Long, in-depth review for parents who like details!
I was…read moreseeking a childcare situation for my (at the time) 4 month old son. He is my only child, and the thought of leaving him in the care of others felt daunting. I learned about NEEA from a colleague and contacted them with a plan to visit. I arrived with a notebook full of questions and was greeted by Amy, who was warm, welcoming, and made it feel like we were already a part of the group. It was clear the kids on-site had a close relationship with her, and other staff members, as they greeted her like another member of the family! The kids were hilarious - it's clear there is an overall sense of respect and care that not only comes from the staff members, but also from the kids as they all wanted to help 'take care of the baby' by sharing toys. After my tour, there was not a question in our minds that we wanted to send our child to this facility. I cannot say enough good things about the site. It's clean, engaging, and welcoming. Staff are always pleasant and attentive to the children's needs. The kids play well with each other and care for each other with a sense of respect. My child, now 16 months, is advancing in his vocabulary and social skills far better than most. We highly recommend NEEA to anyone who is looking for a childcare facility that blends the feelings of 'home daycare" and 'pre-school' together. Below is the list of questions and answers that I asked during my tour and still see being supported today:
Naptime and Feeding Schedules: for babies, it's based on cues. They fed my baby when he was hungry and let him sleep when he was tired. They were great about rocking him to sleep and following my very strict Sleep Safe protocols. Each child has their own specific roll-away crib. Now that he's older, he sleeps on a small cot during the afternoon naptime/quiet time. He transitioned to the toddler feeding schedule, which is essentially a snack or meal every 2/2.5 hours. In both cases, the kids sleep in the same room with the staff. They are never away from an adult at any time.
Ratio of children to teachers: 1 adult to 4 children, though it's rare that I walk in and find it as only 1 adult to 4 kids. Generally, it's more than 1 adult to 4 kids.
Sanitizing schedule: I am amazed by how clean the place is. The site is cleaner than my own house! They clearly take the time to sanitize the shared surfaces, as well as keep toys clean and up-to-date (not broken/grungy)
Outdoors Time: this was VERY important to me. Their goal is to have the kids go outside at least once a day, no matter what. With the exception of VERY bad weather, the kids get time spent outside. If it's drizzling, we can send rain coats and boots and they still go out. If it's sunny and warm, they get to do special water days where they play in sprinklers/water tables/etc.
Daily Schedule: I felt a little silly asking this about a 4 month old, but Amy showed me that they can do lots of learning, even as babies! She shared about the app. provided to parents (see below for more details) and the age-appropriate outlines/curriculum the kids are encouraged to engage in. She also shared that the day runs with (Morning Circle), snack and lunchtimes, and daily focus activities that are based on weekly themes. For example, while toddlers that are older may be learning how to draw the letter "A" or interact with a color, infants and babies were being introduced to visuals of the letter and songs about animals or objects that start with the letter "A".
Updates for Parents: NEEA uses the Brightwheel app. It's one of my favorite support systems as a parent. I can see drop off/pick up times, mealtimes (including what they ate, when they ate, and if they liked/disliked it), diaper changes, and naptimes. This is where they can provide learning updates and observations (Example: Observation: "Child imitates simple songs and finger-play movements"). This is also where they upload photos so you can see your child interacting during the day. These photos are not publicly shared and are only sent to you with your permission. One thing to note is the updates do not trickle in throughout the day, rather, get sent to you all at once at the end of the day. I prefer this because, to me, it means they are spending time interacting with my child rather than constantly being on their devices updating parents all day.
There is also a messaging feature that can either be sent to All Staff or just Admins. This is a great way to communicate with staff regarding sickness, absences, late or early pick ups, etc. It's how NEEA is able to communicate with parents so things don't get missed. It's also a space where I can check in if I have inquiries. For example, my child had a particularly rough morning and was a little weepy at drop off. I was able to message the staff to see how he was doing and they gladly sent a photo along to update me on his status - and he was happy as could be playing with friends.
