How Lightbridge Academy Saves the Day with a Back-up Care Solution

With summer approaching, it’s one of the most difficult times of the year for working parents to juggle the schedules of their children. Whether someone is in need of week-long care at a summer camp or signing up for a day here or there, Lightbridge Academy is a reliable solution for working parents.

“We know that working parents have a lot of balls in the air, so we want to be a partner in helping our communities rest at ease knowing their children are in a safe and educational environment,” said Martha Echevarria, Enrollment Manager at Lightbridge Academy.

The leading franchise system provides back-up care through its own centers and also as a provider for other referral networks for back-up care. Lightbridge Academy can provide same day care or parents can schedule up to 30 days in advance.

“We’ll honor same day requests if we have space and availability,” Echevarria said. “We want parents to come to us so that they can go to work with peace of mind that their child has someplace to go that’s safe, nurturing and secure.”

For school ages, parents usually take their children to Lightbridge Academy during holiday days off that don’t match working parent schedules and over the summer.

Tina Wohlrab is a Stock Plan Admin at UBS with a 4-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter. She’s been taking her kids to the Rutherford center for two years and she’s looking forward to taking advantage of sending them to summer camp this year.

“I was trying other places and wasn’t happy with the care, but now I won’t go anywhere else,” said Wohlrab. “As a parent, I know it’s clean, everyone is really nice, I’ve never had an issue getting them in there. When I first took my children, I would call to check on them because they weren’t familiar with the facility and they’d transfer me to classroom and I’d speak to teacher. I get a good vibe when I walk in there, and everyone is friendly. Now, I know I don’t ever have to worry.”

For other parents, they might use the community back-up care when the primary caregiver isn’t available.

Ana Martinez, a Human Resources Business Partner at T-Mobile, first took her 19-month-year-old daughter to Lightbridge Academy one day when her mother was unable to watch her as usual.

“For me, Lightbridge Academy is the closest option and it also has the best standards, so I felt comfortable bringing my daughter there for her first child care setting,” said Martinez. “I think the teachers are phenomenal. Taking your child to child care for the first time is extremely intimidating. They walked me through what to expect, what I needed for the day, and I love that I have access to an app that sends me pictures and videos throughout the day so that I can see what she’s doing in school. They also provide a daily report that says how many naps she took, when she went to the bathroom, and detailed info like that.”

That information can be helpful for parents to easily see a snapshot into their day. Should a child not feel well and go to the doctor, a parent can access the app and have answers about the child’s eating and bathroom history.

Another parent who uses back-up care is Ramon Jimenez, a Mutual Fund Accountant at Neuberger Berman. He has been taking his children to Lightbridge Academy for the last three years when the family’s normal sitter isn’t available. He has a six-year-old son, four-year-old daughter and one-year-old daughter that attend the Rutherford location.

“This is my wife’s favorite child care center,” Jimenez said. “She likes the people, the programs they have, the overall facility is very organized and it’s also fairly close to home and New York City. We both work in the city, and the facility’s location has a shuttle bus to the train, which is nice and very convenient. The educators are excellent, and the programs they have are very engaging for the kids, especially in the summertime when there are outdoor and indoor activities.”

Echevarria comments that trying out the center for back-up care is also a great way to get a feel of a center before a family enrolls. Employers might sponsor 10 to 20 days, and a parent can see if it’s a right fit.

Children who enroll in back-up care in the summer will get to enjoy summer camp activities, and the small group environments are an ideal way to introduce younger children to a summer camp setting.

“I think for some parents, the large camp settings can feel overwhelming and children can get lost in the shuffle,” said Echevarria “There is a certain parent type and child that enjoy having that smaller group feeling for their child. For the younger children, some parents feel more comfortable with our safety and security features in place. This is typically a first summer camp experience, so parents prefer their child isn’t put into a mixed age group with much older children.”

Lightbridge Academy offers a perfect first camp experience for young children in not only a safe and secure environment, but with teachers who are CPR and First Aid certified. The program has organized activities with both child-directed and teacher-led activities with outside vendors often brought inside the facility to offer entertainment and fun, such as a soccer clinic or music vendor. Older children may leave the facility to go to the zoo or for a hike.

No matter if working parents need full-time care, back-up care, or a safe and educational summer camp experience, Lightbridge Academy provides families with a wide array of solutions for every parent’s schedule that will put a smile on every child’s face.