Le Jardin Co-operative Daycare

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11 reviews

		Le Jardin Co-operative Daycare
	Non-profit daycare centre


	Not available,
	Ottawa, K1L8L4
	Ontario, Canada

	Le Jardin

Email: not available

	Tel.: not available

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Parents' reviews
(11 reviews posted)

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Warning: The accuracy of these reviews has not been verified; they only reflect the opinion of the parents who posted them. You should always do your own investigation. If you need any help, we invite you to read our guide on Choosing the right daycare provider.

Legend - 0: with deficiencies | 2: adequate | 4: first-class provider

Childcare provider: Le Jardin

I obtained services from this non-profit daycare centre and I find that:

"We're back with Le Jardin again now that our second child is old enough to attend. We feel empowered having a such a strong and vital role in our child's daily care, and we have become better parents through what we have learned from our ECE and through our interactions with the other parents and children. As a result of the positive learning environment at Le Jardin, our first child was totally ready for JK when she started last fall, even though she had not quite turned 4."

Molly Morse (69.158.174....), Aug 14th 2012

+4	Childcare provider: Le Jardin I obtained services from this non-profit daycare centre and I find that: "Being involved with Le Jardin is a unique and life lasting experience. Your whole family will benefit from it!"
	Anonymous (171.161.160....), Jul 17th 2012

Childcare provider: Le Jardin

I obtained services from this non-profit daycare centre and I find that:

"The childcare provider is experienced and is really caring about the kids. The childcare provider is good at quickly knowing your child to understand his/her needs. The best of both worlds: a licensed ECE in a family-type of daycare/ambiance. Lots of activities proposed. The flexibility is really appreciated. Good collaboration with parents. Can't think of anyone/anywhere else to take care of my kids!"

Anonymous (205.193.94....), Nov 8th 2011

Childcare provider: Le Jardin

I obtained services from this non-profit daycare centre and I find that:

"Our family recently "graduated" from Le Jardin after nearly five years -- both our son and daughter attended LJ from around 12 months to 4 years of age and it is a place we will always think of with much fondness and pride.

We cannot say enough about LJ's wonderful RECE Lana -- she has been a loving and enthusiastic educator who will always be very dear to us. She has a real genius for reading and meeting the needs of both children and parents, which is incredibly helpful in a co-operative setting.

Le Jardin has been a big part of our lives, in part because of the volunteer components -- Duty Days, operational tasks and meetings can be time-consuming -- and also because the children and parents have become friends. This "family-like" environment is perhaps the best thing about LJ: there's genuine support and concern for each child and family, and the operation of the daycare truly depends upon all the members "making it work." It's been an experience well worth the effort and we count ourselves fortunate to have had the opportunity to be a part of Le Jardin."

"team Blair" (174.92.88....), Sep 6th 2011

Childcare provider: Le Jardin

I obtained services from this non-profit daycare centre and I find that:

"We recently joined this daycare and are very happy with all aspects of our daughter's care. The main caregiver is dedicated, compassionate and very very knowledgeable. Not only has she helped us through the transition, but I know she will be an incredible resource for us in the years to come.

It is important to understand going in that this daycare model requires a significant commitment of time and energy to your child's care. Having said that, it has been wonderful to join this great community of children and parents. I particularly love the commitment to healthy food, the twice daily exercise, and the abundance of creative play. Le Jardin is a wonderful daycare."

Sarah (174.92.92....), Sep 4th 2011

Childcare provider: Le Jardin

I obtained services from this non-profit daycare centre and I find that:

"Really there is nothing like this daycare, anywhere. It is a loving/learning space for children.. and even for adults because it is a parent owned and operated daycare. Working one on one with other parents, and with our Early Childhood Educator is a once in a lifetime treat, you know that you are not alone in the way your child may be behaving, or in the way that YOU are feeling sometimes. You learn solutions that are kind and effective for behaviours.

You have a say in what they eat, what they learn, how they are treated.. There is no other daycare that you can have that with! Its pretty much drop off your kid and dont ask questions. No thanks!

We feel so very lucky to have found this place, and to be able to contribute to its ongoing above average ways."

