Daycare waitlist fees, ugh!!!!!

[Anonymous]

I am a new childcare facility owner and we charge a small waitlist fee. It might seem like the fees aren't worth it, but we use the waitlist to ascertain how many parents are interested, which classrooms have availability and how to staff accordingly. There are those who choose to be on 10 different waitlists. The problem is, waitlists don't guarantee a spot, enrollment does. If a waitlist is intimidating, it's best to do your research, commit to a school and enroll if there is availability or keep in touch with your school of choice and wait until there is.

[Anonymous]

It’s funny to read this thread because I have never been asked to pay a waitlist fee. I searched for daycare for both my older child a few years ago and recently for my baby. I visited both large centers, small centers and in home daycares.

I contacted places I like and ask if they have any space available with 1-2 months. If they do, they would offer a tour. If they don’t they would tell me and then never offered a tour. One place asked me if I was okay with waiting until the summer months when their older kids leave to go to kindergarten. If I said yes, they would offer a tour. If I said no, they would say good luck and leave it at that.

One place put me on a free waitlist. Never asked for any money. They called me a few months later and asked me if I was interested and only after I agreed to send my child did I send them money to enroll.

But you have to be flexible and be willing to walk away. If anyone asks me to pay a waitlist fee, I would not consider them. If you are desperate to get into a certain place, then you have to do what they want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty sure my in home daycare provider just pockets the money- there is no waitlist . It is fake and you only get in if you suck up to her a lot or know someone

I know for a FACT a large daycare center in Arlington just pockets the cash. They have a “waitlist” but don’t go by it…the director even told us she preferred not to go by it.

Spill the tea

[Anonymous]

I think the AG should look into this- it’s a scam and I’ll bet if most centers had their “waiting lists” subpoenaed, they would have nothing to produce.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a new childcare facility owner and we charge a small waitlist fee. It might seem like the fees aren't worth it, but we use the waitlist to ascertain how many parents are interested, which classrooms have availability and how to staff accordingly. There are those who choose to be on 10 different waitlists. The problem is, waitlists don't guarantee a spot, enrollment does. If a waitlist is intimidating, it's best to do your research, commit to a school and enroll if there is availability or keep in touch with your school of choice and wait until there is.

We have to join 10 waitlists because none of these facilities can give us ANY sort of timeline of when to expect a spot. Why is it so hard to manage expectations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the AG should look into this- it’s a scam and I’ll bet if most centers had their “waiting lists” subpoenaed, they would have nothing to produce.

My daughter is at a big facility, it took a year from being put on the waitlist to gain a spot in an infant classroom - she was 8 months when we finally got her in. Meanwhile, there are kids as young as 8 weeks in her class - how are these kids getting in so young? Is it siblings skipping the waitlist, or do the subsidized kids get a spot before the full pay kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty sure my in home daycare provider just pockets the money- there is no waitlist . It is fake and you only get in if you suck up to her a lot or know someone

I know for a FACT a large daycare center in Arlington just pockets the cash. They have a “waitlist” but don’t go by it…the director even told us she preferred not to go by it.

Is it Little Ambassadors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the AG should look into this- it’s a scam and I’ll bet if most centers had their “waiting lists” subpoenaed, they would have nothing to produce.

My daughter is at a big facility, it took a year from being put on the waitlist to gain a spot in an infant classroom - she was 8 months when we finally got her in. Meanwhile, there are kids as young as 8 weeks in her class - how are these kids getting in so young? Is it siblings skipping the waitlist, or do the subsidized kids get a spot before the full pay kids?

The most likely answer is siblings. Many times there are multiple wait lists. So one for siblings they run through before they move onto the next one.

The only other plausible scenario is the parents put themselves on the list prior to pregnancy (we did this at one center at my office) and they were the top of the waitlist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the AG should look into this- it’s a scam and I’ll bet if most centers had their “waiting lists” subpoenaed, they would have nothing to produce.

