Today I had a very disappointing experience at the park with one of the daycare workers.
From a distance, I heard her loudly yell that my 21-month-old child was pulling another little girl, who appeared to be around 3–5 years old. I immediately called my child over. I completely understand the importance of intervening when one child may be acting like a kid when their space is invaded, especially if the other parent isn’t aware. However, there is a respectful and appropriate way to speak to young children and to other families in a public park. Her tone was unnecessarily harsh.
Afterward, I looked toward the swings to make sure neither of my twins had wandered over there. As I did, the daycare worker repeatedly asked, “Why are you staring at me?” Rudely like she was about to fight(very ghetto behavior) even though I was simply checking on my children from the far end of the park. The interaction was uncomfortable enough that I spoke with her another lady to find out she was the supervisor.
Unfortunately, I don’t have much confidence that the issue will be addressed. The worker seemed far too comfortable behaving that way, which makes me worry it isn’t the first time and may not be the last. My older son attended GEMS before it closed, and this daycare had been one I was considering. After today’s experience, I no longer would.
Beyond this incident, I’ve observed several safety concerns. On separate occasions, I noticed children left without close supervision. The other day a child named, Samantha(less than 21 months old) was by herself while no staff member appeared to be watching her, and I even had to help prevent her from jumping down from playground equipment on the wrong side because of her height. Even today( 8/6/26) a child named Musa was alone toward the back of the park after the group arrived. I know their names because I had observed the group during previous visits.
To be fair, I also noticed another staff member a Caucasian woman closely supervising the children, along with an African American staff member who was attentive as well today and the other day. That level of supervision is exactly what children deserve.
I’ve also noticed people coming to the park to smoke, making vigilant supervision even more important.
What stood out most today was that another parent standing nearby commented that the daycare worker’s tone toward my child was inappropriate. That confirmed I wasn’t the only one who felt her behavior was unnecessarily rude.
Children absolutely need guidance and correction when necessary, but they deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. Families sharing a public park deserve that same courtesy. I hope this concern is taken seriously so that interactions with children and parents remain professional, respectful, and focused on the children’s safety. Because I could’ve gone the same level of uncharacteristic behavior as she displayed but kept my cool for the sake of the kids and family present but this really is a culture that probably is tolerated inside that facility judging by the said supervisor not acting up on the situation or apology even after approaching her rather she took sides.
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shrutika prajapati
Jul 24, 2025
My son went here for 8 months and met the some of the sweetest teachers. Unfortunately we had to move and we were so sad to leave this daycare. He loved all teachers and the curriculum that kept him busy. Miss McKinze and Miss Edith will be dearly missed by him. Tammy the Director was always so helpful and friendly!
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Sean Stonecipher
Jul 24, 2025
We’ve had a great experience at Bright Horizons at Lakeshore East. Ms. Salina is incredibly attentive to the children’s needs and always communicates clearly with parents about any concerns. She also sets healthy boundaries with the kids in a calm and constructive way. Ms. Tami keeps everything running smoothly and creates a warm, well-organized environment. We’re grateful to have our son here.
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Meher Malapaka
Jul 21, 2025
I could not be more grateful to this wonderful team! This was our son's first time going to daycare and he is absolutely obsessed. Wakes up saying "Let's go to Ms. Mckenzie!!" every morning. They made the transition from nanny to daycare so seamless, thanks to their care and support. They even helped with his potty training. In just eight months, he’s learned to speak in full sentences and picked up such lovely manners. We truly love this place. Thank you for everything!
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Anadi Canepa
Aug 31, 2022
Our child has gone to Bright Horizons at Lake Shore East for one year by now. We are truly pleased with many aspects of the center. The management is excellent, as well as the app used for communications. Receiving photos and notes makes a huge diffence we always look forward to the moment when documentation is uploaded. During the pandemic, they had the stricter rules we knew of, and that was truly reassuring. As a result, we barely had any COVID-19 cases (quite different with respect to other schools). Our child learnt a lot, the teachers are really good. Most of them are also warm, and kind. Our child loved Mr Greg and loves Miss Brittany and Miss Dawn, talks about them and smiles when we look at photos together. The location of the center is beautiful and one of the reasons we chose it. We were looking for a daycare that would take the kids out for walks in the park, runs in the park. This is excellent for that, the kids walk to Maggie Daley park, take full advantage of that amazing space; they also walk along the river. The space inside the center is rather limited, yet the teachers are very good in creating playing opportunities, arts and crafts etc. Of course, the lack of large space is impacting the activity level during the winter.
We love those days when the environment is cheerful, kids have spontaneous interactions, dance, and there is some screaming (!). A lot depends on the chemistry between the kids and the teachers, and among the kids themselves, but we think this is something to strive for. Kids should be kids!