Bright Horizons

Paying $ 2500 a month is stupid. Boatloads of Seattleities can afford this, but the issue is if its a good choice for your young child, jus to keep a job, jus to pay the bills…, look around this world of a billion people — every single mom in history had the exact same dilemma, your problem is normal, how are you going to care for a baby and make ends meet?
its all about a job downtown, it would be sensible to face the fact about the the environment of strict schedules, germ network, the amount of time your child is not being touched or held, the amount of time indoors. Full-​time daycare in a 150sqt ft indoor space is not good for children under 2.
I’m not anti-​Bright Horizons. If you are wondering about the quality, they are very experienced, and have various crafts throughout the day for the kids, iissue is the price… it’s more expensive than tuition at Univ of Washington… 2x more expensive… Think about that. It’s stupid.
This place is comparatively on the higher end of the price spectrum, and they already raise tuition all the time, but I think that if there really is such a long wait list and all the daycares downtown are all kept at no vacancy, then I think they all should double prices, make it a cool $ 40k a year… you see the prices are totally arbitrary, no justification, nothing to do with improvements or hiring more workers, it’s not based on supply vs demand, or anything… the Bright Horizon system of $ 150 application fees is what is important to them and will always be in place, mark my words on that one.
The wait list process is unfair and worthy of a BBB complaint!

We started our son at Bright Horizons on 4^th and Madison in February of 2013 when he was about 4 months old. He went through the Infant Room, the Toddler Room, and the Twos Room. His brother also attended the infant room for roughly 5 months.
The care at this Bright Horizons is nothing short of spectacular. The people who work here genuinely care about children and constantly exceeded our expectations. We are moving our boys to a facility closer to our home, but what a great experience it has been. There are so many people we would like to thank.
Lynn
Bridget
Heather
Alma
Effy
Lisa
Tracy
Nevi
Kelsey
Shanna
Mariela
Laura
Janice (both of them)
Luz
Tasha
Judy
Hamdi
Sarah
This is a long list of people, and I really hope I’m not leaving anyone out. Like everything else, there are pros and cons to Bright Horizons, but all the pros stem from the people who work here. The cons are generally out of the staff’s control and some are just the realities of care today. Many thanks to this wonderful team for all their love and hard work!

My employer offers a benefit that allows me to use Bright Horizons centers as a back-​up care option on days when my normal care is unavailable. My daughter spent three days at this Bright Horizons location as an alternate to her normal daycare routine and the staff here were phenomenal. Our daughter is 13 months and had never been to center-​based childcare before. She was very overwhelmed with the new environment but the staff were all so kind and accommodating to both her and I.
I called to check-​in on her at lunch, and they were happy to tell me all about her day, how she was doing, what she was eating. When I would go to pick her up, I found them holding her most days and comforting her. They sent me home with a report card, telling me when they fed and changed her, and what she did most of the day.
Both Lynn and Bridgette and the front desk were amazing. Incredibly welcoming, friendly, and helpful.
If the need for full time daycare arises in the future, I wouldn’t hesitate to take my daughter to Bright Horizons.

My son has been attending this Bright Horizons for over 1 year and I can’t say enough good things about the facility, staff, and level of attention and care he receives. He’s was first part of the toddler program (ages 1 – 2) and is now in the Two’s program (ages 2 – 3) and both classes, teachers, as well as the Director and Asst. Director of the school have been outstanding. The wait list is long (so enroll early) but for good reason. Bright Horizons is among the best and I am so fortunate to have my son being taken care of by such wonderful people in a stellar environment built for learning and growing.

Please note: This review pertains to the waiting list process, not the actual daycare services. I’ve heard from some others that its a great place for a child to be in.
I paid $ 150 to get on three Bright Horizon waiting lists in the area for care in January, 4^th & Madison, 8^th downtown and Bothell. In December. I received an automated email from the 8^th street location indicating that they are already full in January and there is no space. I followed up twice to ask about the other two and have never heard back — very disappointing as I needed care by next week and I’d like to think I was being proactive by getting on the waiting lists at least 3 – 4 months ahead of time. I was supposedly on a priority list for 4^th & Madison too, since I work in the building.
It’s too bad day cares right now aren’t offering good customer service for people in need. Unfortunately, it seems like the market is currently in their favor and they can afford to ignore potential customers — at least this is the message I received.
If your heart is set on BH, my advice is get on waiting lists at least 6 months in advanced and find someone to follow up with who will return your messages, if possible.
**Updated 2/​3**
Since I wrote the original review, I have been contacted by the Bright Horizons staff who were apologetic for my situation and worked hard to make it right. I’m adding a couple of stars because of this.
I was placed on the waiting list in July 2013 and they expect a spot to be available in April 2014. So, a recommendation is to get on the waiting list early, maybe when you find out you’re pregnant?

