Happy Child Day Care Center & Pre-school

3 of my children went to Happy Child and my youngest son is still there graduating this year. We can truly say that Happy Child has been like a second home for our children. The care and love are provided there by all the teachers is not something you come across often. My daughter is now 14 and she is still talking about having a great time at Happy Child. I would recommend Happy Child to anyone who is looking for great early education and safe and loving environment for their kids.

If I could give this place zero stars, I would. I met with the owner/​director about enrolling our son and explained that he was new to the daycare environment and would need help learning to follow their rules such as sitting in the chair at meal time or getting in line to go outside (basic directions that toddler needs to learn but likely doesn’t have to do at home). I also explained that our son was slow to talk (he only has a couple of words) and that were working with him with in Early Intervention. She reassured me that they work with Early Internention all the time as well as have specialists that could come in the classroom to observe him. She also reassured me that they would work with him to help him learn the classroom rules, etc but that it would take time and to be patient.
On the first day, I picked him up, I was greeted with a nasty report of every rule my child couldn’t follow. This went on for almost 2 weeks although after I asked what rules he was following, I did learn he was sitting at the table. I was never told of my child successes, only his failures. On day 6, I went him to pick him up in his classroom and he wasn’t there. The teacher had no idea where he was and every started panicking. Since his classroom is right at the front door, I was really worried he was either kidnapped or wandered out into the parking log. He was found a couple of minutes later in another classroom. I never got an apology or a phone call from the Director which was shocking.
On the next day, I went to pickup my son only to find him in a storage closet with his teacher on one side glaring at him and him in the corner sitting by himself. I was appalled and asked what was going on. The teacher said that he needed «some alone» time because he was fussy. I understand that happens but «alone time» should have included something productive like a book or a walk around the playground. The teacher used the time to punish my son so she could put her feet up and take a break. and in the storage area for the strollers. I immediately called and requested a meeting with the Director and we met the next morning. She said she would address the «negative» attitudes and overall experience that I was having. She mentioned the incident from 2 days before where they lost my son but never apologized. She simply said «I heard about what happened and was going to call but didn’t have time…». Wow.
The teachers attitude did improve slightly over the next week but I never got the sense that my son was really being looked after. We only lasted 4 weeks at the center. If you are looking for a babysitting center, then this place is probably fine. As a toddler’s development is so critical, we wanted him to be in a learning environment and moved him right away to another daycare. My sense from the beginning was the daycare needed a place to fill for summer revenue and they were never going to have a place for my son after September 1. The Director didn’t even write his name on his daycare bag… she taped it on which said to me she didn’t expect him to be around long. I was right, she took the bag back on his last day.