baymare
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Post by baymare on Oct 17, 2017 13:36:26 GMT -6
We are currently looking for a new daycare for J, who turns 3 in January (long story short, his current daycare which we LOVE doesn't have a slot for him once he turns 3. He's on the waiting list but no idea when he would get a slot). There are very few options here for center-based care (and we definitely want a center, not an in-home daycare). There are 4 centers: the one he's in, another which has no openings at the moment, a brand new center that's significantly more expensive, or a smaller one which we toured yesterday.
My question is, is it normal/usual for daycares to not allow parents past the lobby at a daycare center? We toured the place yesterday at the end of the day and the director/owner was very firm that parents are not allowed past the drop off room (except for that initial tour, which was scheduled after all the kids had left). They have a staff member stationed at the door, who watches out the window and when a parent drives into the parking lot, the staff person uses a radio to tell the child's classroom to send them out.
We are used to J's current daycare, where we drop off/pick up from his classroom, chat with his teachers, etc. But I don't know how usual that is. It just seemed weird to me, and neither MH or I liked it.
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tj
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Post by tj on Oct 17, 2017 13:44:30 GMT -6
I would say that seems weird. I've always done room pickups.
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piccyami
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Post by piccyami on Oct 17, 2017 13:45:54 GMT -6
That is odd. Of all of the centers we toured (and we toured a bunch), we never encountered that.
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Post by ovenrack on Oct 17, 2017 13:47:48 GMT -6
Nope. Nope nope. How are you supposed to assess how the care providers are interacting with the kids?
I've only ever been to centers which encourage drop-in visits by parents, and I find it alarming that they don't even allow it.
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Post by Dramaphile on Oct 17, 2017 13:48:09 GMT -6
That sounds odd to me. I worked in childcare for 7 years at multiple centers (in the same large company), and it would be odd for parents to not come into the classrooms. Makes me immediately suspicious what they don't want parents to see? That's probably cynical, and maybe they have as good reason due to limited space or something, but it rubs me the wrong way. Interacting with your child's teachers is an important part of childcare, this sounds like prison vistation or a dog kennel or something.
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Post by charlotte on Oct 17, 2017 13:48:49 GMT -6
I sometimes feel that I am being disruptive when I pick DS up or drop him off, because it distracts all of the kids from whatever they’re doing.
TBS, my presence in his classroom and interaction with his friends and teachers is really important to me. I find it really weird to not allow parents to ever enter the classroom.
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Post by ovenrack on Oct 17, 2017 13:49:04 GMT -6
I'm not usually very alarmist, but that seriously makes me wonder if they're hiding something.
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Post by grumpycakes on Oct 17, 2017 13:49:36 GMT -6
I vote weird. I wouldn't feel comfortable with that.
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Post by Dramaphile on Oct 17, 2017 13:50:09 GMT -6
How is it the parents there think this is normal?
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Post by grumpycakes on Oct 17, 2017 13:51:35 GMT -6
And what happens when you pick your kid up at an unusual time? You have to call ahead to let them know you're coming so someone can watch for you and radio? Weird.
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Post by grumpycakes on Oct 17, 2017 13:54:29 GMT -6
As far as the brand new expensive one, would it be possible for you to get a reduced schedule to save on tuition? May be worth asking if you can swing something part time. E's school does not advertise it, but they work with parents on custom schedules.
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Post by brandiewine11 on Oct 17, 2017 13:57:04 GMT -6
Definitely strange. I can see not wanting parents to disrupt the classroom if coming at an odd time or even if there was a specific area for drop off/pick up but the teachers were available there. But I'd expect to be allergic to view the room whenever I wanted.
Heck, even a doggie daycare I interviewed had a policy like you describe and it made me uncomfortable.
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stringy
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Post by stringy on Oct 17, 2017 13:57:16 GMT -6
So I know a few people who go to centers where staff come and get kids out of the car and parents essentially are in a drop off line. These are two trusted friends with kids at two different centers (preschool, unsure how that would work with infants).
So - its not unheard of. HOWEVER - i would not like it one bit. Do you never see kids artwork? Do you not see their cubbies? Talk with the teachers about the day? Bring up concerns? How does that work?
So yea, not something I'd do unless they also have some kind of way to visit. (for instance one of the above mentioned friends with a drop off line is also a co-op preschool - so she gets to spend time in the classroom periodically.
