What does this phrase mean?

[playfelt]

So was looking at ads from fellow caregivers to get an idea of what everyone was offering and featuring and what the norms for my area seemed to be. Found this phrase in one of the ads. Anyone care to explain the term "mushrooms" because it is a new one to me. Wouldn't want to be in the middle of an interview and have a parents ask something. I have my own idea of what it refers to but thought I would ask.

"our daycare space is not in a basement but on the main level of our home, no mushrooms here!"

Not all basement playrooms are dark, damp, dungeons suitable only for mushrooms or at least that is my interpretation of the term but am looking for other ideas.

[waterloo day mom]

I had the same interpretation as you. As long as your basement has lots of windows and is dry and clean, I don't see why this is a problem. I would also emphasize that you take the children outside for lots of fresh air

[Spixie33]

Ihey are trying to say in a cute way that their playground is upstairs and away from any possible damp mold growth.
You two seem to have it pegged.

[Emilys4Guppies]

It's absolutely referring to the daycare not being in the basement. There are many basement daycares and they can be an ideal situation. But I also think that many basement daycares feel cramped and dark (not all but many). I have 4 daycares within 4 blocks of my house and all are basement daycares. Only 1 of them would I consider bright and cheerful. I know that during my last set of interviews I had quite a few parents ask if my daycare was in the basement during their phone interview...it IS a selling point and she seems to know that, although she is being cheeky.

[playfelt]

I have noticed a lot of people are using their livingroom/diningroom combo spaces for their daycare instead of a basement. I know the concept of natural light and all that but never thought about it from any other angle. I know I run a dehumidifier in my basement just in case. We spend about an hour or a bit more down there a day and the rest of the time we are upstairs for eating, naps, and most activities as we use the tables and chairs. The basement playroom is where we do freeplay and I do individual lessons with each one based on interest and needs at the time since I deal with a mix of ability.

[mom-in-alberta]

I am a little offended, because our main playroom is in the basement, but it is a cute way to get parents attention, hahaha.
We spend time both upstairs and down, as well as heading outside at least once a day. I can see why someone would not love having their kids in a damp, dark cellar-type space. But if the lighting is good, the floor and ambient air is a comfortable temperature, and the room(s) is/are set up properly; who cares?

[jodaycare]

My daycare is in my basement and it is bright and colourful. There are definitely "no mushrooms" down there!

[Judy Trickett]

Meh, I'm not offended. She's found an angle to set her daycare apart in some way. We can't blame her for being business savvy. You just need to find YOUR angle and advertise that. And then parents can decide what angle is most important to them and go from there.

[playfelt]

You are right about the angle thing. Any parent that would turn down interviewing just because I have a basement play area is not the right family for me anyways. I am in the midst of interviewing and of those that actually make it to the interview phase and don't get turned down after initial contact there are still about three catagories I can divide the families into including the gee I sure hope this family doesn't want me cause as much as I want my space filled.... well I'm sure we have all had those kind of interviews where the family sounded perfect on the phone or in the email but once the list of questions and demands came out I was wishing it wasn't my house so I could run away.

[lilac]

our playroom is in the basement too, I tell the parents that we spend a lot of time there in the winter months but we get out side as much as possible and practically spend the summer outside. I dont allow the kids to eat downstairs, and we do our crafts upstars as well, so while in the winter we do spend a significant amount of time down there, it isnt ALL day. Also, our basement is fully finished, insulated, carpeted, lots of light and actually we do get a lot of natural light from the windows there. However, I'm surprised at thenumber of daycares I interviewed when I was looking for care for my kids and also looking at ads w/ pixs posted at how many daycares were playrooms in unfinished basements. Area rugs on the floor, or sometimes not, bare concrete walls, sometimes just bedsheets tacked up on the wall over the pink insulation.... sooo surprised! It didnt affect my decision on where my kids went, but I was surprised to see that...