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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Prospective Client I've Been Texting Showed Up At My Door At 4:30pm Asking For A Tour
trix23 06:38 PM 05-24-2017
I thought this was the most odd thing I've ever witnessed but wanted to know:

1) what you would do
2) if you would even tour with a person like this
3) if you would even enroll a person like this

I didn't give out my address but I have it listed on Google Places. Thinking to remove that since I'm creeped out....
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sahm1225 06:49 PM 05-24-2017
I had this happen once. I did the interview and 4 years later still have them enrolled. And..... they are the weirdest family I've ever had enrolled, but they pay on time.
If someone did that now, I wouldn't interview them. I would schedule them for another day and already be on alert for anything else that I would get to say no to
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trix23 07:26 PM 05-24-2017
What do you mean by that last part?
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AmyKidsCo 07:27 PM 05-24-2017
WI lists all licensed programs online, including contact person's name, phone number and address, so having someone find my house wouldn't freak me out because the info is out there.

But I wouldn't like having someone stop by unannounced for a tour! I'd probably make an appointment for them to come back after closing. If things seemed OK at the interview I'd enroll.
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Cat Herder 04:34 AM 05-25-2017
Rude.

No thanks.

I would not like any unknown adult stopping by uninvited during daycare hours. I am busy.

That being said, I live very rural. By choice. If I lived in a cutesy sidewalk neighborhood, again, I would expect it.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 05:26 AM 05-25-2017
I would tell them I don't conduct interviews during business hours and to text me/e-mail me/call me to schedule it. I haven't had someone I'm already talking to do this but I have had many people just stop on by in the past.
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LysesKids 05:28 AM 05-25-2017
Originally Posted by trix23:
What do you mean by that last part?
I'm thinking other red flags that might pop up...

I personally do all my meet & greets after my babes are gone. I'm not a center that does tours daytime, so you don't get to just show up here whenever you want to interview just because I have an opening posted
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Annalee 06:08 AM 05-25-2017
I had a dad stop by with their child because they had seen my sign once. I was getting kids out the door for the evening as it was close to closing time. I just asked him to call me and set up a more convenient time. He and his wife did that a week later. They are still with me.
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Blackcat31 06:14 AM 05-25-2017
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
Rude.

No thanks.

I would not like any unknown adult stopping by uninvited during daycare hours. I am busy.

That being said, I live very rural. By choice. If I lived in a cutesy sidewalk neighborhood, again, I would expect it.
I had a woman stop by one day and ask if I was a child care. When I replied that I was, she asked if she could come in and look around so she'd know if I would be acceptable as a caregiver when she dropped off the next morning.

Turns out she was foreign and not at all familiar with how American families managed child care. In her country, child care wasn't really a thing.

So what started out as a rude and somewhat weird experience ended up being a great child care experience!

The child no longer attends and has since moved back to their home country but I still stay in contact with the family!

So, another example of "Ya just never know...."
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daycarediva 06:41 AM 05-25-2017
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
Rude.

No thanks.

I would not like any unknown adult stopping by uninvited during daycare hours. I am busy.

That being said, I live very rural. By choice. If I lived in a cutesy sidewalk neighborhood, again, I would expect it.
YES, why we moved!

Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
I would tell them I don't conduct interviews during business hours and to text me/e-mail me/call me to schedule it. I haven't had someone I'm already talking to do this but I have had many people just stop on by in the past.
Yes. People do this ALL the time, so much so, that I have a sign on my gate in the front/dc yard to not enter, call for a tour, etc.
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Cat Herder 07:07 AM 05-25-2017
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I had a woman stop by one day and ask if I was a child care. When I replied that I was, she asked if she could come in and look around so she'd know if I would be acceptable as a caregiver when she dropped off the next morning.

Turns out she was foreign and not at all familiar with how American families managed child care. In her country, child care wasn't really a thing.

So what started out as a rude and somewhat weird experience ended up being a great child care experience!

The child no longer attends and has since moved back to their home country but I still stay in contact with the family!

So, another example of "Ya just never know...."
Ok. Now that would just be cool. I'd love a chance to learn about a foreign (to me) culture first person. The chances of someone finding me by accident, or even garmin, are slim to none. I also have no signage, one lane dirt roads and cattle gaps.
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Meeko 08:55 AM 05-25-2017
I have had people just drop by. I don't let them in, and tell them to call for an appointment.

It's also another reason why I keep my door locked. I have had several times where I hear someone trying to open the door. I guess they think because it's a daycare they can just walk in.
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knoxmomof2 09:56 AM 05-25-2017
I've started using Lyses method of requiring a confirmation text 2 hours before our scheduled interview and then I give out my address. I'm small (4 kids max), so I don't give out my exact location.

I would probably be off put, but nicely instruct them on what protocol is (schedule an after hours appointment with me ahead of time). I would, however, be looking closely for 1 more red flag that would cause me not to work with them.
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LysesKids 11:17 AM 05-25-2017
Originally Posted by knoxmomof2:
I've started using Lyses method of requiring a confirmation text 2 hours before our scheduled interview and then I give out my address. I'm small (4 kids max), so I don't give out my exact location.

I would probably be off put, but nicely instruct them on what protocol is (schedule an after hours appointment with me ahead of time). I would, however, be looking closely for 1 more red flag that would cause me not to work with them.
You gotta remember we live only about 20 minutes or so apart... they see more than one childcare home do it, maybe it will become the norm here lol
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trix23 05:52 PM 05-25-2017
I didn't give her my address is the thing. I purposefully don't have it posted anywhere that know of, for this reason.
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Annalee 07:46 PM 05-25-2017
Originally Posted by trix23:
I didn't give her my address is the thing. I purposefully don't have it posted anywhere that know of, for this reason.
If a person googles your name, they will come up with the address and phone number. Personally, I started with a different phone number than I have now. I have two lines now and do not prefer using the first line. The second line number is on my sign. BUT I get calls on that first number line all the time where people will be given my name and they google and the first number comes up. I used the first number 25 years ago at startup.
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CityGarden 08:15 PM 05-25-2017
I have a small sign above my door bell that says tours by appointment only.

If someone came, saw the sign and still rang I would inform them that due to confidentiality of the children in my care I cannot give tours without prior parent notification and an appointment is required.

I would not automatically be put off as I am running a preschool from my home and marketing as a preschool. Most preschools in my area are in commercial spaces and allow people to drop in.
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hwichlaz 05:55 PM 05-26-2017
Originally Posted by trix23:
I didn't give her my address is the thing. I purposefully don't have it posted anywhere that know of, for this reason.
Our addresses and phone numbers are listed on our licensing website. If they know my name they can find me.
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Tags:interview, unannounced visits, uninvited, uninvited parents
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