Published February 23, 2011 by Advance newspapers
By Matt Marn
Nanny on Demand, a franchise started in Caledonia, is now coming to the rescue of parents on the southwest side of town.
The staff at Nanny on Demand’s Wyoming location, at 5783 Byron Center Ave. SW, will watch young children for up to 4 hours while parents switch shifts at work, travel to medical appointments, or even get away for a much-needed break.
Children age 1 through 7 are welcome at the facility.
“I love this age,” said Shannon Schut, owner of the Wyoming facility. “My kids are all teens. Seeing them learn something new, their laughter, the convenience... I wish I had this service when my kids were this age.”
Since the Wyoming facility opened, they have been featured in newspapers and on local news programs, but most of all, they have grown by word of mouth and by handing out flyers around the community.
“People are starting to get very excited and pick up on the idea,” Schut said. “We are the only drop-off facility for short-term day care in Michigan.”
Schut said there are different areas of the room for a variety of activities the children participate in, from crafts and puzzles to reading and learning numbers.
“We just try to give them a new experience every time they come in,” she said.
The staff is also setting up specific times for larger playgroups, which will focus on more group interactions as well as helping build stronger friendships between the children.
Schut and the two other staff members all have backgrounds in child development or teaching. Schut said getting the children off on the right foot with the right influences is critical at this early age.
She encourages parents in need of short-term day care to come in and give it a try.
“Just bring your kids in here, and you’ll be so much more relaxed,” she said. “Let them enjoy the crafts, and have fun. Give them a break from traveling to all the appointments.”
Kim Jackson, of Grand Rapids, has children 1 and 2 years old. Jackson had never left her kids alone with anyone besides her husband before she walked in to Nanny on Demand.
She was nervous at first, having never left her kids with another person. When she came in the first time with her children, she conducted a “two-hour interview,” she said, but when she left, Jackson was satisfied that her kids were in very good hands.
“I have been bringing my two kids here for about a month now, and I hope that speaks volumes,” Jackson said. “I enjoy it. I love the people. I love the security about this place. After you bring them back time and time again, they get so comfortable, it’s like a second home.”
Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturdays by appointment. Rates are $10 per hour, and packages are also available at $90 and $150 which offer lower hourly rates.
For more information about Nanny on Demand, call 608-6623.
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