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Roxy009
08-12-2016, 09:43 AM
Hi; I just registered in September, a total career change so it's all new to me. I have a family coming to see me next week to look after there baby who will be 6 months when the mum goes back to work, full time but term time only.
Can any of you lovely lot give me some advice on what I should be asking, things to do/say?
I have my policies in a folder which they can look at if they wish, I have a little leaflet about my services etc.

The baby is only 4 months now so it's not as if I can get some toys out and play etc and she will probably be asleep after being in the car

Thanks

Mouse
08-12-2016, 04:16 PM
When I have a visit from parents with a baby I tend to get out a baby mat, so if they're awake they can lie on the floor to play. For a 4 month old I'd have a few rattly toys, something they can hold, maybe some different fabrics for them to feel. A treasure basket is always a good thing to have as you can give them different items to hold until you find one they particularly like. If the baby stays asleep the while time, talk about what resources you will have available.

Most parents are more than happy to talk about their baby, so I ask questions about daily routine, how they feed and sleep etc. You learn a lot about the family and child by just letting them talk.

I tell them about what our routine is and about how I see their child fitting in to it. If the child id going to be 6 months old when they star I'd talk about weaning, have they any thoughts about what they're going to try as first foods, who will supply food (I don't provide weaning food). I also ask if they've left their child with anyone before as that can often be an indication of how relaxed or anxious they're going to be about it all. I talk about where their child will sleep as that's usually something they want to know.

I encourage parents to ask as many questions as they want. I've found the things they want to know for a baby are:
where will they sleep
what will you do with them when you need the toilet
what experience have you got at looking after babies
what are the ages of the other children you'll have
do you take them out - how do you manage them

I mention policies briefly, but tend to cover those more fully at a second visit. At the first visit I do explain about paying if the child is absent, about paying in advance and about dropping off and collecting on time.

If these parents want term time only, have a think about how that will work. Will you charge a retainer or charge a higher rate for TTO? Will parents ever need any days during holidays?

One useful thing I do is make sure I have an email address for the parents. After the visit I email them, confirming what we've spoken about, reminding them that no place is secured until paperwork is completed and a deposit paid and asking them to get back to me by X date. It's also a good way of telling them anything I've forgotten to mention during their visit - there's always something!

Good luck. Try to relax and go with the flow. It's good to have a rough idea of how you want the meeting to go, but be prepared for it to go in a completely different direction!