So Sad, What Am I Doing Wrong?

[MommyMuffin]

I am just starting out after being closed for a few years. I live in the south part of town so getting interviews has been difficult. I have had 3 interviews now and the one last night made me feel so awful, I cried on my way to my childcare class.

I am in a different home than I started. I have an older home. I don't have a lot of money. I do the best I can to make it look nice. I didn't want to have my whole living room turned into centers and such. I wanted a "home" environment. I have a cute book case, push toys and a long narrow shelf that I have clear bins with toys in it. I explain to parents that I rotate toys....because I have a ton of toys.

Last time I started my daycare I charged 20 less than average to attract customers. But I feel like I am qualified to charge an average rate. I am a nurse, I have background with children. I love children. I have a large backyard.

Anyways I'm just sick of the bad interviews. I feel like they stick their noses up at me and nit pick my environment. It makes me so uncomfortable. I am trying not to take it so personally because I understand they are looking for the best.

I love kids, I want some to start in my care so I can just love on them'! But I'm getting so discouraged...I don't have money to make my environment look like a lot of you who post pics.

Any advice...I'm feeling defeated.

The daycares that I have brought my kids to were not set up like centers...they were home environment's and I liked it...:confused:

I have 2 interviews for tomorrow. I have only been bringing parents to the upstairs living room, where I would like to do childcare and rotate toys from the basement.
The only thing I can think of the change is...should I organize downstairs in "centers".
My basement is old, smells musty. It is clean and has carpeting and painted walls but there is only one adult chair. So it would truly just be toys and make shift "centers" out of what I have.....advice?

[Play Care]

I would bring out the toys and set up the room as you would have it when you have kids there. It's really hard for parents to visualize how you would set things up. For instance, my last interview I had had the day off, so my house was spotless and the toys picked up and put away. I could tell mom seemed unsure about that- and I've been in business for over 10 years, have had several of her co-workers as clients, and am always full. Now because of those factors I was able to reassure her, but if you are just starting out I can see the parents being unsure.

You say your home is older - is there a musty odor throughout, or just in the basement? Do you have a dehumidifier running? Not to offend, but how does your home look when you pull up? Is it well maintained with nice landscaping? Or is there peeling paint, sagging porches, missing shutters, etc? If there were obvious maintenance issues, I would be hesitant to enroll my kids because it might mean the provider won't have the money to provide the appropriate environment, toys, food, etc. With any business it does take money to make money...
Hope your other interviews go well and you get some kids!

[rosieteddy]

I to think you should set up like you would on day of interview. Maybe have table activities on table you plan to use for dc. Maybe set up yard to show outside activities. As other poster mentioned spruce up entryway.

[Heidi]

I get what you're saying, because I used to have a shared space, too.

For daycare interviews, I'd "do it up" a little.

Also, if you have a lot of toys to rotate, is there a closet in the front room or nearby that you can organize and use to display the toys? Then, you could open it and show them the overstock.

I think I might also be tempted to bake some fresh cookies or bread right before the interview. Aromatherapy!

[bklsmum]

I think I would do whatever I could to combat the musty smell in the basement and set that up. I have found that bigger spaces are more enticing to parents.

[MommyMuffin]

I'm trying to upload pics so you all can see but it isn't working. Any tips? I am going to attachments and upload and taking pics on my phone and iPad but it just freezes when I hit upload

[MommyMuffin]

The areas are messy because my parents watched kids last night and let them go amuck...but with clean up...which area should I use?
The first one is my basement...just my own kids play area right now. The second picture is my upstairs where I have been interviewing because I wanted a more home based daycare.
I do not have dck otherwise this would have been cleaned up this morning...so please don't hate on the mess

[bklsmum]

Looking at your pics I would absolutely use the downstairs area and make it more daycare-ee.

[yodaone]

I would definitely try and use your basement. Also, like pp suggested, have the extra toys set up so that parents can actually see the amount of toys that will be rotated.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

You have an awesome house- my house is old! I don't "do centers" because I have limited space in my playroom. I only use one room as a playroom, kitchen breakfast nook area and bathroom for childcare.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.681330928556663.1073741886.411142905575468&type=3

I rotate toys and be sure I tell parents that. If there is a bathroom in the basement and it has 2 ways out, I would use that basement area. I would probably move the tv out of that area.

