Lake Heights Family YMCA452

My toddler has been in full-time daycare at the Lake Heights YMCA for about 5 months now. He has really bonded well with staff and other children. The child to staff ratio (1:7) is awesome. I have noticed that Lake Heights often schedules extra help (interns, volunteers, etc) in my chid's room, so the ratio gets even better (frequently more like 1:4). Although the childcare is located in an old school building, there are perks, like larger-sized classrooms, a gymnasium and playgrounds with trees, etc. There are current plans for brand new play equipment for the toddlers / preschoolers. The program occasionally partners with the Coal Creek Family YMCA to offer swim lessons for the older kids and family fun nights, etc. Many of the lead childcare workers have years of experience and training. The YMCA seems to encourage the whole development of children, so my son's day is balanced across a range of experiences - gym, art, reading, music, etc. I would say I have been most pleased with the Lake Heights willingness to involve parents in the program. It is nice to feel like you have a say in things and an opportunity to participate. The biggest drawback for me has been the quantity of quality toys, apparently a short-term consequence of adding a few new classrooms all at once. However, there have been no objections to my donating toys /supplies to my son's classroom and thus this is no longer such an issue. Overall, I would say the Lake Heights YMCA does a great job of delivering what they promise, quality affordable care.

I felt like I was just a number. No relation with the personnal. I wrote twice to the Director and never been answered. Everything is only with paper, not on computer. They have not the skills nor the time for your child if he doesn't speak english but want to learn it (even if they say that they accept them). They called me each time my son was crying and asking for me to come, but when I asked questions about how I should act to make it easier for them and my son, they just answered me that I am the only one that should know (but when my son was crying they always called me to come to the preschool). The fact that my son was crying was annoying them but they just didn't care about my questions. I had the chance to observe a lot (I stayed 3 days in a row).I simply decide to quit the preschool and they even never called me to ask me why or try to set things up. Another thing is that they say that they go to the bathroom altogether at certain time (in their program). I stayed 3 days in a row and they never done that. It's well known that it's good for children that are not potty-trained to go and see how they do it, that encourage them. My son was in the Half-Day preschool and honestly, it wasn't worth the money they were asking. My son never reacted this way before and it's wasn't the first time that he was going in a childcare or preschool. Try to find another place, your child is worth more.