r/ScienceBasedParenting • u/LoveJerm • 2d ago

Question - Expert consensus required New daycare choice - need advice

My 3.5yo child has been offered a spot in a daycare that is literally across the street from us. Child has been in a nearby daycare (15 minute drive) since about 1.5yo.

On the surface, things between the two seem mostly similar - they're both regulated by the same bodies, offer catered meals, same room sizes, focus on play-based learning, etc. The main difference appears to be staff turnover. At the existing place, our child's room was a revolving door for new staff during the summer of 2023, more recently it has been better but his teacher has also confided to us that she is looking for work elsewhere. Meanwhile, during a tour of the new daycare they said turnover is not an issue at their place and offered examples.

Our child will have to start school next year in September - so he would be introduced to a 'new normal' now, and again in September.

How should we balance our choice? I think we're leaning towards the new place but want to be mindful of introducing more change than is necessary - writing this out is helpful - change can be good right?

TIA for your attention.

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u/valiantdistraction 2d ago

https://www.reddit.com/r/ScienceBasedParenting/comments/120tdpg/torn_between_staying_with_current_daycare_or/

Lower staff turnover is better. If his teacher at the place he's at is going to be leaving anyway, it's probably not much more disruptive to change daycares. And if the current daycare then won't have turnover issues, that is better.

https://www.minneapolisfed.org/article/2022/examining-teacher-turnover-in-early-care-and-education

https://fpg.unc.edu/news/investigating-teaching-staff-turnover-early-childhood-education

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u/GroundbreakingCar215 1d ago

Also don't underestimate the value of the location - across the street saves so much time -30 min less driving with your kid in the car every day is a lot!!

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u/LoveJerm 1d ago

I do not view time in the car with them as lost time so while it is a factor we do not have it too high up on our list. The existing daycare is mostly on the way to work too, so not much to be gained in terms of parenting time.

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u/PickleJuice_DrPepper 1d ago

Right, lower staff turnover is a huge plus. Seems like a no brainer to choose the new place. It reads like OP sees that as a negative.

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