Moving to Austin: Childcare + Neighborhood (Center, Elsa: apartment, renting, daycares)

[DanielTigerMom]

Hello! My husband and I are moving to Austin from out of state. He's going to be working near St. Andrew's (upper school) in the southwest part of Austin and I'll be working near UT. So questions:

1. Where should we live?
2. Any childcare suggestions?

We're looking at renting for a year and then buying, but when I look on a map, it seems like the most reasonable places to live for our commute are places like Rollingwood, which are out of our price range. Northern suburbs seem out of the way for both of us. So any ideas on southern suburbs? Is somewhere like Manchaca too far (there's a childcare place we like there).

Also, re: Childcare, we were thinking of one of the following. Anyone know anything about these places/have others to recommend?

A. Goddard School (Manchaca)
B. St. David's (doesn't have full day, so we'd have to get a nanny to take our kid home)
C. St. Martin's downtown
D. Stepping Stone near Circle C
E. Country Home Learning Center
F. XPlor near Circle C
G. Austin Eco Bilingual School
H. Elsass Westlake Hills (We're on a wait list).

All thoughts would be swell. Thanks for your help!

[clarksvillemom]

Lots of friends' kids went to St. Davids and St. Martins and loved them. I'd also look at Childs Day - it's been a long time since we were there but at the time it was great

[AMJ27]

It's been a couple of years, but I've never heard anything good about Country Home Learning Center. I think it's the place you send your kids while waiting to get in somewhere else.


I know several people who have used Xplor in Circle C and they have been very happy.


Did you consider Circle C Child Development Center. It is well regarded in the neighborhood. They have part-time (preschool) and full-time, but it can be hard to get into. I also know a few people who go to Primrose on Davis Ln. and like it.

[centralaustinite]

What's the price range? I'd take a look at Travis County, very close to SAS upper school and a quick trip to UT.

[DanielTigerMom]

We're pretty flexible with the daycare price range; we're lucky in that regard.

Circle C didn't have any room and neither did Primrose.

Do any of you know anything about this Austin Eco Bilingual School?

I'll check out Child's Day also!

[Trainwreck20]

Primrose is pretty nice, we used it for after school and summer 'camp' for our kinder kid a few years back. Neighbors went to Bright Horizons while waiting for a Primrose spot. We did use Country Home one year for after school, but was not enamored with it.

Travis Country, the various 'western oaks' neighborhoods just north of Circle C, and Circle C proper are a few that come to mind as housing options.

[FueledByBlueBell]

Originally Posted by DanielTigerMom

Hello! My husband and I are moving to Austin from out of state. He's going to be working near St. Andrew's (upper school) in the southwest part of Austin and I'll be working near UT. So questions:

1. Where should we live?
2. Any childcare suggestions?

We're looking at renting for a year and then buying, but when I look on a map, it seems like the most reasonable places to live for our commute are places like Rollingwood, which are out of our price range. Northern suburbs seem out of the way for both of us. So any ideas on southern suburbs? Is somewhere like Manchaca too far (there's a childcare place we like there).

Also, re: Childcare, we were thinking of one of the following. Anyone know anything about these places/have others to recommend?

A. Goddard School (Manchaca)
B. St. David's (doesn't have full day, so we'd have to get a nanny to take our kid home)
C. St. Martin's downtown
D. Stepping Stone near Circle C
E. Country Home Learning Center
F. XPlor near Circle C
G. Austin Eco Bilingual School
H. Elsass Westlake Hills (We're on a wait list).

All thoughts would be swell. Thanks for your help!

If you are looking in Westlake, check out YPW for daycare. We are very happy there.

[AMJ27]

I would figure out where to live first and daycare second. Elsass would be pretty inconvenient if you didn't live in the area. The traffic on Bee Caves Rd. during the rush hours is a pain. I also wouldn't look at any of the Circle C area daycares if you lived further north than William Cannon. What's your budget?

[Lafemmenikita1]

We use Country Home Learning Center in North Austin and think it's great!
Our son was 13 months and had never been in daycare before, but he adjusted so easily there, even with the first month of plague. :P

[DanielTigerMom]

Our budget is about $2000 for an apartment but more like 3-3500 when we buy a home--should be able to afford something in Circle C area I think.

Why is Primrose so popular?