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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>When Do You Conduct Interviews?
TSDaycare 04:13 AM 08-14-2017
I like to do mine during nap time, as not to hold up my evenings. Just curious what everyone else does?

I feel like my parents want to see my program, but inviting them after all my kids are gone derails that whole aspect. While doing an interview during regular hours would never happen because it would be pure chaos, nap time seems to give a little quiet as well as parents seeing the older kids in their element.
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Pestle 04:37 AM 08-14-2017
After hours. Kids don't behave normally when new people are present, plus nap time doesn't always go as planned; screaming is pretty common around here!

I also need to be able to leave the house to show the parents the back yard.

I also think the place looks better with the Pack 'N' Plays folded up and out of the way.
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DaveA 04:58 AM 08-14-2017
early evenings. No DCKs, I get a chance to prepare and clean up, they get to meet DW, and I don't have my attention split between 3 different things.
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midaycare 05:03 AM 08-14-2017
Right at closing time. I give myself a 15 minute window to clean and vacuum. I can walk them through the backyard. For the kids' safety, I don't allow strangers in my home (outside of workmen from reputable companies) during daycare hours. I can't control everything, but I can certaintly minimalize issues.
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Second Home 05:40 AM 08-14-2017
After hours or on the weekends.
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bklsmum 06:04 AM 08-14-2017
After closing or on the weekends. I would never let someone new in while kiddos were here. It is a safety issue for me. I have assistants but still don't do it.
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Lovisa 06:31 AM 08-14-2017
On weekends, when my husband is home so they can meet him too. I also feel more comfortable with him around. I don't like bringing strangers around the kiddos if I can help it so doing it during business hours isn't something I am willing to do.
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Pestle 06:33 AM 08-14-2017
Agree to all of the above--it's irresponsible to allow strangers into the day care when I'm caring for other people's children. If I had an assistant, it'd be different, but I'm here alone. I keep a sign on the door that says:

The day care is open now
No solicitation
Deliveries and day care business only

Until somebody signs a contract, they aren't part of the day care and they don't belong here while I'm open.
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Blackcat31 06:38 AM 08-14-2017
I conduct interviews when a large portion (but not all) of my daycare kiddos are participating in an outside activity.

For example, every Tuesday and Thursday from 9-11 a large group of my preschoolers are gone at swim lessons so I usually offer those two times as available for interviewing.

My kiddos know how to behave appropriately when we have a classroom visitor (as it's common for many other reasons in my program) so that's never an issue.

I don't conduct them during the day because I necessarily want the potential family to see me in operation but more so because I do not like giving up any of my personal/family time so after hours is not an option for me.

I also think the times in which I do plan interviews also leaves me with a great option for an "out" or to end the interview as we have to move on to the next activity so out the door they go!

I should also note that I live in a small enough community that everyone knows everyone or at least knows someone that knows someone we both know...
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Jupadia 07:04 AM 08-14-2017
I do them after care or on weekends. I also make sure my husbands home and have him watch our kids. I'll do a quick introduction and them take the family down to the daycare space and have the interview there. That way I don't have any intrusions and can show them the full space and backyard as well as answer questions.
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Leigh 08:24 AM 08-14-2017
I usually do mine on Monday evenings, but will schedule Tues.-Thurs, as well. Fri, Sat, Sunday are off limits. I schedule them for 15-30 minutes after closing time.
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CityGarden 10:28 AM 08-14-2017
I have played with the times.....

Ideally I would like to do only a couple open house days on a Saturday morning or a M-F when the daycare/preschool is closed and I am building toward that.

For tours needed when no open house is scheduled I like to do them during drop off. I ask them to arrive 15 minutes prior to opening to give them a quick tour of the space then allow them to see our drop off. I like that they see our current parents and it allows our current parents to see that we have a potential new friend visiting. I also like that my space is cleanest at that point and that the dcks are generally happy to come and play self-directed for a bit at drop off. I also like it because prior to inviting them I tell them that I limit it to 20 minutes tours. This approach is easiest if an assistant is present but I have done it with just me as well as hiring someone to help during that time.
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storybookending 10:59 AM 08-14-2017
I am only in my second year. I acquired my first clients without interviews (my best friend and my best friends cousins children). My first actual interview was within the first month when I interviewed a mom of a sibling set. She works across the street and came over on her lunch during nap. I only had one child in attendance that day due to part time schedules and vacations. It worked out great, she brought the kids over the next week to meet me and they started about a week after that.

I took on an infant about 6 months into my first year. His parents are family friends. I actually ran into mom Black Friday shopping and chatted about how her daycare she had lined up fell through. Her and her husband came over a few months later after hours but I wouldn't call it an interview as I already knew them.

I have my first child aging out this September for kindergarten. One of my cousins said her sister and brother in law were looking for care, I talked to both mom and dad on the phone during nap when they first inquired and they came over the next week. I signed them on the spot and their 2 year old will be starting September 1st.
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jenboo 11:19 AM 08-14-2017
Always during business hours.
I generally schedule them between 9-11am and 4-5pm. These are the calmest part of the days. I do a lot of tours and do not want to give up my family time.
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midaycare 11:48 AM 08-14-2017
You guys must be doing a lot of tours for this to be an issue. I only do tours when I have an opening. No wait list.
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284878 08:25 AM 08-15-2017
Originally Posted by midaycare:
Right at closing time. I give myself a 15 minute window to clean and vacuum. I can walk them through the backyard. For the kids' safety, I don't allow strangers in my home (outside of workmen from reputable companies) during daycare hours. I can't control everything, but I can certaintly minimalize issues.
Originally Posted by Pestle:
Agree to all of the above--it's irresponsible to allow strangers into the day care when I'm caring for other people's children. If I had an assistant, it'd be different, but I'm here alone. I keep a sign on the door that says:

The day care is open now
No solicitation
Deliveries and day care business only

Until somebody signs a contract, they aren't part of the day care and they don't belong here while I'm open.
Ditto
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kendallina 11:09 AM 08-15-2017
Early evenings with no one here, which I don't love because that cuts into family time. But, I typically only do 2-3 tours a year so it's not really a biggie.

Kids are wild animals whenever we have visitors, so I'll never do one when the kids are here!
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