Drew's Place

I honestly have mixed feelings about sending my little one to Drew's Place. Being in a small storefront space in South Chicago, the lack of ventilation is a real issue—whenever one kid gets a sniffle, the whole class has it by Tuesday. The communication about illnesses going around is pretty spotty, and I’ve seen kids dropped off who clearly should’ve stayed home, but the sick-policy isn't strictly enforced. It feels cramped and the cleanliness isn't always up to par, which is worrying for a daycare. I want to support local spots, but the constant cycle of colds and the stuffy environment makes me think we need to look elsewhere.

Honestly, I have some real concerns about the health environment at Drew's Place. Since it is in a converted storefront on 83rd, the ventilation feels pretty stuffy and I've noticed it gets humid fast, which isn't great for germs. Communicating about illnesses is hit or miss—sometimes my son comes home with a runny nose and I find out later half the class was out. It feels like they are understaffed and just trying to keep their heads above water, so the deep cleaning I’d expect in a small urban space isn't always happening. For what we pay, I really wish they had a stricter sick-child policy because it feels like there's always a bug going around that room.