I got on the wait list for an infant at Triangle Tots almost a year ago, I have fed preference (I work at an agency with priority), and still don't have a slot. They are telling me maybe sometime between June & September. Have a plan B.

Anonymous wrote:The wait times are long, but it's so hit-and-miss--depends on the age of your kid, when you need a spot (lots of movement in August/September, for example, when the older kids move out for pre-K or kindergarten), whether a family has moved away, thus opening up an unexpected spot, how many siblings there are waiting, etc. Honestly, if you want a spot, you apply and see what happens. It's always better to apply sooner rather than later.

I'm a director, and this is true. We try, but we just can't predict what's going to happen 1 year from now.

Anonymous wrote: They also seem to secretly preference parents that call and ask about a spot close to the time they need it.

This is very true. The only people I know who have gotten off long waitlists for downtown care are the ones who called every month to check on the status of their rank on the waitlist. I didn't know you were supposed to do this but the centers seem to assume that if they haven't heard from you, you're no longer interested.

Anonymous wrote:
My impression, though, is that even though all of these wait lists sound impossible, the daycares tend to want a very specific aged child when they have an opening and they want an answer immediately. The result is that they need to go through quite a large number of names on their waitlist before filling a spot. They also seem to secretly preference parents that call and ask about a spot close to the time they need it. The result is that if you have your name on several lists, I expect one of them will come open.

Also, my impression is that if you wait until your kid is old enough to not be in the infant room, there are a lot more openings.

I already posted, but I agree with everything above.

I put my child on the triangle tots waitlist with federal preference when my wife's doctor confirmed her due date. My child is in pre-school now and we never got off the waitlist.

My impression, though, is that even though all of these wait lists sound impossible, the daycares tend to want a very specific aged child when they have an opening and they want an answer immediately. The result is that they need to go through quite a large number of names on their waitlist before filling a spot. They also seem to secretly preference parents that call and ask about a spot close to the time they need it. The result is that if you have your name on several lists, I expect one of them will come open.

Also, my impression is that if you wait until your kid is old enough to not be in the infant room, there are a lot more openings.

The wait times are long, but it's so hit-and-miss--depends on the age of your kid, when you need a spot (lots of movement in August/September, for example, when the older kids move out for pre-K or kindergarten), whether a family has moved away, thus opening up an unexpected spot, how many siblings there are waiting, etc. Honestly, if you want a spot, you apply and see what happens. It's always better to apply sooner rather than later.

Anonymous wrote:I got on the wait list for Triangle Tots (with Fed preference) when I was 3 months pregnant and was told the wait was 9-12 months (according to my calculations there would be a spot by the time my child was 6 months). When my baby was 3 months old they told me it would be a month or two more. A month later they said 1-2 more months and they continued with that until I stopped checking when my child turned 1. I believe we are still on the waitlist a full two years after I paid the deposit.

Something very similar happened to my coworker. She was told she'd have a spot when her baby was 5 months, then it kept getting pushed back by a month or two, and then finally when her child was 9 months old, the director told my coworker that her baby was now too old to start in the infant room and she'd have to start over for the toddler room. It's kind of hit or miss; either your kid is the right age to start in the infant room (they like to take in batches of younger infants who will stay for the year as a cohort) when there's a cluster of openings or you're out of luck.

I got on the wait list for Triangle Tots (with Fed preference) when I was 3 months pregnant and was told the wait was 9-12 months (according to my calculations there would be a spot by the time my child was 6 months). When my baby was 3 months old they told me it would be a month or two more. A month later they said 1-2 more months and they continued with that until I stopped checking when my child turned 1. I believe we are still on the waitlist a full two years after I paid the deposit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want a spot for a 4 month old, but everyone I've talked to has told me it is basically impossible, so we're trying to figure out our options / budget to bridge the wait.

We're touring another BH center next week, but don't want to make TT our first choice center and have a tour until we have the actual job offer in writing with a start date.

PP again. If the everyone to whom you are referring are all downtown govt. daycare directors, then I'd go with that, but I somehow doubt it.

No - "everyone" is my non-fed coworkers some with fed preference and some without, my neighbors, the ladies in my yoga class, and reading of the DCUM archives. I'll call each center director once we have the written offer. We got the verbal last week, but then the snow and the holiday are dragging it out.

Anonymous wrote:I want a spot for a 4 month old, but everyone I've talked to has told me it is basically impossible, so we're trying to figure out our options / budget to bridge the wait.

We're touring another BH center next week, but don't want to make TT our first choice center and have a tour until we have the actual job offer in writing with a start date.

PP again. If the everyone to whom you are referring are all downtown govt. daycare directors, then I'd go with that, but I somehow doubt it.

You will need to call the daycares directly and ask them. They will be honest with you regarding the wait list.

I don't think an infant spot with fed preference 9 months from now is that unrealistic. There are a lot of govt. daycares in that area (http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/101942). Good luck.

I want a spot for a 4 month old, but everyone I've talked to has told me it is basically impossible, so we're trying to figure out our options / budget to bridge the wait.

We're touring another BH center next week, but don't want to make TT our first choice center and have a tour until we have the actual job offer in writing with a start date.

Why would you assume you'd never get a spot downtown? It sounds like you want a spot for a 12-month-old next year, is that right? They sometimes fall into an older infant/toddler category. I got a spot for my 13-month-old in more than one fed. govt. daycare the same month I went to tour them and apply. I'm not even a fed. I forget the waitlist time at Triangle Tots, which tends to be longer, but they'll tell you when you call and can give you advice.

We will need infant care for a 4 month old in November 2014 and got on the Bright Horizons waiting list in January. We just found out my husband will be getting a Fed position in the Reagan building and his agency has priority (along with 2 other agencies) at Triangle Tots. He is a contractor at the same agency now. I work at Farragut Sq. so we're pretty flexible with downtown locations.

Does anyone know the recent wait times? Ideally we would get a nanny or nanny share until the baby was 1 yr and then get a spot in a downtown BH center, ideally TT in the fall of 2015 when kids move to Kindergarten and other kids move up an age group room.

Is this a realistic plan - or should we just assume we'll never get a spot downtown?