How to Say "No" to a Prospective Parent

The moment of truth has come. You are getting ready to tell a parent, who wants to enroll in your family child care home, you don't want her child in your program.

What do you tell her? I think the best answer is, "I don't think this is the best place for your child at this time."

If the prospective parent asks for specific reasons, don't elaborate. If you feel that you must say more, you can add, "It's not personal. I try to make decisions based on what's best for each child, and I have a feeling that your child would be better off in another child care program." The parent can't argue with your intuition.

If you try to give the parent a reason, the parent may feel insulted. She may even think you are discriminating against her if you say the wrong thing.

Unfortunately, many child care providers have trouble following my advice. Some will tell a parent, "I'm waiting to hear from another family who I interviewed earlier this week. If she calls me back I won't have a space for your child."

There is a problem with this response. What happens if a week later this parent sees an ad you posted on Craigslist? The parent is likely to conclude that you weren't honest with her and feel insulted. She may make a complaint to your licensor. So, I don't recommend doing this.

How have you handled saying "no" to a parent?

Tom Copeland - www.tomcopelandblog.com

Image credit: https://gabomin.medium.com/life-skill-the-power-of-saying-no-30e53930725f

For more information, see my book Family Child Care Contracts & Policies.