So I am trying to visit daycares in our area (found out last Friday we need put DS in daycare as DH's Aunt can no longer care for him).
I saw one yesterday that I wouldn't even put DS in if it were FREE...it was horrible. It's making me really nutso to think they all might be like that one.
I stopped by one just now (11:30 am) with no appointment. I had talked to the director yesterday and gotten information from her, just didn't have time for a tour. She said today she could not give me a tour as she was busy getting lunch out and could I please schedule a tour with her and she will be happy to stay late, etc to do so.
I do realize it was lunchtime (wasn't even thinking before I headed over there.) Most daycares in the area encourage people to swing by anytime with or without appts. I guess my question to you ladies is, would this have given you a feeling that she didn't want to show you around without planning for it, or was it really just lunchtime?
This whole daycare is really stressing me out as it is. How many did you visit when / if you had to pick a daycare?
TIA! I know this is crazy.....I just feel like crying thinking about this major change in DS's life!
Re: Sketchy or Valid? DCP Visit...
I dunno. I encourage people (in my advertising) to show up unannounced. That way they feel comfortable knowing that you get what you see. If you don't like it, we're not for you. I would have been concerned that she didn't have time for you - what if you were calling on the phone with an emergency? Would she have had time to stop serving lunch and pick up the phone for you?
I would pass that one up. Always show up unannounced, or make an appointment and show up early (like, even a day early).
I worked in daycare for 6 years.. and 3 different ones.. I say if she wouldn't show you around, there's something she wants to clean, warn the teachers.. etc... appointments are not necc... as that would give them time to get everything perfect before you got there..
MAybe if it hadn't been lunchtime, she would have showed, whon knows? but askinf for you to schedule an appointment, i'd so say no go ...
vegan mama, military wife
I don't think this is a fair comparison at all. An informational tour doesn't equal an emergency. I wouldn't want my kid to be denied lunch because someone decided to stop by but I'm sure the director would handle something critical.
To the OP, a scheduled tour is likely easiest for her so she can plan to have time to address your questions. I'd schedule one. If you think you like it, stop by another day unannounced since you won't be looking for her to have time to meet with you.
I used to be a DC Director and in my experience I welcomed unscheduled visits anytime, however lunch time can be a hard time to give a tour. I did always encourage an appointment when communicating over the phone with a potential parent but would never turn one away. My first thought was that she may have been low on staff that day and needed to help serve lunch. Then again she may just wanted to prepare the teachers and school for you. If that's the case then I say move along to another DC. They should be prepared always. State comes and checks unannounced all the time.
I would go back to visit unscheduled again but not during lunch or nap time. Maybe around 9-10.
It's unclear from the OP. Did she let you come in/talk informally while she was prepping (so you could see what was going on) or did she stop you at the door and tell you to schedule a tour. . . I think that makes a difference.
My comment was, more - would she have stopped serving lunch to even pick up the phone? Before I knew I was going to SAH, I called several places to get tours, and I eliminated one altogether because I couldn't get the lady on the phone. My concern was what if I was a client of hers with an emergency and I needed to get in touch with her. I'm definitely not comparing the two.
I agree. I think a formal tour should be scheduled - like others said, lunch is a busy time and if the director has to help with serving lunch she should not stop to give you a tour. I am free to drop by my daycare at anytime (always have been) but I would not expect them to drop everything to give you a tour if they are busy/short staffed.
Not necessarily. The daycare I worked at was constantly tightly staffed. But my boss was extremely picky about who she hired and upon hiring they had a 30 day probation period, and if they weren't up to her standards she would let them go. We had some awesome teachers working there. That being said, if she was doing lunch, she would not have done a tour. But she would have asked you to come back in half hour or so for one. Also, if she was doing lunch, that means the cook or other administration who would normally do that weren't there. It being cold/flu season I wouldn't be surprised if they were just short staffed at the time. I know at the daycare I worked at the administration would do the tours, and if we were short staffed they would be in the class rooms covering for the teachers. My boss/daycare owner would be the next to do tours if the admin wasn't available. If she was busy, she would ask to schedule an appt. There have been times when she would have to reschedule. The daycare has only had a few minor licensing violations. Like, student A was missing his shot record type stuff. The facility was always clean, staff was always working(my boss was strict about being on top of us, she watched us from the cameras in her office) and the teachers were always nice. I would give it a second shot, but maybe come in a little earlier than your appointment to see how things are.
She stopped me at the door. And I do get that it was lunchtime, that was my bad, wasn't even thinking. And sure, they could have been understaffed and that is why there was no one else to even show me anything. I def. get it, and I would never expect them to delay lunches for the kids for someone who does not have a child there. I guess that was my question, am I just nuts and looking too much into this.
Thanks for all the comments. I might schedule a tour another day there if I don't like the others on our list and then do a drop by another time if they seem to be a contender.....
