Our daughter joined the Peace of Mind family two years ago, and from day one, we truly felt like…read morepart of a family. As parents, the peace of mind we felt knowing how loved and cared for she was by every member of the staff and her classmates brought us so much joy. Now that our time at Peace of Mind has come to an end, it's hard to say goodbye. You know a daycare is special when farewells are this difficult. If you are looking for a place where teachers will treat your children with love, care, compassion, and will embrace the very best parts of them--this is the place. The owners pour their hearts and souls into creating an environment that feels magical. From petting zoos and bounce houses at family events, to splash days in the summer, to the endless pictures that make you feel like you never miss a moment--it's clear how much thought and love goes into every detail. We are so grateful for our time here, and if you are lucky enough to get your child into Peace of Mind, you will quickly understand what all of us parents already know: it's a truly amazing place.

We toured Peace of Mind a couple of months before I gave birth and intended to send our son when he…read morewas around 5 months old. They were very helpful, gave us a tour, and essentially confirmed our spot. If they had given any indication there wouldn't be space I would've lined up backup daycares. A month or so after I gave birth I reached out to them to check in, and got no response. After a week I emailed again, with no response. I started panicking a little (my son was supposed to start in just a couple of months) and called frequently. No one answered or returned my calls or voicemails. Finally after a MONTH of reaching out, they emailed back and said they wouldn't have space but would reach out when they did. It's been a year and they've never contacted me. Not that I would send my children here anyways, I'd prefer a daycare I can actually get in touch with if needed... Update: It appears the owner responds via Yelp much faster than their email. And also, even though they didn't officially confirm our spot during the tour, they gave no indication there would be an issue with the approximate start time we were desiring. We were not the only family we know of that tried to contact them for weeks and got no response.

My children were at Leaps N Bounds for a year and a half - we had an outstanding experience. The…read moreteachers were caring and the environment was always clean and safe. I appreciated that the rooms don't have a lot of clutter and that the teachers are well trained. I would recommend to anyone who lives or works in the North Austin area.

Leaps N Bounds has been a godsent. The teachers there really care about the kids and there is very…read morelittle turn over. Each "school year" my daughter has had the same teacher for that entire year. This was not the case at our last day care. Ms. Annette really cares about the families who attend the school and she creates a positive environment for the kids. The Pre-K graduation was SO well done and the kids had a blast. I felt they went above and beyond and continue to create exciting things for the kids to look forward to (splash day, holiday parties, etc) Ms. Emmy, Ms. Perla, Ms. Maritza, Ms. Michelle and Ms. Diana are wonderful! My daughter comes home with stories of what she did with her teachers that day and it makes me happy knowing she is being well taken care of. We are so sad that our daughter will be leaving for Kindergarten but they have done an amazing job getting her ready!

MommyMixer.com is an Austin-based biz, although they now have satellites in several major cities…read morearound the country. Basically, you pay $100 to go to a meet & greet with 25+ potential babysitters (95% are sweet, very experienced college students looking to pick-up wknd and part-time sitting hrs). The event (typically held at a local boutique offering discounts for attendees) begins by signing in, putting on a nametag, and picking up a binder with resumes & schedules for all of the sitters. After a half hour or so, the facilitator has every one go around the room, introducing themselves and stating what they're looking for. Afterward, you get the chance to quickly meet the sitters who seem to match your needs and decide if you want to schedule an at-home interview for later (or hire them on the spot). You also leave with a goody bag with coupons and freebies from other local businesses. I was a bit intimidated by the "mixer" portion of the event (they were filming for Good Morning America the evening I was there, and I'm an introvert by nature), so I bailed out early. At home, I quickly identified the potential sitters whose experience and schedules seemed to fit for us and I emailed each of them with my needs & terms (fyi, you negotiate the pay rate with your sitters). I then scheduled a working interview with the two who were interested and I called to check their references (background checks are the hiring parents' responsibility). One of the girls wound up canceling the home visit, as she had since committed to another family for all of her available sitter hours. The other one who did show was a perfect fit and we have been using her for about 12 hours per week for the past year. My son adores her! Sadly, she just graduated from UT and will not be around as much, but we will still use her when she's available, as we want her to remain in our life. We now have 2 nieces in college in Austin and will be mostly using them for our date nights. However, I would not hesitate to go through MommyMixer again if I needed a new sitter. By the way, the fee is $75 for repeat users, and they offer other specials throughout the year (like a $50 list of sitters available for Spring Break). Tip: Bring a large, cute picture of your kid(s) or family. This helps make an impression during the "round the room" introductions and ensures that the sitters will know who you are when you contact them later.

Do not join this group! They appear to not be actively or successfully recruiting as I know several…read moreof text "new faces" that show up first are not currently looking for jobs. I had no success with messaging. They schedule few mixers that they do not e-mail about so you have to check the site regularly. The two scheduled this fall - right before the Christmas season were cancelled! Great idea, just not being well imemented anymore. I do not go out of my way to post reviews let alone post a bad review, but I feel the need to warn you. So dissapointed. Waste of money!

Great place to send your preschool-toddler! Perfect 2-day a week play camp where kids can have a…read moreblast, get messy, and be curious in a caring and fun environment. Meanwhile "Mom" has time to get some work done. I'm so glad I found this one!

We love Mrs Joyce and her team in taking care of our son. She is very professional, caring,…read moregenuine, compassionate, nurturing, and patient. Given our busy schedule, Mrs Joyce and her team have always been flexible, understanding and accommodating with us. What I love most is how she gives you frequent updates throughout the day on how our son is doing, it makes me feel as if we're there with him. Every child is different and I love how she gives personalized care to each child. Our child was a premie and has frequent spit ups, Mrs Joyce went above and beyond to make sure he doesn't spit up after his meals - we appreciate that so much! She understands his needs and routines and made sure he's comfortable and happy while he's there. We love Academix Schoolhouse! We'd highly recommend this place!

We absolutely love taking our son to Academix Schoolhouse. Ms. Joyce is so kind, creative,…read moreorganized and professional. We feel comfortable and confident taking our son here... its safe, he learns/plays, and i love the updates she sends daily. If you are looking for a great program, I would absolutely consider Academix Schoolhouse.

I interned here and it was the best experience I had in college. Cheri is the most lovely lady and…read moreI can't wait to work with her again.

I started volunteering weekly at Learning Ally last month and have quite enjoyed it. The primary…read morefocus is to record audio books for the blind and dyslexic. They record everything from textbooks to pop fiction. It's a good activity for people who want a relaxed volunteer experience. There are sessions available during the day and evenings on weekdays and Saturday mornings. You start volunteering as a "director" recording audio and can later audition to be a "reader," where you sit in a booth and read books out loud. There are some other activities such as "checking" (listening to audio for errors) that I haven't gotten to yet. I personally prefer a more social volunteer experience, but this is a fun one! (:

I made a mistake and Ms. Michelle was kind enough to reach out to me and correct. Great…read morecommunication.

WeViva is a fitness center in Austin, Texas. A group of certified fitness instructors and…read morenutritionists who go where we're needed most. They have Zumba, Family Eldercare Class, Nutrition class --- all FREE !!! that's right ! They are a non profit organization, so they help women of any age and any income level. They have many classes in South Austin but are looking to expand in North Austin. Just need participants !! Contact carolyn@weviva.org if you need more information.