Team Sades (173.35.64....), Sep 2nd 2011

Childcare provider: Le Jardin

I obtained services from this non-profit daycare centre and I find that:

"My 20 month old daughter is currently in this daycare and we cannot say enough good things about it! It's a wonderful feeling to drop your child off each day at a place in which you know she will be feel happy and loved. The Early Childhood Educator they have working with the children has tons of experience and really stimulates and engages each child in a thoughtful and compassionate way. My daughter has developed so much since being at Le Jardin and she amazes me each day with what she has learned to do!
The food they serve is all organic, vegetarian and super nutritious with tons of variety. The kids seem to really look forward to eating yummy and nutritious snacks and lunches!
Our daughter is just so happy going to daycare every day. We feel lucky to have found Le Jardin!"

Anonymous (75.119.246....), Aug 7th 2011

Childcare provider: Le Jardin

I obtained services from this non-profit daycare centre and I find that:

"My son has been a member of this daycare for the past year and we have truly benefitted from the excellent service, hands on approach, parental participation and manageable number of children.

THE BASIC DETAILS:
Ratio: There are a maximum of 6 children in the daycare and two adults.

Supervision: One of the adults is a parent (rotational role shared between all members of the daycare) and the other is an Early Childhood Educator as a permanent fixture

Layout: The layout is well thought out with attention to safety and atmosphere for the kids. There is a backyard that is used year round.

The Daily Routine: The kids are fed well, have their individual quirks accounted for, and have plenty of interaction with each other and the adults, as well as intellectual stimulation and physical play. There is a nap time as well and remarkably all the kids sleep around the same time.

The Food: The menues are prepared at the end of the week and shared with all the parents by Monday. The food is made on the premises and is vegetarian, locally sourced if possible and organic.

THE WORKLOAD
This is a co-op so it is not a case of dropping your kids off and picking them up and giving a check once a month. All parents have specific roles to play including:

Being a duty day parent: i.e. being one of the adults at the daycare for one day out of the week

Food: Rotational schedule amongst parents to prepare the menu and do the shopping (this averages out to once every 5 weeks)
Cleaning: the daycare is given a thorough cleaning each week on a rotational basis by each of the families (it averages out to once every 5 weeks)

Monthly Meetings: a monthly meeting with the other families to discuss the admin, financing, programming, and other issues as related to the operation of the daycare.

Programming: Developing the program for the week for the kids – usually theme based subjects with books from the library, music, food etc. all contributing to the topics

Finance / Admin: Managing the finances for the day care, scheduling and tracking decisions and meeting outcomes

THE BENEFITS
Because it is a co-op, the costs paid on a monthly basis are for the operation of the daycare are not for making a profit. Costs cover: salary of the early child hood educator, rent for the premises, food, utilities, some miscellaneous expenses

You are involved in the running of the daycare. We all have lingering doubts at some point or the other when it comes to entrusting the care of our children to others, and because the parents are an integral part of the operation of this daycare you get a very good sense of how your child is adapting and engaging in the daycare.

You get to meet other hip and happening (level of hipness may vary) parents, exchange ideas and expand your social circle a bit further

THE DRAWBACKS
There is a time commitment and an investment of your efforts in running the daycare, and this may not be suitable for everyone depending on their lifestyle, current circumstances and energy levels. Usually when it is my family’s turn to do the cleaning I moan and groan but that because I don’t like cleaning. However because we all engage in the development of the monthly schedule for the daycare, there is some flexibility and horse trading so we are not giving up on things we want to do on specific weekends.

If you really want to get technical, the costs you pay each month do not include the time you invest in the day care. If you factor that time in, and give it a monetary value, then your monthly financial contributions are higher – but that is more of a mind set and reflective of what your most pressing priorities are. In our case, being involved in the operation of the daycare and seeing how our son is being cared for is worth the time we are investing.

CONCLUSION
Overall I like the daycare, how it is run and being involved with the other parents. I also like taking a hand in watching our son interact with the other children and knowing first hand that he is not seemingly lost in a crowd but that his own individuality and quirks are being nurtured, tolerated, laughed at and guided. Because of the excellent ratio, our early childhood educator can and does give meaningful feedback and guidance to us as parents on the developmental stages of our son, coping strategies a la Super Nanny, and how to interact with him."

