Deciding on a day care

jd614

DS is 7 mos old and we are deciding now btwn 2 day cares . I liked both... One is a national chain dc center , and brand new and large. Also this one is naecy accredited . It was a beautiful facility... The only draw back is its a few miles further ( which at 7am matters to us) and the teachers were younger .. Like 20s and 30s and the one teacher in the infant room I met was just ok... Very quiet . The second dc was much older and a very small room. What I liked about it was the two Teahers were older and very warm/ lovey and it's also super close to our house and town train station where we commute from. The second one is not naecy accredited . The services etc as well as the price are very similar . I'm having such a hard time deciding .. How would you choose ?

jlaOK

Hmm.  How is each daycare as the kids get older?  What's the menu, curriculum, activities offered, etc. for older children?  Are they the same when it comes to before/after school care, summer programs, transportation to and from school?  Basically, I look at daycare as a long-term investment.  As much as infant care is important, your DS will be in daycare for 5 years (maybe more) and what happens during those entire 5 years is what helped me decide on a daycare.

I didn't answer your question at all, but I hope the points I brought up helps you decide.

litzo27

Judging from your descriptions I would choose #1 for accreditation, lots of room and nice new building. I've had nothing but great luck with younger teachers at DSs' centers. A quiet teacher would be ok for me too - matches my personality. Often teachers are better with babies than with parents   I agree with PP look at things that will matter in the future - curriculum, school preparation, number of days per year they are closed, menu of lunches and snacks, outdoor space for babies and for younger kids. Other enrichment activities (our center has weekly trips to library, music lessons and yoga lessons for 3+ kids).

Tink112011

I agree with PPs about thinking long term. I know with an infant, it is easy to only focus on the personality of your child's teachers.  But really, time will fly and soon you're looking for early childhood education, not just a caregiver.

I would go with the 1st choice.  Our center is also naecy accredited and I think it makes a big difference. Those centers go above and beyond to get that accreditation