How Do You Make Yourself Be More Understanding?

Why is the care of the most precious people in life considered the least valuable? I mean people pay for anything they own and things they want and then when it comes to kids its like cut rate anything will do. These are little people who will live on and on and are becoming who they will be and it's the MOST important thing in life to see they are cared for, taught right, loved, etc, etc. Why should that be so cheap to do such a major job?

Wow - yes the world has gone awry - but there are people who would leave their kids with anyone who would take them so they can go do whatever. And I think you're just having one of those days when people are pi**ing you off. We all have days like that.

Living in the NY area when my kids were young (they're now almost 12 and almost 15) I paid $750 monthly per kid for day care - or about $35 per day , per kid. OUr daycare cost more than our mortgage while they were both in full time (which was about a year - then they were P/T) - and that was more than 10 years ago! but I was always intereted in quality care - more than money. I mean your kids are precious!

Oh well - have a venting day and feel better tomorrow hopefull! ;o)

I think some of this is generational - at 46 now, I really don't understand the popular practices regarding basic manners, civility, professionalism, and entitlement. Oh, and let's throw instant gratification in there as well.

I am by no means, a pru, a grouch, or the 'B' word. I treat everyone with friendliness and Yes Ma'mam and No'Sir and Thank you. I read store clerks name tags and address them by name "Thank you Tracy", etc. Yet I watch people continue their cell phone conversations the entire time they check out treating the cashier like they are non-existent. Then the cashier begins to feel that way, and treats the next customer in line with contempt.

I reply to every job interview I go on with a follow up email or letter thanking the employer for their time. In most cases, they don't even tell me that I did not get the position. I deduce that from the lack of communication from them. I ask for professional feedback relating to my skills and how I can strengthen future applications for similar jobs - I get no response. When I was hiring people, I always responded to emails and always sent "sorry, we selected another candidate" letters out to all applicants.

I see people who are impatient at a red light, honk their horns when I am not right quick off the mark when the light turns green. I like to count to 20 before I pull out - 8 out of 10 times, another car runs the red light and would have broadsided me had I punched the gas at the first blink of the green light. And really, what is 20 seconds in the grand scheme of things?

I see children disrespect their parents and other adults - I see parents who let them speak to them like that. I see beautiful young women parading their bodies around for all to see, then wondering why boys have no respect for them. I see boys dragging their pants on the ground and wondering why they are thought to be "thugs".

I could go on, but I am depressing myself. LOL

Mainly, I think people have lost their sense of community. Tunnel vision, and a view towards only themselves and their immediate circle of family and friends. The larger, community and world view, has shrunk to one's own backyard. Oh, we see a resurgence of it, post 911, Katrina, and now in with Midwest tornadoes, but, on the whole, I know that is what I see - the loss of faith in community and caring about strangers.

A general lack of respect, and misplaced values.

But, then I see people who are the exact opposite of this, and I have hope again. I truly try and focus on the positive in the world around me, and, through, my actions and words, walk a gentler path.

God Bless

I dont understand people who send their children to cheap crappy daycare situations, That really effects children. We get children i Kindergarten who act like they've never been socialized, don't know how to play nicely , take turns, line up, listen to a story etc. the ones who stayed home adapt in a few weeks, they dont have bad habits from being in bad daycares. and the ones who went to a good program are ready to really enjoy and learn in K from day one. What is more important than your child's entire day??

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it sounds like the $50 a week person is looking for a young teenager to do it. That is a little low by todays standards but when I was a teen I watched 3 kids for that. We pay our occasional sitter $5 an hour for 2 kids, but she is also a teen. If I were contacting a professional for a day of care for 2 I would expect it to be around $40, so that does not seem unreasonable at all, I mean our dog Kennel I $30 a day!!

All you have to do is politely decline. That's all. People don't care how much wisdom a person has if they are rude and act superior because of their age.

Why are you so upset about people advertising for cheap child care? You don't have to answer the ads, and those people will find out on their own that the price they want isn't possible.

Sorry if this seems harsh, but I don't understand why this is so upsetting if you have the power to decline any offers that aren't agreeable to you.

Edit* Just because you think I "may not understand" doesn't mean that I don't. My husband and I run 3 businesses and run into our own share of people like you described, BUT if we let it eat at us, and color the way that we view or treat perspective clients, we would go crazy. So, we let it go and let other people deal with them.
I refuse to waste my time and energy on being angry with people that I can't and shouldn't try to control.

I don't think your age really comes into play in this scenario. I think your frustration comes from having to deal with yet another person who is not being realistic or just blatantly trying to take advantage.
I also imagine that it's upsetting for you to see such cheap rates because you know you are providing quality care and someone who probably isn't is not only getting the business, but also setting a standard that makes it seem as though you're overpriced.
I would be suspicious of someone advertising childcare at an unusually low rate as I feel the same as you in that "quality doesn't come cheap".

Wow! $40 for 2 kids on a Saturday?!?! That's AWESOME! I think that is a GREAT rate. Don't let people get you down. I used to take my son to an in-home daycare and loved it. She charged $25 a day. I thought that was too-good-to-be-true-cheap. She did a great job though and truly loved my son. I had to move him to a daycare when we moved and I cried my eyes out. I think good daycare is so hard to come by. You have to pay a little extra for quality. It sounds like you provide quality care AND a reasonable rate. If people expect cheaper than that then I say screw them, you don't want to watch their kids anyway. I know how hard it is just taking care of my own 2 children. I don't know that I would have the patience for other people's! I would have to charge a ton just so I'd have motivation to keep at it. LOL! Guess that's why I'm not a daycare provider... ;)

A first time mom I know was looking for childcare and was looking at the ads and trying to find the person to do the most for the least amount of pay. I kindly reminded her that you get what you pay for. Frankly what is a few extra bucks if you find the right person. Daycare is such a huge chunk of time and a major part of raising your child. Sometimes we all get so use to bargaining to strech our paycheck, we forget the big picture.

When you get those calls it wouldn't be rude to put that reminder out there.; you get what you pay for. And be confident when you say that you feel your service is worth every cent of what you charge. It helps to have a list of what you offer. Morals, attitude, and all those intangible things need to be on that list. It would help to have that listed so they can see that food, heat, crayons, toys, cleaning supplies, love, attention, disapline, routine, manners, respect, ect is a lot to ask for at $20 a day (per kid, cause clearly you would hate to only pay for one and have the other one not fed, lol). They can go to the $50 per week person and ask how they handle those things and see if that is included in their price.