Lighthouse Child Development Center

We LOVE the Lighthouse! My son just recently left to start Kindergarten and was there for 2.5 years. I highly recommend this place! It’s the next best thing to being at home with them yourself. I cannot say enough good things about the school, their care, and their staff!

Amazing child care, the teachers are so hands-​on and supportive, my daughter thrived in their environment and loved going to school. She learned so much and I couldn’t be more thankful for lighthouse. Miss Sandy is an amazing director and supportive of the child’s needs and development.

Here’s a list of why we left after 2.5 weeks:
1. Day one I asked that my son be given his lovie at nap time. I was told a few times before I left that they would give it to him. When I picked him up later that day it was still in his cubby. They said he fell asleep too quickly so they couldn’t give it to him.
2. They weren’t writing me notes. They would check a couple boxes that he ate but nothing was written day one or day two until I asked Ms. Sandi about it on day three. Then we started getting notes here and there
3. After 2 weeks my son was still crying when I would drop off, to be expected but listen. When you walk into the Pond at 7:45 (toddler room) one or two ladies are sitting directly across from the door and the kids are on the play mat. There’s no warm fuzzies, more like a hey g’morning. «You can set him on my lap» well we tried this method and it was terrible. Think of kids on Santa’s lap. I mean getting down on a kids’ level and connecting, showing them the toys and engaging or distracting NEVER happened in front of me. Instead it was, «he’ll be fine — have a good day»
3. My husband noticed a couple times in a row that when he would arrive our son would be crying all alone at the gate. The staff would all be under a shade tree chit chatting (which is fine if the children are all playing). I asked the teachers about comforting my crying child. They said that my son got sad when other dad’s would come to pick up their kids. That he preferred men. That if they picked him up he would kick his legs and they felt like they looked like they were restraining him. I asked what they were doing to redirect or engage him. They said that they try but he just gets sad because his dad comes to the gate waves, and then leaves to walk all the way through the building to sign my son out before coming to get him. My husband was shocked by this answer when i told him because he said there was no truth to it. The point is, they let my son cry and feel alone more than once.
4. That day I asked my FB mom’s group if they had experience here. The majority of responses were similar, I knew a decision would have to be made soon, but I didnt want to jump the gun.
5. The day after I asked about consoling my son I decided to come a little later, maybe things would be different. I walked in about 8:30 one teacher was spreading cream cheese on a bagel, looked up at me and then looked back down at her bagel. The other one was sitting at the breakfast table with one child sitting next to her. She too looked up at me, and then right back down to the child. No good morning or hello to my son. I was standing in the middle of the room and I could not bring myself to put my son down. I turned around and walked out of the room directly to Ms. Sandi’s office.
6. I told Ms. Sandi what I experienced. She asked me if I would go back into the room so she could watch me walk in. I told her I would not. It was one of the most uncomfortable situations I have ever paid to experience. I told her that I could not leave my son in this environment and that not only do they not console him when he’s crying but now they’re not even going to acknowledge we walked in the room. When we were leaving I asked Ms. Sandi for his lovie back (remember that nap story?) We walked into the Pond together where Ms. Sandi announced my son was no longer a student so he needed to collect his belongings. When Ms. Sandi asked for his lovie one teacher said «what is that a blanket or a sheet?» The other said «what’s it look like?» I responded, this is exactly what I’m talking about. The one teacher looks at me and says «Ms. Parika (spelling?) is his teacher» Ms. Parika walked into the room, went over to a tall file cabinet pulled it allll the way open and under the diapers found my son’s lovie.
7. I knelt down to collect the items out of my son’s cubby. Ms. Sandi was kind enough to offer me a bag for the couple items of clothing, to which I declined. While i was down there I took off his name tag that was taped to the cubby and handed it to her. As I went to stand up I heard Ms. Sandi behind me ripping up the name tag.
After I left I called to request a sit down with the head of the organization to share my experience before I took to these long-​winded reviews. Ms. Sandi, the owner, did call me back to let me know she would put me in touch with Parent Council. I think Ms. Sandi is great at what she does, and she has the ability to lead a team, but the overall level of care we received in 2.5 weeks didn’t meet our family’s expectations.
Two stars for the good days we had, the location and that they provided diapers.

My two children attended Lighthouse while I was working at UC Davis. This is the best. You can’t get more convenient than this. They are open from 6am to 6pm, and rarely closed for holidays. All meals and snacks are included, as well as diapers and wipes. Yes, no need ot bring in bags of *stuff* every week. Drop you kid off with an extra set of clothes, and if you don’t do that, they have clothes to loan too!
No time to celebrate holidays at home? Lighthouse does it for you. Easter Egg hunts, Trick or Treat at the SMUD building, 4^th of July parade at the school complete with decorations, Christmas, MLK day, Mothers Day… they teach the kids about all the holidays.
The teachers there are all amazing. My kids learned so much, both academically and developmentally. This is not an agro-​academic kindergarten, yet my son still tested into the highest rank private schools after attending Lighthouse. The teachers all genuinely care about and love the children, and my kids never wanted to leave at the end of the day.
I formed great friendships with both teachers and parents. And yes, no need to be a SMUD employee. This is an ideal place for Residents and Fellows from UC Davis to hav etheir kids.

I have to agree with the previous poster. This daycare facility is a loving kind warm friendly place where kids feel safe and disciplined and engaged and loved.
You don’t have to be a SMUD employee; me and the Mister work at CSUS and didn’t have a hope in a blizzard of getting her into the child care center there. But we found this place, halfway between home and work, and the Heiress went through pre-​K and K here.
She’s made tons of great friends in a variety of ages.
The place is expensive, I’m warning you. But you get what you pay for.

The Basics: SMUD’s Lighthouse daycare center seems to have been created for the employees. And lots of folks think you have to be a SMUD employee to attend. THOSE FOLKS ARE WRONG!
The facility has great kid-​staff ratios in the infant room. There’s two outdoor activity areas that are organized by age. Phenomenal toys and things to play with. They provided us with diapers and food each day. (We provide the breastmilk, duh!)And for those who work downtown or in Rancho Cordova (and naturally in East Sacramento) this location right next to the freeway is IDEAL!
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In 2001 I bore a beautiful child and had to return back to work within 4 months. A quality daycare center was needed. As we researched we didn’t know that our search for infant care REALLY should have been about care through Kindergarten. Because the stability of your childcare is so important. And the education they receive there, vital!
So, what we sought for the care and feeding of our 3 month old child was
1) quality, stable staff
2) fun and stimulating environment
3) great outdoor play space
4) professionalism
From the Lighthouse staff we got not only this but
5) diversity of staff — including folks who speak other languages and teach the kids and a person in a wheelchair
6) intelligent caring staffers who become like family
7) incredible instruction of rules
8) guidance to us new parents who have no clue how to handle «the fits»
9) good food
10) the teaching of manners
11) the teaching of giving to others
12) regular parent supervision since the center is on SMUD’s property and employees come in and out all the time (reassuring us first-​timers)
13) laughter, joy and true love
14) stability of staff and children so that kids grow up together and leave to go to Kindergarten and/​or first grade.
I love this place and endorse it whole-​heartedly. I would want ONLY this for children in childcare. Check ‘em out — tell them Jessie’s mom sent you. :)