OK, I think the comparisons made here are ridiculous. A potential client is not an "emergency" nor is she a state inspector. Frankly, I want my DCP to be putting my children first, not any random person who decides to drop by unannounced.
Once your child is enrolled, then yes, I think it's reasonable to stop by any time you want.
But I don't think day cares should be welcoming any person off the street any time they feel the need to stop by. Do you think anyone can just stop in the local elementary school and ask the principal for a tour at any time of day? Of course not.
People are busy and they have jobs to do. I think it's totally unreasonable to think the director will just drop everything and give you a tour. Make an appointment.
I think it's normal to have to schedule an appt. And I think it's a bit presumptious to assume that you could just drop in and get a tour at any time. Allowing parents of kids in the daycare to drop in is one thing, but a tour and interview takes more time than just a visit.
Would you have preferred that she stop feeding the kids who's parents are already paying her to tend to them so she could show you around?
If there was an emergency I am sure she would stop doing what she's doing. But a tour=/= emergency. She had hungry kids to feed. She's putting the kids first. That's what she's supposed to do.
I have no patience today. You are clearly unable to read and comprehend what you've read. My last statement clearly says, "I'm definitely not comparing the two." Meaning, I'm not equating a tour with an emergency. Investigating DC is a VERY important thing.
While my SIL runs a very clean and very nice daycare, I know for a fact that she spanks her daycare kids. You'd NEVER know it by the way she gives tours and by random drop ins. I only know because I'm family, and I'm behind the curtain. I can't stress how important it is to NEVER give the benefit of the doubt to someone who is a STRANGER that you're allowing to watch your kids.
Thank you all for all the great advice! I just want to clear up, NO, I would NEVER expect them to delay lunch for the kids. I clearly was NOT thinking it was their lunchtime too when I decided to swing over there...
I have made appts at the other daycares I am seeing, this one came up and realized how close it was so I decided to swing by. Some of the others have even told me to swing by with no appt. for tours. I normally would make an appt. and probably show up early or will do what PP suggested, once we get it narrowed down to two or so, stop by unnanounced at that point.
I don't know what your point is. If SIL gives the same tour to people who "drop in", how is showing up randomly without an appointment going to help them to know that your SIL is spanking kids?
I think the idea that you should not automatically be trusting of someone watching your kid is obvious. The whole point of the OP was asking if it's "sketchy" for a DCP to ask for an appointment. Which it's not.
The person who is a STRANGER in this scenario is the OP. Personally I don't want random stranger dropping by my kid's daycare any time they want. I would certainly hope the DC is putting procedures in place to limit the strangers walking through. Look at it from the perspective of the people who already have children at that daycare. I'd rather they focus on caring for my child, rather than drumming up business.
I would take that as a good sign. I worked with up to 15 day cares in the past, none of them allowed for impromptu tours.
Think about it. If your child was in there having lunch would you want any stranger to be able to walk through at any given time? I think not.
That is just terrible.
I just saw that you said you weren't comparing the 2. I didn't read your whole comment, I stopped after your first sentence to answer that question before I forgot what I wanted to say. But anyway, I do agree with you. It is very important to be careful with who you choose to care for your child. I wrote my 2 cents above sharing my experience working at a daycare, showing that not all day cares have something to hide. But I do think that if OP schedules an appointment that she should come in earlier and check it out.
Also, OP, are there any facilities that have cameras that you could check on LO online? Some daycares do that, I would ask around. GL!
ETA: Edited Typo
Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with coming in unannounced to have a tour. When I was looking for P's DCP, I think they all encouraged me (over the phone) to come by anytime. But I can understand her being busy during lunchtime. Why couldn't someone else show you around?
I actually visited two (edit: it was actually 3, but one was definitely not in the running after the visit) DCPs when I was looking. I had it narrowed down to those from the get-go. We ended up at one, but after about a month, I just never felt truly happy with him being there. We ended up switching to the other, and I truly love it. It's a 5 star, the teachers are wonderful, and he seems truly happy there.
Good luck with your search.
My point to the OP is in my first two responses.
My SIL example is simply a very real issue that happens every single day in DCs everywhere. So, if someone's gonna stop me at the door, I'm going to move on to another DCP that has total transparency. That's my point.
You know, you could never be too sure. There is a local daycare that allows un-announced visits, but they have a few licensing violations for abusing kids. Spanking, holding them down on their mats, throwing them, the list goes on. It's sickening! But they could have just as easily called back to each classroom for a heads up. You will never be too sure about the DCP,even if they allow unannounced visits
This. Also, the best time to stop by unannounced is after 9:30 (most kids are there by then, so hectic drop off wont be an issue, and the DCP should be available) before 11, or between 12 and 3 which is usually the nap time, but I don't suggest that as you wont see interaction with the kids. Or between 3 and 4:30. Those are the times where a DCP or administrator should be available. During drop off/ pick up times are harder for the DCP, but you could always try. HTH
It does help! Thank you so much!
I think I love you.