Inspirational and Empowering Child Care Business Owners To Build Successful Child Care Businesses

Archive for the ‘Family Connections’ Category

How do You Negotiate Differences or Challenges with Parents?

The way that you handle or negotiate differences with parents could impact your relationship with parents. When a parent has a concern, do you listen or do you get upset?

It is common for parents and providers to have differences and here are some examples; my child is napping to long an I don’t like it, I want my child to arrive mid-day, I don’t want my child to get dirty, I don’t want my child to go outdoors, etc. How would you handle these situations?

When differences or challenges with parents are handled effectively, it creates a win-win situation for the provider and the parents. When differences are not negotiated effectively, this could lead to an angry parent and the loss of a customer.

As a Business Owner, it is vital that you develop a strategy to negotiate differences with parents. Here are 5 steps that you can take in the event you need to negotiate differences with a parent:

Step1… Reflect on what happened (“I see how upset you are about the situation”)

Step2…Explain (“Here’s what I think”)

Step3…Reason (I will give you a reason for what I think)

Step4…Understanding (Try to see the conflict from both point of views)

Step5…Negotiate (Begin to look for a solution when both parties are clear about the issues and our differing perspectives (What can we do about this situation?)

Category:

Family Connections, parent communication

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Go the Extra Mile for Parents

 

According to a NACCRA News Release on August 3, 2010, child care costs continue to rise despite economic downturn. Moreover, the report concludes that childcare exceeds food cost and other household expenses. 

“As a result of increasing child care costs and the current economy, some parents have been forced to remove their children from organized child care programs or licensed settings and  place them in more informal settings ,” said Linda Smith, Executive Director of NACCRRA.  

As child care business owners, it is vital that we provide parents with high quality childcare and consider providing more to assure parents that their child care dollars are well spent. Most of all, you want parents to stay with you and not choose a cheaper child care provider because of their finances. 

Just know that, when parents are happy with your services, they will do all that they can to stay with you. Further more, when you go the extra mile for parents, they will appreciate it and value your service. 

Here are some tips to help you to go the extra mile for parents: 

  • Once a month provide breakfast on the go
  • Provide coupons near sign-in table
  • Waive late payment fees if parents are having financial trouble (if possible)
  • When parents raise funds with a fundraiser, provide a discount on tuition
  • Offer a Late pick-up night
  • Ask about their day
  • Offer bottle water or coffee at pick-up time

This is just a small list of ways that you can go the extra mile for parents. Do all that you can to show your parents that you value their business and that you care! 

” People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”~ John Maxwell 

 

Category:

Administration, Child Care Center, Family Connections, Home Daycare

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