What would you do, larger center with more safety protocols or in home with less children?

[Anonymous]

My son is 3 and we are trying to figure out our plan for the fall. He was in a large-ish preschool and when things closed down, we started sending him to his old in-home day care provider. We are trying to figure out our plan for this fall. Large center is now re-open and has a lot of safety precautions and cleaning protocols and changes to address covid. They have probably about 50 or so families attending plus workers. The in home isn't really as strict with masks, cleaning, etc. but they have 4 families and the workers. "Academics" clearly better at the preschool but the in home really is an extension of our family and son loves his caregivers and classmates, who he has been with since he was a baby.

We could probably attend either place this fall. What would you do?

[Anonymous]

The fewer number of people exposed to the better.

[Anonymous]

We are in a similar boat, and I think the in-home is safer but not by a lot, as the owner does not seem to really believe in the safety measures.

[Anonymous]

How big are the classrooms/units at the center?

I actually think in both settings, the biggest risk point is parents at pick-up and drop off. Are they coming in and chatting at the inhome? Or does she insist they do it quickly and not come in and come at staggered times?

[Anonymous]

You’ll have to pull him out anyway when cases start rising too much and we get another stay-at-home order.

I would go with the large center for now, just because I refuse to support idiots who don’t understand how serious this pandemic is.

[Anonymous]

OP - at the center, classrooms are following the first reopen guidelines, which I think was max 10 children and 2 teachers. Drop off at both places is the front door, no parents really allowed inside. Though at the center, classroom is down a hallway and at the in-home, it is right there. I doubt the in-home would shut down even if stay at home (they didn't really last time), should I take that into consideration?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - at the center, classrooms are following the first reopen guidelines, which I think was max 10 children and 2 teachers. Drop off at both places is the front door, no parents really allowed inside. Though at the center, classroom is down a hallway and at the in-home, it is right there. I doubt the in-home would shut down even if stay at home (they didn't really last time), should I take that into consideration?

Our center follows similar precautions and hasn’t had any cases. I’d go with them.

[Anonymous]

We're at a center like the one you describe, so I'm biased, but I strongly favor the more stringent requirements. I mean, are there multiple adult caregivers not wearing masks at the in-home? That's a hard pass.

Our center has staff that are solely "runners"--taking kids to and from the cars at drop-off. All the adult staff wear masks all day.

[Anonymous]

In home with fewer people.

[Anonymous]

Center. I trust their protocols. If someone tests positive you know they will ask health officials what to do. They'll do a better job cleaning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - at the center, classrooms are following the first reopen guidelines, which I think was max 10 children and 2 teachers. Drop off at both places is the front door, no parents really allowed inside. Though at the center, classroom is down a hallway and at the in-home, it is right there. I doubt the in-home would shut down even if stay at home (they didn't really last time), should I take that into consideration?

Our center follows similar precautions and hasn’t had any cases. I’d go with them.

Mine too, and the center has at least 50 kids.

[Anonymous]

We have one in each (center is 2+ and our youngest is under 2). There are tradeoffs like you say. 4yo took all the new procedures at the center in stride but we may even keep the toddler at the in-home for the duration of the pandemic because it feels more age-appropriate- can't imagine trying to make them wear a mask in a few months, for instance.

[Anonymous]

At age 3, absolutely the in home with 4 families. 50 is a lot

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How big are the classrooms/units at the center?

I actually think in both settings, the biggest risk point is parents at pick-up and drop off. Are they coming in and chatting at the inhome? Or does she insist they do it quickly and not come in and come at staggered times?

Why is drop off and pick up such a risk? If the parent has it and has no symptoms, the kid already has it too. The staggered drop off pick up and all that is not much of added security.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How big are the classrooms/units at the center?

I actually think in both settings, the biggest risk point is parents at pick-up and drop off. Are they coming in and chatting at the inhome? Or does she insist they do it quickly and not come in and come at staggered times?

Why is drop off and pick up such a risk? If the parent has it and has no symptoms, the kid already has it too. The staggered drop off pick up and all that is not much of added security.

Actually I think the probability of an asymptomatic person giving it to their child is kind of random. Some people are superspreaders even when asymtomatic. Some do not spread the virus much at all. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/why-do-some-covid-19-patients-infect-many-others-whereas-most-don-t-spread-virus-all