recommendations needed for childcare centers in flemington/clinton area - Hunterdon Moms Online Message Board Community

Date: Apr 11, 2012

recommendations needed for childcare centers in flemington/clinton area

Date: Apr 26, 2012

Hello! Would you be interested in having someone come to your home to care for your child? I have many years of experience working in a childcare center, a Master's Degree in Education and am also a mom to a happy 15 month old boy. I can be reached at stephie883@yahoo.com if you may be interested. I hope you have a great day!

Traci1979 · Newbie

We love Bright Tomorrows! the day care near the hospital. We started at another day care in Flemington...very disappointed! but we love Bright Tomorrows! family friendly! all the children seem well loved and cared for!

Date: Jul 3, 2012

ACORN MONTESSORI!!!!!!

I can not say enough about how amazing this place is! They have a summer program as well as a school program and start at 12 months. My son started at 18 months and is now a little over 3 years old.

They are SO incredibibly warm and loving there! AND they can grow into the Primary program. CHECK IT OUT!!!

Date: Aug 3, 2012

I agree with the above. Acorn Montessori is the best! Warm and loving. The toddler classes are very home-like, and the children learn and grow so much!

Date: Aug 9, 2012

I used to work in childcare and I worked at Bright Horizons in Lebanon when it was Kiddie Academy. I really like Kerry and Stephanie and if I lived closer, I'd have put my daughter in their care. I live in Flemington and my daughter attends Goddard. I like Goddard and I see how some teachers go the extra mile for the children and love their jobs. There are always activities going on at the school. They just had their family bbq and sleepover. They take the older children for swim lessons and to other activities all summer long. I like the director there and the warm, interactive owner is onsite. Compared to the places I have worked in the past, Goddard sits in the top percentile. Bright Horizons was a little more strict with their teachers. We were not allowed to use the word "no" and we had a lot of annual/monthly training to attend. I think training is very important. The teachers should always be exposed to new ideas, updated research on early childhood education, etc. I recommend going with Bright Horizons as long as the same rules apply as they did when the center was Kiddie Academy.

I would like to add that you will find some good and some not so good teachers in daycare centers. Unfortunately, the salaries are low and benefits are expensive. The kind of atmosphere you are seeking can be found if the teachers have integrity and a strong work ethic. They can act one way in front of the parents and another way when you're back is turned.

Just thought of another good point. Kiddie Academy (now Bright Horizons) had cameras in their classrooms. Something you should consider. You never saw the children getting diaper changes or sleeping but you could see them doing art projects, playing with toys and interacting with the teachers. Sound was not available...just audio. There is debate about whether this is a good or bad thing. Parents have a special connection to this website where you can watch your child all day. It also keeps the teachers honest. If your child was left to play blocks all by himself for 15 mins, you'd know about it. Of course you have the other side where all the parents of that classroom can view your child as well. What if your child bit another? All the parents would know your child is the biter. That's a bit of a down side.

I also worked at KinderCare in Flemington while I was in college, X # of yrs ago (I don't want to sound old LOL). I ended up quitting that job because they asked me to work with a girl in the 3yr old classroom. I found that this teacher yelled at the children often, cursed within earshot of them and when she wasn't scolding a child, she was sharing stories about her sex life within earshot of children. I told the center I didn't agree with her methods and attitude toward the industry. They told me she had been at the center longer and they did nothing about it. So, I quit.

Did I answer your question at all? Hmmm...well to sum it up, I'd 1st recommend Bright Horizons, as I knew it with Kerry and Steph. 2nd I'd recommend Goddard for their great curriculum and family involvement. Ultimately, it depends on the teacher her/himself to uphold the company's mission statement.

Best wishes for your son's happiness!!

amycarin · Newbie

I used to work in childcare and I have found that the qualities you seek are found in the individual teacher. It is up to each teacher to carryout the center's mission statement with integrity and a strong work ethic.

I have worked at Bright Horizons in Lebanon when it was Kiddie Academy but still run by Kerry and Stephanie. I really enjoyed working there and if the industry helped me better provide for my family, I would still be working there.

My 19 month old daughter attends Goddard in Flemington (Bright Horizons is too far). I like Goddard's curriculum and family involvement. They also have an onsite owner who is very involved with the school.

When I attended college, I worked at KinderCare in Flemington part time. I quit that job when I was asked to work with a teacher who yelled at the children, grabbed them by the arm and even discussed her sex life within earshot of them. I didn't agree with her methods of teaching but since she had been there longer KinderCare would do nothing about her, so I left.

My 1st recommendation (not having visited any Montessori schools) would be Bright Horizons, as long as they have the same rules in place that they had when is it was owned by Kiddie Academy. Teachers there were required to complete a certain number of training hours annually, attend monthly staff meetings, write 2 compliments about another teacher or two at each staff meeting, some attended an annual conference, the center was accreditted by NAEYC, they offered monthly late nights for parents to go on a date or finish holiday shopping, cameras were in each room so you could watch your child all day (of course this live streaming has its down side as well) and teachers had to find alternatives as they couldn't use the word "no!"

2ndly I'd recommend Goddard in Flemington. Now I never actually worked at Goddard, but I see things from a parent's perspective and I know what to look for in a school and its staff. Goddard has a wonderful curriculum and their summer program is full of activities and swim lessons for the older children. We just attended their family bbq and sleepover last week.

Other than the aforementioned items, the schools were pretty much the same. Goddard and Bright Horizons have good curriculum and great education ideas for their schools. Like I mentioned in the beginning, it's ultimately up to each teacher to carry out these ideas and make them a reality.

I did also interview at ChildTime and they had an extremely strict curriculum for their teachers to follow. Everything had to be done a certain way and include a, b & c. To me, this said that their teachers were very involved in their classrooms but left no room for much creativity.

Hope this helps a little. Best wishes for your son's happiness!

Date: Sep 13, 2012

Hi there,

My son has been at KinderCare in Flemington since he was 3 months, and he's 17 months now. They are NAEYC accredditted, something that only 2 centers in Flemington can claim, and they have a fantactic curriculum. My son is currently in a classroom with 1 other full time student and then another 1 day-a-week student. He get's 50% of his teacher's time, that's amazing. I also really like that they provide meals in the cost of the tuition and it's a peanut free environement.

Good luck!

Kate

blossomhill · Newbie

Hi!

I would check out Blossom Hill Country Day School in Lebanon. They have year round programs for ages 2 years and up. It is a very homey environment...not at all what you find in a chain daycare. The teachers are excellent...Wendy works with the two year olds and is so loving and caring....the next best thing to being at home with Mom!

Good Luck with your search!

LBT