Muni Ahlawat (67.210.171....), Dec 7th 2010

Childcare provider: Adrienne - Comm. Co-Ord.

I obtained services from this non-profit daycare centre and I find that:

"Le Jardin continues to be a great pleasure to be a part of.

My wife and I were looking for a childcare option that allowed us to be more involved in our daughter's development, yet still keep our jobs! We were also looking to broaden our support network since we don't have any close family nearby.

My wife and I take great satisfaction in the level of involvement that we have and the friends we have made. We also have great peace of mind knowing that our child is being attended to by a fellow parent, in addition to a professional Early Childhood Educator. This peace of mind is reinforced when one of us is the attending parent, and we are involved first hand in the daily activities and routine. Due to the high parental involvement, we feel that there is a very high standard of loving care. Our daughter loves going, and a part-time option allowed us to ease in to daycare at the beginning.

We hear from friends about their daycare situations and thank our lucky stars! The success is a result of a very simple feedback: Due to our involvement it is easy to identify something that might be unsatisfactory, and if there is something unsatisfactory we can easily act to improve the situation due to our involvement."

Peter Morse (134.117.142....), Mar 10th 2009

Childcare provider: Adrienne (comm. Coord.)

I obtained services from this non-profit daycare centre and I find that:

"Le Jardin was a wonderful experience for both our daughter and us as parents. Initially we were hesitant about the one day per week committment required in a co-op daycare given our busy work schedules. However, after a couple of days, our voulunteer day became something that we looked forward to. It gave us an opportunity to be with all the children, learn from the other parents and also from Lana the primary caregiver. We also enjoyed the opportunity to be part of the decision making that shapes our child's education and the co-op nature of this daycare allows for it.

Further mroe, we cannot say enough about Lana whose caring and patient nature combined with many years of experience makes her an invaluable part of this daycare.

We relocated for work reasons, otherwise our daughter would still be at Le Jardin. She still speaks of Lana and says she liked her friends at Le Jardin.

We would highly recommend Le Jardin to any parent who is willing and able to make the time commitment that is required in a co-op environment."

Mei (207.236.147....), Sep 23rd 2008

Childcare provider: Adrienne (comm. Coord.)

I obtained services from this non-profit daycare centre and I find that:

"We cannot say enough about the quality of care provided by LeJardin. We had our daughter at LeJardin from late 2006 until July 2008 (we left because we no longer needed childcare services.) It is without question an exceptional daycare.

Quality of care at LeJardin depends on parental involvement. Each (full-time) family is required to "work" at the daycare one day a week (so-called "duty days"), attend monthly meetings and assume responsibility for at least one task (cleaning, grocery shopping, communications, finances and so on -- tasks are allocated consensually).

That may sound onerous but it is actually enjoyable (provided you have the time -- see below). It is also a crucial part of the LeJardin culturalization process. Parents not only get to know other parents but they also get to get to know and appreciate the way their children interact with the other daycare kids. It's a lovely experience and it doesn't take long to feel like the daycare is a big extended family.

LeJardin's full-time early childhood educator (ECE), Lana St. Jean, is another reason why LeJardin is an exception daycare. If memory serves, she has close to 20 years of experience working at, and later running, daycares in Ontario and British Columbia. She could have worked at any top-notch daycare in Ottawa but chose LeJardin because of its unique daycare model. She makes duty days fun and interesting and is always available for parents who want to chat about their child's progress.

Finally, LeJardin is very affordable. Costs fluctuate somewhat from month-to-month due to changing grocery costs (and the odd purchase of equipment) but rarely exceed $700 for full-time care. Sometimes the monthly cost is considerably less (closer to $600).

That said, LeJardin is not for everyone. You obviously need to have at least one free day a week to devote to working at the daycare (once every two weeks if you are part time). You need to be able to work well with others -- all daycare decisions are made collectively and almost always consensually. Above all, you have to have a strong desire to be involved in your child's daycare experience. If this fits your situation, I would strongly recommend you check out LeJardin. You will not be disappointed."

Marc-Andre Pigeon (207.112.54....), Sep 19th 2008

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