Pauline Carlson and her family, plus one full-time employee, run a nice in-home daycare for outer NE Portland families. My kids don't actually go there because she didn't have two open full-time spots, but I'd recommend it to anyone who lives nearby. It has all of the basics, and one huge advantage. They have a huge, three-story open room built off the back of the house that has tumbling mats, three different height balance beams, coated mirrors, and a bouncehouse for winter indoor activities. None of the other in-home centers I have visited had this much playspace inside for when it's too wet to play outside. They also have a good-sized backyard. My first complaint would be that the daycare is housed in their basement and they could have done a better job brightening things up so it doesn't feel so much like a utility room! My only other complaint is that they do not have a third official employee. The third spot is juggled, most likely with great skill, by her husband (who works nights) and 16-year-old son. They also have a homeschooled teenage daughter that's always around. That being said, their prices are a little better than many in-home centers that have half of the indoor space that they do. There is also a Mandarin language component to the preschool curriculum they use for the older kids.
more