Wallingford Seattle KinderCare

"Kindercare Wallingford has been nothing short of wonderful. Our daughter has been attending since she was 4.5mos and she is now turning 3. Her teachers have been wonderful and caring, the admin team has been super validating and responsive with any concern I have. Even during a period when there was high staff turnover Kindercare leadership responded with additional staff and management on site to evaluate cause of turnover and correct issues with employee satisfaction. My daughter has made really close friends and even though the center is big they have made it still feel like there is a sense of community. I also cannot say enough positive things about the Learning Adventures programs (cooking, phonics and music) highly recommend!"

"Incredibly efficient, accredited daycare with staff who love my kids just as much as I do, develop them, and give me true peace-of-mind so that I can do my job during the workday. The recent change in management has been super positive for staff and families alike. These people really love what they do and they are really good at it. I also love that their playground is covered so that my kids can play outside even on rainy Seattle days."

"My two children have been at this KinderCare since my oldest was 9 months old and now my youngest is just over a year old (a total of 3 years). I have seen this KinderCare through many changes and shifts, including what one might argue is the hardest time of all -- 2020/2021 Covid. I would not have continued to send my children here for 3 years if I didn't fully respect and trust the amazing care given there. I see that they have many suboptimal reviews and I want to offer my honest opinion and perspective and reason for why I feel like those reviews are "obsolete". There was a long period of time wherein I felt like the former director was guilty of some, if not all, of the things other reviewers shared. Was her communication lacking? Yes. Was the perception that she prioritized her bottom line above everything? Also yes. Was there a lot of teacher turnover? Sure - if the director is not a good fit, not treating her teachers with compassion, they will leave. But also, during the peak of Covid, I don't know what childcare center or solution didn't suffer from a rollercoaster of sudden unavailability. And is childcare expensive? Yes, but where is it NOT? KinderCare is competitive with all of the other programs available in the area. But despite my misgivings about the former director, I never, in all of that time, doubted that my children were getting amazing care because the teachers - the people who spend all day with my children, the people who mattered most to kids - are so loving and attentive. The teachers truly light up when they see any of the children enter their classroom and my kids have a family outside their family that they love and thrive with. THAT is what matters to me and that is why I stayed, even though I thought about leaving more than once due to the previous director's overall management style. About half a year ago, KinderCare Wallingford went through a leadership change and we got new directors. Nearly immediately, I saw a huge change for the better. Transparent communication is much more frequent (at least once a week newsletter style updates, plus more as relevant) and a TRUE open door policy where in I feel comfortable calling in/dropping into the office to talk through my concerns and confident in knowing they will be addressed. The turnover, in my opinion, has greatly slowed if not stopped — I feel like the leadership change has reinvigorated the center, both for parents and for teachers. I have been surprised when - on more than one occasion - the new director has personally called me to follow up. For example - on the diaper rash my son has had — to ask not only how he was recovering but if there was anything she could do to help him. She wondered if it was possible that it was the daycare-provided diapers causing the rash? Could she possibly look into stocking different diapers for him? Babies get diaper rashes often, it is not unusual, I was not worried — but to have her take the time to reach out and show this level of compassion for even just a diaper rash is just proof that the new leadership team is a complete 180 from the previous one. Kindercare Wallingford is a place where your children will be cared for, safe and even loved — I say that with full confidence."

"I was so surprised by the negative reviews for Wallingford Kindercare, that I felt compelled to write my own. My 1-year old has been going to Kindercare for the past 6 months. She loves it - every time we enter the building she has a huge grin and says hi to everyone she sees. She quickly adjusted to daycare (we were previously doing a nannyshare), and I think that's because it is such a positive atmosphere. Her teachers (shoutout to Ms Brittany, Borbs, and Judy) are incredibly sweet. They constantly update the app with photos and I can tell in every photo that she is having a great time. Plus - they intentionally work on skills like coordination / fine motor skills, reading, sharing, singing, etc. Lastly, management was very responsive and worked closely with us to figure out the right classroom for our daughter given her age and size. I know that daycare is an important choice and unique to everyone, and Kindercare has been a great fit for us. Several recent reviews called out issues such as reduced hours and inadequate staffing. Staffing challenges are prevalent across the childcare industry. Management has been very upfront about the reduced hours, and actively worked to build staffing required to increase hours to the original promise. A couple of months after we started at Kindercare, reduced hours were extended by an hour both in the morning and evening, and as of January the center is operating at its original hours. Additionally, there were only a few occasions over the summer where management asked if parents could keep their children at home due to staffing shortage. This was always optional, and it was not unique to Kindercare. I have friends with their kids at other daycares experienced the same thing at that time. This situation has not recurred since the summer. Lastly, while I don't have data to prove this, I have to imagine price increases are driven at least partly by inflation/operating cost increases, necessary salary increases to retain talent, and perhaps real estate/lease costs. The price is much less than a 1:1 nanny or even most nanny shares, and much more reliable (nannies can usually quit with a 30 day notice if they get a better offer, and you have to pay double for backup care during sick days or holidays)."

"Kindercare Wallingford struggles to fulfill basic responsibilities and the quality of care is inconsistent. Parents here recognize that childcare is a hard job and are reluctant to post honest reviews publicly because it might further destabilize the situation- but here are some things I wish I knew before sending two children here for over a year: (1) staff turnover is a systemic problem, not a temporary one. My kids have had so many teachers we have lost count. At first, management would notify parents when there were changes, but it became such a frequent issue that they no longer bother to even tell us the names of the people who will be caring for our kids each day. (2) Parents are asked to accommodate inadequate staffing. Operating hours were significantly cut back for months and parents had to leave work at 4:30pm to pick up by 5pm. The parking lot became less safe and traffic around the Center was a mess as families rushed to pick their kids up at the same time. Parents were also asked to keep their kids home on days when employees didn’t show up, sometimes multiple times a week or month. Further, if you arrive at your child’s assigned classroom in the morning and they don’t have enough teachers there, it is your responsibility to wander the hallways knocking on doors until you find another class to accept your child. When you pick up, you may also find your child in another class as they consolidate, and this location may or may not be communicated to you. (3) There are some great people who work here but they may not stay long and there are others who do not have the skills, interest, or support to do this work appropriately. Most parents want their kids to be engaged in a healthy and loving way by their teachers while having their basic needs met. I have witnessed angry and unsafe behavior by teachers. I have also frequently seen children crying alone in the corners of classrooms without any adult attempting to comfort them. I have picked my children up at 5pm to find them in the same diaper I put them in before dropping them off for the day. I have entered classrooms where teachers chat socially with one another while 3 year olds fist fight on the floor or 2 year olds struggle beneath an overturned tricycle. There is minimal effort to reduce the spread of illnesses. (4) Communication with management is unproductive. I appreciated the former Director’s knowledge of early child development and her capacity to have honest conversations about concerns. She acknowledged missteps and she focused on problem solving together. The current management will only deny and dismiss parent concerns before pivoting to their positive spin. It’s remarkably unconvincing and disrespectful. (5) It’s expensive, feels profit-driven, and the price is out of step with the low quality and inconsistency of services actually provided. The sales pitches about “curriculum” and fun decorations in the front lobby are a distraction from the fact that Kindercare cannot ensure a consistent, nurturing, healthy environment for the kids that are left behind their doors each day."