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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Crazy Interview Story
Unregistered 09:41 AM 01-25-2012
Got an e-mail from a woman, telling me she has a 3 and 4 year old, and needs full time care. We set up the interview for 5:30pm.

At 6:00opm she arrives, apologetically late. As soon as my doorbell rings, I open the door, and 2 very tall children (well, tall for the ages she told me anyway), ran past me into my home, and went straight upstairs, checking out my entire house. I gave the mom a tour of my home, and told her it was ok if the kids played in the playroom while we talked.

I found out that her kids were 4.5 and 5.5 (dont know why she said 3 and 4) and that she is looking for someone to watch them full time, 10 hour days for $600 a month.... for both. (Mind you, I make 700/month per child currently), and that she is consistently late paying, but she will find a way to make it up "at some point". She then told me that they have behavioral issues and that it is ok to spank them (I would NEVER hit someone else's child- no way), because they respond best to threats (OMG). She told me that the husband is always gone away on work, and that she lives in an apartment with her parents. She said that her oldest son (5.5 year old) sometimes smears his poop on the bathroom walls when he gets mad or doesn't get his way. They will not sit in time out. They are picky eaters. Sometimes they "mess with" children younger than them- I witnessed this, as the 4 year old kept trying to pick up my infant daughter, despite both her mother (and I had to step in) telling her not to.

She told me that she needed a 5:30am drop off time. She also told me that they love to pull blinds and curtains off of the walls, so I would have to watch out for that too. she said a bunch of stuff after that, but I zoned most of it out and instead tried to think of a polite way to end the interview.

These poor kids! I feel bad for them, because they are in some serious need of consistency, discipline, and love, but I am not about to have them turn my household upside down. I thanked her and told her I would be in touch- the kids threw temper tantrums because they did not want to leave

5:30am? Poop smeared walls and broken blinds? This was one red flag after the other!

But OMG, seriously?
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renodeb 11:01 AM 01-25-2012
Now that is the craziest story I have heard in a very long time. I guess she wanted to make them sound younger than they were! This women is nuts! And spanking her kids, Im hello! Wow!
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Heidi 11:04 AM 01-25-2012
Ok....where was the camera??????
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morgan24 11:13 AM 01-25-2012
Wow that is crazy. I had a Mom stop by my house once and say that she heard I did daycare and she just moved to the neighbor hood and wanted to start her 3 year old son the next day. I told her I was full, apparently she didn't hear me because then she told me how he climbs out windows, likes to run to the road, hits her, and the list went on and on. She ended it with I hope you can fix him. I told her once again that I was full and good bye.
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tbutler 11:15 AM 01-25-2012
Originally Posted by bbo:
Ok....where was the camera??????
IKR! This has to be a prank!!!
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countrymom 11:23 AM 01-25-2012
o.k. was this a joke.
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Blackcat31 11:25 AM 01-25-2012
I don't know sounds as crazy as napping on the job or providers who spend ALL day on the forum....
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saved4always 11:30 AM 01-25-2012
Wow! Do you think she is somebody who likes to mess with people...like maybe it is a joke and she enjoys seeing people's shocked reaction???? That is just the wierdest thing I have ever heard! If she and her kids are for real, that is just crazy that she would seriously think ANYONE would take them on! Not for any amount of money in the world!
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saved4always 11:32 AM 01-25-2012
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I don't know sounds as crazy as napping on the job or providers who spend ALL day on the forum....
Oh...just to make sure you all know...it is naptime over here right now so I am not ignoring the kids to be on the computer...lol!
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Blackcat31 11:34 AM 01-25-2012
Originally Posted by ALM:
Oh...just to make sure you all know...it is naptime over here right now so I am not ignoring the kids to be on the computer...lol!

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Heidi 11:36 AM 01-25-2012
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I don't know sounds as crazy as napping on the job or providers who spend ALL day on the forum....
naught kitty kat....instigating! a g a i n
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Ariana 12:14 PM 01-25-2012


That's all I've got for that story...insane.

Originally Posted by :
I don't know sounds as crazy as napping on the job or providers who spend ALL day on the forum....
Bwahahahahaha!!!
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SilverSabre25 12:45 PM 01-25-2012
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I don't know sounds as crazy as napping on the job or providers who spend ALL day on the forum....
I'm with you Blackcat!!

