The day care's main aim is trying to gain profits while minimizing the amount of workers in the facility. They care for kids and gives good education but their main goal is money. While I do understand that a business must make money I think they are overdoing it.
Update: So I received a response from the owner and here is the owner's response versus what I experience.
1)
Owner's Response:
We do teach and provide the kids with a safe, comfortable and caring environment as our main goal is the best interest of the child. I am not certain what you mean by "hooked on finding avenues to squeeze extra dollars from your pockets". To address your examples. Although we open from 7 to 6 we offer contracted hours based on the parent's needs. Contracted hours allows us to have on staff at minimum 4 or more caregivers at all times for the 12 children in our care. That allows a ratio of 1:3 for toddlers and 1:1 for infants. This is always discussed during registration. The extra charge you refer to are late fees which is a policy adopted by all day cares, to wit: $1.00 per minute.
My Experience:
I am not disputing that it provides a safe, comfortable, and caring environment but the "contracted hours" is one of the issues. All day cares must have the 1:3 ratio for toddlers and 1:1 for infants but you appear to be trying to skimp as much as possible in your staffing needs. For if you are open 7am to 6pm then your staff should be paid for such hours and not based on the times the parents say they would pick them up. I agree parents should pay for late pickups but those should be beyond the 6pm closing time.
2)
Owner's Response:
We offer picture day and give all our parents at least a 3 week notice. This is always optional. A $3.00 charge is requested to offset the cost of the specialty paper and printing. The cost of same far surpasses the $3.00 we charge. We pay the difference and do not mind doing so.
My Experience:
Paying a charge of $3.00 is not the issue. The fact that you did not state beforehand the cost and the fact that we even have to pay, given the fact that your own daughter was the one who took these pictures herself and this was not the standard "picture day" experience that other day care offers where professionals come in and take pictures.
Owner's Response:
a) The children learn as we provide the opportunities for them to do so, however I do not profess to potty training a child in 1 week. My policy states "We encourage and assist with potty training for full time children, so long as the child is ready".
My Experience:
As far as I was told, my child was ready. I was told to purchase two potties, one for home and for her to use at the day care, which I did. Up to this day, I was not given the go-ahead to bring in the other potty even though I mentioned that I purchased it several times. You did state that you can get a child potty trained in about a week.
Owner's Response:
b) We greet and say good bye to all the children.
My Experience:
When I previously stated you did not say goodbye to my child what I meant was, once I could no longer bring her in to your facilities anymore temporarily, you did not even check to see how my child was doing. It was an "out of sight, out of mind" experience. read more
