Parents - Let's Talk Daycare

My boys (3.5 & 1.5) have been going to a daycare since the oldest was 6 weeks. We started going there because a friends wife worked there at that time, she's since moved on.

They got busted this week for having too many kids, and are shutting down. I'm pretty angry at the situation, and wish I would have done some research when I noticed their enrollment jumped a ton in the last couple of months. I've never had any real complaints about them, and my 3.5 year old seemed to be doing great in their preschool program.

Anyway - I'm in the hunt for a new daycare. What's the beebz advice/experience for choosing a great daycare for the munchkins? Any resources to reference?

 

I don't know if your town has one, but in Louisville we have a place called St. Joes Orphanage.

It's an orphans home but also a daycare and it was amazing for both of our kids. Place is well over 100 years old and they didn't just watch your kids, they taught them from the start.

See if your town has place like that. It wasn't any more expensive than other places.

 

My wife has worked at a day care for many years. Ask how long the staff members who will be caring for your kids have been there. Worker turnover rates will tell you all you need to know.

 

We had a sitter come to the house. With two, it starts to become a more viable option.

 

I hate finding a new daycare. It takes patience and time, do the research it's important.

That said, we have our girls at a montessori. It's a little more expensive than some of the other "chain" daycares or in-home but it's got a regimented curriculum and they learn so much. Every teacher I know has put their kids in Montessori and they generally swear by it. It has strict requirements for the schools so it somewhat filters out bad ones.

 

ever since my daughter was 2.5 years old, we had her in this daycare called Kiddie Academy here in NY. Very clean establishment, the lovely ladies that worked there were very nice and looked like they cared bout their jobs and most importantly-the children there. It also helped that most of the younger women that worked there-wanted to get into teaching as a profession! Also-the place was at a very nice area and very secure also-only parents had their assigned code to get in/out of that place! They kept the kids busy with crafts, activities, movies and had a field trip every week! And they get the parents involved-in any activities that they wanted to participate in

It was a little more than a grand a month-which was worth it to us-since our daughter loved it there-the first week of going.

She's 9 now and she stopped going there when she was 8-since she said most of the kids she started going there with, arent there anymore...

 

That sounds exactly like the orphanage that mine went to.

And as far as turnover.....my kids are now 18 and 21; we went to the annual summer picnic this year and the same people that worked there 20+ years ago are still there.

 

By 3.5 my kids were attending a Montesori academy. One of the best things we've done for our kids. One is 6, the other 5 now. They have fun, learn at their own pace yet both are already reading chapter books, writing, researching and math including +,-,x, /, etc.... plus great friends and families.

 

My 5y/o started kindergarten early so we only have my youngest in daycare. It is in my wife's school and it's great. Plus its only $3 an hour and in the rare case my oldest has to go there, hercrate in $1.50 an hour.

 

You keep her in a crate?:wow:

 

Turnover rate and if any of the teachers/staff are credentialed. Early childhood education degrees aren't too much to ask for, depending on what you are paying.

 

These were the 4 must haves for us:

Live web cams, i like to peak in on the kiddo but also so the teachers know everything they do is seen.

Low teacher turnover. we found a place with many 3-5 year employees

Curriculum, a structured curriculum shows they are trying to do more than wharehouse kids for 8 hours

Cleanliness This was a must, if you can't eat off the floors my kid isn't staying there. because, well, kids eat off floors

 

We have been very lucky with daycare. First we used a private daycare out of someone's house (all legal) when my daughter was real small. Fantastic experience! My daughter was the queen of the place.
When that closed we went to a regular daycare center and once again, home run. The core of the staff was constant for years and we turned others on to the place and they have had pretty much the ame experience: outstanding!

Small hickups here and there but you forget about those once it all "clicks."

 

My kids all went to grandma school.

 

I am the school. My kid is too young to sit for a strict curriculum. But we do art, flashcards, learn numbers, letter recognition, music, and why kids shouldn't bite or clothesline their cousin.

 

I couldn't find a daycare local with webcams. I think it's a great idea though.

My son goes to the YMCA daycare. It's not the cheapest daycare in my area, but there's a lot of activities. The head is a certified teacher and the workers tend to be students working on a degree in education. In the summer they swim. In the winter, they do their home work at the Y and then play in the gym.

 

Thanks for the idea's guys.

Have appointments to check a few new places out on Monday.

 

If you can afford a nanny, it is worth every penny. Especially with multiple children, it becomes a much more reasonable option and it has so many benefits that you don't get from daycare.

 

I've been in this boat for the past several weeks. Thankfully the Mother In Law lives close and is watching the kiddo while the day care takes care of the facility violations they had (nothing major in my opinion but in the eyes of the licenser apparently it was).

This is all because of a disgruntled ex-worker who was let go a few weeks earlier. At home daycares have it rough as the regs for them continually change and its very easy to miss something that wasn't required the year before. Then you add in someone who decides to call in CPS on the place and its a massive problem for them even though they aren't a problem. In my case CPS showed up and didn't see the children in any danger. But because of a trifecta of the phone call, newly trained licenser and being behind on a few regs the place is closed. Then to get back open it can take 1-2months waiting for the government groups to get back to do whatever they need to do to allow the place to open.

So as a parent I'm pissed as multiple parties as it leaves us in a massive lurch. We choose this day care after looking around for a bit and not being satisfied with what I saw. I don't want to take my kid to a big box/chain day care. If the Grandmother wasn't around to watch the kiddo I'd have to place my kid in a place I'm not happy with at a moments notice in an area where they can be waiting lists.

Hopefully in the next few weeks the place can re-open (licenser comes for their inspection on Tuesday but then there is CPS) and things can go back to normal.

 

Montessori daycare and now in their pre-school program. Canada, so it isn't cheap at $1,200/month for full time care.