Ok, so SEEC is a lottery...I'd your kid doesn't get in, the what? You're a bad parent? I am also considering CCLC but again, $2k a month.

Anyone have a realistic recommendation? A lottery is too risky to bet on when you have to go back to work unfortunately. A plan b and c are required here, it seems.

It's a company. The focus is on profit. You are charged an exhorbanent rate and the employees are not provided a living wage. They provide cookie cutter curriculum. If your child is special needs (needing assistance or being advanced) he will be forced into the mold.
The Smithsonians daycare used to be the gold standard. Probably still are. Go tour them then look at the bright horizons.

I am open to other suggestions/recommendations...but other than Bain Capital being involved with them, what else is bad?

Child care in DC seems to be impossible and a nanny share is an option we are looking in to, but it has it's own issues especially for the long term. And being a stay at home mom isn't a possibility since we both don't earn that much (we are both Feds but not high up on the GS).

$2000 a month isn't doable for us but instead of saying Bright Horizons sucks if you could recommend alternatives that would be helpful!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would anybody put their kid in a bright horizion?

Because they have a lock on daycare centers in this area and families get brainwashed thinking they are a wonderful company.

They are so clearly horrible I just don't get. To each his own

Anonymous wrote:Why would anybody put their kid in a bright horizion?

Because they have a lock on daycare centers in this area and families get brainwashed thinking they are a wonderful company.

Why would anybody put their kid in a bright horizion?

Hm, energy is close to my husband's work....do you metro there? What was your wait list like if you don't mind me asking?

Our child goes to BH at Department of Energy. DH and I are both feds, but neither one of us are DOE (the only agency with first priority). Several other infants in the room also had parents who were non-DOE.

It's on the south side of the mall but a quick walk from the Smithsonian metro.

The 'open to all' places are the ones that are in the $2000 range which seems a bit ridiculous to me.
How does anyone save for their child's future?!?

My kid is at the FTC Bright Horizons Center and I'm not aware of a non-sponsoring Agency (FTC, DOJ, or NGA) child ever getting an infant slot. It may occasionally happen in the older classrooms at 2+ years, but even then the vast majority are kids of parents employed by the sponsoring agencies.

Infant spots are hard to find and are like winning a golden ticket. You're likley to have better luck at places that don't have an employer preference. Good luck!

Just Us Kids is DEFINITELY not worth it unless you are at Justice, and even then . . . I put my name (as a DOJ attorney) on the Just us Kids waitlist 5 years ago and still haven't gotten a call. Perhaps by the time my child is in high school . .. heh!

IRS is/was about $1600/month for a new born.

I don't have all the costs yet but I'll share when I do.

I thought about IRS but it isn't convenient to work... I metro to work and that's th only way I can do drop off/pick up. Well, bus and metro.

I am really just wondering if some day cares aren't worth being put on the wait list (like Just Us Kids or Diplotots)

jindc would you share the tuition for for Triangle Tots, FTC Kids, Commerce Kids, IRS? Does it depend upon job priority or not?

We were at the IRS bright horizons for years and thought it was great. There always seemed to be a fair number of non-IRS fed parents there.

We are filling out the "three choices" for the $150 application fee. We are both feds, but none of our jobs has priority at any day care (DOD and DHS).
Is it worth putting Triangle Tots on or is that list ridiculous?
What about FTC Kids?

The Bright Horizons NOT associated with an agency are ridiculously expensive - the East End one was $1975 a month and the GW one was $2200 a month!

Anyone else have any facilities they think it's a good bet to get on the wait list now for that won't jerk me along just to get the fee?

I'm going to do Commerce Kids, too....unless I hear it's also a ridiculous process that I won't get in to within my kids first 2 years?

(FYI, I'm looking for an early Feb 2014 start date....)

thanks!