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Daycare Names

When's the last time you saw a day care center named "Infant Warehouse"?  It doesn't happen.  "Hepatitis Haven" is not a popular choice, either.  Ditto for "The Romanian Orphanage."
...What we see instead are reassuring names like "Gingerbread Manor," "Cheer for Kids," "Happy Hearts," and "In Grandmother's Arms."  These are actual names of day care centers... 
--  "Daycare Disservice With a Smile" by Brandon Dutcher, CNSNews. com Commentary, March 18, 2005

However, these 'feel-good' names disgust many people:
"I (have) to call the (daycare) bus arrivals over the intercom every afternoon.  (Since it is almost the end of the school year) I am relieved I only have to say "God's Little Treasures", "Heaven's Gate" and "Felicia's Little Darlin's" two more times without throwing up.  ...who is the genius naming these daycares?"
-- Posted by Kristin on the "McCarty Musings" Blog, 2-Jun-04

In addition to 'sugarcoating' themselves with cute and fuzzy names, many also avoid any reference to the term "daycare".  They further try to disassociate themselves from daycares' not-so-great reputation through emphasis on development, education, and learning.
This is confirmed by a recommendation from an actual daycare operator: "'Daycare' sounds like 'babysitting' and anyone can do that. Use 'preschool' or 'learning center' in your title. It will give your parents a sense of assurance knowing they're (the children are) not being babysat all day".
-- Posted  by Lynne, owner  of Imagination Station Early Learning Center in Florida, on Aug 22, 2004 on Wordlab's (wordlab.com) Wordboard

Most Caregivers themselves are reluctant to use the word "daycare" to describe their job.  In April 2004, the Canadian Child Care Information Exchange polled their members on the term that best described their occupation.
"Early childhood education" was at the top of the preference list, while "Day care" came in dead last!
-- "What's in a Name" by the Canadian Child Care Federation, www.cccf-fcsge.ca , Appendix B.

"It is of little help that day care centers have dubbed themselves Learning Centers."
Ships Without A Shore: America's Undernurtured Children by Anne Pierce, ©2008, p. 122

The representative sampling of creative daycare names (below) shows how widespread these naming practices have become:

Please e-mail us with the imaginative names of the daycares in your area.

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