If you don't have daycare kids I would set it up to look like play if you are using the living room. There again if you are using the living room- I would be tempted to remove the tv. I would be sure I had a "paperwork" area set up. So like a sign in/ out sheet etc. I would post a daily schedule. You need to have a vision of how the days are going to go.

One of the reasons you may not be getting "bites" is that you don't have children so they don't know what they are getting themselves into. You need to be able to convey your vision. I went into this 18 years ago and my vision was a "family" setting but quickly realized this is a business. Now I am glad I have a defined childcare space and a defined family space.

If I did want the kids throughout the house and wanted to define myself as a family setting this is what I would do to sell that. So, in the kitchen I would have out laminated kid directions for cooking something along with appropriate child type dishes. I would have some type of shelving with art supplies on it in the table area. I would have some dress up clothes available perhaps in the hallway to get dressed into. I would have a little laundry basket with socks in it for sorting on the couch. I would dive fully into a "home" setting. Bubbles on the porch and sidewalk chalk. I would have theme bins that I could grab. So, I would have a bin in the living room that was a theme and explain to the parents that you rotate out bins so that the kids get to discover different things. Have books and activities in there. So a farm set, books, maybe a container with seeds etc and explain what crafts you have set up to go with that concept in the dinning room, then I would take them to the back yard where you have extended that theme. A place to dig etc. You could easily do this with very little money. But you need to sell your concept.

You can check out my page at www.facebook.com/MrsSteinelsHouse I am still evolving and changing... this fall my concept is babies, babies, babies (3 under 2 so I am shifting again.

Oh and it took my 3 months to get my first kidlet when I reopened... I had taken a year off after 11 years of care... I decided I really do love it and that I would once again do care. But, it took a while to rebuild my business and I have had a slow summer with 3 kids in care. But fall I am full with a waiting list again

Hope this helps some.

Oh and I always have a couple of wax warmers with a yummy food smell in them when I have people over.... I have 2 dogs- stinky diapers and a teen age boy to cover! People always say how good my house smells!

[NoMoreJuice!]

I get what you're saying, because I used to have a shared space, too.

For daycare interviews, I'd "do it up" a little.

Also, if you have a lot of toys to rotate, is there a closet in the front room or nearby that you can organize and use to display the toys? Then, you could open it and show them the overstock.

I think I might also be tempted to bake some fresh cookies or bread right before the interview. Aromatherapy!

Definitely cookies! This is an old realtor trick when showing houses. Chocolate chip cookies = comforting smells of childhood and home.

[Heidi]

Ok...it took me a minute to figure out which is which, but I would also use the downstairs.

Dehumidify if necessary, light some vanilla cookie candles (out of reach) right before the interview, and make that space a real kid friendly space.

-You can find photos of children playing on the internet and print them, then put them in frames.

-Take that TV out (maybe in your bedroom?).

-A small table and chairs for meals. If the area is carpeted, you can put a linoleum remnant under the table.

-Create little "centers". It doesn't have to be too elaborate, but define the spaces a little. Reading nook, block area, dramatic play, a shelf by the table with puzzles, small blocks, and art supplies (in sight but not necessarily in reach).

I can tell you, I've done this both ways; with mixed space and with separate space. It is SO nice to have a living room that is your space. You won't always feel like you're at work.

If you like, I can PM you some pictures of my new area. I don't have a real kitchen downstairs (I assume you dont). Just a microwave, fridge (one of those small dorm fridges would work), and a hot plate. In the winter, I'll bring my smaller crock-pot down and we will have a lot of crock-pot lunches.

[Heidi]

So, I looked again for ideas. I can't see the space while I'm typing, so sorry that there's multiple answers.

I would move all your DVD's and such out of sight, maybe upstairs if possible. Then, get some baskets like these :

http://www.amazon.com/Cascading-Baskets-Shorter-Rectangular-Storage/dp/B00H3KHBM0/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1438182878&sr=1-1&keywords=Displays2go+Cascading+Woven+Baskets%2C+Set+of+6

or bins (clear plastic labeled).

Put them in those shelves on either side of the fireplace, and put your "overstock" there. You can also put books in one, stuffed animals. Anything that's kid friendly looking.

