Taking New Children While Looking For New Job

[Unregistered]

Hello!
I am in the process of looking for a job outside my home. I havent had any luck so far and really need to get more income until I find something. I feel like I shouldn't take new kids, not that anyone is calling, but I feel like its not nice to take new kids and then close when I find a job. What do you think? Who knows how long it will be before I close, could be later rather than sooner!

[Unregistered]

no one has an opinion?

[cheerfuldom]

As a parent, I would be really mad if I choose a daycare and then the provider left a few weeks later. I think you need to decide if you want to pursue another job aggressively till you get one or if you want to continue home daycare till the employment market changes in your area.....maybe try again 6 months or a year from now.

[jen]

As a daycare provider, I think it is ethically wrong to take on new clients with the intention of continuing to look for outside employment. If you do choose to interview new clients, at the very least, you need to let them know of your intentions.

[SilverSabre25]

What they said...

[KEG123]

Agree with the others.

[youretooloud]

It's very, very wrong. (In my opinion)

Parents choose carefully, and they are understandably heartbroken when the daycare closes. If they find out that the provider never had any intentions of staying in this, it makes things worse.

[mac60]

While I agree with the thoughts of the others, there is another side to this. If a parent is "looking for other work" where they won't need a provider as much, or if a family goes to part time, etc, do you think they are going to "ask" us if it is ok or not, are they going to think about what their work changes will do to our business and schedules, heck no. If there is one thing I have learned in this business, it is to look out for yourself first, because parents/families, they will always put themselves first no matter what. Is it the ideal situation---no, but, I would do what you need to do to stay open and continue to pursue a different job, it may take 3 weeks, or it may take 6 months with this terrible economy. And I wouldn't tell them either, as it is none of their business what you do in your personal life. I am sure that if they were looking for other employment so they didn't need a provider, you would not be told.....until they didn't need you anymore.

[Country Kids]

You need to remember too that when looking for jobs interviews will be coming up. How will you handle those, take the day off, have someone come in and watch the children for you? You need to be prepared for something like that and don't be suprised if you parents figure out what is going on.

[Unregistered]

As a parent, I would want to know--and I would most likely not put my child in your care. I can respect that you need to find a job--however-when i find a place for care, I want it to be long term, barring some unforeseen circumstance. Children get very attached to their providers, and vice versa (well, the good ones, anyways!)

And not all parents are secretive or 'out to get you'--I have always been 100% honest and straight forward with our daycare provider.

[jen]

While I agree with the thoughts of the others, there is another side to this. If a parent is "looking for other work" where they won't need a provider as much, or if a family goes to part time, etc, do you think they are going to "ask" us if it is ok or not, are they going to think about what their work changes will do to our business and schedules, heck no. If there is one thing I have learned in this business, it is to look out for yourself first, because parents/families, they will always put themselves first no matter what. Is it the ideal situation---no, but, I would do what you need to do to stay open and continue to pursue a different job, it may take 3 weeks, or it may take 6 months with this terrible economy. And I wouldn't tell them either, as it is none of their business what you do in your personal life. I am sure that if they were looking for other employment so they didn't need a provider, you would not be told.....until they didn't need you anymore.

True...but two wrongs don't make a right. We can't control the bad behavior of others, we can only do the best we can to do the right thing.

[cheerfuldom]

jen said it well!

[littlemissmuffet]

While I agree with the thoughts of the others, there is another side to this. If a parent is "looking for other work" where they won't need a provider as much, or if a family goes to part time, etc, do you think they are going to "ask" us if it is ok or not, are they going to think about what their work changes will do to our business and schedules, heck no. If there is one thing I have learned in this business, it is to look out for yourself first, because parents/families, they will always put themselves first no matter what. Is it the ideal situation---no, but, I would do what you need to do to stay open and continue to pursue a different job, it may take 3 weeks, or it may take 6 months with this terrible economy. And I wouldn't tell them either, as it is none of their business what you do in your personal life. I am sure that if they were looking for other employment so they didn't need a provider, you would not be told.....until they didn't need you anymore.

Knowing that a parent can up and pull their children at any time comes with the teritory of this job - and it's something we always need to be prepared for.

I agree with the other posters who say it's wrong to take on new clients knowing that you plan on closing your daycare in the near future to work out of the home.

[mac60]

Knowing that a parent can up and pull their children at any time comes with the teritory of this job - and it's something we always need to be prepared for.

I agree with the other posters who say it's wrong to take on new clients knowing that you plan on closing your daycare in the near future to work out of the home.

Just as a parent knows that a provider can "be done" at any time. I am not saying it is OK, I am just saying that sometimes we have to do what we have to, just like a parent does, and it definately is a situation that could take 3 weeks or 6 months. Again, parents always look out for themselves and never take into consideration of what/how their decisions affect the provider and her family. While families leaving is "part of the territory", so is providers moving on. Just saying.

[momofboys]

I personally don't see much worng with it. In fact I did it myself - but it took me a good 8 months to find the right job for me. Now keep in mind that I was not caring for multiple families at the time - only one family. If I had tokld parents when I first began looking I would have been out income for a long time! If you know you are in this for the long haul that is fine & I understand everyone's opinions but not everyone on this board plans on doing childcare for a lifetime. It's unreasonable to expect someone to care for families for an unlimited timeframe. Eventually many providers do decide to find a job outside of the home. Most interviews can be scheduled outside of daycare hours. I had no problem getting a 5:00 interview time - but then my family I was caring for was done for the day by 4:15.