https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 03:22:58 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1655146 Fri, 23 May 2014 12:32:54 +0000 .twist. 1655146@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ugh. I have a walk through with a daycare on Wednesday, they had told me there was room for L in July and when I called to schedule the walk through the director kinda stumbled around and said she wasn't sure there would be room any more because of a bunch of people leaving and they had to fill spots... </p> <p>Not even sure what the point of the walk through is if there's no room for me. There aren't any other affordable day cares around (just Montessori style ones). I'm panicking a little. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1655128 Fri, 23 May 2014 12:25:13 +0000 Sparkler 1655128@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Daycare in my area is absurd. 1 year waiting list for most places for infant spot, but easier as kids get older. Preschool apps are due in November for the following year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1647334 Tue, 20 May 2014 14:19:59 +0000 tlynne 1647334@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For the preschools we liked, it was difficult (though I wouldn't say competitive). We thought we lucked out with our first choice when DS was 18 months old, but a year later, we were looking for a new program, since the preschool wasn't meeting DS's needs. We wanted to use a Montessori program in our area - the issue was not space (they had several slots) or testing - it was financial. A lot of great programs in my area have extremely high fees - even with a scholarship, it turned out that Montessori school would have a monthly cost equal to my car payment and mortgage put together!! We finally found a great little preschool not far from home that had just opened. The slots there filled quickly, though, and there is now a waiting list. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1647280 Tue, 20 May 2014 14:02:19 +0000 CakeLady 1647280@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@septca: I certainly felt crazy, but I figured in the long run it would be one less thing to worry about. Now I just need to find a nanny for the end of August. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1647277 Tue, 20 May 2014 14:01:32 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1647277@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Maybe it's because we started looking 6 months before enrolling, but we didn't have a problem.</p> <p>However, our choice kindergarten operates on a lottery system. Not sure what we'll do if he doesn't get in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1647259 Tue, 20 May 2014 13:57:22 +0000 septca 1647259@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@CakeLady: I may have thought you were crazy before I had a kid in a city, but now I think you sound really SMART. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1647251 Tue, 20 May 2014 13:55:59 +0000 sunny 1647251@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We got on a waitlist when I was 4 months pregnant and didn't get a call about an open spot until LO was 8 months. I ended up being a SAHM so it was irrelevant. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1647239 Tue, 20 May 2014 13:53:51 +0000 CakeLady 1647239@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are planning to do a nanny share because there were so few daycare options I felt good about for infants - they had long waiting lists too. </p> <p>I'm sure this will sound insane, but I put down a deposit for a spot in a full day preschool program that begins at 2 years old because it was so highly recommended and we loved our visit so much. LO will be born in June... crazy I know. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1647179 Tue, 20 May 2014 13:42:12 +0000 teamjse 1647179@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, some problems here, we have been on the waiting list going on +2 years. I got on the waiting list when I found out I was pregnant because it's really competitive in our area. Lo is almost 2 and we have yet to be call from the waiting list. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1647158 Tue, 20 May 2014 13:38:19 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 1647158@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sort of.. I knew from HB that preschools were competitive, so we started looking in February for a fall start. We fell in love &amp; paid for her spot in May.</p> <p>This winter, open-enrollment started in January. Existing students got to enrol a day early, and the 3yo class filled in two days. There are no more openings! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1647091 Tue, 20 May 2014 13:22:33 +0000 heffalump 1647091@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No..... but my mil used to be a preschool director and knows the right people :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646985 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:59:27 +0000 mamimami 1646985@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With our neighborhood school (private), it was pretty easy. With the school our son will start at for next year, it was more complicated and involved a fairly extensive application, interview, evaluation, etc. I work there so I knew our chances were good, but I still sweated it out a little bit! It's a prek-12 so he may well spend the next 15 years there!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646984 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:58:52 +0000 BananaPancakes 1646984@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not competitive in the sense that he has to test in, but they have very few spots and do first come first serve every year. I waited in a line one Monday morning from 2:30am until 9 when the sign ups were and got the 2nd out of 3 spots. He starts in September, and this was back in January. </p> <p>But the elementary I want to get him into is very competitive because it is a magnet public school. The preschool he'll be at has almost 100% acceptance rate to this elementary, so I'm hoping he'll thrive there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646983 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:58:31 +0000 Weagle 1646983@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't had to do the daycare thing, and preschool was a "fastest fingers" type thing to get one of 8 spots. However, elementary school will be a beast. I've never talked to anyone in our neighborhood that's been above #100 for the lottery. We'll probably enter, but actually plan on either going to the neighborhood elementary school or homeschooling. I'm kind of crossing my fingers that we'll be in a different area (state?) before middle school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646974 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:56:13 +0000 NovBaby1112 1646974@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>nope...we have a ton of daycares in the area to choose from, and when we wanted to put LO in daycare around 11 months I called around to a bunch of places and they all had openings- even the more montessori/school type settings. we ended up going with a small in-home though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646963 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:53:47 +0000 septca 1646963@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You already know my sob story, but I'll share again anyway.