MC
Melissa Curtis
Oct 27, 2026
**PSA TO ALL PARENTS: Think twice before joining the Sterling location if you need childcare!**
I joined OneLife Fitness in September but left the Sterling location after a very short time because of repeated issues with their Kids Club.
In just one month, childcare was unexpectedly closed three times. The first time, I understood that emergencies happen. After the second time, I asked the manager how we could know ahead of time before driving all the way to the gym. He told me closures would be posted on Facebook, but when I checked, there was no post. He was understanding when I called, apologized, and assured me the issue would be fixed. Unfortunately, childcare closed unexpectedly a third time that same month.
As a parent, getting yourself and a toddler out the door to work out is already an accomplishment. Being turned away after driving there, especially when you pay EXTRA for childcare every month, is incredibly frustrating. Members shouldn't have to check Facebook daily just to find out whether a service they're paying for is available.
I was also concerned about the childcare staffing. In my experience, Sterling typically has only one worker in the Kids Club, even during busy evening hours. I strongly prefer having multiple adults present for adequate supervision, accountability, and everyone's safety, including reducing the risk of potentially harmful or inappropriate situations. This isn't an accusation that anything inappropriate has occurred; it's a reasonable precaution when entrusting someone else with your child. I include this in my review because I wish I had known this was their policy when I joined.
When childcare closed for the third time, the manager offered to let me use the Ashburn location, which I appreciated. However, I had already driven to Sterling with my toddler and now had to drive elsewhere to access the childcare I was paying for. During our conversation, the manager had to leave for a meeting and waved for us to leave his office while I was still explaining my concerns. He brushed me off and did not make any attempt to apologize or make this right. This should have been handled much more professionally and respectfully.
My husband and I genuinely liked the gym itself, and Sterling is much more convenient for us, but these issues led me to leave that location and switch to Ashburn.
If you're joining primarily for childcare, I strongly recommend reconsidering the Sterling location. Ask about staffing levels, whether there is typically more than one adult in the room, and what happens when employees call out. If a gym charges extra for childcare, families should be able to rely on that service. When childcare is unavailable, parents lose access to the workout they're paying for, too.
I hope Sterling makes meaningful changes, but based on my experience, I cannot recommend its Kids Club to other parents.