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This is in response to the 1 star -
(Love to be a dad) comment. I have used this daycare for 6+ years and know Kangaroo is not the cheapest nor the most expensive; but they provide the highest
quality care in the area. They have every reason to require a deposit as their services are in huge demand. I gave them a deposit six months before my first child was born. This was after a tedious process of trying to find the best daycare. When I found Kangaroo, I locked my spot in right away- no questions asked.
Following is a letter I recently wrote to Cristina because my 2nd child will be starting a preschool program in June. Read it and get a feel for my experience with this daycare over the last 6+ years.
Dear Cristina and Salo,
It is with a heavy heart I confirm with you in writing J2's last day at the Kangaroo Family Daycare will be Friday, June 21, 2012. He will continue his scholastic journey at Anneliese School in Laguna Beach beginning Monday, June 25, 2012.
Although this is a natural course of action and we are pleased to see J2 grow up, I am saddened I wonâ??t see you every day. When J1 moved on to preschool, it was easier for me knowing Iâ??d still see your smile because of J2â??s continued enrollment in your daycare. It has been beyond a pleasure seeing you every day and hearing about your experiences with the children. Weâ??ve also enjoyed getting to know your family more and watching your son grow up over the last 6+ years.
I plan to keep in touch with you in the years to come. You have a standing invitation to J1â??s dance performances. Iâ??ll keep you posted on any other functions. By all means, do not feel obligated to attend. I want you to know youâ??ve been more a family to our children than most of our blood relatives and I will continue to include you in milestone events.
Thank you for your help in raising J1and J2. I had no idea what I was doing in the beginning when I dropped J1off at your home at just 12 weeks of age. I thought I was a bad mother leaving a baby so young in your care so I could return to work. Your confidence put me at ease. I recall you telling me I was â??doing a good jobâ?? and those words meant the world to me. I look back now at my decision (bringing my 12-week old babies to your daycare) and am now confident it was the correct decision. I feel J1and J2 benefitted from this arrangement because they had my unconditional love and eagerness to be a great mother in addition to your experience as mother (and a grandmother) and your love for children. I honestly feel my children are better people because of your involvement in their lives.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such a significant part of our childrenâ??s lives. Iâ??ll continue to refer your services to anyone looking for a quality daycare / extended family.…
FEE AND REFUND POLICY. To hold a projected opening in Kangaroo Family Day Care, the first two week's tuition shall be paid. This will be applied to the first two week's tuition and IS NON REFUNDABLE.
Make ABSOLUTELY Certain!.
We found this daycare online and attempted to make it work for our son due to the outstanding reviews and proximity to where we live. These folks appeared to be very nice and caring.
The issue that we have is that we feel they are very unfair and basically took money from us. My wife left a check for $240 - one weeks worth of daycare- in the hopes our son would start two weeks later. (NOTE: They were asking for double - or two weeks - as a down payment!) Christina said that it was a non-refundable deposit.
So for those of you who say we should have known, please read on. My wife was there for less than one hour and told them of the issues left to be resolved prior to an "ok". I subsequently called to say I needed to approve this before our son could started. They said, "No problem!". They agreed to arrange something the next week. My wife then called to ensure they would hold the check until it was approved by me, Christina again emphatically said "Don't worry!", it will all be ok." She then went on to say that they charge the deposit to hold the spot in the event they get another call for care. My wife said, "Please, if anyone calls, give them the spot if my husband hasn't had a chance to come by!" Christina just kept saying, "Don't worry! It will all work out and be ok".
My job deals with the military. Things change. I was delayed in Mississippi. I called Christina to hold everything as it would be longer than anticipated. I told her we'd be willing to pay for her time (less than 1 hour) but that $240 was simply too much to take. She indicated she'd speak to her husband and call me back. SHE NEVER CALLED ME BACK AND SIMPLY CASHED THE CHECK!
Upon receipt of the cleared check, I called her. She indicated she lost my phone number and was unable to come to some reasonable amount less than what we paid. It was, after all, non-refundable. She offered us one week of care for the cashed check instead.
As if I would ever leave my child with folks that did not stand by their word, did not follow-through, and played innocent through smiles. Perhaps if your child goes there, it's wonderful. However, if you have ANY indecision at all, DO NOT GIVE THESE FOLKS A CHECK!
Remember - they were asking for 2 weeks, or almost $500! Times are tough, but this is incredible and beyond what we could believe. $50-$75 to hold a spot for a few days before making a decision all while indicating to give the spot away should someone call, OK, but TWO WEEKS worth is highway robbery in my opinion!…
Great, loving daycare.
My son has been going to Kangaroo Family Daycare for about a year now, since he was almost 1.5 years old and he LOVES it there. I went back to work when he was 3 months old and the only reason he
didn’t start at Kangaroo was because they were full. They were recommended by a friend and I’m so glad we were able to eventually get my son in.
Cristina, Salo, Rosita and Javi are excellent with the kids. My son is always excited to walk in the door there in the morning, and on the way home he continues to name off his friends at daycare, which include Nina (Cristina), Salo, Sita (Rosita), Javi and the kids. This is a family run, in-home daycare that offers a lot of nurture and love. Every day when I drop my son off Cristina is there to greet us and say goodbye. Salo occasionally will say goodbye and I can tell my son LOVES him! The kids have activities out in the backyard or they work on art projects or on rainy days they will also watch some videos. I’m always confident that my son is taken care of and in a loving environment and they are a great place I can rely on.
I’m expecting my second and will also be taking the baby to Kangaroo once I’m off maternity leave. I can’t imagine anywhere else I’d like to send my son and new baby to.…
Amazing Day Care.
My daughter has been coming to Kangaroo Daycare since she was 3 months old. I was very reluctant to leave her at such a young age and go back to work, thanks to Christina she made the transition
much easier for me. She has been so loving and I know when my daughter is there she is well taken care of. Everyday when I pick her up she is clean, freshly changed and HAPPY.
She is now a year old and expresses her love of being there. There are some days when I go to pick her up she does not want to leave she will try and walk right back into the house. You can tell that Christina and Salo genuinely enjoy and love the kids they care for. They do a great job of keeping a great schedule with the kids and coming up with new and fun things to do with them.
I feel very blessed to have found Kangaroo Daycare. It is hard enough having to leave your child so you can go to work but if you can find some where that gives you peace of mind when you are away it makes it easier. They do a wonderful job on feeding the kids nutritious food and making sure they are well taken care. I can't think of a better place to have my child at. Good child care is hard to find, when you find one it's priceless!…
