Home Away From Home Preschool & Daycare

I’m afraid we had the same experience as Liz and Jennifer recently; very poor handling of situations where a baby is fussy.
We attempted a 3-​day wk daycare for our 13 month old after meeting Ms. Tanya at her open house for the daycare. We were impressed by the clean space, the opportunity to learn and reasonable cost. We also enjoyed the thorough notes Ms. Tanya takes.
The first day seemed to be a bit rough on our daughter and Ms. Tanya who called for us to pick our daughter up at 4:30pm because she couldn’t make it another half-​hour. Given that it was a new environment, we believed that they would get used to each other after a week or two. The 2^nd day, Ms. Tanya called at 11am demanding that we take our daughter home because the little one was crying. Tanya had packed our daughters things and suggested that we reconsider our placement.
I’m disappointed that Ms. Tanya would give up after 2 days and then complain that she didn’t have time to refund the rest of the month. The lack of emotional maturity demonstrated makes me wonder whether such a thing affects the rest of the practice.
Given the reviews, it seems like you have a chance of a good experience, though. As far as I’m concerned; not worth the risk.

After seeing a few of the other reviews here I feel the need to say a few things about Home Away From Home and Miss Tanya. My daughter has been going to Miss Tanya’s daycare for just under a year now and we couldn’t be happier with our choice. I want to start off by mentioning that the facility is impeccably clean and neat inside and out and has amazing toys, jungle gyms, swings, tricycles, play houses etc for the kids (and the landscaping is nice too). My daughter always comes home with cute arts and crafts in the theme of whatever they’re learning about for the month, along with a little guide booklet for additional ideas to play/​read/​learn about at home. At Easter she came home with an Easter basket filled with Easter eggs and other little themed gifts. Same with Christmas; Miss Tanya had a whole pile of little gifts under the tree with my daughter’s name on them!
I cant say enough on how much my husband and I are impressed with Miss Tanya and her daycare. She is a very caring person who knows how to love children and allows them to learn and play in a safe environment. I will even say that when we were on vacation earlier this year and my dad was the one dropping her off/​picking her up, he was so impressed with the place and with Miss Tanya–
I agree with Dierdre in saying that I too cannot believe we are talking about the same daycare when I read some of the reviews. One even goes on to say that Miss Tanya would not provide her state license number– ITS ON HER WEBSITE– on the homepage no less! We must not be talking about the same daycare! I did my taxes in February and went to the website to get the number– and the review I see was done months after that– hmmm?
One last thing I feel is important to mention is that Miss Tanya has not once, not one single time, asked us to pick up our daughter for bad behavior, illness, cranky-​ness, or any other reason at all. In addition, my daughter goes to Miss Tanya’s 4 days a week full time, so I think some of the other reviews are a bit scarce on credibility– saying that Miss Tanya doesn’t watch any children more than two days a week full time.
We would recommend this daycare to anyone. We love, love, love it and and are so happy to have found Miss Tanya.

I’m going to have to agree with jennifer j. on this one. After reading her Unilocal review, it fits my story completely! Let me start off by saying… we lasted a little over two weeks there, then I was done with the place! Initially, I decided I was not going to write a review, just call the pre-​paid month that wasn’t refunded a loss but after this last issue with her, it was the last straw… I’m going to write a review on every website that takes reviews so everyone can be VERY CAUTIOUS of where they are placing their child!
I contacted Tayna Lonardo, the owner, of Home Away from Home Preschool regarding half day care for my son who was 19 months at the time. A nerve wracking thing to do when it’s your first time having your child away from you. I contracted with Tanya to watch my son (3) half days a week. Initially she said for the half days I can drop him off anytime between the hours of 7am and pick him up by 12:30. I agreed. I dropped him off twice at 8:30 and when my husband dropped him off one morning at 7:50, she threw a fit saying it was too early, that she has to drop her son off in college and sometimes may not be home at that time.
When I picked up my son a little before 12:30PM a couple times, the second time she said she would appreciate it if I was there before 12:00PM…Again, after she told us her hours were 7 – 12:30 for half days!
Another day she calls me saying my son wasnt listening, I need to come get him… Absolute lie, she wanted him picked up so she can go shopping, she called it her cranky policy. To me IF there was an issue, a true daycare provider teaches a toddler instead of sending him away.
Dont forget, we were there a little over two weeks and all this has occurred.
SHE DOESNT WORK FRIDAYS either… the kids that she does watch, she only watches full time on two days. Therefore, the last straw was when she contacted me to see if I can have my son go two full days instead of 3 half so then she can have more time off… People do work & do have jobs! The lady needs to get a new profession… The last caution I do want to raise is EVERYTIME I went to pick up my son at noon, she was leaving… She left all the kids (baby & toddlers) at her house with her 19 year old daughter while she went out shopping to target, groceries etc… She left ALL the kids to her 1 young daughter!!! Parents contracted to have her watch their kids, not her 19 year old daughter by herself!
Last but definitely NOT LEAST… I recently contacted Tanya, not for the refund she should have given me for her false promises but to ask her for her tax ID# for my income taxes. SHE WOULD NOT GIVE ME THE NUMBER… Said she doesnt have one, doesnt know what it is… yet she said shes been doing this for years??? Are you kidding me, during all those years, no one has claimed childcare on their taxes?
I absolutely DO NOT RECOMMEND this woman to any parent… Once I left, I took my son to another daycare & it was a complete 180 experience, my son lovesit! He learns & they care… Just want all first time parents who are looking for daycare to know that there are places 1000 times better than Home Away From Home!

