How did you tell your daycare you were switching to a new daycare

mrs.bridgettkay

DD has been with our in-home daycare provider since she was 12 weeks old. My kids adore her, and she them, but we're looking for a different setting so will be switching the kids to a new in-home daycare in June. I get anxious everytime I think about telling our daycare provider we're switching. I'm wondering, is it best to tell her in person or over the phone or if it doesn't matter? During both drop off and pick up there are other kids there so I feel bad telling her then because I have feeling she's going to get upset. Also, if you switched daycares did you do anything special for your current provider when you left?

RandomLurker

I told her about a month in advance, in person.  I gave her a quick explanation and that was it.  No, we didn't do anything special for her when we moved to the new in-home daycare.

naflmj

We left because we were unhappy but I still told her in person. I said DS was moving closer to my work which is true. If you want to move to a center then I think just letter her know that you're looking for a center as the kids get older and in person with as much notice as you can.

benkari

I prefer my parents to tell me in person as soon as possible so I can make arrangements to take extra kids, switch employees schedules, etc.  The only kids I have ever lost were due to moves and one who went to her grandmother instead.  Each time the parents gave me a thank you note with something small like pictures, a gift card or flowers.

hersheykiss

I will tell her in person but because the DCP is state regulated, we will also write a letter terminating the care. That way she can prove to the state when we left if she is ever questioned.

davis0905

We pulled DD out of DC because I had witnessed DCP yelling at the kids unnecessarily and it made me uncomfortable.  I told this to DCP directly in person.  And even though we didn't approve of her yelling behavior, there were other things about her that we did like, so we did write her a short thank you note and left it in her mailbox.  I felt it was a nice gesture.  I can see why you are worried about telling DCP, but I think they get used to the process of saying goodbye to kids and parents for one reason or another.  It's probably not going to hurt their feelings, and if it does, it isn't your fault. 

slmcronelaw

I told them on a Thursday that Friday would be her last day. I just told them I found a private sitter.  (FYI, I was really, really, really unhappy with first DCP, so I didn't care anything about giving them notice, or doing anything special for them, I just wanted her out!)

EllasMommy2010

We we unhappy with our DCP so I just handed her a letter with a 2 weeks notice on it when I dropped DD off.  She was pretty pissy with me, but in her contract she requires a 2 week notice and I didn't know what else to do since I had already spoke to her about the things I was unhappy about.