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Review content:
I was fortunate enough to be able to stay home with my first two children, but with my third I could not, due to starting law school. I could not find very many reviews about Safari, and I realize now, why. I sent in a comment to the corporate office, as well as posting another review, but they must have deleted any “negative” reviews. That seems fairly suspect…. \r
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We enrolled in two different centers, because I thought it was just an anomaly that the first center did not work out for us. Both were identical in terms of bad business practices. First, the staff turnover rate was extremely high. My son went to Pre-K day care for 4 months, and we must have seen a dozen different teachers and staff. I finally had a candid conversation with one of the staff members, and she told me that they get paid minimum wage, and get no vacation or holidays at all during the year. Also, Safari employs teachers right out of school, and as soon they can find something that pays better, they move on. All the teachers I spoke with were very nice, although they all seemed extremely overworked and stressed. Often they were worried about things that seemed more administrative, such as being able to provide lunches or running out of supplies. The same staff member told me that it was because their corporate office is extremely concerned with their budget, and therefore will only purchase the cheapest, most generic foods, and as minimally as possible. I witnessed one of the staff have an emotional break down and run out of the center one evening, after having a telephone conversation with her boss. \r
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The temperature in the buildings was also at times unbearable. I would drop my son off in the morning, and during the summer it was entirely too hot. In the fall/winter, it was freezing when I would come in to pick him up. Often, he would be hungry and very cranky. He developed two viral infections during the time period there. That was the final straw. It is very difficult to entrust strangers with the care of your child, and I sincerely believe that there is something suspicious about the very structure of this company. Perhaps they are worried more about the “bottom line” and financial issues, rather than the well being of the children. Whatever it is, I won’t be returning. I enrolled my son in Kinder Care, and we have been very pleased. \r
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Hopefully this review will help others with making an informed decision about where to send their children, if it doesn’t get deleted like my first review. \r
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