Loooooong time BSLC parent here. We have put three kids through Bright Start over 9 years. I can't say enough good about it. Many of the teachers my older daughters had as babies are still there, and they are always given the royal homecoming treatment whenever we come to pick up my youngest son. The teachers still call them by name and hug them like they are their own kids, and my girls still remember and love the teachers in return. As with any business, there are always hiccups, some employees are better than others, and teachers and staff come and go. But, over the 9 years, the overwhelming majority of teachers and staff have been wonderful, and we remain close to many of them, often having them babysit our kids outside of work hours. Similarly, we have formed close relationships and remain good family friends with many of the other parents and kids at the center over the years.
Academically, the kids come out very prepared for school. In fact, my girls were at least a year ahead of where the other kids were when they started school. My oldest remained in Bright Start all the way to Kindergarten, and my middle left a year before Kindergarten to attend Pre-K at her older sister's Catholic School. I can honestly say that, while the Catholic Pre-K was good, I wish we could have afforded to leave my middle daughter in Bright Start for Pre-K. It was that good. My oldest came out of Pre-K knowing her letters, numbers, phonics, a basic foundation of Spanish language and computer literacy, and even had rudimentary reading skills. No joke. Anecdotally, I have been told by parents and staff at the local public elementary school that they can always tell which kids are "the Bright Start kids" when they start school because they are so far advanced, not to mention well-mannered. Furthermore, the owner/manager is always looking to refine operations, add value, and be responsive to parent concerns, making the center a positive, dynamic, and constantly improving place.
The cost is high, but other area centers are even higher, and they offer less value to boot. But, even at the price, Bright Start is worth it, and your children will always be treated as the priceless creatures they are. Not only would I pick Bright Start over any other daycare center, but I would (and have) picked it over a nanny, au pair, or the like. When it comes to safety, personally, I feel more comfortable with my child being around a group environment (as opposed to one-on-one), where there is solid accountability, good teacher training, cameras that I can log onto throughout the day, coded doors, windows everywhere, and other parents and staff coming and going throughout the day. Additionally, the facilities are modern, safe, clean, and engaging, and there is even a wonderful park and surrounding neighborhood, in which the children take daily walks, splash around in summer water activities, and learn soccer in a structured program.
To sum it up... send your kid here; you won't regret it.
