
Help DC parents! I have a big problem which I guess is a good one to have. I am agonizing over whether to move my almost-2 year old daughter from one good daycare to another. I usually drop her off about 9:30 because I don't start work until later but they don't welcome drop offs after 9:45 at any center I've used.
She is at the Child Development Center at the First Baptist Church on 16th St. Pros: I pack the snacks and lunch, which means it's food she would probably eat at home; they have small classes of 8 with two teachers who give them a lot of attention; serve late morning snack at 9:45 (so I always know she has a chance to eat breakfast if she doesn't want to at home, which is often); they have an enormous indoor playspace in the church basement so the kids can always run around even if the weather is rainy or bitter cold; warm and friendly play based environment. Negatives are they don't fill out the daily reports consistently like Bright Horizons did; sometimes they run out of milk during the day, which I find upsetting; the curriculum may be a little too much free play and not enough learning (is that possible?) which isn't too bad. The Kid's Corner looks like a great daycare, in a good neighborhood. They offer a bilingual, Spanish-immersion curriculum with one English and one Spanish speaking teacher in each class, which we would feel good about since we would love for our DD to learn another language; Downside is when you are asking a teacher about DD's day some of them don't speak English very well, communication issue there? They eat in a cafeteria and provide meals - less stress for us in the mornings, perhaps, unless she doesn't eat the food, which was a problem for us before at Bright Horizons; and I wonder if they get enough supervision in the cafateria to be sure they are eating and not too distracted; she has to be there by 8:45 am to get breakfast, which is too early for us and if she refuses breakfast at home means she won't get food until noon; the classes are bigger, two groups of two year olds (8 and 10) in one larger shared room with two teachers per group, the ratio is higher. Seems like their curriculum is more learning oriented, especially in the older classes, but it's hard to tell with the two year olds. Not a lot of indoor play space so they have to go outside, which in winter means braving the cold or not going; I still see her as my little baby so it's hard for me to imagine her without cuddles whenever she needs them...Lastly the babies don't start until 6 months, which could be an issue, I have #2 DD on the way! We are fairly happy with FBC so I am really concerned about making the right choice. Did I mention we are moving and expecting #2 in the next three months? Is it too much change? I am hoping for insight, particularly from other current and former Kid's Corner parents. - Concerned DC Mom |
If it were me (based on what you've written) I'd leave DD where she is. With a new baby on the way there are going to be lots of changes - I wouldn't change daycare on top of everything else - especially since your current situation sounds pretty good. |
Current sounds pretty terrific, so am not sure that I'd change - but I have friends whose nearly 2-year old daughter is at Kids' Corner, and they absolutely love it. |
I'd stick with the tried an d true. if you are worried about educational components - apply them at home or wait to make a change when your child is 3yo. Kids learn a lot by playing and not sure how much formal education a 2 yo can handle! |
We love Kids Corner. We chose the center over a spot in Bethesda mostly because the teachers and administrators seemed much more engaged and caring at KC. As with any childcare situation, there are pluses and minuses - the pluses include the Spanish exposure (we don't speak any but our child is totally proficient); very nurturing environment (especially for a sensitive kid); a full menu prepared onsite to USDA nutritional guidelines (that helped our child develop a love for broccoli!!); tons of diversity in every respect of the word; lots of play space and a commitment to outdoor time. Negatives have been the communication issues among the teachers' aides (which affects us more than most parents, since most speak Spanish) and the class size at certain points (although they generally use more staff and keep the ratios lower than the requirements.)
Overall we have been very very happy with the outcome and like many other parents will send our second there as well. But I also would be swayed by what the other PPs have stated about the range of transitions your child is facing, and if you're generally satisfied with your current daycare, then that might be a very good argument for staying put. FWIW, I'm happy to give you more specific feedback if you're interested - post your address and I can email you. |
OP-sounds like you've answered your own question. If Spanish is the only real standout for a new school, but you don't speak Spanish at home, it's probably not worth it to go through all this change with another one on the way. I'm all for bilingual education (I am bilingual myself). But it sounds like language is not a major priority for you.
Trust yourself. |
I completely agree. If DD #1 has not been exposed to much Spanish at this point, and Spanish is not spoken at home, sending her to a bilingual daycare does not ensure bilingual fluency. By the end of daycare/preschool, she may pick up some words, she may be proficient, or she may reject the second language and depend on her dominant first language. It sounds like a lot of change for both DD and your family, and they daycare situation you have not is working well. |
Stay where you are. |