Self Employment:Greater Freedom: Freedom 60

I realize but it is annoying. She didn’t have another daycare she has been home for 2 years. People should realize texting at 8 AM on a Sunday about a $3 sippy cup is nuts.

Sounds like it's just part of running your own business- I have very different boundaries about contacting a head of school or teacher but not everyone does! Part of running your own business is figuring out how to manage communication and expectations -maybe in her former daycare that would have been ok.

Suggested response:

"Thank you for contacting XYZ Daycare. We are currently closed. Business hours are X time to X time. We look forward to hearing from you soon."

Suggested response:

 

"Thank you for contacting XYZ Daycare. We are currently closed. Business hours are X time to X time. We look forward to hearing from you soon."

Great suggestion. I think I started off too friendly you know. 5 of my 6 families are all military and know me. As a consequence they think they can contact me anytime. Well, 8 AM on Sunday while I am in bed about a sippy cup is not cool. Text me Monday about that crap, ya know? I have a family life.

I know they all have young kids and have been up for hours but folks my son is an adult he is not awake at 5 AM and neither am I . And just because you saw me on FB doesn’t mean you contact me at 8 AM Sunday.

I guess that's where "Business hours are from Monday thru Friday 9AM to 5PM" comes in handy (although actual hours obviously vary).

I guess that's where "Business hours are from Monday thru Friday 9AM to 5PM" comes in handy (although actual hours obviously vary).

Yes, exactly. Business hours are 6:30 AM-5 PM Monday- Friday.

Yes, exactly. Business hours are 6:30 AM-5 PM Monday- Friday.

At our school it's fine for us to email the teachers whenever as long as we don't expect a quick or any response outside of business hours (sometimes i do so I don't forget but do not expect a response). When it comes to the business of taking care of children from my experience the owner/director often has to be available outside of business hours but not sure how it works where you live.

At our school it's fine for us to email the teachers whenever as long as we don't expect a quick or any response outside of business hours (sometimes i do so I don't forget but do not expect a response). When it comes to the business of taking care of children from my experience the owner/director often has to be available outside of business hours but not sure how it works where you live.

Well, I am not a school. I am not licensed through any day home etc. It is my own business I am the sole proprietor . So it’s pretty much my rules on communication . I really don’t think I need to be responding to inquiries about sippy cups after hours . If they can’t spend three dollars on a sippy cup they’ve got bigger problems than just Daycare . I’m not going to make myself available for those kinds of inquiries during my family time . Questions about booking childcare, yes. Serious questions about the care of your child, yes. Lost sippy cup, no . Buy a new one .

Well, I am not a school. I am not licensed through any day home etc. It is my own business I am the sole proprietor . So it’s pretty much my rules on communication . I really don’t think I need to be responding to inquiries about sippy cups after hours . If they can’t spend three dollars on a sippy cup they’ve got bigger problems than just Daycare . I’m not going to make myself available for those kinds of inquiries during my family time . Questions about booking childcare, yes. Serious questions about the care of your child, yes. Lost sippy cup, no . Buy a new one .

Never said you should respond to such a call or how you should respond. Just like any business owner you get to decide what your limits are and what you're willing to sacrifice in terms of business opportunities as far as those limits. It doesn't matter at all whether you're a school or not - it's your business, you get to call the shots - that is the upside of owning your own business and the downside is the buck stops with you so if you decide you have certain limits and lose business as a result then those are the risks you choose to take. It's always a decision -time v. money, personal space v. giving up personal space, etc. And far more intense if you're a sole proprietor (one reason why I never wanted to own my own business and likely never will want to and people who do want to - awesome for them!)

I took a work call after hours today that required me to do some work after hours. I did it gladly. I also could have chosen not to take the call because it's outside working hours and I was called on my personal cell phone. I've made many many decisions like that over the years when it comes to boundaries, as an employee and a manager. Usually I take "the call" or similar. Once in awhile I don't. It's just the way I am, my boundaries. We all make those decisions individually because we choose where to work and who to work with. For some it's worth it to be fired or resign if boundaries are crossed, for others, there are almost no boundaries between work and personal because in some cases they adore their work and don't mind the bleed-over. But it's always a choice .

Of course you don't "need to" respond to questions about sippy cups after hours. And if that person needs that level of attention she will find a place where they do that for her - maybe it will be a private nanny rather than a daycare, maybe it will be worth the extra $ or making some other type of sacrifice -who knows? Getting defensive about your choice makes no real sense IMO - you call the shots, you're the boss, you accept the upsides and downsides of those business choices. Obviously there are some non-negotiables since you have to follow certain basic rules and procedures when you care for children. We all have those basic requirements in our job. Beyond that is a huge spectrum of choices and very subjective and individual -so many factors!

