Children’s Network

My children have all been enrolled at Children’s Network for many years now. My oldest child who is in high school now, still likes to go in and say Hi to the veteran staff, etc. He stopped going there in 6^th grade as it was a natural progression to start staying home alone.
My youngest children, a boy (8) & a girl (9) both love the after school program. They were both enrolled as preschoolers before they started grammar school. They have been enrolled ever since. As 3 & 4 year olds they loved the program and teachers. I never had an uneasy feeling about leaving them there for care. Additionally, they never gave me cause to worry, as they were always excited to be dropped off. If anything they gave me grief when it was time to be picked up and go home. We have participated in the summer programs as well and the kids were always so happy to go on the field trips or just get their day started at CN.
What I appreciate about Children’s Network is the staff. Taking care of children is an extremely hard profession, that they certainly are not paid enough for. However, everyday both myself and my children were and are met with smiles, optimism, and professionalism. They do not appear to have a high turn over, as for the most part I have seen the same smiling faces for years, since my oldest was enrolled. This tells me a lot about the establishment itself.
I have known several children in our neighborhood who attended children’s network too and have since grown up. They too recount fond memories and experiences. Certainly no establishment is perfect and will no doubt experience the same issues that come with watching children (i.e. biting, aggressive kids, etc.) however, the staff and director (Ms. Bessie) consistently strive to meet or exceed the standard of care, and that is something I appreciate. I never worry when my children are there and I truly appreciate the wherewithal it must take to work with small children everyday and the effort they display to make the children’s day full and exciting too.
I have and do highly recommend Children’s Network. They have numeric password entry into the front door and camera’s in the classrooms. They welcome you to stop by anytime and check on your child if it gives you peace of mind. We all know how hard it is to leave our babies but if you give CN a chance you too will understand the peace of mind I have come to know and appreciate :)

Children’s Network has saved my sanity three times now.
The first time was several years back. My step daughter needed surgery and extended convalescent time, so my husband and I assumed responsibility for her three year old son. Problem was we both worked full time and had no one with whom to leave the boy during the day and we were limited on how much money we could pay for daycare
Bessie, the director, worked with me and allowed my grandson to attend at a somewhat reduced rate. He had a blast.
Fast forward about 4 years. Stepdaughter had another child, and both were removed and placed with us by the state. Now 2 kiddos and no childcare. CPS would arrange for payment, but I had to find a center that would work with them. Again, enter Mizz Bessie.
The teachers have handled the issues my kids have brought with them, such as aggressive behavior, attention-​seeking behavior, and other issues stemming from neglect, and surrounded them with positive instruction and care. My kids truly feel loved there. That’s HUGE.
Kids are aggressive naturally. Some more than others, and some repeat behaviors learned at home. The staff works with that understanding and actively presents alternatives. I have not seen the negative aspects other reviewers have mentioned, I can only speak for my own experience. (And I do wonder about someone who would write a review for an establishment with whom they have done no business… that’s just odd.)
The kids are with us again for a third time now (and possibly final) and once again they are with Children’s Network. The two year old has never balked at going to school, she thrives there and seems happy to go. The nine year old has had difficulty adjusting to being in an informal environment with his peers since his social skills were significantly underdeveloped, but they work with him and have been a positive influence.
As far as the food goes, well, the toddler seems to always finish everything and ask for seconds. The 4^th grader rarely eats there since he’s in school but there weren’t many complaints last summer and by the way, the summer program suited him to a «T» with a cross mix of science, sports, arts, etc. He loved it.
All-​in-​all, I love the place. The adults are friendly and love their jobs for the most part, and the personal interactions I’ve had have all been positive.

My son was enrolled at Children’s Network for about 8 months. We had so many problems with the level of care he was receiving there, that we ended up pulling him with no notice. It got to the point where is seemed like there was an injured child on a daily basis. Also, there was a severe biting problem in his class. There were weeks when my son would receive as many as three bites. We had spoken to the director on more than one occasion about our concern for our son’s safety. Each time, we just got the run around. When I received a call informing me that my son had been bitten on his face, my husband went up there to check on him and speak to the director. My son was bitten 2 more times that same week. That was it for us and we pulled him. We did receive a refund for the following week’s tuition, which tells me that they knew they were in the wrong.
I think most parents would agree that the safety of their child is the number one concern when considering a daycare. Unfortunately, I do not feel that providing a safe environment is Children’s Network’s priority. The directors seem to micromanage their teaching staff and constantly move teachers (and children) to other rooms, in order to maintain the least number of staff possible. I think that some of the teachers there are highly qualified and caring individuals. Sadly, the poor management makes for a hostile environment. I’m surprised the turnover is so low, because it’s very obvious that the staff, as a whole, is not happy.
If you are thinking about Children’s Network as a place for your child, you should reconsider. Many of our concerns didn’t come to light until our son had become accustomed to the school and his teachers. It’s never fun to have to transition your child into a new setting, but we were left with no other options.
Far lesser complaints include their curriculum and food. The curriculum is weak and more focused on the finished product instead of the learning process for the child. It’s mostly the teachers that make and create, instead of the child. The teachers often seemed frazzled at the end of the day, and as though they had survived the day instead of managed it. The reviewer before me is exactly right, the food is unbelievably bad and they do not let you send any food with your child from 12 months on.

I’ll be honest. I haven’t used these guys but I called them on the phone to get information. Since we don’t have any reviews yet, I thought I would share what I found and what other mom’s have told me.
They seemed very nice and professional on the phone and took the time to go over whatever questions I had.
I was looking for information to get my 18 month old into a preschool program for maybe this summer or the fall. They have programs for two, three, or five days a week. You can drop your kid off as early at 6:30am and pick them up as late as 6:30pm. The daily activity starts around 8:30am and they something scheduled for the kids until about 5:00pm. Activities are learning by play focused. Teachers have been there for a long time and must keep continuing their education. Rates are affordable!
What I’ve heard around town is:
–The food they serve is horrible
–They pick kids up from school
–They are awesome with the kids
Overall, I have decided against them because I don’t want a full day program for my kid and didn’t want her to leave in the middle of the day when everyone else stays around. If I was looking for a full time program, I would probably go with them and pack snacks and a lunch.