Anonymous wrote:

beenar wrote:To the previous poster - I'd still be happy to talk about your experiences with daycare in the area! I am very desperately looking for sources!

Really? Have you actually done any research?

Daycare is a low profit industry. The margins for profit in infant and toddler is particularly small. It takes at least 3 people a day to staff an infant room with a 4:1 ratio.

Next add in the required square footage for centers, the licensing requirements for exits, entrances, fire codes, etc plus the fact that a center has to be located in an accessible area with a good population who needs care and the of real estate that fits all that is very limited in any given area. Add in the high rents of the closer you are to DC.

Then of course there is equipment to purchase and maintenance and upkeep of properties and those services are costly in this area also.

A large management company like Bright Horizons then has the added expense of overhead for their own buildings and corporate employees, marketing costs, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been looking for childcare for my 3 yr old lately. What struck me is that cost is mostly dependent upon location. When I toured centers in Rockville and Bethesda, tuition was $1600-1800 for full day care. When I ventured into Wheaton and Silver Spring ( not downtown SS), centers only charged $800/month for 7-6pm.

In all cases, the centers were licensed, had long term employees, provided lunch, had large playgrounds, music as an extra, and had bright classrooms. The SS location did not have the newest little people set, but the toys were plentiful and in good shape.

If I decide to leave in Bethesda, I will not necessary want to take my child to Silver Spring daycare for many reasons. I would prefer to pay $800 extra monthly.

Anonymous wrote:My goodness, what's so special about this program that it costs so much? I know of a small immersion Chinese and Spanish day program that is also opening in January and it costs half the price! It also teaches piano with the curriculum, I think.