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Thoughts on Goddard School?

Another JenniferAnother Jennifer
in Working Moms

We're not thrilled with our current daycare center so I've been looking around.  A coworker sends their kids to a Goddard School and highly recommends it.  I visited and it seems like there is a little more interaction with the babies than at my current center.  For example, they are only allowed to have 3 swings or bouncers and the babies are only allowed to be in it for 20 minutes at time.  There have been days where my LO has spent hours in the swing (which she loves so I'm torn about it). 

 

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Re: Thoughts on Goddard School?

  • wheelenlwheelenl

    I just don't like anything with really strict rules. IMHO rules like that seem to suggest that childcare workers can't make decisions on their own, so they have to follow arbitrary guidelines. I'd rather trust my child's caregivers to make their own informed decisions based on the situation.

     

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  • sgrlsgrl member
    I don't know much about it except it's the most expensive option in my part of town. I wish it weren't, because it's super close to my work. One of my coworkers sends her kids there and likes it.
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  • RachBRachB

    I don't know a whole lot about it but I ditto pp on it being the most expensive option. In my area, a coworker sent their child there part time and it was $550 a week! I am actually looking for a daycare now and I called the Goddard School yesterday to see if they had any openings and this is the response I got (looking for an April opening)....

    "Oh no, we won't have anything available until next year. Good luck with that." (Click)

    I was a little appalled by that so I don't think I would send DS there even if we could afford it. Obviously, this is only one center so I'm sure most of them are great.

     

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  • ebaierebaier
    This may be more information than you want, but I work for a non-profit child care resource and referral agency in CA.  Every state has them (in CA it is every county) at least by regions.  I'm not sure about VA.  The best place to look for VA is www.naccrra.org you can search for your child care resource and referral agency there.  They really are helpful and maintain the most active lists of possible child care options for you.  They can also give you the phone number to child care licensing so that you can call licensing and see if there have been any violations at the center.  This is EXTREMELY important to do. In CA programs are required to show you their licensing history while you are at the center if you ask.  You might want to ask to see that also.  Sorry this is so long.  I am just very passionate about parents knowing what their rights and options are. In the end, it comes down to your gut feeling about the place.
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  • Another JenniferAnother Jennifer

    It's actually not the most expensive option here.  There are 2 Bright Horizons centers that $1,600/month.  The Goddard School is $1,250/month. 

     

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  • jamiedsgirljamiedsgirl
    My ex's sister used to work at one.  She would laugh about ignoring the kids or not changing them.  Then she would complain about them constantly.  If a place was willing to hire a person like her to be around children, I would not feel comfortable with my child there.  However, this was only one Goddard school - I have no idea what the workers are like at others.  It was just scary to hear her talk badly about all these little children when I knew their parents trusted this place and had no idea.  
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  • July_2009July_2009

    My DS goes to a Goddard School. we seem to be happy so far. I haven't found anything exceptional about this school. But again I have no other reference point. This is our first and most of my friends have nannies. So

    What I like about our particular school:

    - They are awesome with responding to my emails I send every day asking about how my DS is doing

    - They follow any special instructions I give them about my DS without fail.

    - DS gets to do lot of activities and not just hang out in the swing or other things, though I have no problem if he is in the swing as much as he can tolerate

    - They send me pictures of DS when he is smiling, laughing or doing a new activity.

    - They allow me us to set our own schedule for our DS, DS wont eat breakfast until after 9:30 am. Other kids eat around 8 ish. DS wont eat lunch until about 2 pm. They have been great with following our set schedule.

    But again our Goddard school is a franchise and not every two are the same. And I have no HIGH expectations on day care as long as my DS is fed, cleaned up and tended to. I do not expect every little thing to be perfect in day care.  

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  • worleygirlworleygirl member

    Our son has been there since he was 5 months old.  We love it.  I love the structured environment.  Agree with PP that it is a franchise though....  GL

     
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  • lewis514lewis514

    DD goes to Goddard and we love it. It really depends on the owner as I know of a another that is not far from us and I heard bad things about it.

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  • Temp159135562506975Temp159135562506975 member

    any chain daycare center will vary a LOT by location. I subbed for a chain once and one location would be HORRIBLe and the next was wonderful.

     

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  • MrsT1209MrsT1209 member
    DD went to Goddard from 6 months until 18 months.  We absolutely loved it and loved her teachers in both the infant and the toddler classrooms.  She'd still be going there if we hadn't moved an hour away.
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  • SuwaneeGirlSuwaneeGirl

    My DD is at a Goddard school, and I love it. The owner is on site all the time. She has a background in electrical engineering/operations; she and I had a discussion about continual process improvement, and I really felt like she was committed to that. (That's where you identify weaknesses or opportunities for improvement, make a plan to improve and then actually follow through on it.)

    The staff has been consistent, well-trained and well-spoken. I feel like they are empowered to make their own decisions about the children, which is a good thing.

    No place is perfect. As a parent, you have to speak up about the quality of care that your child is receiving. Each time that I have done that, corrections have been swift and appropriate.

    After this experience, I'd never go back to a center where the owner is never or hardly there. I really feel like that is what makes this place so wonderful.  

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