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Original poster

HELP! to MANY prospective parents, what to do?????????????????????

31 replies

KiddieCare · 04/01/2008 15:51

Hi, i have a bit of a dilema at the moment, had a parent with baby wants to start in mar(8m in mar), says she wants me but have not heard from her in 2weeks, i have another parent coming tonight with 18m old to possibly start in asap, and a parent coming on tuesday with 1yr twins to start in mar.
should i contact first parent and let them no there place could be taken if does not get in contact soon and pay retainer? and wud ideally only like to take on 2 as i am due own baby in aug, so how do i decide who to choose, IF they all chose me?????

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MaureenMLove · 04/01/2008 18:13

Good call Shosh, putting a clause in your T&C's. I've never had to do that tbh, cm's are few & far between round here, so generally you know you're gonna get whoever comes to see you. That, or my reputation goes before me! (As a CM that is, NOT a piss head! )

shoshe · 04/01/2008 17:51

KC, it is a good time to add to your handbook That prospective parents have a certain amount of time to decide weather thay want the space. sign contracts and pay retainer.

As some of you might remember I had this with a family last year, after two weeks still hadn't signed contracts (I have awaiting list), so phoned said please sign contracts by 6pm, or the place is going to the next on the elist.

The place went to the next on the elist.

Then two days later got a phone call from the original family, who said she would be in on the following Friday to sign, she got very annoyed when I said the place had gone,

When I said I had told her it would happen she said 'I thought you were just saying that to get the retainer!'

Not being funny but it is know here that I have a waiting list, and she knew other clients of mine.

Original poster
KiddieCare · 04/01/2008 17:40

thanks for all your advice, yes ur right MML, its brill cant believe ive had so much interest, the lady with the twins got my info from childcarelink, and the other to found me on gumtree. i think i will see how tonight goes and then call march lady tomorrow.

OP posts:
LoveMyGirls · 04/01/2008 16:52

I would ring and get her to do contracts and pay retainer asap if she didnt or she wasn't willing to come asap then I would take first come first served (along with who wantgs to start sooner and who is most hours). This is a business and you have to keep that in mind. Mind you these day's im also looking at how well I get on with them, are our ideas in parenting silmilar, have they got stable jobs/ careers etc - i've been burnt a few times since I started and now am alot more picky as to who I take on.

fruitloop79 · 04/01/2008 16:48

Just wondering how you got so many? Did they get your name from the direct.gov website? How did you advertise? I'm in need of vacancies filling!!!!

MaureenMLove · 04/01/2008 16:19

Blimey Kiddiecare! Only about 6 weeks ago, you didn't have any prospective parents? (That was you, wasn't it? [)

I would suggest contacting the March one and telling her that you need to take a retainer from her, because you have other parents interested. I would also hope that the 18m is a goer for you! Twins, along with 18m and your own lo's is gonna be exhausting! I think if you can get an answer from the 18m tonight or before the twins come anyway, you should tell the twins you can't have them. It really will be a lot of work, especially if you're pg. Good luck.

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