When You Interview Potential Families

[mac60]

Just wondering. When you interview potential families, do you show them every room in your home, or just the main areas that are daycare areas? Do you show your own personal bedroom, even if you don't use it for dc, or even if you do. Do you show them your kids bedrooms or the utility room, all the bathrooms, etc? Just curious.

Me, when you walk into my home, which is a ranch style with a family room addition built across the back, you come in the front door and it is the living room, walk thru the doorway and it is the dining room, big opening to the family straight thru and kitchen on the right. When you walk into our home, you can see clear thru to the family room and into the kitch, so while it isn't the open floor concept, you can into every room from the front room.

When I interview clients, I walk them thru my living room, dining room, into the family room. On this walk, they can see the kitchen. I do not show them my bedroom or my kids bedroom, or the utility room, I consider those personal space and do not feel they have any reason to be nosy and see that.

One time I had a dad just nosing around and walked into the utility room and into spaces where he had no business going, it made me mad, and I did not accept them as clients.

Just wondering what others do and feel about this.

[momma2girls]

I do the same as you, I also show them my basement, since it is almost all finished. Plus there is tons of toys for every age down there as well. I show them my backyard, etc. but not bedrooms, utility room, bathrooms, etc.

[Pammie]

I do show my *entire* home to prospective clients. I do make a point to explain what areas are free-roam for the children as well as which areas are off-limits to the children (utility room/garage), and when my kids lived at home and were teenagers, I would give my *disclaimer* on the condition of their rooms before I showed them::
I always figured that I have nothing to hide in area of my home, and that if it was me interviewing for a daycare, for my own peace of mind, I would want to at least "peek" at the entire space.

[mac60]

Interesting, I personally don't believe it is anyones business to see my bedroom or my kids. I did forget I do show the backyard.

[momma2girls]

Interesting, I personally don't believe it is anyones business to see my bedroom or my kids. I did forget I do show the backyard.

I am with you there!! My children's rooms, our bedroom, our bathroom, the daycare children are not allowed in, so in my opinion, they do not have to see them!! I show them every room that daycare is allowed in. This is quite a few rooms actually!!This reminds me of something I did this last Fall, when it was still nice out!1 I had a daycare family come here, and we showed them the backyard and opened the door to show it all off, and the little 3 yrs. old girl darted off out there, without her shoes on, so the Dad followed her out there!! Then I went out with the Mom as well. Needless to say the daycare interview was 2 hrs. long that day, because I opened the door. We actually had stuff to do all day that day. They usually last somewhere between 1/2 hr. to at the most 1 hr. I looked at my husband and he finally said something to me, we were wondering in our minds how to say without being rude, that we needed to leave 1/2 prior to now!!! I hated to see it if we wouldn't have said anything!! From now on if it gets to being over an hr. we do say something, because most of the time, we have children, who need baths, homework done, besides everything on the weekends that we have planned to do, etc.... I just thought of this and thought I would vent about it!! I feel better now!!! LOL!!!!!

[AfterSchoolMom]

I show the entire downstairs - all of our bedrooms are upstairs, so we just go up and stand in the hallway. I say "Our bedrooms are up here, but the kids can use this bathroom if the downstairs bathroom is full". I don't offer to show them the bedrooms, and I usually have the doors closed.

[tymaboy]

They see the down stairs of my house - living room (play room) Dinning room (diaper changing area) Bed room (nap room) & the kitchen where the kids eat. I do not show them upstairs cuz I do not use that for daycare.

[GretasLittleFriends]

I only show them the spaces I use for daycare regularly. If there is an infant I may open my bedroom as I will put a pack and play in there for an infant to sleep on occasion. I may also open the door to the basement stairs and just point down there, as that's where we retreat to during our storm drills. I just show them in depth the entry room, kitchen/dining room, living room, my son's room and the hallway. I never open my teenage daughter's room, as that's her space.

[alyssyn]

When explaining your rates..

I was just wandering, is it better to speak with a potential client over the phone about what rates you charge, or set-up an interview? What is your input on this?

Thanks!

[originalkat]

I only show them the rooms used for Childcare. I just say "the bedrooms are up there" but do not show them. ...Although every room is clean and presentable (just in case there is a wandering parents). However, I have never had someone overstep the boundary and assume they can just "look around".

[AmandasFCC]

I show only the spaces used for daycare. Most often when I've interviewed - which hasn't been since the summer - we've been outside or having a snack at the time, so they observe a transition or very active play. I don't think it's any of their business to see spaces that their child won't be permitted access to.

[misol]

I only show the daycare area which is the entire main level of my home. I tell the parents that the upstairs and downstairs (which is gated off) is never accessible to daycare children. I've never had a parent ask to see upstairs or downstairs but if they ever do I will kindly tell them that I keep all other areas of my home private and if it's any consolation the licensing inspector checks those areas.

[originalkat]

I show only the spaces used for daycare. Most often when I've interviewed - which hasn't been since the summer - we've been outside or having a snack at the time, so they observe a transition or very active play. I don't think it's any of their business to see spaces that their child won't be permitted access to.

Do you do your interviews during the week when you have kids? I have always done mine in the evenings or weekends.

[momma2girls]

Do you do your interviews during the week when you have kids? I have always done mine in the evenings or weekends.

Mine are these times only as well. I want everyone to be able to meet my husband, and my entire family.

[originalkat]

Mine are these times only as well. I want everyone to be able to meet my husband, and my entire family.

LOL! That is so funny. I always clear the house before I have an interview. My hubby always takes the kids out somewhere. I find it very distracting to have everyone in the house when I am trying to give a tour and explain my policies etc...