Well, at first, this place was great. They were accommodating of my need to have my son watched on random Fridays at short notice. The teachers, Nicole and Shannon were always sweet and welcoming. My child entered Sweet Pea without any inclination for hitting or being aggressive towards other children. We NEVER had a problem with him prior to attending Sweet Pea Mind you, I was cash pay. Never late, no assistance...
I went on vacation in February, and was told by one of the teachers that it wouldn't be a problem when I asked her about whether or not I would be required to pay for the week he was gone. Upon my return, the owner, through an employee, left a note that I was overdue the amount for the absent week. I questioned the policy, and then was told it was in the contract, which it was. So, I gladly paid. I did, however, question why it was that we were also required to pay for days that the center was closed if we were also going to be charged for pre-scheduled days of absence. I got a scathing note back from the owner, through employee Kim, that maybe I should find another daycare.
Of course, daycare is expensive, so I was unable to find alternative care. At this point, mind you, my child had had one incident with another child where he took a toy and the other child bit him. Prior to this incident, there had been no behavior issue with my child presented to me. My son did, however, come home regularly and say that other children would hit him or throw things at him.
Shortly thereafter, I received a note that my child had hit another child. Then, my son came home and told me that "Miss Kim hurt my arms and yelled at me." Then, when I brought him in on a Friday, I got a note that said that I wasn't allowed to do so without prior approval. I had been attending since August and had brought him in on several Fridays with no issue...and then, after my policy questions, now I need approval. Then, I get a call that my child has beat up another child. HE'S THREE. They can't handle his behavior they say, and then a week later, I receive a letter telling me that "today will be his last day".
No warning, no notice...nothing. This place is a joke - besides the two teachers that I was able to talk with, the other people there were not personable or conversational. More often than not, my child would be out on the playground with the other children, and the staff member that was in charge would be inside cleaning the playroom. One time in particular, my mother went to pick up my son, signed him out and removed him from the premises without even speaking to or having any interaction with an employee.
According to Kim, "the owner has been doing this for a long time and is burned out." I'm sorry, but childcare is supposed to be fun and if you're getting burned out, quit. Don't take your frustrations out on me and/or my child. I will never recommend this place to anyone - my child was merely a paycheck to this "center." My son is now in a better place where I NEVER get complaints that he is hitting or being aggressive at all. It is obvious to me that his behaviors at Sweet Pea stemmed from the lack of supervision and individual care. There are not enough staff members to properly supervise as many children as their center allows. The customer service sucks, and were it not for Nicole, Shannon, and Sarah I would not have kept my son there as long as he was. read more
