Termed Mom Makes Negative Post

[coolconfidentme]

Friday I posted here about a DCM I termed with a two week notice. (She said she wasn't paying me crap & brought her children the following day.)

I sent her a text this weekend stating per policy & contract she cannot bring her until her fees were paid in full. 11pm last night she posted a warning (on Facebook) saying not to bring children to my DC, I don't take care of kids well. A friend of hers sent a screen shot to me.

I PMd & texted her a cease & desist statement advising her if harm was done to my business as a result of it, I will take legal action against her. She took it down after someone commented asking what it was about.

I'm sure she is taking crap about my DC & this is a small town. What else should I do, beside sue her for her DC fees?

[Mister Sir Husband]

Personally, aside from collecting fees that are due to you I wouldn't do much of anything. Responding to her would prolly just result in you and her going back and forth and escalating the situation, with the end result being she would still have her opinion out there but lots more people will have heard about it. I think it would be more professional to just let her vent, and only if someone asks you about it directly (and privately, not on facebook) you should explain your side. If I were looking for a provider, the opinions of one person about you wouldn't carry much weight in my decision, especially if you had multiple other clients that were happy with you.

[Familycare71]

I live in a small town too and recently had a neighbor (who coincidently wants to start doing dc!) was bad mouthing my care... What I came to - eventually . Is that people most likely know who and what she is- chances are they know this about your mom too! Esp when she starts with: can you believe she wanted me to pay her for the last two week!?!

[coolconfidentme]

I didn't reply, I only sent her a professionally worded a cease & desist PM & letter to her. It's irritating because you can build a credible business & one person's negativity does damage weather you see it or not.

I'm trying to build my DC back up after terming the clients who don't follow policy or chronically late on fees & pickup.

[Blackcat31]

I live in a small town too and recently had a neighbor (who coincidently wants to start doing dc!) was bad mouthing my care... What I came to - eventually . Is that people most likely know who and what she is- chances are they know this about your mom too! Esp when she starts with: can you believe she wanted me to pay her for the last two week!?!

This! 99.9% of the time, the person badmouthing you is saying far more about themselves then they are about you.

Anyone she tells will either believe her (because they are HER friends and you don't really want them as clients anyways...) or they wont believe her because they already know she talks trash about people, places and things when she doesn't get her way...kwim?

I would hold my head up and if someone asked, I'd simply reply that she (DCM) was upset because you asked to be paid and leave it at that.

YOU did nothing wrong.

[Mister Sir Husband]

Unfortunately, negative comments about a product or service are easier to come by these days than positive ones. If a person buys something and is unhappy, they may jump on line and comment on it, but the same person who bought 10 other items or services and is completely satisfied won't bother to take the time to leave positive comments.

My other thought on this is what if I had a daycare in proximity to yours and she came to me to watch her kids? the first thing I would do is contact other providers in the area and after knowing how she treated you for simply enforcing your contract I would send her on her way. The more she badmouths your business to anyone who will listen, the harder it may be for her to find another provider.

[hope]

If you truly want to know someone, you look at who they associate themselves with. This mom is doing you a great service.....she is weeding out all of her friends from doing business with you. In a small town where everyone knows everyone you actually have an advantage. The people who know this mom for who she is will take her complaining for what it is, lies. The people who are friends with this mom most likely hold the same values as her and so you are lucky to not have to do business with them. Anyone who would believe her story and side with her probably lacks good judgment and would not be an ideal daycare family.
I'm not saying don't defend yourself, you have every right to. Just don't feed into the drama. That's all the mom wants and it will accomplish nothing.

[coolconfidentme]

Very good points! Thanks to all. I am truly trying to get quality clients even if it means having few children right now.

[permanentvacation]

Coolconfidentme,

I responded to your reply on the post about the family badmouthing my daycare.