[Nisaryn]

Don't feel bad or put off. In your advertisement did you make sure to put something like "offering a home away from home" type feel? Something like that? That is how I got my clients, they all wanted the home feel and weren't interested in things like 'centers' or anything like that so I don't have any. They came to me specifically because I didn't offer anything overly structured but then, all my DCKs are infants and under 2. We sing and dance, play outside, have a water and sand table. I even have a table with a floor mat to go under it for "food play" where I will take different colored dyed applesauce for the littles to play with. It gets messy but its lots of fun! Like you I can't do much with my house...its a military home so I'm not allowed to decorate too much and I have to do my best to keep the noise down and we have to practice base emergency drills monthly, especially with the ISIS. When I did parent interviews I had them come in with my place set-up as it would be for when kids are here so I had most of the toys out, the tables set up and I had music playing lightly in the background. I think this helped a lot.

[childcaremom]

You have an awesome house- my house is old! I don't "do centers" because I have limited space in my playroom. I only use one room as a playroom, kitchen breakfast nook area and bathroom for childcare.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.681330928556663.1073741886.411142905575468&type=3

I rotate toys and be sure I tell parents that. If there is a bathroom in the basement and it has 2 ways out, I would use that basement area. I would probably move the tv out of that area.

If you don't have daycare kids I would set it up to look like play if you are using the living room. There again if you are using the living room- I would be tempted to remove the tv. I would be sure I had a "paperwork" area set up. So like a sign in/ out sheet etc. I would post a daily schedule. You need to have a vision of how the days are going to go.

One of the reasons you may not be getting "bites" is that you don't have children so they don't know what they are getting themselves into. You need to be able to convey your vision. I went into this 18 years ago and my vision was a "family" setting but quickly realized this is a business. Now I am glad I have a defined childcare space and a defined family space.

If I did want the kids throughout the house and wanted to define myself as a family setting this is what I would do to sell that. So, in the kitchen I would have out laminated kid directions for cooking something along with appropriate child type dishes. I would have some type of shelving with art supplies on it in the table area. I would have some dress up clothes available perhaps in the hallway to get dressed into. I would have a little laundry basket with socks in it for sorting on the couch. I would dive fully into a "home" setting. Bubbles on the porch and sidewalk chalk. I would have theme bins that I could grab. So, I would have a bin in the living room that was a theme and explain to the parents that you rotate out bins so that the kids get to discover different things. Have books and activities in there. So a farm set, books, maybe a container with seeds etc and explain what crafts you have set up to go with that concept in the dinning room, then I would take them to the back yard where you have extended that theme. A place to dig etc. You could easily do this with very little money. But you need to sell your concept.

You can check out my page at www.facebook.com/MrsSteinelsHouse I am still evolving and changing... this fall my concept is babies, babies, babies (3 under 2 so I am shifting again.

Oh and it took my 3 months to get my first kidlet when I reopened... I had taken a year off after 11 years of care... I decided I really do love it and that I would once again do care. But, it took a while to rebuild my business and I have had a slow summer with 3 kids in care. But fall I am full with a waiting list again

Hope this helps some.

Oh and I always have a couple of wax warmers with a yummy food smell in them when I have people over.... I have 2 dogs- stinky diapers and a teen age boy to cover! People always say how good my house smells!

All great ideas. When I reopened after my move it was hard going to get one to sign. That first family always feels the most difficult. Once you get one to sign, though, everything seems to fall into place.

I would reiterate to really think through your day and what your set up will be like. Then set up as if you are currently operating. Parents need a visual to imagine their child there.

I like to invite parents into the space, invite them to look around, as I go through a brief overview of our day. I touch on activities, projects, outdoor time, snacks, etc. We do a tour of the whole house and outdoor area. So I can say, we start our day off in this room for free play, then have circle time here, then we go upstairs where I can show them our snack area and then outside to see where the children play outside. Etc etc.

I have a dedicated space (not really centres but it's strictly daycare) and I really think that helps 'sell' it. It gives the impression that you are committed to the daycare. I use the whole house but I have the one area as strictly daycare. And I will second that at the end of the day, being able to walk away from that area is a blessing

Good luck with your interviews! Everyone is looking for something specific and you will find the families that want what you are offering. I always tell my interviewees that they will know when they find the right place b/c they won't even second guess it. It will just feel comfortable for them. You will get there. Just think of these as practice.