I get that. I am pretty well acquainted with business. My mom was in business the first whole half of her life Until her late 40’s. I travelled with her for business all the time .I started doing her reports when I was 16 . She was also the Director of Sales of a big national company in the 80’s and eventually their CEO. I know a lot about business. That isn’t really my issue.

My issue is I’m not going to sacrifice my wake up time with my husband at 8 o’clock on Sunday morning for a three dollar cup , that I’m sure her husband probably lost because I remember putting it in the bag and the husband drops off and picks up . If they want to leave over a three dollar cup that they probably lost in the first place what can I do . 🤷🏻♀️ We have to place boundaries somewhere . I’m pretty lenient but 8 o’clock on Sunday morning about a three dollar cup no thank you.

Hahahaha omg, Another reason I’m glad I left my old work. They are now asking the 1 remaining casuals to do their job on volunteer basis . Hahahaha omg, what???!!🙄🙄 I would go up to the executive director and ask her if she does her job based on a volunteer basis .

I get that. I am pretty well acquainted with business. My mom was in business the first whole half of her life Until her late 40’s. I travelled with her for business all the time .I started doing her reports when I was 16 . She was also the Director of Sales of a big national company in the 80’s and eventually their CEO. I know a lot about business. That isn’t really my issue.

 

My issue is I’m not going to sacrifice my wake up time with my husband at 8 o’clock on Sunday morning for a three dollar cup , that I’m sure her husband probably lost because I remember putting it in the bag and the husband drops off and picks up . If they want to leave over a three dollar cup that they probably lost in the first place what can I do . 🤷🏻♀️ We have to place boundaries somewhere . I’m pretty lenient but 8 o’clock on Sunday morning about a three dollar cup no thank you.

Again I'm not sure of the defensiveness here. Of course you know your business as I know mine. And as you also know I'm sure you can know a business inside and out and still make regular choices about boundaries especially in a service business which you are in. As I wrote and emphasized you made the right choice for you. Working at that time isn't right for you or your family. No right or wrong -a choice. I am not sure why you would go there as far as "knowing about business". And this is your first time running a home daycare, right? I always found to be successful in business you have to know that you don't know everything or every issue that will crop up so that you can face it with flexibility. You made a decision to have this boundary. Others might make a different decision and that's ok -doesn't make it right or wrong. Ironically for one of the first times I was texted before 8am and asked to call before 8:30. I didn't have to, it's not part of my job description and for my own reasons because I could do it I did. You may not have. Neither of us is right or wrong. So I would ask that you reconsider reacting with defensiveness and sharing all you know about business- it's irrelevant to what I wrote. I know you're experienced.

And yes there may be a daycare where she can call at all hours or drop off her child at all hours -who knows, who cares - that's not your business and you're entitled to your boundaries!

I am not sure too why you are going on and on about a comment I made about something I didn’t like. Not necessary, right? I am allowed to make a comment about something I don’t like .

I am not sure too why you are going on and on about a comment I made about something I didn’t like. Not necessary, right? I am allowed to make a comment about something I don’t like .

Yes. I was responding to your misinterpretation of what I wrote not to whether you're entitled to make a comment about what you like and don't like -of course you are. i always agreed that you're entitled not to like it. What I responded to were your additional comments -nothing to do with your "I don't like what she did" defending your decision and your defensiveness in general when I wasn't sure how that was called for in the least by my agreement with you. I don't agree that there is a right or wrong in this situation just different opinions on boundaries - despite your right to not like what she did. No one has ever suggested you're not entitled to comment on something you don't like and it's baffling as to why you would get that from what I wrote, and baffling that you would get defensive about what I wrote about your entitlement to boundaries- meaning from the beginning I agreed with you that of course you don't have to like what she did. She is entitled to not like your response either and take her business elsewhere. I hope she does not if you would like to keep her as a client. As you well know running a business is different from being an employee -different decisions required, different boundaries. And to me, personally, clients are like "bosses" in a sense so even if a person owns her own business she still has "bosses" - obviously that's just my opinion!

Because I feel she IS wrong in this situation. The world would not have collapsed had she waited till Monday to address her lost cup.

Because I feel she IS wrong in this situation. The world would not have collapsed had she waited till Monday to address her lost cup.

