollment into child cares in my state have no requirements about having anything signed by a doctor. All of the required paperwork here needs to be filled out and signed by a parents or guardian.

Laws very from state to state so no two will be the same.

We have many places that will allow a family to use drop in care and if they have never been there before, all they need to do is stop by the director's office and fill out some contact and emergency forms and then they can leave their child any time after that paperwork is completed.

Not cool in my personal opinion but my personal opinion often varies greatly from the actual laws.

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[quote=Blackcat31;221212] http://www.ownadaycare.com/

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This is a problem in my center as well. Especially since the mandate came down to fill up the classes ASAP. They never seem to understand that at least 90% of these parents are kicked out from other centers for horrible behavior issues or non payment. In my center, it's a never ending cycle. They never have the correct paperwork and what they do have is incomplete. We usually get 3-4 different cell numbers for emergencies and half the time they don't work. They seem to have no problems leaving their "precious" kids with complete strangers without even asking their name.

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I think it's like that in all centers. I worked in 3 and that's how they all worked. Basically, it's a company that wants new clients. So, when potential clients randomly stop by, the director or assistant director gives them a tour and tells them to let their kid hang out in their potential classroom while the director talks with the parents and continues the tour of the center. As someone stated already, the director/assistant director's jobs are mainly to get more income into the center. They REALLY DON'T CARE if the time that a potential client decides to show up inconviences you or completely disrupts your classroom. You just have to deal with it! Now, home daycares on the other hand, typically have potential clients call and arrange a scheduled interview at a time that will not disrupt the daycare. I would suggest that you run your own home daycare. Or open your own center and handle tours for potential new clients in a way that doesn't disrupt classes. But unless you get out of your current job, you'll just have to put up with it.

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Unfortunately, in many cases, part of a director's job is tied to how many new children they can bring in -- it's a bit like a commission where they will get a certain amount of money per child. I wish directors did get big checks -- as a former director, I earned $9.00 per hour, not much more than our highest paid teachers ($8.50).

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This is so true! I tried 3 different centers in my career and hope I never have to go back

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Wow...I have worked in several centers over the years and have never had children join in the same day that the parent completes paperwork. I've seen a lot of your posts and the things that go on at your center are really unfortunate and not representative of most centers I have seen. I did work for one place that was awful, but I only stayed 2 weeks and they were shut down a couple of months later. Trust me, they are not all that awful, I'm so sorry you have to deal with so many issues!

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As a center owner/Director/teacher/butt cleaner/ nose wiper/paint supervisor/ lunch preparer/ lego captain/ store customer/ beauty shop client/ storyteller/ potty chairman/ birthday party coordinator.... Ok, you get the idea..... I would like to say this....generalizations like "....all centers are like that".or "that's just how centers operate".should really be used sparingly. These words hurt especially because they are parts of threads about how centers suck. Or owners suck. Or Directors suck. I have a small center, run by me, my husband and an assistant. We have 15 STUDENTS. We are not ALL heartless money grubbers who sit in offices and bark orders to our underpaid staff. Those you that know me here understand I am a big advocate of small, mom and pop style, centers. "Centers" is not a bad word.
hunni bee, I wish you could come work with me, I would not treat you that way. You're right, that is absurd! Tours should be by appointment, on certain days. And I would never allow parents to get free "dumping" as a "trial run" of some sort. Does your center do drop -in care? I am not a fan of this, personally I wouldn't do it, ever, but if they allow it, not much you can do. When you are ready to open your own center, you will be a huge success. Thanks for having some kind words for your center too.

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Thank you! Appreciate that a ton! Makes me feel better.

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not trying to pick on your post in particular, but it is that type of generalization that upsets me. just using it as an illustration to my points above.

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I understand that all centers arent run like mine. I know that you know all the hoopla that goes on in running a center, and I appreciate that yours runs in a way that's best for the children, not the money or the adults.

I have a dual title at my.center, and much of my (and my lovely coworkers) job is to keep the foolishness from spilling over into the children's day, in addition to all the other hats you listed (potty chairman being my fave ). That's what makes ours a decent center, IMO. We are always scrambling, but it's worth it.

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