Daycare Woes

Finding daycare is increasingly difficult. There are daycares closing in multiples weekly due to new rules/regulations... and the remaining ones are open until 4:30 in the evening... which means it's kind of impossible to get there in time to pick up when you don't get out of work until 5pm.

Daycare providers are in a great position. The recent closings are putting them in a pick and choose environment to fill vacant spots. They are interviewing multiple families and making snap judgments based on their own first impressions. They don't take into account the factors such as the time of day you're meeting with them being after a long day for the kiddos... who might be tired and getting hungry because dinner time is nigh. That doesn't matter. If they so much as fart, they proclaim it's not the right "fit" and send you on your way.

This is rather disheartening, especially when you explain to them that it's almost dinner time and the kiddos are usually happily preparing for their meals instead of trying to compensate by playing with toys. They don't believe that your kids, by and large, rarely misbehave. It's easier to take things at face value and say they will be too much for them to handle than give them a chance. (This is translated into "they aren't going to be easy... I only want to deal with easy kids.")

So... why, then would you tell someone "talk it over, here is the contract. Here is our schedule... and let us know as soon as you can." Why even set the expectation you're going to give them a chance... and then pull the rug out from under our feet when we call back and say you've chosen another family? That is just rude... and it's bad form. I won't be suggesting you to anyone I know in the near future due to this tactic.

By the way, you should really get a gate that isn't so easy for a 3-year-old to figure out.

So, here we go... another hunt. Two more interviews are scheduled... and perhaps we will find more. Hopefully we can figure something out. Ideally sooner, rather than later.

I have the most wonderful mother. She has kindly offered to come up here as soon as she returns from a trip to see her family... and take care of the boys as long as we need her to do so. I'm so very thankful for her generosity. She is a truly amazing mother and grandmother.