RE: Question About Bright Horizons Run Childcare Centers
I used a Bright Horizons center for my son from 4 months until he was a year. I loved it -- mostly because of the staff. The infant rooms were staffed by older women who had worked in the center forever. It was like having extra grandmas to care for him. The educational philosophy won't really matter for a while. I think BH has a decent corporate philosophy, but the execution greatly depends on the center. Each one is VERY different.
There are several other Bright Horizons in my area and I checked them all out when I was initially looking for DC and also when we moved and had to find another center at 12 months. They are all very different. I was told to avoid one because the turnover rate for staff was very high. You should ask about staff turnover when you visit the centers. If people don't want to work there then you don't want your child there.
I'd suggest going with your gut feelings -- sounds like you'd prefer the one in your office. New isn't always better. In a new center the staff don't know each other and there will be a lot of kinks to work out. Older facilities may not look as nice, but the fact that the teachers, administrators, and some of the families have been around for a while means a lot.
Regarding your question about ratios -- I think it means a lot when they are infants. There's a huge difference between caring for 3 and caring for 4. As for certification, I thought it was important, but not a deciding factor. In the end the two centers I've used have both had NAEYC certification, but I chose them for other reasons. The certification is just an added benefit.
Hope this helps!
Tara
living a crazy life with 3 boys
I am thinking now
of grief, and of getting past it;
I feel my boots
trying to leave the ground,
I feel my heart
pumping hard. I want
to think again of dangerous and noble things.
I want to be light and frolicsome.
I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing,
as though I had wings.
~Mary Oliver