Always Room for Improvement.........

I have a nearly 3 year old and a 13 month old. Both have attended a in home daycare since they were each 2 months old and I love that my provider creates a routine they can count on each day. They have a very structured schedule. Lots of physical activities whether they are dancing, coloring, reading books, creating art projects, ect... they are always busy. They also have scheduled nap times.

Structured schedules are great!

She will text me and/or send me photos over my phone to let me know how he is doing or if he did something new. She will also give me a call on my cell from time to time and I get to say hello. She seems to sense when I need to need a "little extra" dose of love from my son during the day.

I feel really great leaving my son with her. When he arrives, he is full of smiles. He has been there since he was 10 weeks old. He is now 10 months. He gets "lots" of loving, stimulation, etc.

We feel that Nikki from RCH Daycare is blessing from God. My husband used to run a daycare. He interviewed over 60 daycare providers until we found her.

I love how she keeps me included in his life during the day. One of the first things I do when I get home is to look at his sheet for day and see what he did.

My almost 3 year old goes to a center, I love the strutcher(sp) and most of the teachers. The teachers I have problems with has nothing to do with the care they give, it is mostly personal issues. My child is always pottied just before I pick her up. Most day's she goes running in but some days she needs some coaxing, and they will take the time to snuggle her in the office till she feels like joining the class.
Recently she started crying that she doesn't want to leave, she has been there 10 hours you would think she would be ready to come home...I really love that the teachers are avail after hours to come to my home and babysit.

J.,

I have a 4 year old and a 5 mos old (I can't believe it!). My kids attend a Kindercare in Rochester Hills. This is the 4th daycare (I actually refer to it as "baby-school" for my son). We tried two before finding a Kindercare we liked, and then moved and had to transfer to our current center. I won't share my negative stories...but after bad experiences, this is what I like:

1. Happy greetings in the morning. The staff (not just the kids assigned teachers) knowing their names, being awake..., happy, energetic and truly caring about how they are doing that morning. Noticing when my 4 year old is dragging, not himself etc.

2. Listening. Taking the time to focus in the morning or at pickup for a few minutes to any concerns we have, or just to be advised of a cold, bad night, adjustments (i.e. new baby, potty training progress, etc).

3. Follow-up. Asking how is Brendan/Isabel doing with...

4. Feed Back. My son's teacher makes a point to tell me how well he listened, etc. when I pick him up. It makes him feel good and give me good feedback so I can praise him as well.

5. Activities. The offer classes (extra money) in Math, phonics, spanish and music as well as having a special summer program, including water day and other activies to keep the kids stimulated.

6. Other Comments/suggestions. It makes me feel good when my daughters teachers will say, Isabel is doing so much better with her moods, etc (she was a pretty high maintenance girl for awhile) or telling me things I know about her...but they are learning. It reinforces to me that they are taking an interest in my child and are paying attention to her. For example, she had to be held facing out (nosey girl) and one day the teacher said to me, I don't what you to think we don't like ot cuddle her, but if we don't hold her facing out so she can see what is going on she cries...

7. Occassionaly they email me pictures at work. It's a pick me up (although sometimes it makes me miss them more).

I know kids cry occassionally at drop off...mine don't right now and I know it is because they are happy and my son loves to go to school. That is really the best comfort you can have. When we did transistion to the new school, my son would cry for a few minutes the first couple of weeks and the teachers would call me in the late morning to let me know he was participating in class and ok.

I commend you for working to improve or maintain your daycare!

My kids go to an in home daycare and they love their day care provider. She is attentive to their needs and gives them one on one time if needed. She is very active with the kids so they are always doing different things. She is very loving to the kids and that makes me feel good leaving them there. They go in and make themselves at home!

Hi - I am now a SAHM but did have my first two kids in home day care for a couple years. I just loved my day care provider. She had a notebook for each child that came home with them everyday. She would record feedings, issues, new developments etc. Then I could ask questions and give her comments back she would read them during naptime. It was a great way to communicate and I could keep up with what my kids day was like. It really streamlined drop off and pick up.

J.