Boatgirl

Hi All,

We will be moving to Lakes on Eldridge in 4 weeks and am looking for part time, 3 half days a week child care near the Lakes on Eldridge, west Houston.

It is proving to be more difficult than I thought!!

The boys (Twins) will be 2 and a half when we get here. Any suggestions? I don't mind a church school, as long as its not too heavy on the religion.

Have spoken to a few, one would only do 5 days full time, and other 'Mothers Day Outs' only do 2 full days.

If any of you out there are really happy with a child care provider and can you let me know.

Thanks

lisa67

You could try www.care.com if you haven't already

Weeze

Hi

I won't be able to help with specifics as we are in Katy. Certainly for Katy, most of the better preschools/moms day out have waiting lists. They release information of when you should register by and for some there are queues outside. Ours isn't a church pre-K/school, but they still do religious bits. I went to visit a few I fancied to see which I liked best. Montessosri/non Montessori schools offer different things. We got 3 half days at the chain we picked (chains are things likes kidsrkids, primrose etc). There are some folk on here from LOE so hopefully they'll be along soon.

Boatgirl

Thanks Weeze,

Hopefully they will reply. I looked at KidrKids and really liked it, but they were the ones who wanted 5 full days!!!! Not what we want or can afford. Thank you anyway.

Bomjeito

Well, do you want best or most affordable?

And do you want daycare or pre-school? KidsRKids seems to be more of a daycare as opposed to a pre-school.

I'm in LOEN. We have a women's club for ladies with kids under age of kindergarten; I am not sure if LOE does as well. We also have a number of other daytime clubs which are listed on our website and monthly newsletter. I simply don't see these on the LOE website (bible study groups are listed, however) but maybe more information is listed 'for residents only.' Anyhow, our neighbors and the women's clubs have always been very helpful with recommendations.

For nannies and sitters, we have a message board on our LOEN website, however the best info I've found with recommendations is through a ladies coffee group organized by a Brit expat lady who does an email roundabout. Quite often do outgoing expats have her send out a broadcast email about moms/toddlers outings, nannies available, excellent sitters, etc. When you get here, you can contact her (or PM me if you want her contact info.)

As for best pre-schools, as Weeze said, the waiting lists are very long. And they tend to be clustered down Royal Oaks/Tanglewood way.... if you are looking at the KidsRKids just around the corner from LOE, then I'm not sure if you are okay to travel for 'best'.... Katy has a number of great ones - our twins aren't even born yet but we've looked at the Village School, British Prep in Katy, and Yorkshire Academy in Memorial. We like Yorkshire Academy most. It is part time for preschools, but it is 5 days a week in the mornings only. British Prep has part time and mommy days out.

There are a number of Goddard and Montessori learning schools around. With the Montessori schools, do research them well as not all are truly accredited with Montessori for their methods.

A neighbor has her 3 year old at Memorial Lutheran. They are not Lutherans and I'm not sure if they have part time. They really are happy with their choice. Another neighbor has her preschooler at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic which isn't too far from LOE. I've read somewhere that Bear Creek Baptist has part time and mommy's days out - its on Clay Road as well going toward Katy.


Here is a list in Katy of day care and preschools.
http://www.katymagazine.com/katy-tex...re-preschools/

I find Katy more accessible from our area than downtown/Heights/PostOak/Galleria, etc. And there is always easier parking and accessibility. Folks out Katy way are very friendly. I do my HEB grocery shopping out there, instead of Bunker Hill, for example.

Another daycare near to LOE is LaPetiteAcademy on Clay. About 4 miles from LOE entrance going SW as the crow flies. Little Yorkers Montessori is just around the corner as well going due north from LOE, about a mile past KidsRKids.

Good luck..>! You'll find lots of folks in LOE happy to recommend as well when you get here. You can also contact your community HOA liaisons (listed normally on the website) or the community property manager who can steer you to someone in the community. Since I'm in LOEN, I simply don't know the LOE ones.

ETA: when we arrived, I got a subscription for Angie's List. It may help you assess with local's recommendations appropriate day care or preschools that interest you, or you'll discover one that you didn't know about!

Boatgirl

Hi Bomjeito,

Wow, that's a great amount of info. Thank you very much, I will look into all of it. And I will get out to the coffee mornings too if I can!

Did you say you we're having twins?? That's fantastic! All the best. If you need any 'twin' ideas, give me a shout. Always nice to meet new people.

Yorkieabroad

Can't comment on specific schools, as we're out in Katy, but just had wanted to say don't be put off by the waiting lists. Even if they are really long, its worth putting your name on, just in case. Once the new "school" year starts, the waiting lists can rapidly get a lot shorter than they seem. We returned from the UK in November, to go on a waiting list as number 58(!!). We got a place within 3 weeks. It seems as soon as someone leaves and frees up a spot, they start calling down the list and a lot of people drop out as the kids have started elsewhere, are happy, and they decide to stay rather than take their spot on the waitlist. Our experience was quite a while ago (2006) but a Canadian neighbour had similar experience last year.