STEPPING STONES OF STILLWATER, LLC

*“My children attended Stepping Stone Daycare for several years, and both my sister and another family member also trusted their kids there. None of us ever had any issues — on the contrary, the staff was always in contact through messages, and on special celebration days they even took photos of the kids and sent them to us. I personally loved that because I could simply save them on my phone and later decide how to print them. I’ve recently noticed several one-star reviews without clear explanations, but that has not been my experience at all. I truly believe every parent should visit, ask questions, and see the environment for themselves before judging based on a few negative comments. For me, Stepping Stone was always reliable, caring, and supportive — and if I ever need daycare again, my choice will definitely be Stepping Stone.

If we could give no star that would be it, but we can’t so one star it is. I strongly urge parents to avoid sending their children to Stepping Stone Daycare. A local family had a very negative and concerning experience. At first, everything seemed normal for a few days, but quickly issues began to appear. A 1-year-old, who only drinks through a straw, was denied the ability to use his cup. Even with offers to provide their own, and despite knowing he couldn’t drink otherwise, they refused. This left him exhausted, frustrated, and dehydrated every day he was there. Not long after, a guardian was called to pick him up because he was “too fussy” and might keep other children awake during nap time. They demanded they arrive within 15 minutes, which is not realistic for working parents. When they went in to get clarification, (Amber) immediately became combative. She denied what had been said, then claimed the 1-year-old (who cannot even walk yet) was a danger to himself and her staff. She also informed them that he was on a “two-week probation period,” something never disclosed to them prior. Later, they went in for a scheduled tour/meeting and was met with hostility from the owner and staff. They were yelled at, berated, and belittled to the point that the guardian left in tears, terrified by how she was treated. No parent should ever feel unsafe or disrespected when advocating for their child’s basic needs. The local families experience showed that Stepping Stone Daycare lacks compassion, communication, and professionalism. Please take the reviews seriously—

Please do not send your child here. They will not be safe. They will not be cared for. They will barely have their basic needs met. They will not learn kindness or compassion or respect. I beg of you, do not send your babies here.

If I could give them a lower rating I would. Owner has a chip on her shoulder for owning a childcare facility. It is clearly about making money and not out of passion for caring for children. There are no collaborative efforts with parent's to try to better understand the children in their care. There is no collaborative effort on their end to support a parent’s opinions and wishes. There is no such thing as a productive conversation when it comes to concerns about how they’re handling a conflict. It doesn’t matter how level headed you are, or how respectfully you state your argument. You will be talked over, you will be reprimanded, and you will be condescended. They lack accountability and will dogpile you unless you completely bend the knee. We have never had an issue with any other child care situation involving our son, but not only will they assign blame on you as a parent, they will assign blame to children who are too young to explain how they’re feeling. You are not allowed to see their classroom or speak with their “teachers” if there is an issue that needs to be addressed. Never in my life have I met women who are so unprofessional and who lie so much to avoid accountability. For any parents who may be considering this place, I want you to know that the owner and director and two of the most unprofessional and catty women I have ever met. Do not spend your money here because that is all they are after. I can’t even imagine how they must speak to these children given how they spoke to me.

I need everyone considering this daycare to please read, I am genuinely begging you. I know the situation you may be in, you may need DHS assistance and this may be the only place with openings. You need to look elsewhere. The staff are some of the most terrifyingly rude and angry people I have ever met. My wife is in nursing school and I have an 8-5 job. We were called in the middle of the day to come get my son (1 year old) because he is too fussy. I came in the next day to get clarification and was immediately attacked by the owner. She completely changed the story from the phone call and claimed it never happened. She said my 1 year old son was a danger to himself and his teachers. My son is absolutely normal, and of course if you are reading this, you have never met him, but he is medically normal and well behaved. All of this happened yesterday and today they call my wife to tour the facility and have a meeting. There was no tour, there was no meeting. They were prepared the second she walked in to berate, attack, and belittle her. The ordeal was so bad my wife immediately took him out of the daycare. She called me in heavy tears. If this is how they talk to people, imagine how they treat your children. I am begging you, for the sake of your children, do not consider this daycare. If you are currently there, please search elsewhere. Your children are NOT safe here. These people are NOT professional. They are a danger to your children and yourself. What you have heard about them is not only the truth, but a frankly scary understatement. Believe the reviews, believe the people on Facebook. I didn't, and I regret it every day. Shine Bright Daycare is much better and often gets openings. Busy Kidz is incredible. Kids world is another amazing choice. Your child will be safe there, they all offer DHS assistance too. Please, do not let another child be subjected to the conditions of Stepping Stone daycare.