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stringy
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Post by stringy on Oct 17, 2017 13:57:56 GMT -6
I'm also a little curious at how a center you are currently at doesn't have room as the kids age? Is that not how things work, kids grow and move up?
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mapleme
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Post by mapleme on Oct 17, 2017 13:59:56 GMT -6
Big ol' nope from me. Our DC allows parents to come in anytime of day. However, I have heard of DCs that don't allow off-hours entries by parents. If you come during off hours, it would be something like what you described. But for regular pickup/drop off times parents come into the room with their kids. Maybe that's what they're talking about? Because WTF to never meeting your kid's teachers.
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stringy
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Post by stringy on Oct 17, 2017 14:00:31 GMT -6
Have you called the other center with a wait list to see how long it is? I'd get on both wait lists asap while you ponder.
Any options in neighboring towns or by where you work?
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stringy
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Post by stringy on Oct 17, 2017 14:02:44 GMT -6
Do they take infants and young toddlers? I can't imagine handing an infant over with a sticky note thats like "slept well, ate at 7, here's some bottles..." hope the teacher gets this!
NOPE.
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nikkipal
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Post by nikkipal on Oct 17, 2017 15:26:17 GMT -6
What?! NO.
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milano
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Post by milano on Oct 17, 2017 15:32:04 GMT -6
I wouldn't like that one bit. Are they crazy about privacy or something? High number of witness protection program kids? That's the only reason I could think of for something like that.
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baymare
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Post by baymare on Oct 17, 2017 15:53:37 GMT -6
Ok. Thank you all for validating our opinion. The place seemed pretty ok in other ways, but we were really put off by that.
I think we will go with the more expensive place for now.
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baymare
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Post by baymare on Oct 17, 2017 15:55:10 GMT -6
Nope. Nope nope. How are you supposed to assess how the care providers are interacting with the kids? I've only ever been to centers which encourage drop-in visits by parents, and I find it alarming that they don't even allow it. Exactly. J is fairly verbal for his age, but if something was really wrong, I'm not sure he would be able to express or explain it.
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baymare
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Post by baymare on Oct 17, 2017 16:30:49 GMT -6
As far as the brand new expensive one, would it be possible for you to get a reduced schedule to save on tuition? May be worth asking if you can swing something part time. E's school does not advertise it, but they work with parents on custom schedules. The new center's price is based on the number of hours your child is there (you commit to a schedule). We do typically drop off/pick up at the same time, but at the current center if I'm running a little late it's no big deal.
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baymare
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Post by baymare on Oct 17, 2017 16:41:40 GMT -6
I'm also a little curious at how a center you are currently at doesn't have room as the kids age? Is that not how things work, kids grow and move up? Yeah, it caught us by surprise. Apparently they had to close one preschool classroom earlier in the year and the other classroom is full. They are trying to hire a teacher in order to reopen the second preschool classroom, but they don't know when that will happen. I haven't been able to get a good answer for why he can't stay in the younger group until a slot opens in preschool, just that the week after he turns 3, there is no slot available for him. He's on the waiting list, but we can't risk having no place for him in January. The enrollment person told us that if we find an available space elsewhere, we should take it.
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baymare
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Post by baymare on Oct 17, 2017 16:46:54 GMT -6
And what happens when you pick your kid up at an unusual time? You have to call ahead to let them know you're coming so someone can watch for you and radio? Weird. There were like 3 kids left when we were there and they were being picked up. There was someone sitting at the door looking out the window, and when she saw the parent's vehicle, she would radio the teacher in the other room. The kid would appear in the lobby before the parent walked in the door.
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Post by ovenrack on Oct 17, 2017 16:55:54 GMT -6
Ok. Thank you all for validating our opinion. The place seemed pretty ok in other ways, but we were really put off by that. I think we will go with the more expensive place for now. And honestly, if you get back in touch to say that you aren't going with their center, I would mention this issue as a big problem for you there. For real. You can say it in a nice way, but they need to know it's CRAAAAAZY.
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baymare
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Post by baymare on Oct 17, 2017 17:08:36 GMT -6
Have you called the other center with a wait list to see how long it is? I'd get on both wait lists asap while you ponder. Any options in neighboring towns or by where you work? We did ask the other center how long the waiting list was, and they don't know. Unfortunately January is fairly close. We both work full time and don't have family or other options for temporary childcare. We really need to know that he has a space. The new center does have an opening but we have to take it starting next month. There is a center near my work but it is also more expensive and we would rather go with closer to home.
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