I have the option of two daycares

RosesRRed · November 2010

[Poll]

Suzi-G- · November 2010

IMO Cathedral House, hands down.

When we were looking at daycare we found that we vastly preferred the facilities which operated more like schools.

Kipling is nice, we toured and we considered it but it's run more like daycare less like a school. Cathedral House is (from what I know, I didn't tour it because it's not convenient to me but I did look into it) has more of a "private school that starts really young" feel. I know the whole "school" thing doesn't seem important when you're thinking about a tiny baby, but soon enough it will.

Other things that would sway me: the montessori method is a plus in my book, larger campus/more outdoor space (Kipling's outdoor play area was not good IMO), the sense of community at a church-run school. We've become pretty involved with events at Cooper's school and are really enjoying getting to know the other families and the teachers/staff and church community.

Take it or leave it, that's my 2 cents. Smile

rayskit10 · November 2010

I don't know much about Cathedral House but I have had several friends with kids at Kipling and they all loved it. They only left b/c they moved or the kids started pre-K at a real school (and harmony's daughter went there for a while, too).

Based on what Suzi sad above, I have 2 comments. a) I love Montessori and if CH is a Montessori school, that's a big check mark in my book, BUT b) I am not real in to the "school" at a young age.

For my kids, I have chosen to have them both in places where the focus is on play and learning happens naturally (until pre-K). I feel like kids have a whole lotta time ahead of them where they will be "in school" and I like the idea of them just being little and carefree for a while.

Also, several studies have shown that kids who get intense learning at a young age do not fare better than their counterparts starting around middle school. Studies have also been released showing Kindergarteners showing adult levels of stress. These are a big part of the reason I waited until pre-K for academics...

Suzi-G- · November 2010

rayskit10:
I don't know much about Cathedral House but I have had several friends with kids at Kipling and they all loved it. They only left b/c they moved or the kids started pre-K at a real school (and harmony's daughter went there for a while, too).
Based on what Suzi sad above, I have 2 comments. a) I love Montessori and if CH is a Montessori school, that's a big check mark in my book, BUT b) I am not real in to the "school" at a young age.
For my kids, I have chosen to have them both in places where the focus is on play and learning happens naturally (until pre-K). I feel like kids have a whole lotta time ahead of them where they will be "in school" and I like the idea of them just being little and carefree for a while.
Also, several studies have shown that kids who get intense learning at a young age do not fare better than their counterparts starting around middle school. Studies have also been released showing Kindergarteners showing adult levels of stress. These are a big part of the reason I waited until pre-K for academics...

I guess I should clarify. By "more school-like" I did not mean anything in regards to structured learning. I crossed anywhere that made preshoolers wear uniforms or sit still in desks off my list, that's just not my cup of tea. I was referring entirely to the way the program is run and a sort of intrinsic feeling of a "school campus" as opposed to a "daycare facility."

For example, Cooper's school operates on a semester schedule, rather than age-group rooms. He began in the fall with 2 other babies who are his same age (they all began together in the fall). They all three will stay together in the room with the same teacher until next fall when they will all move up--as opposed to changing rooms at an arbitrary age or development marker. The toys, activities and room change as needed to meet the children's needs as they grow.

Also his school offers all sorts of extra curriculars that I found to be common in what I refer to as "the school" model but not as common in the "daycare" model. (i.e. dance, gymnastics, music, soccer, etc). These are obviously not things that matter to a baby, but they are things that I would like him to have the opportunity to take before kindergarten and since both DH and I work full time our outside options are limited.

TexasHarmony · November 2010

Avery went to Kipling for about a year. I would have had both of them there, but I thought a nanny would be better for our family (HA), so I didn't get Joseph registered in time. Overall, I really liked KSA, but it really was out of my way by about 30 minutes each way.

Pros:

- Very clean

- Attentive teachers

- Good price, especially for the area

- Security

- Ability to watch kids online

- Lots of art projects

Cons:

- I felt like Avery was always in trouble (she couldn't bump into a kid without me hearing about it)

- Fairly high staff turnover in the toddler room, at least when we were there

- Small play area outside

- They don't provide meals

lilycat · November 2010

I know many people who have been very happy with Cathedral House. I have not heard any personal reviews of Kipling.

Just curious, what is security really like at Cathedral House? I have always wondered since my husband and his co-worker were able to walk through the buildings unchallenged one day after eating at the restaurant there. (He was scouting options for our son.) Was that an anomaly?

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