I am a home childcare provider. When should I tell my families that I'm pregnant? How about new... « Back to Group Discussions

[is it puppies?]

I have a dayhome (in-home daycare). I am currently looking to fill a few spaces (one full time and 2 part time) as well as have 3 children in my care. It can be difficult in my area to find childcare (though not impossible) and I am not sure when I should be telling people that I am pregnant. I wasn't planning on telling my current families until at least the end of this month (after my 12 week appt and hopefully hearing the HB). Thoughts on that?

I have a new family with 2 children who may be starting early next month if mom's job offer turns out as planned. I am not sure when to even get into it with potential new families (though likely when I am showing and they come to see the place- or when I am very pregnant I will let them know before a visit). The new family would get about 6 + months of care from me (barring complications) before I take mat leave, do you think it's okay to wait until after they start (a couple of days after I was planning to tell the families already here) or should I just tell her now in case she wants to change her mind? They will only be part time, so I don't feel too bad about them not having time to look for other options when they are here. I do however feel a bit guilty anyways. But I know in her case she hasn't liked any of the other options she has found so far.

I will also be asking my agency coordinator for her recommendations, but I feel like I'm not really ready to tell her yet! I had a few spotting episodes and I don't really have 100% faith in this preg yet. I was even entertaining the idea of not telling anybody until I have my ultrasound at 20 weeks but that's just too long to wait!

If this changes anything, I am planning to close down for almost a whole year of mat leave. I will possibly take in a child/ a couple children for p/t care before that time frame is over which would just depend on how things are going with the NB and my daughter falling into a routine.

Thanks for your thoughts!!

(I will crosspost this somewhere, once I find a forum that seems suitable lol!)

[femmeknitzi]

Wow, this is a tough one. Without knowing the details, I can only speak from what I would want as a parent in this situation and I'm only familiar with traditional day care centers, rather than home-care so take this with a grain of salt. I think I would want to know before I started my children with a new provider that I'd have to find alternative care in 6 months. It takes a lot of work to vet providers and I'd be pretty frustrated to find one I wanted, get my child settled and then find out I have to do it all over again. You might lose customers, but then again, that could happen anyway since they'll all need to find care and may not choose to return.

Now, this will be my first kid, so I may be over-cautious, but I would also want to know if the person caring for my child (assuming that you don't have additional staff or family in the house during the day, of course) had a medical condition that could affect that person during the time they care for my child, i.e., epilepsy, asthma, etc. and pregnancy could fall into that category. In other words, what would you do if you were alone with the children and started having a complication? I'd want to know your plan.

This is a tough situation, though because I feel like you should have a right to tell people when it's best for you and your family, but because you ARE the business, it makes it difficult. Hopefully, your current families will understand if you want to wait until 12 weeks. Do you have an existing relationship with the new families? If so, maybe they'd be more understanding than I'm guessing. Could you contact your OB/MW and ask to move up your appointment? If you could hear the heartbeat sooner, it might help you find peace with the pregnancy and feel free to spill the beans earlier.

I wish you the best and hope you find a solution that works for you AND your business. Good luck!

[esma2175]

Hi and congrats!!! A Little background, I have my teaching certificate in ECE and have worked at a few different Child care centers where DS went while I worked.  I feel like you are in a hard situation, and just want to say that you have to do what is right for you before you read my opinion.  Here it is:

I would tell all incoming families.  I would approach it like this. While they are touring your facility (which means they are very intrested) I would tell them you want to be upfront about everything, you are expecting and what your plans are for maternity leave.  You might not get thoes spots filled that you want, but I think you would get more negitave word of mouth advertizing if you let a family start and then tell them you will be leaving after 6 months.  As a parent I would be livid and pull my child instantly, and personally I think that would be unprofesional.

As for your current families I think waiting until you pass the "danger zone" as I call it (complete with theme song in my mind ) is completly acceptable.  It is standard for many people not to announce their pregnancy until after 12 weeks and the first appointment, so as a current customer that would not bother me at all.  I would want to know what your plan is if you do have a complication and need to be rushed to the hospital, and when your plans are to go on leave.  What would you do if you need to go on bedrest early?   Just think about what your families might ask and try to have a plan ready to tell them so they feel comfortable still.

I hope all goes well for you!  And good luck with your business!

[OkiMom]

I can only talk as a mother since I don't and have never ran a child care center.

As a mom I would want to know. If I ever did seek child care for my children I would want long term (year plus at least) and would want to know if something would effect that. Id want to know not only that you are pregnant but what you plan on doing with the children when you give birth/on maternity leave (ie do you have someone else willing to take the children or do I have to find a new provider for that time). I would be pretty upset if I signed up for a day care and found out a few days later that they were expecting and had known it when I signed up.

[is it puppies?]

Thanks for all the opinions! I appreciate hearing from both the professional point of view and from the parental point. I think I will send her off an email and hope for the best!!