Bright Start Learning Center, INC.

To be honest, I'm pretty frustrated with how things are handled at Bright Start. It feels like every other week my little one is coming home with a new bug because the sick-child policy is super lax—I’ve seen kids dropped off with clear fevers and runny noses more than once. The facility on Central Ave is a bit older and honestly feels pretty cramped and stuffy, which probably doesn't help with the germs spreading. I wish they were more proactive about sanitizing the toys and being upfront with parents when a virus is going around the classroom. It's just constant revolving door of colds and it's making it hard for me to keep my own work schedule together.

Honestly, Bright Start has been great for my toddler. The Portage Park location is super convenient and the staff actually keeps the place looking and smelling clean, which isn't always the case with daycares! I really appreciate that they don’t mess around with the sick-child policy—if a kid has a fever, they’re going home, which definitely helps keep the seasonal bugs from wiping out the whole class. They’re pretty good about sending home updates if something like hand, foot, and mouth is going around, so I’m not constantly caught off guard. My only real gripe is that communication can be a little slow if you're trying to reach them mid-day, but overall, it feels like a very safe and healthy spot for the little ones.