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When we moved to Bozeman in April, 2000, we needed to find daycare for Colter that didn't consist of me being a stay-at-home-dad or bringing him to Grandma Sue's. His mom did the searching and found a wonderful place called The Children's Place. Colter took a few days to get used to it, but began to flourish as they recognized how smart my little guy is. The hardest part actually had more to do with all the of new germs he encountered (and brought home--how many of you can say you've contracted "Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease?" Well I can!)
The school always seemed to be just on the edge of financial disaster. First, they lost the lease on the original building and found temporary shelter in the basement classrooms of a Baptist church (always wondered how they got away with dancing down there). Then some intrepid parents formed an LLC and bought a house right behind the church. They gutted it and turned it into a great preschool. There was an infant room, one for toddlers and the main area for the preschoolers.
Unfortunately, it appears that no one actually knew how to run this little non-profit. We got word last week that the IRS came calling for over $12,000 in payroll taxes due within a week or so. There was an emergency meeting of the board on Thursday night and it was decided nothing could be done and TCP would have to close. Well, no one but the board found out until Friday morning when kids were being dropped off. Jennifer and I had decided already we were going to look for a new place because we didn't see how it could continue, but we figured we'd have a couple of weeks to get something together. Jennifer and I went to two places Friday morning, she called the Child Development Center at MSU and I called another one. We looked at those two over the lunch hour, and decided on MSU. I left work at 3:30 to get Colter and his stuff from The Children's Place and take him to the new one so he could get a look at.
He seemed suitably impressed, even found out a couple of boys he knows are going there. But when I take him on Monday, we'll see how prepared he is. When I went to pick him up, I didn't want to spend much time there. I just wanted to get his stuff and get the hell out. I was too mad to talk to anyone. Too mad that such a great place was essentially run into the ground and yes, that a week earlier, we had paid the whole damn month's tuition. About $780 (split between Jenn and I) right down the fucking toilet and now we have to come up with another $543 (pro-rated) for the new one.
On the whole, maybe it won't be such a tough transition. After all, he'll be starting Kindergarten in the fall, and he would have been split from at least most of his friends anyway. We're very impressed with the facility and the teachers. I've already warned work, that after spending only about four hours there Friday, that I have no idea when I'll be in on Monday after I take him to the new place.
