Can anyone recommend a quality childcare facility or at-home center in our area? We're about to have our first baby and will need childcare beginning in August. So far, our biggest challenge in our search has been the drop off time. Both my husband and I have to be to work by 7 and everywhere we've looked doesn't open until 6:30. With our commutes, not sure how to make this work. Most everyone we've talked to have the help of family members in this...ours are unfortunately very far away....Any help or advice in this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
With your commutes, and open time requirements I would look into a facility close to where you work. Esp with your first baby, you might feel better about them being just down the road instead of 45 min away.
I can't remember what time it opens but we sent Wulf Jr to Riverwood Child Development Center. He is now in Kindergarten and can read/write better than steve. Give them a look.
I don't remember what time they opened, but we loved Toddler's Inn on Hwy 70. It's been several years, but they had low staff turnover and DS was more than ready when he started K. Yes, there are certainly "fancier" places, but the care he received was top notch. I was quite ferocious about the level of care I expected and I had zero complaints. (I have also heard good things about Riverwood, but they were not open when we started with Toddler's Inn, and I had no reason to switch when they did). I know that many teachers used Toddlers because of their early learning program. Personally, since you don't have family here (same dilemma we had), I would use a daycare. I had the heebie jeebies about leaving him in someone's home that I don't know. 99% of the time, I am sure it's fine, but would not work for me personally. Once again, I am sure most of them are just fine, before anyone flames me. **There are also online resources to check out a center's star rating and qualifications. Congrats on the baby by the way!:hurray:
A quick search on past discussions - http://www.4042.com/4042forums/search.php?searchid=618737 I agree completely about a center versus in-home. I am jaded due to a bad experience with in-home care, but with a center you have a director and many eyes. With in-home, you typically have one person and possibly children that can't speak up.
Well put!! But believe it or not, the worst experience I had was with a church daycare in TN. Closest I ever came to actually :boxing: over DS's care.
I did not live here when mine was very young but I would do the same anywhere I lived. I asked for opinions, like you are doing. I picked a number, like 12 or so, and went to visit that many day cares and/or in home care. I flipped out at first, by what I was seeing, but found the right place in the end. It was a church day care and they were wonderful. Sherry
We actually have the same initial feelings about in-home childcare as well...being relatively new to the area, we just don't feel like we know anyone enough to completely trust.... As far as choosing a center close to work, that would have to be me...my husband's work location is just too unreliable...he has the potential of being anywhere in the triangle after a few months. I work about 15 minutes from 40/42...just over the benson line. So far we've considered Open Arms, Cleveland Child Development Center, & Kids R Kids... Again though....all of these open at 6:30....
I have a friend that uses a place on Sanders rd. If you are heading towards Raleigh rd it's on the left, not sure of the name but I think it has bear in the name, maybe honey bear or sugar bear. she is happy with them. probably close to your work also
Once you have visited some centers, you might want to go to the Division of Child Development office and have them pull the files on your top contenders. The centers have ratings, etc. and you can see if there are complaints, how many, if they were corrected. That may help put your mind at ease.
You can check all the daycare stars, owner information and DCD visits, complaints, actions taken, etc. at ncchildcare.net click on the parent section, then, choosing quality childcare. insert the area where you would like your childcare to be and all the daycare names and address will come up. Wonderful website. Hope this helps.
My Standard Daycare Advice http://ncchildcaresearch.dhhs.state.nc.us/search.asp Do a search on 4042, with terms like DHHS, child care, childcare, daycare, etc to pull up previous threads on this topic. My advice - DROP IN! Do not schedule appointments. First call to see if they have openings and what their rates are, do this after you have received reports from the link I provided above and selected the daycares you are interested in. Then drop in to interview/tour the facility. After you have chosen one, drop in again for some stay and play. Stay away from unlicensed in-home daycares. Personally I would stay away from in-home altogether, as they generally only have one adult. Centers are more expensive, but at least you have accountability and more than one set of eyes - for the kids AND the adults that are in charge of the kids.
I agree about dropping in. I did this once at one of the local daycares and was pretty shocked by how I found the place and was sure it would have been different if I had scheduled something.
