Daycare Shopping-Houston

I am used to interviewing. Both for candidates for job openings I am looking to fill and for jobs I was looking at for myself. If you bothered to look at my resume, and most employers won’t, you would know that I am used to it. But I am not used to interviewing baby sitters and daycare centers.

And although I am a man living in a woman’s world (aren’t we all?), I am not happy to just go shopping. Now I know that finding the right daycare is important, but it still isn’t easy or comfortable for me. Especially because no matter how thorough I am, I am not as thorough as the Princess. It doesn’t matter what the subject is, if it is important to the Princess, she will be thorough. Even though I do most of the home chores and errands, it isn’t as thorough as necessary.

When I first began looking for daycares, I looked for ones close to us. Naturally this makes sense, especially in Houston which is just about as big as the entire state of Connecticut. When I showed the Princess my impressive list of daycare centers within a few miles, she asked me had I researched their teaching methods. No.

After I researched their methods, I re-presented my prospective list. She asked me if I had reviewed their credentials. No.

After I researched their credentials, I resubmitted my list. She asked if I had researched their teachers. No.

After further reconsideration, I resubmitted my list. She asked if I had determined if they were certified by state and federal agencies. No.

After satisfactorily completing my revised list, I placed it on her vanity in the morning hoping to avoid any more consideration of all the things I hadn’t considered. However, she asked me if I had considered if it was convenient for her to get to these schools for teacher meetings and child activities. No.

So after much further consideration, I narrowed it down to the one of the Montessori schools, Children’s Courtyard and Crème de la Crème.

I always assumed you just picked a school and registered your child. No. You have to interview them. And as I found out on my first visit, they interview you.

I first chose to go to the Montessori school. We had heard much about their philosophy which you can find out at www.montessori.edu if you have questions. Many of Laura’s coworkers and friends had tried one. Some loved it and some hated it. The biggest complaint about them was they were not organized and they let their students do whatever they wanted. Being a renegade and avid follower of my newfound TV philosophy (refer to TV vs. Daycare blog), this sounded good to me. Well the class we sat in on was anything but. Those were the most well behaved 3 year olds I had ever seen. If Carson acted like that for an hour and I acted like it occasionally, the Princess would be smiling indeed.
Unfortunately, that was not the end of the process because I was sold! Turns out that Carson did okay in the interview, but I must have pissed the Administrator off because she certainly wasn’t kind to me. Now I know you all are thinking, “Yep he certainly can do that.” And lord knows I have pissed a few of you off. Anyway, after that I realized I needed to wear a nicer shirt and pair of pants instead of ratty shorts. And I wisely took the Princess with me after that. Partly because she dresses better, she interviews better, and just generally presents us better. But mainly because I had another interview that night with the Princess to review my interview and I realized I had asked only three of the 30 or so right questions. Like I said before, I don’t need to be taught three times.

We loved Crème de la Crème (www.cremedelacreme.com). Carson’s cousins attended their school in Dallas and it is phenomenal. It is school in Disney Land all the time. They have fabulous facilities and teachers. They were the most expensive option and not everyone can afford them. And they were the most convenient to the Princess’s office. This was very important, even though it was 20 miles and one hour out of my way. Because I like making the Princess happy. And that keeps me off the couch. However, they were booked a year in advance. Another one of those learning experiences for a SAHD. If you want your kid in the right schools, you need to book early. Like before they are born.

After a few more visits, with at least what seemed like 10, but was probably like five schools, the Princess and I agreed to go with the Children’s Courtyard (www.childrenscourtyard.com). Okay, I agreed to go with the Princess who had decided to go with Children’s Courtyard. I had seen them in one of my other school drivebys. What immediately attracted me to them was they had an awesome playground that I wanted to swing at…with Carson. What attracted the Princess was their facilities, which in my opinion included the playground, and their administrators and teachers. They have a philosophy that children learn through playing that is constructively focused by their teachers.

Carson’s first teacher was Miss Sue. She changed Carson’s life and diapers. And she changed mine. Just my life, I don’t wear diapers, for now. But that’s another story.