Daycare Providers are caring people. Caring people genuinely want to be helpful, problem solving people. We are in the business of people pleasing. We please our charges when we change their dirty diapers, we please our charges when we fill their bellies with food made with love and care, and we please our charges when we entertain and cuddle them. We spend our days in the business of pleasing others. And, in its essence this is a noble business we have chosen. However, one must remember to be noble and please oneself at times too.
There have been a number of blogs on this the topic of people pleasing but I think today warrants yet another reminder of taking care of the self so you are able to take care of others.
Time and time I again I read forum posts by wonderful providers who bend over backwards to accommodate families in care. The providers offer special services, extended care, and discounted fees to families they assume appreciate such exemplary treatment. I am here to remind you to not be fooled by the anticipation of future reciprocation.
Daycare is a business first and foremost. As is the case with any business we are not in the business of caring for children but in the business of making money. Yes, there are those of you out there that will disagree but I would ask you to ponder the following question:
"Would you work for free tomorrow if I asked you to?"
If the answer to that question was, "No", or, "Well, I can't; I have to pay my mortgage", then you ARE in the business of making money. The very daycare parents that drop off their children each and every morning go off to work to make money and for no other reason so why should you not have the same priorities? Please do not feign martyrdom. Honesty is always appreciated.
Stop being the daycare doormat that parents wipe their feet on twice a day. You are not obligated to offer extended hours, attend birthday parties, or make special lunches for that one prince or princess you might have in care. Sure, you could offer those things if you wish but be smart about it. Charge more for extended hours, decline birthday invitations and tell mom or dad that special lunches will be an additional ten dollars a day. But always realize you can say "NO"!
I have a policy of no favours. Nope, not a one. Long ago I had the misguided notion that daycare families cared for me like I cared for their children. Oh, how wrong I was. I did not recognize my own naivety until I painfully lost a long time family. It was then that I realized that parents always do what is in their best interest with absolutely no regard, at all, for the provider. Why then, do we feel guilt and contrition when we deny requests? Why should we care?
Daycare providers everywhere would be much more successful if they viewed their business model like that of Walmart. If we simply opened up our doors at the posted time, did our jobs all day, accepted payment for that job and then closed our doors we would have no problems at all. Instead we allow ourselves to be manipulated into positions and situations we really don't desire. And every single time we lack the gonads to speak up and begrudge a parent an appeal for additional services it costs us time and money, a little bit of self-worth and a lot of frustration. If we only had the fortitude to stand up and refuse we would find ourselves with fewer situations and headaches.
Start being the Walmart of the daycare world.
My personal rule is that my business stops at the property line. Once a child crosses over the property line of my home they are no longer my responsibility. I do not attend birthday parties, communions, baptisms or any other non-daycare related event. I do not befriend the parents or the children. I simply do my job and that is all. I do no favours and treat everyone equally. I rarely have problems.
Being a daycare provider comes with a tremendous learning curve. We have a delusional rationalization that daycare providers are caregivers first and business woman second. This lopsided thinking needs to stop. We ARE business women - in the business of making money. Nothing more, nothing less. We work, we make money. It is not any different than any other job or career on the planet. Sure, we all work with different things. Some people work with computers, others work with cars. We work with children. But we ALL work to make money.
Start being the Walmart of the daycare world.
For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca
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