My daughter has attended this location sporadically, and initially, we were pleased enough with our…read moreexperience. Unfortunately, that changed after an incident involving my daughter.
When my daughter told me what had happened, I went to the location the following day to address it. I explained my concern to a staff member, and instead of showing any empathy or even acknowledging what I was saying, she simply gave me an email address and walked away. There was no "I'm sorry to hear that," no attempt to understand what had happened, and no concern whatsoever.
I did follow up by email and spoke with management, who addressed the situation and told me they would speak directly with the staff member involved. At the time, I considered the matter resolved. However, after returning and interacting with the same employee again, I was disappointed to experience the same dismissive, unwelcoming attitude. Whatever conversation may have taken place clearly did not result in any noticeable change in the way I was treated.
We only returned once after that and then stopped going for quite some time.
This week, I decided to give the location another chance because I was in a bind. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot, my daughter immediately said, "Oh no, not this place. I don't want to be here. They're mean."
I went inside with her and asked if I could stay for a few minutes to help her feel comfortable. They allowed me to do so, and eventually she began playing and warming up. What really stood out to me, however, was that the staff could clearly see that she was hesitant and having a difficult time staying, yet not one person approached her, tried to engage her, reassured her, or made any effort to help her feel welcome.
After observing that, I decided I was not comfortable leaving her there. When I said we were going to leave, the interaction I received from staff only reinforced my decision.
I'm actually thankful I went inside this time because I was also able to see the condition of the facility for myself. It appeared dirty and very run down. The toys and play areas did not look well maintained or clean, which was especially disappointing for a childcare facility.
The same staff member I had dealt with during our previous incident was also there, and unfortunately, I experienced the same dismissive and unwelcoming demeanor.
What makes this even more frustrating is that I had already prepaid for one of their highest-tier packages, which was several hundred dollars. Since my daughter clearly does not feel comfortable returning, I asked whether the unused portion could be refunded and was told no.
At this point, I would rather lose the several hundred dollars I already paid than leave my daughter somewhere she is telling me she does not feel comfortable or safe. That should say everything.
I was in enough of a bind that day that this type of drop-in childcare should have been incredibly helpful. Instead, I chose to take my daughter to work with me rather than leave her there.
I will not be returning to this location with my daughter, and based on our experiences, I cannot recommend it to other parents.