Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Humble Berries Are Not My Favourite



My husband is lucky to even have a set of keys to the car. If you haven't figured it out I am used to being in the driver's seat. Hence the reason I am self-employed. It's not that I lack skills to work in the real world - I have plenty of those - it's that I lack a "mute" button. I swear I have a genetic abnormality in that my DNA is devoid of the "follower gene". I'm not ashamed to admit that I am a leader by nature. I like to make the decisions and take responsibility for their outcome whether positive or negative. In short, I am a powerhouse. In fact, a lot of daycare providers I have had the great fortune to know are also powerhouses. It's an occupational hazard.


In this current climate of home daycare the powerhouses are having a hard time. When the families are scarce and the pickings slim, we are subsequently brought down a notch on the ladder of humility. Gone are the days of interviewing five families for one spot and hand picking only the one perfect family who agrees and conforms to our policies.


I had an interview last week with a wonderful family. The next day, as usual, I sent off an email thanking them for their time and letting them know I would be happy to "accept them into care". Just imagine my shock and indignation when I received back a reply stating that they would get back to myself and any other providers with whom they interviewed in a week's time. A week? Are you kidding me? Judy fills spots faster than that! After I had a moment to get over my scarred ego I realized that at least for 2009, 'times they are a changing'.


In all the years I have provided daycare I can honestly say that if a family had waited more than two or three days to sign on to care they would have found themselves starting the process all over again. Daycare was a hot commodity and if you didn't act fast you would be left sucking up the dust of other families who were quicker to commit. Not this year.


The question begs to be answered as to why it is that the daycare climate has changed, if even only temporarily ( I hope!). Well, chalk it up to the hype of six o'clock media reports on the "recession" and you would find the first and most prominent answer. Sorry, but I don't buy it. Have their been lay offs? Sure thing! But step into an East Side Mario's, Kelsey's, Montana's, or Keg on a Saturday night and the scene there will easily counter all of the financial reports on your local news station. Combine that fact with the ads for help wanted at Wal-mart, Future Shop, McDonald's, Taco Bell and the Hotel Industry and I have to wonder if Rogers Media has a personal stake in all that financial fear mongering. Bad news sells. Good news doesn't. Period.


The second factor to the change in climate has been discussed here ad nauseam. Why is it that every time the economy "appears" to take a nose dive every mother in the city thinks she'll toss a block of Legos in her living room and open a daycare? Of course, being completely clueless to the actual work and expense involved in providing quality, long-term care she charges less for more hours than all of the seasoned, experienced area providers. "Recession providers" are like the DollarStore of daycare. Yep, pack 'em in, charge less and before you know it the daycare will be broken in six months. Funny how the statistical decline of the number of home daycare coincides with the return of the peppy, financial feel good news casts that are sure to come. Sadly, parents are too often beguiled by the cheap fees and impending financial doom of the world to care that the provider will be gone faster than you can say "Dow Jones Index Jump".


Tonight I have yet another interview. Hopefully they will be a wonderful family. But as excited as I am to have yet another interview I have to admit that there are other human feelings in the mix as well. A big part of me hopes the interview tonight signs on immediately so I will have the pleasure of informing last week's interview that I am now full as they waited too long to reply. Is that immature? Yep, it most certainly is. But, then again, it's better than the taste of that bitter Humble Berry. And besides, I hate pie!
















For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca
Posted by at 10:55 AM
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10 comments:

  1. Yep Judy, I know what you are talking about! It might just be that this particular set of parents really is clueless about hte world of daycare, and not able to recognize that they should jump on it if they like it- Don't defrost the humble pie yet- you are still in the drivers seat!
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  2. Someone told me that this type of bargain basement daycare bs is happening in London. Laid off people only charging $10 a day per kid and not providing any meals or snacks or crafts etc.

    I want to scream WAKE UP!! At least if they are going to start a daycare, go with the current rate! When they start whining about not making enough money and the wear and tear on the house, I'm afraid they won't get a shoulder to cry on from me. And for the parents that buy into this, don't you think your children are worth more than overly cheap care?

