I know previous reviews have had wonderful things to say about certain teachers, however they are no longer there. Unfortunately, my experience with this center has been very different. To make this clear this is not a personal attack on any teacher.
My biggest concerns were the supervision, basic care, and communication in the 2-year-old classroom. I personally observed one teacher on her phone while the children were supposed to be supervised. On more than one occasion, I had to alert her that children were engaging in inappropriate play because she was not paying attention.
I also had concerns about her frequently bringing her young son, who I believe is around 5 or 6, to the center. He is significantly larger than the 2-year-olds, and I witnessed situations where her attention was focused on disciplining or dealing with her own child rather than supervising the children in her classroom.
There were also repeated issues with my son's basic care. On one occasion, he was put in a pull-up two sizes too small, even though I had provided the appropriate size in his cubby. This resulted in him having a blowout during nap time. I was extremely frustrated because the correct supplies were available for him.
I also had concerns regarding meals. When my son did not eat the meal provided by the center, he was not offered an alternative. I eventually started providing homemade lunches, but there was an occasion when the lunch I packed was still not given to him. When I asked the teacher about it, I was told the director's policy was that children would not be provided alternative meals. I was also concerned that staff knew multiple children were not eating the meals being served, yet there did not appear to be a solution. As a parent, it was upsetting to feel that my child could go hungry during the day.
Another major issue involved my son's shoes. His shoes went missing while he was in the center's care. When I picked him up, he was outside without shoes, playing in rocks and dirt. The head teacher did not come speak with me directly to explain what happened, and after an entire day, the shoes still had not been located.
These incidents were not isolated. My son is two years old, energetic, and can be hyperactive, but he is also a kind, sweet child who loves to play. I was made to feel that behaviors such as not sitting through an entire story time or wandering off to play with toys were too difficult to manage. I became increasingly concerned about whether the center was equipped to support my child appropriately.
Eventually, I became so uncomfortable that I removed my son from the center without notice because I genuinely no longer felt comfortable leaving him there. I am still unsure whether these issues were due to inadequate supervision and care or whether there was an issue with me or my child. Either way, I did not feel my concerns were being adequately addressed.
The director, is nice enough, but in my experience, too much was allowed to go unchecked. I also felt that I was sometimes told what I wanted to hear rather than seeing meaningful action taken to address the underlying concerns.
I do want to acknowledge that Ms. April, Ms. Jasmin, and Ms. Shelilahhave been wonderful with the toddlers, and I genuinely appreciate the care they provided.
Overall, based on my experience, I would not recommend A Bright Beginning for a 2-year-old. Parents should ask detailed questions about supervision, meals, supplies, behavior management, and how concerns are handled before enrolling.
I trusted this center to care for my child while I was at work, and unfortunately, there were too many occasions where I felt his basic needs and safety were not receiving the attention they deserved. read more
