Kid City Pearland - Pearland TX Licensed Center - Child Care Program

Is this place perfect? No. What place is? I've worked for Kid City for a while and I can say that while it may not be perfect, they are a great company to work for. They are very caring and understanding when employees need time off and always try and accommodate us. This says a lot considering most places would not do that. I see the negative review, but feel that people should get the entire story before making a decision on this center. We work hard and love our kids in our classrooms. It is sad that there are people that are trying to sabatoge not just a complany, but those that are still here trying to do a good job.

While the company’s name, exterior/interior appearances and state of the art after-school side are all enough to drive in the few tours that it receives, I believe a true deciding factor lies in the truth of the ACTUAL individuals who aren’t concerned about ENROLLMENT NUMBERS or being used as warm bodies to sit in place until parents pick up.
I’ll give my truth starting with the owner, Mr. Tong, who appears to be both pleasant and meek, but behind closed doors thinks of his childcare employees as “replaceable”/disposable. (I guess only the parents worry about CONSISTENCY & FAMILIARITY when seeking care for their children) (Also a big factor in the extreme turnovers.) He is arrogant & disrespectful. He has a tendency to raise his voice (like parent to child) and succeeds at making his management team cry often. With the vast majority of his employees being African American I find it both ignorant & unprofessional for him to compare him surviving The LA Riots and stray bullets to me calling my transportation issue a struggle. Stating he lived in the “hood” insinuating I’d be able to relate. He acts as his own handy man fixing minor issues & repairs around the school, when he has time, (but expeditiously when licensing puts a fire under his behind.) Rugs are soaked in & reeks of urine. The water filter is broken & has been for quite some time. A kid once compared the taste to “pool water”. The oven cooks food unevenly, & will continue to do so until it absolutely has to be replaced. The bleach compartment in the washer has been broken for months which means sheets for cots aren’t as clean as they can be. Never have I ever witnessed mops being cleaned. They’re simply hung to dry for the next day. As frugal as he is, he continues to purchase what the kids NEVER eat & places limits on it all. Kids are only allowed ONE small serving of cereal & often beg for more. THAT CURRICULUM SUCKS!! I honestly believe it’s in place just to say they have one. Nothing is given to stimulate those growing little minds. In almost every class toys are outdated, puzzles have missing pieces & the reality is FAR from the painting that sometimes sells at a tour.
Then there’s Stacy, the director. The “Wing-It” Queen!! Though her approach on life is nonchalant, carefree and relaxed, it has a downside when it’s carried into work. NOTHING is ever consistent. She lies to Tong about classroom changes. She’s more forgetful than a director should be. Terminated a teacher after forgetting she needed to move. Simply neglecting her responsibility of documenting what was already approved. The classes aren’t checked as frequently as most schools check. She literally sits at the computer or in her office snacking or making corny jokes, until the wife of the owner comes in to regulate. During nap time one day, Stacy went from class to class in a desperate search for a silver sharpie marker (to color her KISS disguised turkeys) One of the only times I’ve seen the director display such determination. I just wished while under her leadership she would’ve been a better example, especially to those first time childcare workers who’ve lost all interest in such a rewarding field & walking out at only week 2. She lacks tact & breaks confidentiality daily.(What manager’s husband left them, custody concerns, employee dues & their issues OH & families outstanding balances) talk about loose lips!! So loose that she sometimes admits that she doesn’t know what she’s doing, ALOUD. In the presence of children she speaks without filter, even if profanity parts are whispered. SHE NEVER TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR HER ACTIONS OR LACK THERE OF. She told a story of a recent parent altercation, proceeding to call the black Mother GHETTO without hesitation. Never checked if there was anyone around that would feel offended. Rules are enforced with whom she chooses. Without much support, teachers are waking up to deal with children who spit, kick, punch, & even use swear words with teachers, their friends and even ADMIN. They’ve been unruly in many classrooms. Even though the Parent Handbook clearly warns all guardians of their Severe Behavior Plan and Suspension/Expulsion Policy, it’s never enforced. IF YOUR CHILD IS ENROLLED IN PS3 they’re subjected to ridicule & abuse from one particular student whose exuded many undesirable behaviors since toddler classrooms, including running out of the classroom. I told Stacy about that child inappropriately groping my breast & her unbelievable response was, “What boy doesn’t love boobs?” ???????????? IN PS2 THERE ARE MAYBE 3 CHILDREN WHO ARE ALL VIOLENT TOWARDS THEIR PEERS. IF YOUR CHILD IS ENROLLED IN PS5/PK ONE OF THE MANAGER’S SONS HAS ATTACKED MAYBE THE ENTIRE CLASS & TWO ADMINS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. ITS VERY POSSIBLE THAT ANY SITUATION INVOLVING THAT CHILD HAS BEEN COVERED UP & OVERLOOKED. There is also a black boy in the PS5/PK class who sometimes lashes out. Though he hasn’t been removed, his behavior isn’t taken as nearly as lightly as the manager’s kid & at such a tender age he’s learning the harsh reality of owning his complexion in this country. I wonder if his parents are aware of the blatant favoritism their son faces.