My daughter is at a big facility, it took a year from being put on the waitlist to gain a spot in an infant classroom - she was 8 months when we finally got her in. Meanwhile, there are kids as young as 8 weeks in her class - how are these kids getting in so young? Is it siblings skipping the waitlist, or do the subsidized kids get a spot before the full pay kids?

The most likely answer is siblings. Many times there are multiple wait lists. So one for siblings they run through before they move onto the next one.

The only other plausible scenario is the parents put themselves on the list prior to pregnancy (we did this at one center at my office) and they were the top of the waitlist.

Props for you for thinking of that (no way in heck I would've thought it was this bad to get a spot), but like... that seems crazy that you have to do that. What would've happened if your spot came up and you weren't ready for it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the AG should look into this- it’s a scam and I’ll bet if most centers had their “waiting lists” subpoenaed, they would have nothing to produce.

My daughter is at a big facility, it took a year from being put on the waitlist to gain a spot in an infant classroom - she was 8 months when we finally got her in. Meanwhile, there are kids as young as 8 weeks in her class - how are these kids getting in so young? Is it siblings skipping the waitlist, or do the subsidized kids get a spot before the full pay kids?

The most likely answer is siblings. Many times there are multiple wait lists. So one for siblings they run through before they move onto the next one.

The only other plausible scenario is the parents put themselves on the list prior to pregnancy (we did this at one center at my office) and they were the top of the waitlist.

Props for you for thinking of that (no way in heck I would've thought it was this bad to get a spot), but like... that seems crazy that you have to do that. What would've happened if your spot came up and you weren't ready for it?

We did this and then they raised the price 35% right around the time she was born. Can't win.

[Anonymous]

I stopped getting on paid for waitlists after a few centers, especially those that wouldn't even tell me where we were on the waitlist! Yes, it matters if I'm 3rd or 37th on the waitlist if you're asking me to pay to be on there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the AG should look into this- it’s a scam and I’ll bet if most centers had their “waiting lists” subpoenaed, they would have nothing to produce.

My daughter is at a big facility, it took a year from being put on the waitlist to gain a spot in an infant classroom - she was 8 months when we finally got her in. Meanwhile, there are kids as young as 8 weeks in her class - how are these kids getting in so young? Is it siblings skipping the waitlist, or do the subsidized kids get a spot before the full pay kids?

The most likely answer is siblings. Many times there are multiple wait lists. So one for siblings they run through before they move onto the next one.

The only other plausible scenario is the parents put themselves on the list prior to pregnancy (we did this at one center at my office) and they were the top of the waitlist.

The other one is preferred employers, like uspto for the center there or metro park employees for Lily pond at metro park

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the AG should look into this- it’s a scam and I’ll bet if most centers had their “waiting lists” subpoenaed, they would have nothing to produce.

My daughter is at a big facility, it took a year from being put on the waitlist to gain a spot in an infant classroom - she was 8 months when we finally got her in. Meanwhile, there are kids as young as 8 weeks in her class - how are these kids getting in so young? Is it siblings skipping the waitlist, or do the subsidized kids get a spot before the full pay kids?

The most likely answer is siblings. Many times there are multiple wait lists. So one for siblings they run through before they move onto the next one.

The only other plausible scenario is the parents put themselves on the list prior to pregnancy (we did this at one center at my office) and they were the top of the waitlist.

Props for you for thinking of that (no way in heck I would've thought it was this bad to get a spot), but like... that seems crazy that you have to do that. What would've happened if your spot came up and you weren't ready for it?

If a spot opened we could pass and remain on the waitlist or pay to hold a spot. We passed once and then paid for 4 months because I was almost due and wanted to be guaranteed a spot.

[Anonymous]

My youngest is 13 and we never got off some waitlists... still waiting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty sure my in home daycare provider just pockets the money- there is no waitlist . It is fake and you only get in if you suck up to her a lot or know someone

I know for a FACT a large daycare center in Arlington just pockets the cash. They have a “waitlist” but don’t go by it…the director even told us she preferred not to go by it.

Yup we may be familiar with the same provider. You're not a serious contender if you get sent to the waitlist. It's all about who you know.