How to Deal with Easily Offended People?

You say that you have trouble "sugar coating things"...it could be that the way you are phrasing things comes across as a little more harsh or judgemental that you mean for it to. I am not saying that it is all YOUR fault, but especially when you are dealing with just the written word and don't have tone of voice or facial expressions to help out, it is easy to mis-interpret what someone is meaning online.
I do agree with you that your years of experience ( and the generation that you come from) might have a lot to do with your perception of things!! I cannot imagine someone who truly cares for the people they are working with, complaining because someone is a few minutes late because of a temporary problem that is out of their control!! If it was a habitual thing, with no logical reason behind it, then you could see that they would have a reason to be upset.
As to the easily offended people...don't let it worry you too much, handle it the same way that you would handle someone in "real life" that is easily offended...apologize and move on.

I would say to them in this economy you better appreciate those who butter your bread and if you think there won't be ten more providers in due time to take up the slack your kidding yourself. Everyone is replaceable. Lots of folks are losing jobs and they will start watching kids. So watch out you better be good because your rates will go down in a really bad economy or you won't work.

L.

Personally I wouldn't care lol. I never sugar coat anything and am blunt and to the point. I've told many people if you can't handle it don't bother talking to me.

If they can not appreciate your experience in daycare then it is their own fault. Honestly sounds to me like you need to get out in person a little. But I do agree that if you don't make acomendations for some situations then you won't get more business and then your screwed. guess all the younger generations will just have to learn that.(I am from a younger generation and my own generation makes me cringe half the time) so the only advice I truly have is either don't talk to them or tell them to grow up.

Honestly Suzi, it's just like this message board...if you didn't want my opinion don't ask for it! Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and you are giving them yours along with a different and more seasoned wisdom. Their failure to listen to you is not your problem...it's the parents problem and soon it will be their problem because the parents will pull out from that daycare provider for being difficult to work with.

Keep on being you and don't sugar coat it...this society has been fed too much sugar coating and look how many diabetics it's produced! LOL...nope, you just tell it like it is...one day, they may come back to you and say, "you know, you were right!"

Ha ha, Ya me!! I step on toes all the time, mainly because I don't sugar coat much and don't believe much of the malarkey out there. I've offended several (just on here), because I like to tell people (usually in a nice way) to just get over things and not dwell on little mishaps life tosses your way. I've been accused of(and don't deny it)that I'm black and white and that "life just isn't that way". Well, if you want to be a drama queen, then life can be pretty grey. If you want to be easy going and not freak out about everything, and have a normal life, then life is black and white. My suggestion is, to just not answer these people(it's sometimes hard to bite your tongue, I know!)or just don't check the message boards anymore. We live in a very pc world now, where everyone is afraid to say what they think(or even think at all), because they just don't want to offend anyone.

Hey Suzi what ever happened to "If you don't want my opion don't ask for it"
Like you said these are younger providers give them some time they will get the idea sooner or later.
In the same boat.
D.