If you are looking for a childcare facility that does NOT prioritizes consistent communication with…read moreparents and keeps families uninformed about their child's daily experiences, this may be the right fit. As a parent, I believe it is important to know how my child is doing, how he is interacting with other children, and whether there are any concerns that need to be addressed. Unfortunately, that level of communication was largely absent throughout our experience.
There were multiple occasions when I arrived to pick up my son from his assigned classroom, only to discover that he was in a different classroom. When I asked why he had been moved, I was often unable to get a clear answer. As a parent, it is concerning not to know where your child is throughout the day or the reasons for changes in their routine.
When we first enrolled our son, we were informed that the center was in the process of implementing the Procare app as a communication tool between parents and staff. We were told that parents would receive updates, photos, messages from teachers, and notifications regarding supplies such as diapers, wipes, extra clothing, or any other classroom needs. As a mother of six, I appreciated the convenience and reassurance that this system was supposed to provide. However, in practice, communication through the app was nonexistent.
There were very few updates about my child's day, limited photos, and little to no information about his progress, activities, or interactions. If supplies were running low, I often found out at the last minute rather than through advance notification. There was also very little proactive communication regarding behavioral concerns, developmental milestones, classroom changes, or incidents that occurred during the day. On several occasions, I learned about issues only after they had become ongoing concerns rather than being addressed collaboratively from the beginning. Most of the time, I had to initiate conversations myself to get information about how my child was doing.
Another disappointment was the lack of classroom work and artwork coming home. I expected to see more age-appropriate projects and creative activities that reflected what the children were learning. Artwork was sent home very infrequently, and when it was, it often appeared to be largely teacher-prepared rather than work that my child had independently created. As a parent, I enjoy seeing my child's creativity and developmental progress through the projects they bring home, and that opportunity was limited.
My son is an energetic and active child who loves to run, jump, and explore. While I understand that children learn from one another and that no childcare environment is perfect, I began noticing behaviors and language that were not being modeled at home. In addition, I personally observed instances of children hitting one another and using inappropriate language. While occasional behavioral challenges are expected among young children, I was concerned by what I witnessed and by the lack of communication regarding how these situations were being addressed.
As time went on, my son began coming home using words and phrases that are not used in our household and displaying behaviors that raised concerns for us as parents. Whenever concerns arose, I took the opportunity to talk with my son about making positive choices, treating others with kindness and respect, and using appropriate language. However, I would have appreciated more communication and partnership from the staff regarding behavioral expectations and incidents occurring during the day.
Over the last four months of his enrollment, my concerns continued to increase. Rather than feeling like I was partnering with the staff in my child's care and development, I often felt disconnected from what was happening throughout his day. Open and consistent communication is one of the most important aspects of a quality childcare experience, and unfortunately, that was something I found lacking.
Every parent deserves to feel informed, respected, and confident that their questions and concerns will be addressed. My experience left me feeling uncertain and frustrated due to the lack of communication, limited transparency, and difficulty obtaining answers when concerns were raised. While every family's experience may be different, these were significant factors in my decision to reevaluate whether this center was the right environment for my child.