Yes-you're entitled to your opinion that she overstepped boundaries. Perhaps she wasn't sure what the precise boundaries were- like I said there are extreme situations where it should be obvious -like if she dropped her child off outside of business hours without calling first -in this case you are entitled to your boundaries. She was entitled to not know if it was ok. Now she will know and if your rules don't work for her that's fine -she can find another situation. I always heard "the customer is always right" - but that's cool if that's not your thing -you're entitled to your boundaries and perhaps you might want to remind her of those or express them more clearly to her.

Yes-you're entitled to your opinion that she overstepped boundaries. Perhaps she wasn't sure what the precise boundaries were- like I said there are extreme situations where it should be obvious -like if she dropped her child off outside of business hours without calling first -in this case you are entitled to your boundaries. She was entitled to not know if it was ok. Now she will know and if your rules don't work for her that's fine -she can find another situation. I always heard "the customer is always right" - but that's cool if that's not your thing -you're entitled to your boundaries and perhaps you might want to remind her of those or express them more clearly to her.

All I told her was I did not have it and my place was much too small to misplace something for long. And she said , “ must be stupid husband I guess. “ And that was it.

But, no, I don’t believe the customer is always right.

Yes and you’re entitled to that opinion too. Your business your rules. And people can decide whether your rules work for them or not. Simple. Given that you didn’t like this situation I agree with the poster who suggested putting in writing what your hours are and what your accessibility is - if any - after hours. So then if someone breaks your rule you would be right that your client didn’t follow your rule and you could proceed accordingly.

I will definitely be changing some elements of my contract this Oct. I will be getting rid of the loopholes where people can take advantage . They can and most definitely do. That will be removed. First removed will be the 3 free sick days a month. People take advantage of that even if they or their kids are not sick . Oh it’s PD day so I’m going to take them to grandma’s. Yes , starting in October you can take them to grandma’s but you are still paying me .

I’m also going to re-define my definition of sick . One family brought their little guy on 28 January sick and with a fever just laying there glassy eyed on my floor . They were like oh well this is mom‘s first day of a new job , I’m on a career course nobody can take a day off blah blah. Since then I’ve had the illness, my husband has had the illness, four out of my five kids have caught the illness two of them have been very very sick and we’re out of care and I lost hundreds of dollars . I am still trying to recover from said illness. My new contract will pretty much state I don’t give a rat’s ass what your problem is take your sick child home and stop infecting everybody .

Yes, good on you to do that. Most daycares/schools phone the parents to come and get their kid if they have a fever.

Yes, good on you to do that. Most daycares/schools phone the parents to come and get their kid if they have a fever.

For sure! These people pretty much told me I was keeping him just Tylenol him up . He is 20 months old you should’ve seen the poor little guy . And now we are all sick as hell . Two of my little ones even got the croup from it. No word of a lie I’ve gone through 10 boxes of Kleenex in this house in a week . And two boxes of Tylenol cold and sinus that’s just for my own family . It’s ridiculous. One little one I had to call her dad twice in the week because she was just sobbing on the floor burning up and dad was sick as well and had to come and pick her up . This is my seventh day of being ill and I’m just starting to get better . So next time they give me a sob story I’ll just say pick your kid up within the hour or you no longer have a daycare .

I will definitely be changing some elements of my contract this Oct. I will be getting rid of the loopholes where people can take advantage . They can and most definitely do. That will be removed. First removed will be the 3 free sick days a month. People take advantage of that even if they or their kids are not sick . Oh it’s PD day so I’m going to take them to grandma’s. Yes , starting in October you can take them to grandma’s but you are still paying me .

 

I’m also going to re-define my definition of sick . One family brought their little guy on 28 January sick and with a fever just laying there glassy eyed on my floor . They were like oh well this is mom‘s first day of a new job , I’m on a career course nobody can take a day off blah blah. Since then I’ve had the illness, my husband has had the illness, four out of my five kids have caught the illness two of them have been very very sick and we’re out of care and I lost hundreds of dollars . I am still trying to recover from said illness. My new contract will pretty much state I don’t give a rat’s ass what your problem is take your sick child home and stop infecting everybody .

Sounds like a great detailed strategy! The schools and daycare center my son went to for pre-k had very detailed rules about what is an illness and what is ok, etc. Had to do with 24 hours fever free, etc - I bet there are even samples of language you would like on google to save you time.

Oh dear God, Tuesday will be another snow day. 🙄 My before and after will be here all day. This kid is a real challenge and disrupts the entire day .

Hahahahaha who arrives with his Pepa Pig sippy today and not a new one either. 🙄

Hahahahaha who arrives with his Pepa Pig sippy today and not a new one either. 🙄

OMG I love this update!!!!

We used to love Peppa Pig. I miss that show.