Academy of child development and amore - French Camp, California

Kwanzaanai M.

My experience with this daycare was very concerning from day one. When I arrived, toddlers (around 1–2 years old) were outside under a tarp that covered the gate, completely out of view from staff. The gate leads to a busy street, and it felt like a major safety risk.

Inside, I witnessed a staff member give my baby a pacifier that had just been in another child's mouth without rinsing it. When I brought it up, they tried to deny it rather than take accountability. That became a pattern: anytime I raised a concern, they acted like I was trying to get them in trouble instead of just addressing the issue.

There were major communication issues too. I’d send plenty of diapers, but they’d run out in a day or two without telling me then blame me for taking advantage. Most updates were in Spanish, which I don’t speak, and that led to a lot of confusion and miscommunication.

One day, I found both my baby and toddler sleeping on the floor with only one staff member watching five kids. I mentioned it the next day and was told it “never happens,” and I told the daughter that I had went in there with her mom, (which is the owner) and she sighed and said OK well, we’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again with a fake smile… But it felt like she just wanted to shut me up rather than take my concern into consideration.

At their second daycare location, I was told no one would be home, but when I arrived unannounced, there were several people inside including someone I later learned From another business had a troubling background. When I asked the owner, she admitted it but said he was “trying to change.” That was very concerning.

Another time, my son came home smelling like vomit. Multiple people noticed it, but the daycare denied he threw up, saying they’d have sent him home if he had. It just felt dishonest.

Also I had to tell them to stop over feeding my children because I noticed that they would give them bottles whenever they will cry and I had seen with some of the other kids that they were constantly giving them cookies after cookies when they were crying.

When I pulled my kids out, I waited 30 minutes for them to bring out my kids’ things like I asked. I couldn’t leave them alone in the car, so I quickly went inside. The staff responded with attitude and claimed I was being hostile after she was the one that made a rude comment towards me and then used her coworker as a witness to basically vouch for me being hostile allegedly. On top of that, several items were missing, and they expect me to remember all the items that were there.
She told me to leave and come back during business hours and I was like this is a 24 hour daycare. I’m asking for my kids stuff and she said I can call her mom and talk to her mom. I just left cause I’m like I’m not dealing with this. They were already building an alliance and making it seem like I wasn’t the aggressor so I just left.

Overall, I found the daycare unsafe, unsanitary, disorganized, and difficult to communicate with. I really tried to work with them, but I constantly felt unheard and disrespected as a parent. I wouldn’t recommend this place.

Charlotte H.

Charlotte H.