I dunno, unreg (you really should register btw ), I wish very much that I could make what you're making...that's some darn good money right there. Rates for my area (central OH) are nowhere NEAR that. Apparently getting the big money means you get the crazy clients...
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MamaBear 12:49 PM 01-25-2012
Wow! Sounds like an episode of Candid Camera! Or Scare Tactics! haha - Sorry you had to go thru that! I get one supreme weird tour at least once a year too
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wdmmom 12:55 PM 01-25-2012
I'm calling BOLOGNA!

Most parents have the notion that if their children are well behaved and don't need much in terms of care, they'll get a better rate.

And if this were true, I would require $200 per week per child in addition to a $500 damage deposit per child.
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Abigail 01:07 PM 01-25-2012
WOW, I would have asked them to leave. If someone lied about ages, came late, didn't have anything good to say, and the kids behaved poorly at the first meeting that is NO for me. You can do better, but I would be concerned about the kids.
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SilverSabre25 01:10 PM 01-25-2012
Assuming this is genuine, which I very highly doubt, then for future reference, OP, don't answer the door once they're fifteen minutes late. That is the first, last, and ONLY straw that family should have gotten. Lateness is inexcusable. Just like any job interview...if you're late, you're automatically out of the running.
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Zoe 01:28 PM 01-25-2012
What I find odd about this story is that the mom was so honest about how off the wall her kids can be! I mean, think about it....if your kids were that mis-behaved, would you tell a potential provider about all the crazy things they did? No! Probably not. I think a lot of us can attest to finding out about the craziness AFTER the children start care.

And who admits to paying late?!

That's just crazy!
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Unregistered 06:43 AM 01-26-2012
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
I'm with you Blackcat!!

I dunno, unreg (you really should register btw ), I wish very much that I could make what you're making...that's some darn good money right there. Rates for my area (central OH) are nowhere NEAR that. Apparently getting the big money means you get the crazy clients...

Are you serious? I am in central Ohio (Powell) and while my charges vary, I average about $185/week per child.

Blackcat- seriously, this is a real story, which is why I had to post it. You should have seen the look on my husband's face when he came home and I had to tell him about it. This interview will go down in history as the weirdest interview ever.
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MissK 09:19 AM 01-26-2012
Originally Posted by tbutler:
IKR! This has to be a prank!!!
I'm thinking the same thing!!
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Unregistered 09:35 AM 01-26-2012
No joke- this is NOT a prank. I think the mom was so candid about it because she has had issues in the past???? (Led me to winder what she wasnt telling me) And she said she couldnt always pay on time because she only makes $800 a month or so with her job- which led me to wonder why she is even bothering with childcare, why not just stay home? And what kind of a job pays 8-- a month for full time???

She was a super nice lady, and would have loved to take the kids and put the on a routine and help them out, my heart went out to them. I could tell they were low income and needed a break- she told me her friend is watching them now and that she swears at them all the time. It is not a joke- it is sad, actually.

I like the idea of not opening the door past 15 minutes for late interviews, I will use that in the future.
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SilverSabre25 09:42 AM 01-26-2012
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Are you serious? I am in central Ohio (Powell) and while my charges vary, I average about $185/week per child.

Blackcat- seriously, this is a real story, which is why I had to post it. You should have seen the look on my husband's face when he came home and I had to tell him about it. This interview will go down in history as the weirdest interview ever.
dang....I need to move to Powell then! I'm near Westerville :P
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Christian Mother 09:57 AM 01-26-2012
OP- register!! That way you have a face on here..or identity...unregistered have a really hard time being taken seriously bc they stir things up and then leave. You'll like us all a lot we are coworkers so to speak...someone said that back on one of the other posts...I like that bc we are...coworkers!! Welcome to the forum...hope you enjoy it!!
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Unregistered 10:05 AM 01-26-2012
Maybe I will register. I didn't anticipate using the forum much but I am enjoying it- makes me feel not so isolated.

Silversabre- we probably know some of the same people. I have lots of friends who use childcare in Westerville. Heather? Donna? Linda? (Don't want to take away your anonymity though- it comes in handy for those good venting sessions)

Just wanted to share that crazy interview story with people who would appreciate it, because it sure left me speechless.
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SilverSabre25 11:01 AM 01-26-2012
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Maybe I will register. I didn't anticipate using the forum much but I am enjoying it- makes me feel not so isolated.