</p> <p>Daycare #1: Signed up as soon as the second line showed up, we got #161 on the waitlist. Moved up slowly and when DD was 13 months we were really close to the top... until they moved us to the toddler room wait list. We are #56. DD is 16 mo.</p> <p>Daycare #2: Signed up when DD was about 8 mo, were told it would be 18 months before we could get a spot. A few months ago, we were #1 on the waitlist and we *may* get a spot in September... when DD is 20 mo.</p> <p>We have a nanny. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646939 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:40:49 +0000 Anagram 1646939@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It wasn't competitive, but there were waitlists. I put myself on a few waitlists when I was 4 months pregnant, and needed childcare of LO when she was 6 months. </p> <p>I *barely* got a space in the daycare close to my house, and I think probably only because I kept calling and practically begging--first they told me there was no space--then she said she would "see", then I got a space. </p> <p>Very mysterious, but I didn't want to question it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646938 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:40:16 +0000 Alivoo01 1646938@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Fortunately, no. I heard about these wait lists on HB and started my search half way through my pregnancy. When I told the director's when we thought about enrolling DS, they were all like whoa! y'all started early!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646916 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:29:34 +0000 Freckles 1646916@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We put LO's name on the list in March. Expected date is for September 2015 and we're not even sure if she'll get in. Most Montessori/Learning Centres worth getting into have 1.5-2 year wait lists. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646906 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:24:04 +0000 looch 1646906@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@shinymama: the dreaded lottery! I have my eye on a program for kindergarten and I am kind of dreading that process. I will apply and we'll see what happens. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646904 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:23:48 +0000 catlady 1646904@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It wasn't "competitive" in the sense that we needed to be a better applicant than others, but there are definitely long waitlists at all the daycares in our area, especially for full time infants. We put in applications right after we announced our pregnancy and ended up getting into all our daycares so we had a choice. I heard from other people who waited until their baby was born that they had trouble securing a spot anywere. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646902 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:22:49 +0000 yoursilverlining 1646902@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There was a waiting list for LO to get into daycare, but I wouldn’t really say it was a “competitive” process; it was just the outcome of not enough great daycares/schools + plenty of need. Every higher end center I called had lengthy waiting lists. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646900 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:22:26 +0000 shinymama 1646900@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thankfully, no. They held our infant slot for us because of the personal relationship we have with them, but we were willing to pay the monthly fee even if LO was not attending just to secure it.</p> <p>Preschool might prove to be a little trickier. I have my eye on a dual immersion academy with waitlists and a lottery system, but I'm hoping a good friend {who is friends with the director} can help with that. :goodluck: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646895 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:20:17 +0000 Cherrybee 1646895@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We struck gold because we only wanted two days per week and our daycare of choice (Ofstead rating: outstanding) had a part time vacancy for Thursday/Friday (but no full time and no first half of the week!). They don't even have a waiting list any more, they just turn you down if they don't have a vacancy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646887 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:17:57 +0000 Grace 1646887@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yup. There's not enough daycares in the city. I put LO on waitlists 8 months before she was born and she's got a place for when she's 13 months old. And we're lucky! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646883 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:17:25 +0000 mrsjyw 1646883@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep all of the montessori/private/etc schools around here are competitive and have wait lists and also cost more. I think it's pretty much the standard in most areas, no? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646876 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:15:07 +0000 mediagirl 1646876@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, for the most part the "special" schools have wait lists and are expensive. They are also only school year daycares so they don't cover your summer daycare needs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646862 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:08:48 +0000 Smurfette 1646862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not so far. We signed her up in January for June spot (infant). Luckily the school we are moving her too had an opening. They have a set amount of kids for each room 2:8 ratio, no more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646845 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:02:55 +0000 Silva 1646845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was like that just for daycare centers. I don't know where we will be living when she starts preschool (we are waiting until she is 3) but as soon as we know, I will have her on wait lists. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/was-it-competitive-getting-your-lo-into-daycaremontessoripreschooletc#post-1646840 Tue, 20 May 2014 12:01:26 +0000 nana87 1646840@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes in that there are very very few spots in my neighborhood! But I don't think the selection criteria was competitive, since lo wasn't born when we started looking so it's not like based on an assessment of her, it was mostly luck </p>