"Loud" Day Care? (Touring day cares update - sorry a bit long)

kikibird · February 2011

Hi all, thanks for all your feedback the other day about questions to ask when looking at prospective day care centers. DH and I visited four yesterday and really didn't find any where we felt like "Oh no, there's no way we'll leave our child here." Though there was one where the noise level was concerning to me, and I am interested in getting feedback as to whether this is something to worry about.

The DC in question goes from 6 weeks through kindergarten. I totally understand that kids classrooms can get really loud and boisterous at times, but I guess what got to me is that the din never seemed to stop. The director talked to us in her "office", which was a portion of the room with 3-year olds. I found that the director pretty much had to yell (or at least she had to speak so that she was heard above the teacher and the kids behind her) to speak to us. I found it really hard to concentrate on what she was saying, though I was able to, but it took a lot out of me.

All of the doors to the class rooms were open, so the hallways weren't much quieter. The infant rooms were upstairs, but you could still hear the noise from the older classrooms.

Other day cares we went to still had the noise, but it was contained to individual rooms better. Other day cares had more space (this one in question was in the basement levels of a church), so I imagine that's why the noise was controlled better.

I'd rule this place out, except that I did like the director and the curriculum and how thorough she was being with the tour (though I felt she focused more on describing the older classrooms than the infant care). Also my husband didn't seem to think the noise was that big of a deal, so it's making me think some more.

Was the overall noise level or environment a factor for you in choosing day cares? I guess I worry that it could just be too much extraneous stimulus for a very young baby. Also, I have ADD, and it's possible my husband does too (I went through testing but he hasn't), so our child might as well. I don't know if that's why I found this daycare so tiring to be in, but the other ones didn't take as much out of me.

TIA... going home from work now, I'll check back to the thread when I get home tonight!

DTNZ4Ever · February 2011

What time of day were you at the center? That makes a huge difference. I know at certain times of day our daycare is louder than others. Ours have "windows" that open into the hallway without glass so the hallways are loud I also like it though since anyone walking by can see or hear what is going on in the room which I felt was good feature.

kikibird · February 2011

DTNZ4Ever:
What time of day were you at the center? That makes a huge difference. I know at certain times of day our daycare is louder than others. Ours have "windows" that open into the hallway without glass so the hallways are loud I also like it though since anyone walking by can see or hear what is going on in the room which I felt was good feature.

We were there from about 10 - 10:45 am. Kids were busy doing things in all of the classrooms. The infant rooms were quieter than the toddler and kindergarten rooms, but the ambient noise was still there. It was loud, but ordered though, and you're right, the transparency is nice. I guess I am so used to things being much quieter, both at work and at home, it was a big change for me. I can see sending my toddler there, but it just seems over-stimulating for an infant, but I could be wrong.

I suppose I am wavering between my instincts saying I don't like how noisy it was and reason saying that it's probably not going to bother my child as much as it does me. The place I liked best was a smaller DC, based in a renovated house, and it was more home-like. But DH liked the school environment ones better, thinking that they would be better prep for kindergarten. Yet, my thought is, yes we're looking for a place our child could stay for a while, but he or she will start at only 3 months old. Do infants need to prep for school that early??

jjunne · February 2011

If the children are engaged in interesting activities then it shouldn't be that loud in my opinion. I wouldn't send my child to a DC that had all the doors to the classrooms open, I think that it is just too easy for a little one to slip out of the room. Also the infants in the second floor would worry be in the case of a fire or emergency evacuation, so I would ask about their plan for such emergencies.

kikibird · February 2011

laura_belle:
I am a huge fan of trusting your instincts. My advice is to go back to the center (they welcome revisits). Try a different time of day. See if the noise is as loud the second time. I wouldn't worry about curriculum for an infant. Just make sure LO is loved and cared for more. Good luck

Thank you, that's a great idea. I can't remember what times I've called and spoken with the director, but every time I could hear a lot of background noise. I'll see if I can visit in the afternoon or something, since we were there in the morning.

kikibird · February 2011

jjunne:
If the children are engaged in interesting activities then it shouldn't be that loud in my opinion. I wouldn't send my child to a DC that had all the doors to the classrooms open, I think that it is just too easy for a little one to slip out of the room. Also the infants in the second floor would worry be in the case of a fire or emergency evacuation, so I would ask about their plan for such emergencies.

It might be that the acoustics aren't great, and the DC is somewhat small. You bring up a good point about the open doors. While we were buzzed in to the school by the director, who, unbeknownst to us at the time, could see us on her security camera, we had to wander through the hallway, and past a couple of rooms before we found her (she was on the phone). They have security, but I'm not sure how easily kids can get away from the teachers in there.

