Anonymous wrote:None chains may pay slightly better and have better staff retention.

The reverse can also be true. Chains in this area are often franchises and the franchisees can decide to pay considerably more than the company minimum if they want to as a way to retain and attract staff.

None chains may pay slightly better and have better staff retention.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of positives about large chain day cares. They hardly ever close, for one. Ours was closed on maybe 5 major holidays per year and they were days you would have off too. They also (usually, but it might be somewhat location dependent) have school-aged programs for before and after care for ES-age kids, so they can grow with your kid.

You are right. The smaller ones we looked at did seem to close a lot (teacher workdays, winter vacation, etc.)., this could get annoying for two working parents. Will keep this in mind.

They also have subs/rotating staff in place so if a teacher is sick or has to be out for a family emergency, they still operate as usual.

Anonymous wrote:Any franchise comes down to its owners and the people who work there. I wouldn't write anything off based on the name.

This, many of the "chains" are franchises and the quality and overall culture/focus depends on the owners and individual director.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of positives about large chain day cares. They hardly ever close, for one. Ours was closed on maybe 5 major holidays per year and they were days you would have off too. They also (usually, but it might be somewhat location dependent) have school-aged programs for before and after care for ES-age kids, so they can grow with your kid.

You are right. The smaller ones we looked at did seem to close a lot (teacher workdays, winter vacation, etc.)., this could get annoying for two working parents. Will keep this in mind.

My friends had a great experience with a small home day care for their kids, but the closures were rough to work around with two working parents and, at the time, very limited ability to telework. Also they found that when their older kid got to around 4 years old, so the last year in day care before K, that he needed more in the way of “academics” but the school didn’t quite know how to work with him when the rest of the kids were all 3 and under. He and his little bro got great care there for sure. But they’re going to switch the younger one to a full time preschool/day care at a chain place when he’s 4 so that he can be with more kids his own age.

I wanted a big daycare because I wanted a lot of oversight, resources, accreditation, no closures, etc. My pre-verbal kid couldn't tell me if something bad happened there so I wanted a lot of people and protection in place. It was a good fit for my particular anxieties.

Any franchise comes down to its owners and the people who work there. I wouldn't write anything off based on the name.

Make one list of minimum requirements and another "nice to have" so you are more objective.

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of positives about large chain day cares. They hardly ever close, for one. Ours was closed on maybe 5 major holidays per year and they were days you would have off too. They also (usually, but it might be somewhat location dependent) have school-aged programs for before and after care for ES-age kids, so they can grow with your kid.

You are right. The smaller ones we looked at did seem to close a lot (teacher workdays, winter vacation, etc.)., this could get annoying for two working parents. Will keep this in mind.

There are a lot of positives about large chain day cares. They hardly ever close, for one. Ours was closed on maybe 5 major holidays per year and they were days you would have off too. They also (usually, but it might be somewhat location dependent) have school-aged programs for before and after care for ES-age kids, so they can grow with your kid.

You need to find the right daycare for your family. That could be a big box daycare, independent daycare, in-home daycare. Every single category of daycare can be outstanding or awful. If the closest daycare to you is wonderful and you feel good about it then place your child there. Read the inspection reports with a grain of salt and ask that they care about any noncompliance is. The reports sound very dramatic and it could be something or it could be nothing.

Anonymous wrote:What do you think the differences are between chains and local daycares?

The smaller local ones, had a much more homey atmosphere that I liked and teachers that seemed very invested. Not that the daycare ones weren’t, but some of them certainly looked like they just wanted to get through the day. Perhaps it’s just my nerves and perception.

What do you think the differences are between chains and local daycares?

Our child is in a daycare that is part of a local chain, and we have friends with their children at Kiddie Academy, Goddard and Chesterbrook Academy. Our friends have all been extremely happy with their daycares, and I don't get the sense ours is any better because it's not part of a huge chain. I do think our daycare is less expensive than some of those.

Definitely check licensing inspection history for the daycare and ask them about turnover. All daycares have some violations but if it is a laundry list of a bunch of things in one inspection that is a red flag. Also, all daycares have some turnover especially with Covid but they should be able to brag about how long their lead teachers have been there.

Looking at daycares for my soon to be 2 year old and I realize I’m sort of becoming the type of mom I didn’t want to be- really neurotic, overthinking things etc. I would like a non-chain daycare (but not in-home), but husband is adamant we go to the one closest to our home which is walking distance, but is a “big box” daycare. Please reassure me that two year olds in chain daycares are fine lol.