New School
When Home Depot announced last summer that they were building an onsite childcare facility, I was really excited. When I heard there would be a lottery to get a spot, I figured we probably wouldn't get in. When the time came to sign up for mother's day out for next year, we signed up for the three-day a week program and then a few weeks later when the time came, I threw our name in the hat for a spot at the onsite childcare center. I honestly didn't think much more about it until I got an email several weeks ago that we had a spot. There was a narrow window in which to give them our response and the pressure was on to make a choice. Aaron and I debated the pros and cons of leaving SG with mom and sending her a few mornings a week to her little school where she was this year. Ultimately, we decided to take the spot at Little Aprons Academy (named for the aprons that associates wear).
We love that she has been so well cared for and feel like she is so safe with mom, but we also know that caring for an infant and a toddler can be beyond difficult for the most loving of parent. We also know that Sarah Graves will love being with kids every day and it will give her a little more time to be with me. I have been very anxious about our decision because the center wasn't built yet and there were no teachers or classes to see and get a feel for how it would be to send my baby there. Plus, we had never used formal daycare before and I knew it would be different from making every decision with mom.
Today, I had a chance to feel much more reassured when we went for our parent-teacher meeting and toured the new building. The building is really neat and of course everything is bright and fresh. Sarah Graves will be in the early preschool class where there will be 14 kids and 2 teachers in her class. There are several classes of early preschool. I took a few pictures of her classroom.
The classroom is divided up into centers and there is a picture on the shelf so that the kids know where to put each toy back.
This isn't the greatest picture, but you can see the computer with a tiny mouse for them to have computer time. There is also a miniature sofa and armchair in the library area for comfy reading!
She will have a cubby to put her things, including her blankie and lovie that she will keep there for naptime.
This is the imaginative play center and I expect it will be her favorite. There is a dress up station, kitchen, and a cradle for the baby dolls. The teacher said they will change it up some and make it into a grocery store and other things throughout the year.
The early preschool classrooms are all along one side of the building and the dorrs to the classroom open up onto the playground for those classes. I think this sandbox will be SG's favorite! There were slides and lots of ramps and things for them to run around. There will be toys like tricycles and balls for them to play with outside, too. I was pleased to see that it is astro turf type stuff that makes neat designs in fun colors on the ground. There are other playgrounds for the different age groups and there is a sprayground for them to use in the warm months. SG is going to be tickled to go out to the sprayground!
There are also some indoor places to play on rainy days and there is even a little workshop where the kids will wear aprons and do some simple wood working projects and other art!
The kids will have their own chef preparing their meals and they will have breakfast, lunch, and snack at school. I saw a sample menu and I have to say that it looks really healthy. They told me they won't be using canned fruits and vegetables and they will not be serving juice, just milk and water. We are hopeful that peer pressure will have a positive affect and get her to eat a broad array of foods!
I was also pleased that they encourage parents to come by and get involved with the class as much as your schedule permits. You can even plan to have lunch with the class or check your child out to have lunch with you. I wasn't sure how much they would want parents involved, but that made me feel good that I can make plans to join her periodically and have a little extra time with her.
There are a couple of things that I am concerned how it will work out, but I'm sure it will be fine. One is that they only get a two-hour nap. SG usually naps for three and sometimes four hours, so that will be a change of pace for her. She will get to sleep a little later because we live so close, so maybe that will offset the shorter nap. I am also worried because the meals are served family style and the kids serve themselves. They do not use bibs, so her clothes are going to be messy and the teacher told me I should be prepared for her clothes to be dirty at the end of the day. I love all of her sweet girl dresses and outfits and I just hate the thought of having to send her every day in t-shirts and stuff. I know it's silly, but I love to pick out her cute outfits and see her all dressed up. I'm sure I'll get over it.
Little Aprons officially opens on May3rd, but SG won't start until May 23rd. I wanted her to finish out the year in her current school and then start. I will have a new buddy to go to work with me every day! The center is connected to the building so she will come in from the parking garage with me, I will walk her to her classroom, and then walk over to my office.
We love that she has been so well cared for and feel like she is so safe with mom, but we also know that caring for an infant and a toddler can be beyond difficult for the most loving of parent. We also know that Sarah Graves will love being with kids every day and it will give her a little more time to be with me. I have been very anxious about our decision because the center wasn't built yet and there were no teachers or classes to see and get a feel for how it would be to send my baby there. Plus, we had never used formal daycare before and I knew it would be different from making every decision with mom.
Today, I had a chance to feel much more reassured when we went for our parent-teacher meeting and toured the new building. The building is really neat and of course everything is bright and fresh. Sarah Graves will be in the early preschool class where there will be 14 kids and 2 teachers in her class. There are several classes of early preschool. I took a few pictures of her classroom.
There are also some indoor places to play on rainy days and there is even a little workshop where the kids will wear aprons and do some simple wood working projects and other art!
The kids will have their own chef preparing their meals and they will have breakfast, lunch, and snack at school. I saw a sample menu and I have to say that it looks really healthy. They told me they won't be using canned fruits and vegetables and they will not be serving juice, just milk and water. We are hopeful that peer pressure will have a positive affect and get her to eat a broad array of foods!
I was also pleased that they encourage parents to come by and get involved with the class as much as your schedule permits. You can even plan to have lunch with the class or check your child out to have lunch with you. I wasn't sure how much they would want parents involved, but that made me feel good that I can make plans to join her periodically and have a little extra time with her.
There are a couple of things that I am concerned how it will work out, but I'm sure it will be fine. One is that they only get a two-hour nap. SG usually naps for three and sometimes four hours, so that will be a change of pace for her. She will get to sleep a little later because we live so close, so maybe that will offset the shorter nap. I am also worried because the meals are served family style and the kids serve themselves. They do not use bibs, so her clothes are going to be messy and the teacher told me I should be prepared for her clothes to be dirty at the end of the day. I love all of her sweet girl dresses and outfits and I just hate the thought of having to send her every day in t-shirts and stuff. I know it's silly, but I love to pick out her cute outfits and see her all dressed up. I'm sure I'll get over it.
Little Aprons officially opens on May3rd, but SG won't start until May 23rd. I wanted her to finish out the year in her current school and then start. I will have a new buddy to go to work with me every day! The center is connected to the building so she will come in from the parking garage with me, I will walk her to her classroom, and then walk over to my office.
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