Sending Handbook Before Interview?

[Kindermom]

Do you ever give your handbook before an interview?

I am currently messaging back and forth with a potential new family. Last night, after asking me a few questions, DCM was all excited to meet and set up a tour. She had already asked me how many children I watch and my rates earlier in our conversation.

This morning, I woke up to a message with a list of questions, which may have been copied and pasted, and are the usual "first time parent" questions- which I find nothing wrong with, but a few of which I have already answered. Many of them are questions regarding my policies.

Would you just send your handbook to them? On one hand, I don't want to waste anybody's time if it isn't a good fit, but on the other hand, I don't think they get a good feel for me (or me for them) and they don't get to see my space, etc.

However, I don't want to come off as not willing to answer, etc. and mention a tour/interview for the third time.

How would you handle that?

[amberrose3dg]

Do you ever give your handbook before an interview?

I am currently messaging back and forth with a potential new family. Last night, after asking me a few questions, DCM was all excited to meet and set up a tour. She had already asked me how many children I watch and my rates earlier in our conversation.

This morning, I woke up to a message with a list of questions, which may have been copied and pasted, and are the usual "first time parent" questions- which I find nothing wrong with, but a few of which I have already answered. Many of them are questions regarding my policies.

Would you just send your handbook to them? On one hand, I don't want to waste anybody's time if it isn't a good fit, but on the other hand, I don't think they get a good feel for me (or me for them) and they don't get to see my space, etc.

However, I don't want to come off as not willing to answer, etc. and mention a tour/interview for the third time.

How would you handle that?

I have, it saves on wasted time. If the parent has issues with my policies or time off it makes no sense to interview. I do not negotiate on my policies and if they still do the interview sometimes they think they can talk you into letting some of the policies slip. I honestly think it is a good practice to be familiar saves headaches down the road, even for enrolled families.

[bklsmum]

I send mine before hand! Them agreeing to my policies is WAY more important than them falling in love with my space IMO.

[Josiegirl]

I do too, or at least try to. That way, any questions that crop up due to the handbook of policies, can also be asked. Lots of times the written words need to be clarified.

[Kindermom]

Thank you for all the great replies.

Let this be a PSA regarding the power of coffee....I haven't had my coffee yet and just realized I was reading a first message from someone else inquiring about care, . They have similar first names though. Oh boy. I hope it's not one of "those" days. At least it's not a Monday!

Have a great Tuesday, everyone!

[Ariana]

I always answer a few standard questions and then I set up the interview by saying “I would like to set up a time to meet so I can answer any further questions you might have and you can get a feel for how my program runs”. I never send my policies out anymore until I have met people face to face.

[Blackcat31]

I don't send my handbook until I am fairly certain I am accepting the family.

The questions they are wanting to know will be addressed during the tour/interview since that is the point of the tour/interview.

I e-mail them a parent questionnaire before meeting and ask that they answer and return before our scheduled tour/interview time.

I e-mail a link to Google Drive for my handbook AFTER the interview. I actually e-mail all paperwork and don't print anything myself.

[MarinaVanessa]

I don't send my handbook or contract until they have come to the tour and I think that they'd be a good fit. After the first contact (whether by phone or email) I schedule the tour and I go through the policies during this time. If they still look interested and if I like them then I offer to email them the parent packet including my contract and handbook so they can read them over at home.

[Kindermom]

I don't send my handbook or contract until they have come to the tour and I think that they'd be a good fit. After the first contact (whether by phone or email) I schedule the tour and I go through the policies during this time. If they still look interested and if I like them then I offer to email them the parent packet including my contract and handbook so they can read them over at home.

For those that do not send until after interviewing, can I ask why? I am not sure how I want to handle these things going forward and I am curious on the pros and cons of sending before vs after interview.

[Kindermom]

I don't send my handbook or contract until they have come to the tour and I think that they'd be a good fit. After the first contact (whether by phone or email) I schedule the tour and I go through the policies during this time. If they still look interested and if I like them then I offer to email them the parent packet including my contract and handbook so they can read them over at home.

Sorry, I don't know how to double quote. But, for those of you that do not send until after interviewing, can I ask why? I am asking because I am not sure how I want to handle these things and am curious as to pros and cons of sending before vs after.

[MarinaVanessa]

For me a couple of reasons:
1 - I don't feel like someone gets a good feel for me personally or my daycare until they come and see me/my daycare. If you read my policies it has a bunch of "we don't do this" but you don't get to see all of the "we do this" until you get here.
2 - Policies can feel overbearing for some clients if they read them from a page but if I go over them and explain the "why" then it makes sense to them. They might read "no toys from home" and think it may be excessive but if I'm able to explain "toys from home are special for that child and are very interesting to the others. This can create friction for everyone at daycare including me and personal belongings sometimes get broken or lost" and then they understand it better. An explanation drives the message home vs reading a line on a page.
3- It could be another provider fishing for my contract and policies so that they can copy it. It has happened to me and I've had to ask them to stop using mine and make their own. Yes, that really happens. I've also had someone copy my website wording as well ... word for word. So I don't email it out until I've met them in person.

[MarinaVanessa]

ETA:
4 - people sometimes read the policies on paper and don't understand them correctly. I go over it with them in person so that I can explain and so that they don't misinterpret the rules which can sometimes turn someone off or cause problems later. A "no fever over 100 degrees policy will guarantee that a parent still interprets that as "it's ok if my baby is teething and has a fever" but that's not how I work. A fever is a fever in my daycare. I also have info there about what we do in the day and that I am play-based. Some parents are more interested in a "scholastic" approach so if they read that then they may be turned off, if I explain that we learn the same things that a child learns in a daycare center except that I control the curriculum and that we do everything through play and fun then they understand better and aren't as likely to just write me off.

[LysesKids]

My policies

are listed on my website... I don't schedule an interview until a parent reads thru them, I don't want to waste time interviewing if they don't agree. They have to contact me thru the contact page after reviewing handbook

[LysesKids]

Sorry, I don't know how to double quote. But, for those of you that do not send until after interviewing, can I ask why? I am asking because I am not sure how I want to handle these things and am curious as to pros and cons of sending before vs after.

Oh I know this well... not so worried about the policies; it's the contract I don't list online... I don't even let it out of my my home for this reason

[Kindermom]

For me a couple of reasons:
1 - I don't feel like someone gets a good feel for me personally or my daycare until they come and see me/my daycare. If you read my policies it has a bunch of "we don't do this" but you don't get to see all of the "we do this" until you get here.
2 - Policies can feel overbearing for some clients if they read them from a page but if I go over them and explain the "why" then it makes sense to them. They might read "no toys from home" and think it may be excessive but if I'm able to explain "toys from home are special for that child and are very interesting to the others. This can create friction for everyone at daycare including me and personal belongings sometimes get broken or lost" and then they understand it better. An explanation drives the message home vs reading a line on a page.
3- It could be another provider fishing for my contract and policies so that they can copy it. It has happened to me and I've had to ask them to stop using mine and make their own. Yes, that really happens. I've also had someone copy my website wording as well ... word for word. So I don't email it out until I've met them in person.

This makes a lot of sense, and I have that same concern about some of these things. However, I did send it to her already before thinking things over and I wish I would have just set up an interview first, but at the same time, I agree that if someone isn't going to follow my policies or agree to the way I run things, that it is a waste of time to go further. That being said- it has been sent, and I am of course worried now that i haven't heard back, but in reality, it's only been about an hour, . Should I follow up or wait and see what she has to say?