The Great Thing About Small Businesses

As a consumer I would guess that 90% of my money is spent at large chains...it's just what is available these days. However, I recently discovered the benefit of small businesses to the consumer. The words "I am taking my business elsewhere" actually has some weight.

I was very upset with Connor's daycare. In the two days he had been there I watched the webcam and saw what I had feared...he wasn't being held or interacted with at all. They left him in his crib or in a swing all day, his only human contact was someone changing his diaper or poking his paci in his mouth. The final straw was today when I checked on him and saw that they weren't even holding him to feed him. They had him sitting in a bouncy seat with a bottle held to his face. That is no way to feed a baby! I called and asked for the owner. I gave my name and said "I recently enrolled my son there, but now I want what I need to do to withdraw him" The woman I spoke to, the owner, was disraught. She asked what was wrong. I pointed out that I was watching on the web cam at that moment while my son was NOT being held for a feeding...when being held for feeding was something I had specifically requested. She went in the room RIGHT THEN and told the lady to pick him up. She also told her he was to be held for all future feedings. When she came back she told me that it was a mistake and wouldn't happen again. I expressed concern that even if he was being held for feedings he still wasn't getting any interaction. She promised me that she would check on him several times a day herself, to make sure he wasn't being neglected.

I've been watching today, and she kept her word. Several times I saw her go in there and pick him up when he was crying. The offending feeder has also reformed, as several times when I peeked on the cam he was in her arms being stroked and cuddled.

I feel a lot better now about him being in daycare, and I am glad I didn't take him to one of those huge chain daycares where they wouldn't have cared about losing my business.