Morgan Morrison is a first-year academic advisor for students in the College of Arts & Letters at Old Dominion University. She gave birth to her first child, daughter Chloe, in April 2012. She remembers how tough it was when deciding what to do for childcare. “I was as nervous as one can get about going back to work,” says Morrison. “It was to the point of me just about quitting a job that I really like because I was in an absolute panic about leaving my baby for a full day at a time.”
Her concerns about returning to work were alleviated when she first visited Beginnings Infant and Toddler Care Center at the Simon Family JCC.
Morrison checked out Beginnings after a friend from her birthing class told her about it. “Immediately, I had a great vibe from the infant room lead teacher, Susan Rodgers. She was warm and nurturing, and the place was so homey.”
When Rodgers explained how babies spend their days, complete with tummy time activities and music, Morrison was encouraged, and decided to give the center a try.
The first day she left Chloe at Beginnings, she shed a few tears and went to work. Within hours, she was greeted by pictures and updates texted to her cell phone. “I saw with my own eyes how happy Chloe was, smiling and playing, getting hugs and looking so comfortable.”
Morrison is so happy with the program that she turned down an opening for a spot in a daycare center closer to work and home when it became available. “Chloe has thrived at Beginnings, so why would I move her?” she says. “She just started walking this week at 10 months! She is hitting all the milestones before schedule, and I attribute so much of that to being around other babies and getting all the attention she does from the wonderful staff at Beginnings.”
Beginnings staff work hard to ensure that all children in their care receive that special attention that Morrison has found so helpful for Chloe. Every week, they expose the children to special, age-appropriate curriculum, including daily tummy time for their littlest charges, music with guitarplaying “Ms. Cindy,” baby sign-language and a focus on individual letters and colors.
Beginnings has a few openings, but slots are filling fast. For more information about the center or to schedule a tour, visit Beginningsvb.org or contact Becky Feld, Beginnings director, at 321-2332.