I just wanted to write an update on our experiences here now that my little bundle of joy is about to move on to Kindergarten. He has had such a great experience there and is learning things I feel I learned maybe in the first grade (although kids nowadays have to know SO MUCH before they go to school).
He’s had fantastic teachers that he loves — one especially who I want to be his teacher forever, she’s so great. They practice writing (they have these adorable little journals that they write stories in with the help of teachers), reading, math (numbers bingo is so cool), art (he got to work with water colors as part of a greater discussion of Monet), science (paper mache volcano this week and they pinned up a rotting pumpkin and discussed decay). He learns Spanish, they have a really cool playground away from the downtown activity, they do exercise class and learn about their bodies.
Beyond just knowledge about stuff they also add a little bit of structure to transition better to Kindergarten and they learn how to solve problems and interact with their friends. They do a lot of critical thinking (for 4 and 5 year olds) but also a lot of creative activities.
I am super happy my kid is here and am super sad he’ll have to leave for Kindergarten. It has been worth every penny.

I have been an employee at this center for over three years, and am very pleased with the environment, the support and training, my fellow employees, and especially all the internal oppoprtunities for growth and development for staff. I have been able to add new challenges and responsibilities to my position over the past years, something that I often found lacking in previous education positions. The administration is very supportive of the needs of staff, and work to help everyone maintain balanced lives so they can stay healthy and happy at work. There are systems in place to ensure that all the children, families, and staff have the resources needed to work together and provide the best care possible.
The center uses child driven curriculum, creating unique lesson plans that children are truly insterested in, allowing them to develop their own life long love of learning.

Bright Horizons Family Solutions has been a wonderful extension of our family since we first enrolled our son in 2005. While our son moved on last year to enroll in Kindergarten at a private school in Seattle, our daughter continues to benefit from their care, love, education and attention.
Both my wife and I are educated working professionals in demanding professions and have expectations that our children are cared for with the same level of diligence, attention, love and discipline that we expend when we are caring for them. The Director and the teachers who are employed at the 4^th and Madison campus have enriched our lives beyond anything we could have imagined.
When we first explored care options for our children, we were looking for a balance of quality care, convenience to work, and support for the emotional and intellectual development of our children, and an environment that was an extension of our family values (respect of others, appreciation for diversity in life, and the cultivation of curiosity to learn). They have exceeded our every expectation in all accounts.
Children are the most cherished assets of this world and while every parent has their priorities, best interests and preferences for child care, we have found Bright Horizons Family Solutions and the 4^th and Madison campus to be a wonderful part of the development of our children.

I think the other reviewer must have gotten someone on a very bad day, as she suggests.
My daughter is a Bright Horizons Alumnus and now I have an infant son in their care. Every day I see the value of the quality care and attention that they received reflected in how bright, inquisitive and good citizens my kids are becoming. The teachers at BH lead the kids in activities that engage the kids on all levels — motor skills, creative thinking, sensory, etc.
As a parent, I get daily feedback and reports about what and how they are learning, and I always feel welcome to visit and observe (which I do regularly).
I agree that parents should interview the director and teachers to determine if Bright Horizons is the right fit for your family — you should do that with any daycare or school you are considering. For us, we are very pleased with the exceptional care we receive at Bright Horizons @ 4^th and Madison.

I had a chance to speak with a hiring recruiter. Her knowledge of education and needs for teachers of young children was appallingly bereft.
I suggest that parents who consider having their children here or other Bright Horizons schools, really interview the director and teachers to determine backgrounds and experience. It is possible that I simply got someone on a very bad day, but as an educator with 20 plus years in the education profession I have a sense when someone is not clear in communication and can’t answer questions. I got that here.