[Maxine45]

My friend is trying to get a pre-school started from her home and I'm supporting her by sending our son there.
She has placed ads on craigslist which I just looked at, and they include the actual physical address of her home, including her daughter's names and ages.
This strikes me as a really bad idea, but I can't decide exactly why I don't like it.

Does this seem like a bad idea to anyone else? (posting the actual address on CL)

 

[Julia24]

No, it doesn't sound like a great idea to me. I'm a home daycare provider, and I'd be concerned for a couple of reasons:

1) That I'm putting a target on my children's heads for whatever wackos are out there reading this stuff (and you KNOW there are some wackos scouting victims in this fashion)

and

2) That I'm putting myself and the children I care for in danger. I'm basically announcing that I'm home alone all day with several small children.

I am admittedly a bit neurotic about this stuff though - I keep the house totally locked up all day and we have a big 'mean looking' dog. LOL (he might actually lick the person to death - but they don't know that) If the doorbell rings, I even put the phone in my pocket and peek to see who it is first....just in case.

I mean - I am entrusted with caring for OTHER PEOPLE'S children!!! Their MOST precious things in the whole world, yk?

I just don't trust the general public like that. I give a nearby landmark for a location and ask that interested parties send me an email for additional information (like my literature or to set up an interview - at which point I will give my home address....but this is typically AFTER I have a personal email and full name and address of THAT person, yk?)

I do think that interested parties are entitled to personal information about your family when you CHOOSE to run a home based daycare, but I try to keep it about ME and some vague info about my kids - like - I have two daughters, (ages 7 and 3) the oldest of whom attends xyz elementary school and we live less than one block away from said school.

 

[Maxine45]

Thanks for your reply, Julia. I have to agree with you on all points.
I guess I should talk to my friend about it ASAP and see if she sees my point of view.

 

[mamarootoo]

i can understand why she would want people to be able to see where their kids would be going, but it would be as simple as saying something like "If you'd like to see the house and neighborhood, please call for the address!"

I wouldn't be comfortable with her posting the physical address on craigslist, though, for all the reasons the PP mentioned.

 

[Twinklefae]

I wouldn't be comfortable with doing that for my home daycare, as I'm the only adult at home... but it wouldn't bother me for a bigger center, with multiple staff members.

 

[crazydiamond]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twinklefae I wouldn't be comfortable with doing that for my home daycare, as I'm the only adult at home... but it wouldn't bother me for a bigger center, with multiple staff members.

These are my thoughts as well.

As for the friend, how about gently recommend she use the nearest major intersection instead of the actual address? That way potential clients will have a pretty accurate idea of where she's located (since commute distance does play a huge role for people), but she's not putting anyone in direct risk.

I would also not be so comfortable with the children's names and ages on the site. The gender and age would be more than adequate.

 

[Polliwog]

If she was to get an actual family childcare license, then her address would be public record. So, I don't really see the difference. I wouldn't want her to list her kids names on Craigslist, though.