When I had to go back to work after having my first and only child, I was scared, nervous, and anxious about where I would put my son at ONLY FOUR MONTHS old. Searching for the right daycare for our son wasn't easy. We searched and searched online, talked with friends and neighbors, and checked the California licensing website (http://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/Child-Care-Licensing/Resources-for-Parents). We had to consider several things for the care of our child: a safe environment, a caring teacher/caregiver, price, and hours.
We made the leap and thankfully, Shadow Oaks Daycare not only met the minimum of our checklist, but ended up being so much more for our son. It was hard to "let go" of our son and place him into the arms of Elyssa - I mean, this was my first kid and I was trying to figure out how to balance breastfeeding and bottle, and figuring out naps! And yet, it was one of the best decisions I (we) made. He did so well with her and still does today. He has never arrived not wanting to go in and he's never left being upset. Why? Because of love. I believe that he is genuinely loved by Elyssa and she gently guides and navigates him throughout the day and with the other kids. There's a little structure and very, very light programming, but mostly love and snuggles. As Elyssa said and several websites on babies pointed out, he eventually followed a routine of bottles, lunch, and naps. And along the way he picked up some sign language and songs, as well as new friends. At first, as I even told her, I was a little jealous - heck I am a first time mom and I had a mix of emotions, but now I am just GRATEFUL. It is so important to me that my child has an extension of folks that care for him, not just "babysit" him.
* The house is away from major streets. It is simple, clean, and safe.
* Toys are just the right amount and type for infants to early toddlers.
* The daycare has not been cited for any issues to my knowledge and research (at least definitely not during our time).
* There is a tv that is used at times to entertain the kids (but depends on age range of current attendees) but even when that has been on it's been phonics related material. She reads books to them daily.
Other items to note is that while she doesn't "officially" provide food to the kids, yes, of course snacks (e.g. good ol' cheerios) are available and back up milk if you've forgotten it. You have to provide diapers and she is diligent about using gloves when changing your child. You also provide your own lunch/snacks for your child. So far during our time, there were no children with peanut allergies so if your child has one, notify her and I'm pretty sure she will accommodate.
Our son will be moving onto pre-school soon and she has been so generous with her time in allowing us some wiggle room as we figure out our start date.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me via yelp, especially if you are a first time mom. I've been there - making this decision didn't come lightly for me and it may not be for you either. Happy to help you with some info if you need it. read more