Lastly, my final piece of insight. I’ve never worked in a childcare facility that accepted children with disabilities which in my opinion was a definite plus for Kid City. However, other than their therapists there is no support for those children nor the supervising teachers. I was placed with an amazing co-teacher, who unlike “the higher ups” was very informative & about the children in our class. Neither Minimum Standards, Orientation, emergency preparedness plan or Stacy’s introduction prepared me for what I dealt with. Along with the three regularly disruptive students in my class we had an autistic friend who often ran out of the class, playground or anywhere he could escape. This behavior occurred long before my arrival. We weren’t provided training on working with our autistic friends. We didn’t have any posted signs warning of runners. No where in the class houses any information on what to do with our autistic friends & there is nothing listed informing caregivers of possible triggers. The previous 2nd teacher in the class told me how she’s voiced her concern with this matter & EVENT THEN, THERE WEREN’T ANY PREVENTIVE STEPS TAKEN. One afternoon during pick up, a parent mistakenly left the door open & he dashed out of the class. I attempted to grab the friend before he was out of my reach, in the midst, I fell. A teacher & more than a few parents witnessed. One parent ensured me that she’d speak to worker’s compensation if I wanted to involve them. I was able to hear another parent report the incident to the front desk. As often as Mr. Tong is at the school, it wasn’t until the following week he was made aware of the escape & my injury when I spoke with him privately. STACY LIED, stating she had no idea of me falling. (EVEN THOUGH a couple hours after the incident when I clocked out, she finally asked if I was ok) I even told him HIS DIRECTOR’S ADVICE was for me to LEAVE THE OTHER CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM & CHASE AFTER THE FRIEND. Both were made aware that as a parent & experienced preschool teacher I would never feel comfortable acting on the director’s “run after” suggestion. She even showed me a collection of saved “fall videos” of other staff. Trying to make light of the situation. For weeks I asked for help. I learned what worked for me was to keep the other 12-14 children calm, yell out to the front & follow up with a call, (sometimes 3) There were some days when I had to walk out & breathe. A manager was sent to help me during a rough time. Even with her assistance, he managed to escaped & she was there to bring him back. One day out of curiosity, I asked our friend’s therapist questions that led her to say NO ONE IN THE BUILDING IS QUALIFIED TO BE ALONE WITH HIM. Management continued to do nothing, & our friend continued to run.
Two weeks before Thanksgiving, I was asked to take 6 kiddos to the homework room. It wasn’t until after encountering one of the six kids, I realized that I now had two autistic children. One I knew absolutely nothing about. He proceeded to get a little rowdy, throwing chairs. While trying my hardest to calm him, my other friend was able to leave the room & go out of the exit door. Overwhelmed, it took me approximately 45 seconds to realize he was missing & even place a call to notify the front. Stacy was all smiles & even joked calling him an escapee. I had no idea that would be the reason my job would be taken. I was never reprimanded for the way I handled the situation until after my interview with licensing. While interviewing, I was truthful & told her even though I lacked notation, Tong, Stacy, Liz, Sarah, LaKendra, & that baby’s parents have known for a while about his curious exploration. After playing the termination episode over in my head, I realized she lied to Tong about the extra body placed in my class to prevent any escaping. (Ever since CPR certification, I have been alone in class from 11 am to 645!!) Tong & Stacy lied stating that Licensing suggested I was fired. Termination paper stated lack of supervision, but Stacy contradicted herself by stating my job was to use my better judgment. MY BETTER JUDGEMENT WAS TO STAY WITH THE MAJORITY & BREAK UP YOUR USELESS GOSSIPING & FACEBOOK USAGE, TO ACTUALLY DO YOUR JOB. Licensing hadn’t even ruled in the investigation yet. To cover their own behinds before State’s return they selfishly thought to cut ties with me & FINALLY take preventative measures & guard all doors with protectors. Wish they were as diligent when I asked for help. Good teachers in this industry are hard to find. Good luck to the incompetently rule & unorganized, revolving doors of Kid City Pearland ????