This is Why I Can't Get Kids

[Thriftylady]

It certainly doesn't help childcare providers get paying clients when there are so many stay at home moms who post on facebook and craigslist advertising that they will "babysit in their home", and go on about how they just want "something to do" and they want a play mate for their own child. And say things like, "It's not about the money. You choose how much you can pay. I only watch kids because I like the little baby snuggles and it gives my kid someone to play with" (actual comments I've read on childcare posts). I feel like posts like that takes away respect for actual childcare providers who are running a business in their home and provide good quality care.

We have a lot of that here due to not having to be licensed. Many of these SAHM's are providing very cut rate care, but without some of the things I do for quality. Sadly it seems many parents will choose price over quality. Most of the SAHM crowd here don't even do handbooks and contracts. Of course that means when they just want a day off they just close and tell parents "sorry day off!". Yet for some reason parents will put up with stuff like that.

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

We have a lot of that here due to not having to be licensed. Many of these SAHM's are providing very cut rate care, but without some of the things I do for quality. Sadly it seems many parents will choose price over quality. Most of the SAHM crowd here don't even do handbooks and contracts. Of course that means when they just want a day off they just close and tell parents "sorry day off!". Yet for some reason parents will put up with stuff like that.

Yes! They put up with stuff like that, but yet you give them your days off policy upfront and they're fine until a day off comes up, and then they "punish" you for it and get mad and find someone else. I don't get why they put up with that from an extremely cheap, low quality place, but not for a quality childcare who actually work with the children and don't just sit them in front of the tv. It's like it's all about the control. If they have a lot of room to be controlling, they put up with it.