The other day at work I was talking to one of my coworkers about her son's daycare and our future need for one. I was like, "When do I need to take care of that?" She says, "You need to get on a wait list like 2 months ago." I was like, "Uh... wait list?" Well, I did a little research, and I found one daycare for Baby Ratcliff. ONE. From everything I've read and heard, St. Paul's Preschool is the best. I excitedly called, and they told me I could wait 16-18 months. Really?! Should I have really called and put my name on the list in like March of 2010? That's ludicrous! I immediately needed a back up plan.
Thanks to my coworker for showing me a handy website from the State of Georgia. It basically tells you everything any daycare has ever been cited for doing wrong. I had been considering a couple different daycares, but when Christine and I looked at a few, it said that one place left a 2 month old baby with a bottle propped and didn't clean the changing tables - WHAT?! You have to be kidding me?! Another one let infants "sleep in other than appropriate positions" or something along those lines, i.e. that's really bad. Needless to say, I didn't go with any of those.
I found no other good options in Savannah even though we wanted something close to work. Well, we resorted to Bluffton, SC, since it seemed to actually have some decent places. We called Amazing Creations and hope to get on that list soon. Apparently, you have to fill out a form in person, and with drop/add and the first week of the quarter going on, we won't be making it there until things slow down. That joint has a 9-12 months waiting list, so we needed another option.
I looked around and did some research. I used this handy website to check out places in SC. I found Lowcountry Day and it had good reviews. No complaints or anything fishy. I called, and the lady in charge was really nice. My biggest issue is that the toddlers are given cheese puffs. I mean, I don't eat cheese puffs, and I sure as hell don't want Baby Ratcliff eating cheese puffs. Otherwise, the menu looked decent, but we'd like to have the little guy in St. Paul's by the time he's actually chewing, so no worries - right?
Well, if any of the people I know in the Lowcountry have heard of this place and it's terrible, please tell me. It has openings as of July which is what I need. She said they're full until May, but July is doable.
Who ever dreamed that just finding decent childcare would be so hard? I assumed all daycares had the sense to wipe down a changing station after they use it - you know? I mean, come on - it's poop! That's like not wiping your butt after you use the public toilet, ICK! Wait, it's worse. It's like someone rubs her butt on the toilet all dirty and then you go rub your dirty butt on it, and then nobody cleans up anything. Now, you can't tell me the thought of that isn't disgusting.