I slightly misspoke when I said the infants were on the second floor. The DC is actually on a split level, so while the infants are on the upper level, both levels have equal access to the front door, either up or down a half level. But still, thanks for the idea of checking out their emergency policies!

JLS0320 · February 2011

Personally, loud noise drives me crazy, it makes me feel panicky and like I am surrounded by chaos (weird I know). So with that said it would help make up my mind. I would definitely go back and revisit the place, it could have just been an off day there, our center is very peaceful inside and then they all play hard and loud outside.

financialdiva · February 2011

The noise would bother me and pp brings up a good point about if the children were engaged, the noise would have been more controlled. Was your visit scheduled or did you drop in unannounced? They might have had all the doors open so you could visit and see the classrooms better. I would also recommend visiting unannounced if you decide to go back.

Also, while infants don't need cirriculum and need hugs and cuddles more than anything, they need structure and a schedule that most good centers will provide. You also mentioned that you thought of maybe changing to a center when your LO is older to provide more of a learning enviornment. I would caution you that changing enviornments when your LO is more aware of his surroundings might be difficult. This is why schools spend a couple weeks transitioning LO's up to the next room.

GL with your decision girlie!

jenuine · February 2011

Our center has an indoor feet and indoor voices policy (keep it down inside). Yeah, kids will be kids, but a part of preschool is to teach them what school is going to be like. Overall, the classes are pretty quiet, unless it is song or dance time. That was really important to me since I want DD to overall remain under control in our small house. When she's outside, it's a whole other story. Playgrounds and ball fields are made for running and yelling. Kids need to be kids, but they also need to learn that there is a time and place for it.

That's just my philosophy. But it's important that what your LO is learning at the center is what you would practice at home.

kikibird · February 2011

financialdiva:
The noise would bother me and pp brings up a good point about if the children were engaged, the noise would have been more controlled. Was your visit scheduled or did you drop in unannounced? They might have had all the doors open so you could visit and see the classrooms better. I would also recommend visiting unannounced if you decide to go back.

Also, while infants don't need cirriculum and need hugs and cuddles more than anything, they need structure and a schedule that most good centers will provide. You also mentioned that you thought of maybe changing to a center when your LO is older to provide more of a learning enviornment. I would caution you that changing enviornments when your LO is more aware of his surroundings might be difficult. This is why schools spend a couple weeks transitioning LO's up to the next room.

GL with your decision girlie!

Thank you! I had an appointment to visit this DC. Most of the doors were opened, but as I think about it, not all. Unannounced sounds like a good idea.

One of the other day cares only takes infants and toddlers up to 3 1/2 years old, and is much smaller (there are only two rooms there; up to 7 infants and up to 12 toddlers). We would need to switch our child to Pre-K when s/he maxed out at 3 1/2. Is that a bad idea? Should I really be looking only at places where we can go from 0-kindergarten?

kikibird · February 2011

JLS0320:
Personally, loud noise drives me crazy, it makes me feel panicky and like I am surrounded by chaos (weird I know). So with that said it would help make up my mind. I would definitely go back and revisit the place, it could have just been an off day there, our center is very peaceful inside and then they all play hard and loud outside.

I think I am somewhat the same way. It wasn't so much that the kids were yelling and screaming, it's just that there were so many voices talking all at once, and some not necessarily quietly that it was a ton of background noise that I found draining. I'll have to go back again and see if that's the norm. I hope not!

kikibird · February 2011

jenuine:
Our center has an indoor feet and indoor voices policy (keep it down inside). Yeah, kids will be kids, but a part of preschool is to teach them what school is going to be like. Overall, the classes are pretty quiet, unless it is song or dance time. That was really important to me since I want DD to overall remain under control in our small house. When she's outside, it's a whole other story. Playgrounds and ball fields are made for running and yelling. Kids need to be kids, but they also need to learn that there is a time and place for it.
That's just my philosophy. But it's important that what your LO is learning at the center is what you would practice at home.

This makes me think that it more the acoustics than the children, per se, because the kids were all in fairly controlled activities, though a few were engaged in free form play (in one room in particular). In another room, kids were being taught about Abraham Lincoln and doing a project.

I certainly want my child to be able to "be a kid" and be loud at times, but I just didn't feel like there was much space there for truly quiet time. I grew up an only child, so I am used to a lot of quiet time.

Thank you!

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