Silversabre- we probably know some of the same people. I have lots of friends who use childcare in Westerville. Heather? Donna? Linda? (Don't want to take away your anonymity though- it comes in handy for those good venting sessions)

Just wanted to share that crazy interview story with people who would appreciate it, because it sure left me speechless.
Nope, but then my clients all come from a bit further south. There are a few of us on here from Central OH, though I'm probably the most prolific poster of them that I know of. I am not familiar with any other providers around here IRL. I bet we see a lot of the same CL ads though!
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Unregistered 11:06 AM 01-26-2012
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
Nope, but then my clients all come from a bit further south. There are a few of us on here from Central OH, though I'm probably the most prolific poster of them that I know of. I am not familiar with any other providers around here IRL. I bet we see a lot of the same CL ads though!
I bet we do- I advertise Westerville because I do have some parents willing to make the drive. Don;t get me started on some of those craigslist ads lol!
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Blackcat31 11:14 AM 01-26-2012
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Maybe I will register. I didn't anticipate using the forum much but I am enjoying it- makes me feel not so isolated.

Silversabre- we probably know some of the same people. I have lots of friends who use childcare in Westerville. Heather? Donna? Linda? (Don't want to take away your anonymity though- it comes in handy for those good venting sessions)

Just wanted to share that crazy interview story with people who would appreciate it, because it sure left me speechless.
Please register. You won't have to wait for your threads to be moderated and you will be taken much more seriously if you have a regular identity for all of us to remember you by.

"Unregistered" posters aren't taken seriously very often around here.

For example, look how quickly everyone got on the OP of the 'napping while working' thread from earlier this week......or how about the one about providers on the forum all day?

Regular users get pretty worked up by unregistered members ( who like to stir the pot) so please, like Silver said before, please register.
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My3cents 11:31 AM 01-26-2012
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
No joke- this is NOT a prank. I think the mom was so candid about it because she has had issues in the past???? (Led me to winder what she wasnt telling me) And she said she couldnt always pay on time because she only makes $800 a month or so with her job- which led me to wonder why she is even bothering with childcare, why not just stay home? And what kind of a job pays 8-- a month for full time???

She was a super nice lady, and would have loved to take the kids and put the on a routine and help them out, my heart went out to them. I could tell they were low income and needed a break- she told me her friend is watching them now and that she swears at them all the time. It is not a joke- it is sad, actually.

I like the idea of not opening the door past 15 minutes for late interviews, I will use that in the future.
I believe you completely. I had an interview and the mom told me the same thing.....go ahead and put them in their place when you need to, if they need a spanking just do it. I was floored. Red Flags went up- It was for two kids and they were not with the mother and boyfriend at the interview. She went on to tell me that the boy has behavior issues. I felt like she was casing my house. She also lied about the kids ages. I told her I was not taking any under 2 and a half. Her daughter just turned two. She called back a month later, the boyfriend was out of the picture and her daughter was all of a sudden 3. Your encounter is deja vu to mine. I was also told to just let the diaper fill up because they were expensive and she didn't want to buy them often. Let them get good and wet There are nutty parents out there!!!Sad
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Meeko 11:47 AM 01-30-2012
I've dealt with a few crazies over the years.

Many years ago....I watched a boy as a drop in a couple of times. His dad worked with the dad of one of my full time boys. He was well behaved and had a good time with his friend here.

One Friday, the mom called and said "We need you to watch "Timmy" tomorrow, we have a squadron party (we were military) and we don't want to take Timmy"

I politely reminded her that I don't do day care on the weekends.

I heard her turn to talk to her husband and tell him I said no.

He went BALLISTIC. He took the phone from his wife and started yelling at me.

"Where the hell are we going to find someone else at this short of notice?"
"What the hell happened to customer service?"
If I wasn't going to work, then why the f*** did I do this job in the first place?"

I was so shocked! His language was atrocious and I really think he thought it was my duty to be available 24/7 at a moments notice.

I hung up on him and on Monday morning called his squadron commander.

He came crawling over that afternoon and apologized for his behavior. His commander had obviously had "words" with him!!!!! I found out later that he also got an earful from the dad of my full time boy!!!

Some people are just weird. I often wondered how he expected me to react and if he expected me to say "Oh! My bad!, Please bring your son over!"
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Tags:interview, interview - from hell, red flag
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