Whether we realize it or not, childcare provider mistakes are inevitable. I will be the first one to tell you that I didn’t have all the answers when I started my childcare business 13 years ago. Yes, I had child development education and experience. Yes, I had worked in the corporate world for decades and yes I brought my knowledge as a parent to this new business caring for children.
But the no’s far outweighed the yes’s. The one thing I did realize was that I would need to learn from my mistakes. Over time I got in the habit of developing policies to avoid previous mistakes, and there were some whoppers! Just in case you would rather avoid a few of my big ones, here are 3 childcare provider mistakes I made, learned from, and no longer make.
3 Childcare Provider Mistakes – I will never make again!
1. Contract
I write all the time about the need for a provider to have a contract. It is absolutely essential to the success of your business. That being said, the contract should not necessarily be a static thing. One of the best habits a provider can have is to look at their business and business practices and tweak them when needed. An annual assessment for possible updates to your contract and policies would be a great idea.
Revisit and revise when needed.
Not only will I never be without my contract, I don’t think I will ever think that my contract cannot be improved. The contract I have now has been improved and revised numerous times over the past 13 years. And probably will be again.
Childcare provider mistakes are inevitable. The key is to learn and not repeat them.
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2. Over-Discount
I am sure many providers, especially new providers can relate here. How many times have you either over discounted or been tempted to over-discount a child care tuition? I see all those hands going up.
The fact is often times our rates are probably far too low, to begin with. Still feeling the need to fill an open enrollment spot we agree to a rate that is ridiculously low.
Sometimes we cannot afford to accept that client.
Don’t get me wrong, I get it. I know sometimes we feel we need to do whatever we need to do to get the business. In reality, sometimes we cannot afford to accept that client.
Yes, I’ve Done it!
I have been guilty of over-discounting in the past myself. I would agree to a rate far less than my set tuition because a parent complained that it was too high, or they had paid less to another provider, or they were a single parent or any number of reasons meant to play on my emotions.
It is not my job to figure out how a client will pay for my services.
I say this respectfully, but it is not my job to figure out how a client will pay for my services. Any more than it would be Target’s job to figure out how I will afford the next purchase I will make at their store.
It is my job is to offer a dependable, quality and reliable service to my clients. Sometimes that can mean that both myself, as well as potential clients, realize that my business is not a good fit. I no longer will (indefinitely) agree to a rate below my scale.
If you begin a relationship with compromise, often you continue to compromise.
Sometimes It Won’t Work
Nowadays if a parent indicates that my rates are more than they can afford, I am ok with that. This is not to say that I don’t look at a particular situation and see if by allowing some flexibility it would work for both parties. But sometimes it won’t work. If you begin a relationship with compromise, often you continue to compromise.
3. Work Harder and Longer
I remember once during a tour explaining to a parent that, based on the hours they said they needed, their child would be in childcare for over 10 hours a day. I actually had to count out the hours on my fingers. Sometimes parents truly are clueless about what a childcare provider really does.
It’s up to me to take control of what I have control of.
Just this past year I made the decision to revise my hours again. Previously I worked 30 to 60 minutes longer each day. I decided I just couldn’t do it anymore. See even after 13 years I am still learning!
Whether clients realize how long my work day is or not, I do. So it’s up to me to take control of what I have control of. By doing so I actually just gave myself a raise, since I will be working less for the same amount.
Related Reading:
- How to Increase Childcare Tuition [INFOGRAPHIC]
- Things I Added to My Contract
- When should you say no? Saying no to a client
Realizing We Are Mortal
Although it may feel like we are superheroes most of the time, it helps to realize that we are not superhuman! Realize your limits and address them constructively. It can mean the difference between burnout and become a former provider or grow your business into a thriving childcare.
Remember, sometimes you have to make the mistakes to realize what you need to avoid in the future.
3 Responses
Love it, I need to learn about my hours, I tell parents that there children can not be here No more than 9 hours a day for full time. but they still pass the 9 hours, not caring what I say. I have a day care child that comes in at 7 am and picked up at 5:45 Pm.. Mom is always saying that she can’t pay the $110 a week for child care, what make you think I can pay the late fee.. I’m afriad to say anything, just so I won’t lose the children. I also have a hard time charging my late fee, as I always charge a $1 a minute, but I start to feel bad and back off. sometimes it feels like the parents don’t have any respect when it comes to paying, or following rules. I was to learn how to be firm but a good provider. any Ideas or advise will be so good.
Like many providers (including myself) have certainly been there and know exactly what you mean. The thing is we really have to be the first one to enforce our policies. If we don’t, we are actually the first one to abuse our own rules. When I finally realized that, I developed “reminders” to send out on a regular basis to my clients. The notes remind them of the policy, in some cases tell them why the policy exists but (most importantly) tell them of the consequences of breaking the policy.
I can’t say that clients love my rules, but I can tell you that once I started to enforce my policies I have far fewer people who abuse them. Usually, I will only need to hit them with one late fee and they get it. Nobody likes paying fees!
First of all, I need to congratulate you on the time limit you have on childcare hours. I have a similar 9-hour rule. In an upcoming post, I plan to address how by allowing clients to extend past 9 hours actually devalues our time and in fact reduces our rate of pay. Until then stand up for your policies and you will see clients will respect your business more.
Thank you so much for your comment!
Thank you sweetie, and I will stand up for my policies, and my rules. I love this, this is the kind of help we all need. and the boost, the motivation. knowing that there are other providers out there to help us with advises. Thank you