Carlos H. Cantu Children and Family Center

The Cantu Center is pretty middle-of-the-road when it comes to the health stuff. It’s a busy daycare in Little Village, so you know how it goes—germs are everywhere and it feels like there’s always a cold making the rounds. The staff does their best with sanitizing the toys and they're strict about keeping kids home if they have a fever, which is annoying for work but I get it. I do wish the communication about outbreaks was a bit faster though; sometimes I find out a kid was sick in my daughter's class a day or two later. It's a decent spot for the neighborhood, but it’s definitely your typical crowded city daycare vibe.

My toddler has been at Cantu for about a year now and I’ve been pretty happy with how they handle the usual daycare bugs. The staff in Little Village are great about calling right away if a kid starts running a fever, and you can tell they actually scrub the toys down because the classrooms don't have that 'old milk' smell some places have. I also like that they emphasize family wellness and not just checking boxes. Only downside is the sick policy is strict—if your kid even has a tiny runny nose, they'll usually ask you to keep them home just to be safe, which can be tough for working parents, but it definitely keeps the major flu outbreaks away.