    Happy interviewing Judy!
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  3. It's amazing what parents will do after just a phone call inquiring about care with me. I had a gal call one October, saying she was returning to work in December and would like to meet with me etc. I said sure I happen to have some room, come on over type of thing. Well days turned into weeks and I never heard from the woman, figuring no worries, she obviously found someone else. Then a couple of days before her 'return' to work, the woman called and asked to bring the child over the next day to meet me. I told her sorry, I'm full and she starts freaking out on me for not holding her child a spot lol! And spouting excuses as to why she didn't call or come over when she said she was going to. I told her sorry but I'd be crazy to consider taking your child tomorrow I haven't met you or your child, wished her luck and I may have even given her a few names of other providers she could call but never once did I tell her I'd hold a spot for her! I chuckle years later thinking about this woman, wondering what ever became of her! Great post as always! Love the image of a woman tossing some legos on the floor and calling herself a daycare provider!
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  4. I've been running into the same issue with interviews lately. Recession providers is a perfect way to describe them. What irritates me more is when someone comes for an interview and two days later you see their ad on Kijiji or Craigslist offering childcare.
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  5. As a provider, I'm irritated at how entitled the families that I deal with feel. I gave my families notice several weeks ago about closing my home and pursuing an excellent employment opportunity elsewhere.

    One of my families simply said, "do you know anyone else who will babysit our son"? Babysit? Who was "babysitting"? {looks over shoulder} Me?

    The winner today was grandma from another family, who didn't greet me but instead stated abruptly, "so you're packing it in" and then went right into "do you have any referrals"? When I stated that I did, in fact, have referrals and that I had discussed said referrals with mom weeks ago, she dismissed those with the flippant comment that the hours of the places I referred won't suit mom's new job. Really. 'Cause I don't remember mom and I working out any sort of agreement for me to work the 2 hours extra that mom's new job would require after everyone else went home and my daycare closed either. There was just an assumption that I would do it. And like it. Grandma's parting comment that mom would enjoy all that money she's saving from having to pay daycare fees to me was enough to leave me at the front door, willing myself not to flip grandma the bird as she marched down my driveway.

    I'm furious at how little respect I've received in return - even after hand-picking those "golden" (or at least silver when the golden families weren't showing up for the interviews) families.
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  6. Great topic once again Judy. I too have just had an interview and announced to the family as they turned to leave - I have another interview tomorrow and there is only 1 space available. They said - they will interview several others and discuss their decision and get back to me on the weekend! What? It's Wed. I hope tonight's interview is 'golden' so when/if this first family calls back - I can say I'm filled!!
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  7. I hate humble pie and outrightly refuse to eat it! I do serve a large slice of it though. I hope your first interview calls back ladies and you can serve them their pie with a cup of "snooze you lose tea" or some nannabanana cake. Can't wait til things turn around and those cheapy cheapy almost free babysitters are no more.

    Kimmar
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  8. I guess I take a different track on this. As a parent, I'd prefer the option of interviewing a few providers and having at least a week to make my decision. These are MY kids and I want the best for them. I would also be looking for the "golden provider". Why is this a problem?

    I do strongly agree that the "recession providers" are very annoying, unrealistic and can drag down the professionalism some providers strive to have and demonstrate. Good name Judy! As a parent, I'd be asking some key questions to determine the reasons behind opening a hcc and their long term plans. BTDT myself thanks and know better.

    LMM
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  9. I have commented on your previous post about not sacrificing the standard of care you provide just because of financials. I think that you would agree with me when I say that as a daycare provider our first priority would still be seeking candidates that are well suited for the environment that we foster.I personally encounter one or two of those interviews but I am quick to remind myself that the headache and loss of self respect that comes along with those free riders arent worth it.
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  10. Hi there! I know this is an old post but as someone whose business was collapsing as you typed this I'd like to point out the recession is very real. It's not just major businesses that are dying, it's little ones whose customers were all laid off. I still haven't found a new job. Fortunately I've started babysitting (not a home daycare, I just watch one baby atm) so my family isn't starving to death. But despite the people who drove the economy into this collapse still living the high life, I can promise you the little people are still hurting
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