Newly Pregnant: Child Care options in Falls Church City/Arlington

[Streger]

I am newly pregnant (12 weeks) with my first child and am just starting to think about child care options. We live in Falls Church City and work in Arlington and Tyson's. I am thinking of a nanny share or possibly a day care center/in home provider. Do you have any recommendations on where to start getting on waiting lists, etc. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

For in-home care, go to Fairfax County's Infant Toddler program -- www.infanttoddler.com.

There is a Bright Horizons Center right in Tysons. THere's also the Tysons Childrens Center. www.daycarevirginia.com has some names of places, too. If you do a google search you are bound to come up with the names of other centers.

[Anonymous]

This is so helpful. Thank you so much!

[Anonymous]

I live in Falls Church City too! I started my daugther in Easter Seal's Day care off of Cherry Street, which was okay. It's a nice place, but she wasn't sleeping well, so I started looking elsewhere. I happened to come across a lady that has an in home day care on DCURBANMOM and jumped on her. You may want to get on a waiting list at Easter Seals or somewhere else and keep looking. They book up fast. I really wanted a nanny share too, but had no luck finding one in Falls Church City, or close to it even. Good luck and you're smart to be looking now.

[Anonymous]

I don't know if you work in Rosslyn but if you do, my 25 month old is at the Rosslyn Children's Center right by the Rosslyn Metro and it is wonderful.

[Anonymous]

Ditto for Rosslyn Children's Center - had children there from 2000-2007! fantastic!

[Anonymous]

RCC is excellent. It is too bad all of the quality and long time teachers are leaving. Roughly +10 have left already since Ms. Dykman left. More are planning to leave as soon as possible.

[Anonymous]

I second easter Seals. Agree that they book up fast. But I have had great experiences there with both of my kids.

[Anonymous]

22:13 (or anyone else who knows) can you tell more about the departures, etc. at RCC?

[Anonymous]

I have 2 children in the RCC. A new director started last year and really she's been wonderful. There was some turn-over especially in the Fall last year, but that's really stopped for the most part. There is still turn-over, but as a parent I see nothing alarming in the changes and I think they have all been for the better. I would encourage anyone interested in the RCC to set up a tour of the center. It truly is a wonderful place.

[Anonymous]

My child was at RCC for 4 years and left in March because while the facilities and staff are excellent, in my opinion the new Director is not. I would hesitate to recommend RCC under the leadership of the new Director and its Board members. They seemed to me to be more interested in running a business than caring about my concerns about the changes to the operations of the daycare. The Director seemed competent but in my opinion lacked the communication skills I needed her to have. In my opinion, if you are looking for adequate daycare, check out RCC. RCC could no longer meet my standards, but it may meet yours.

[Anonymous]

My son has been at RCC for almost 4 years and I continue to feel it is a great place for him: warm teachers, stimulating learning environment, a variety of activities. The Center went through a rough patch when the former director left (there was an interim director who did not work out), but I find the new director to be very engaged with the kids and very warm and open in her communicatiions with me. She has been tasked by the board with getting the center NAEYC accredited and does have a different style than the former director, which may have contributed to some of the staffing changes. As a previous poster note, this seems to have stabilized.

[Anonymous]

Long term RCC parent here and I have to agree with the PP. The new director is great. So was the old one, they just have different styles. The big issue was that she wanted to institute changes so that there would no longer be a single "lead" teacher in each classroom but rather that there would be more of a team environment in each classroom and in particular, accountability and involvement from the aides so that ALL teachers in each class would be equally invested in the kids. I thought this was a positive change, but some of the long-time teachers did not like this and left. Frankly, I was very disappointed in the manner in which many of them did so--abruptly and without even saying goodbye to the kids or parents. I might add that several of them have regretted the decision and told other teachers still there that they wished they could come back, because the grass is not greener elsewhere. Also, in my time at RCC, there has always been a decent amount of turnover. I think people are just more keenly aware of it because of the change in leadership. I've found the new hires overall to be of very high quality, and have brought new energy and positive changes to the place. It is still a very happy place for my kids.

11:45: I disagree with your views completely and how dare you imply that those of us whose children are happy and thriving at RCC are somehow inferior parents because we are satisfied with merely "adequate" childcare. If you weren't happy that is your personal issue and more power to you for yanking your kid out mid-year away from his or her friends, but don't suggest that somehow you know better than the rest of us.

[Anonymous]

We've had our daughter at RCC for almost a year and we truly feel that it's a great place. I think the director is still working out how to do certain things better (like transitioning between groups), but she is always open to my feedback and cares tremendously about the children. All the children love her.