Maryland Babies
Howard County Daycare Reviews?!?!
I have a 3.5yr old and an 8mo old and I need a new daycare ASAP. We don't know many people in the area so I'm looking for reviews - the good and especially the bad.
With that said - if you are looking in this area - stay far far far away from the Kindercare on Little Patuxent. FAR!
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Re: Howard County Daycare Reviews?!?!
Columbia Academy, Goddard School, and The Young School are all good choices.
Not a fan of La Petite or Kindercare but you seem to have found that out.
Sorry they disappointed you. May I ask what happened?
Thanks, girls, those are already on my list to call tomorrow.
What happened? A teacher who easily should have fired (for something she did to my older daughter) was allowed to come back - on probation. Bad enough that one of her stipulations is that she is never to be left alone with any children. You mistrust someone that much but are fine employing them? No.
OP, I'm sorry to hear about your bad experience. I agree with Kathryn's last comment.
However, I'm glad you started this post! I am just starting my daycare search for HoCo also.
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Hi! We have looked at a ton. We didn't like Columbia Academy, though it was one of the closest to us. Also, really didn't like La Petite. I did like Goddard School, but they only do openings in June and Sept. and I need Aug. I also really liked the Young School which is really convenient. We loved Knowledge Beginnings too. In the end, I liked the infant rooms in Young School the best, but loved the overall feel of Knowledge Beginnings, so I believe that is what we are doing, unless we decide last min. to do in home daycare somewhere.
FWIW, I have heard and experienced that all centers of the same name are not the same. Some La Petites or Columbia Academies are better than others.....etc
Knowledge Beginnings is associated with the Kindercare Corporate that we're so unhappy with so at this point I am not considering them an option - though they have said they'd make space for us if we wanted to go there. Which means they'd shuffle babies around to fit us because when I called on my own they had no openings. I don't like that. I haven't visited the school, though.
The Young School and Goddard Schools don't have openings that work for us. The Columbia Academy I saw this morning was awesome (3s) and awful (infants). Which one are you at Kathryn? We're seeing another one tomorrow (Maple Lawn).
We liked the La Petite we saw tonight, but not a ton.
We're at Columbia Academy @ Kings Contrivance. My DD just moved to the 2s room, but I know most of hte infant teaches. PM if you have any particular concerns or issues.
FWIW, I looked at Childtime and Columbia Academy/University Park. I remember Childtime being a lot more expensive relative to what they offered and I remember them being closed a lot more. Also, some of the staff seemed disinterested in the children and it was dirty. Not just we-had-a-bad-cleaning day dirty, but literally dirt that appeared to be caked on the baseboards, near where children would be crawling around. The Columbia Academy is ok. The staff seemed very nice at that location and had low turnover. Infants seemed happy and it was organized and clean. Frankly, I'd rather not have to put my child in dc at all, and I haven't seen any that I ABSOLUTELY LOVED but that's the way it goes.
I am also looking for daycare for my daughter (2.5) in Columbia/Elkridge/Ellicott City area, and it's been tough! I am pretty picky, but so far I like Childtime in Columbia the best out of all the ones I have seen. I am yet to check out Columbia Academy and The Young School. I wanted to look at Knowledge Beginnings as well since it's going to be close to work for me, but then I saw the report on MD State Department of Education, and it scared me:
https://www.checkccmd.org/FacilityDetail.aspx?a=&fn=knowledge%20beginnings&sn=&z=&c=Laurel&co=Howard%20County&fi=2908
I am also considering nanny share/ home daycare provider if anyone has any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate them.
Baby Girl #2 is on her way!
We have been looking in Columbia because we can't find any near us that we like (North Laurel/Savage) and this is making me think that the search is hopeless.
Francesca Pearl is here! Josephine Hope is almost 3!
And I remember feeling like this about our old place in Owings Mills but once she was there, I loved it.
We've given this new place 2 weeks and it's just getting worse. She refused lunch and they didn't even call to ask if they could refill her milk (we had asked them not to) and there was extra food in the bag that we had told them about but they "forgot". They fed her goldfish the rest of the day. I was livid. We also have communication issues because the teachers are not native English speakers. It is just a headache.
Francesca Pearl is here! Josephine Hope is almost 3!
I'm a little late on this but my son (almost 3) has been at Columbia Academy Kendall Ridge since 4 months - we were satisfied with the infant room (loved his teacher for 2 years) and love it since he's moved to toddler and 2's. They keep the kids so engaged, tons of activities and teachers/activities coming into the school (weekly music class, jump bunch, soccer shots), I volunteer for some of the activities they have (as do many parents) which is nice because you get to see them in action and I have popped in there for one reason or another many, many times unexpected over the last 2.5 years - never have I've seen an issue. I've had friends who had issues with these people/places being nice when parents are expected, but when not expected they have seen things that have worried them (cleanliness issues, supervision issues). My son has thrived. We will be sending #2 there in the fall if all goes well.
When were initially looking - I recall like Childtime on 103 the best (Columbia Academy second) and my hubs like Columbia Academy as his first choice - after talking it out we went with CA. Glad we did.
KinderCare was the first one we looked at when I was pregnant - I loathed it and literally cried thinking all daycare centers would be like that. I thought it was dirty, the director was rude and hurried us, didn't have good answers to questions. That was the only place we looked at that I said "no way!"
We liked Goddard, but it was just OK for the cost. Really liked the Young School, liked the administrator and teachers, kids seemed to do well, it was clean, but I didn't like their learning/teaching philosophy and I didn't like that it was closed completely for a week or two at Christmas - we like to take our vacation time when we want to take it if possible. I have neighbors who have their children at the Young School and they really like it.
Good luck - it's not an easy or inexpensive decision (at least in this area)