Home Away From Home Preschool/​Daycare is the best! Miss Tanya is very loving to the children and the Mother Goose program for the preschoolers is an A++++. :o)
My daughter who is 5yrs old started attending the preschool this summer 2011. I am a single mom who moved to the area lost on how to get my daughter ready for kindergarten. In the beginning of the summer my daughter did not know how to write her name and she was pooping in her pants. Miss. Tanya the owner/​teacher worked very hard with her.
Now we are in August and my daughter is more then ready for kindergarten. Miss Tanya taught her so much. Not just how to write her name. Now my daughter no longer poops in her pants, is very out going, counts 1 to 30 and the list goes on. I can’t thank Miss Tanya enough for all her hard work. My daughter is going off to kindergarten now and we are very sad because we will miss Home Away From Home Preschool/​Daycare very much. Most of all we will miss Miss Tanya. I highly recommend Home Away From Home Preschool/​Daycare for your child.

Our daughter was there almost six months and her last day was a few months ago. I really fell in love with this place. Ms. Tanya (the owner) is fantastic with the kids and they all seem to love her. The house is very clean, very spacious, HUGE beautiful yard and our daughter learned a great deal while she was there.
Unfortunately, we found Miss Tanya unable to deal effectively with us, the parents. Miss Tanya seemed overwhelmed in dealing with the younger children and this resulted in lots of unpredictability for us as working parents. A good example is her «cranky policy». If a child was having a bad day, parents were called and required to collect the child within 30 minutes. This was very common for the non-​preschool aged children; with our child and most of the others from what I observed. I was asked to pick up my daughter for being cranky about once a month, with several other «close calls» where I was told how difficult it had been to keep her there. (same trend began happening with my 5 mo. old son who had just started when we left) One day I was asked to pick up my daughter and TWO other parents were doing the same. (One of these families also left the daycare when we did). I felt Miss Tanya seemed constantly focused on how hard things were for her with very little empathy for the working parents who are paying her. On the other hand, if she truly was unable to handle these children, it was clearly best that the children were brought home.
When we said we were going to get a nanny, she seemed to take it very personally and our relationship changed overnight. This was demonstrated when I dropped off my youngest child on one of our last days and Miss Tanya lashed out at me as I had chosen not to bring our 2 yr old in. She yelled at me for 15 minutes for all sorts of issues (such as keeping my daughter home with granny) that had never been mentioned but clearly had been building up under her skin. I was very surprised at the level of anger and definitely highly bothered she would conduct herself this way in front of her own kids and a few preschool kids that were there.
After this very ugly episode, Miss Tanya refused to answer calls and texts, and ultimately, has decided NOT TO RETURN OUT DEPOSIT despite a contractual obligation and several text/​verbal promises to do so. This has really been a nightmare — I highly, highly recommend you avoid this program! I also wanted to note that two of the four testimonials on her website are from families that have left (including us). She actually refused to take down our testimonial despite our written request over two months ago. Just another reason I am glad we are gone.
I am very happy to share the details of our experience in greater detail with any potential clients and certainly the ones with children currently enrolled if they would like details. Best of luck to all of you looking for child care!

Wanted to see about changing daycares for my daughter in spring/​summer of 2009. She was 2−½ and just felt like she was not being challenged at her current daycare and my daughter was so eager to learn. There was a preschool program that she had participated in, when she wanted to, just after she turned 1. She wanted to be with the «big» kids and sit and do «homework».
However as her 3^rd birthday was drawing near, it just seemed like she was bored and her brain was not being stimulated. So the search for a new daycare or preschool began.
Browsed the web and saw a few places I thought might be nice. but still really liked the «in home» daycare situation. Then I found Home Away from Home and there was going to be an open house. So my daughter and I went to the open house.
The pictures on the web didn’t do this place justice. As soon as we walked in the gate my daughter said «WOWWWWWWW Mamma look!». Beautiful playgrounds w/​greenery & flowers everywhere to stimulate her curious mind. Miss Tanya welcomed us into her home like we had known her forever.
The inside was totally setup like a regular preschool. It was awesome! I couldn’t believe that someone would dedicate so much of their home to be just like a preschool. again my daughter said «WOWWWW mamma look!».
After spending a little over an hour chatting with Miss Tanya and the staff and seeing how my daughter seemed to light up at everything she saw… I really thought this place could definitely be in the running. Then when my daughter whispered to me «is this going to be my new school?» I knew this was the place for her.
In just the first month of her attending Home Away from Home, my husband and I, and extended family/​friends, couldn’t believe just how much she had changed. The things she has learned and the little person she has become in the past 8 months is just amazing and I attribute it to Miss Tanya and her staff.
I also know that this is the right place for my little girl because she no longer cries that she doesn’t want to go to school in the mornings. She is eager everyday now to get in the car and get to school… and that’s just the icing on the cake for me.