Drop-In Childcare Comes To LITH

Lake in the Hills' newest business open just this week came from a stay-at-home Mom's frustration.  The business is a drop-in childcare center called Sprouts About.  After 12 years of Mommying, "I realized something like this needed to be around. For me," said Director Laura Hopkins.

Grandma needs some chicken broth.  Dad has the impulse for a romantic dinner.  "So many times I could have used something like this and I thought, 'Why isn't there a place like that?'" said Hopkins.  She even did an Internet search to find one, she said, but never did.

Eventually Hopkins decided she'd start one herself.  "I found the Department of Children and Family Services site," said Hopkins.  DCFS licenses daycare centers.  "There were 137 pages of rules which was very intimidating.  So I dropped it," she said.

But the idea kept coming back. "It was like I kept getting these messages."  So she did another search. Among the results was a woman in Ohio who'd likewise hit on the idea of drop-in childcare with  four such centers.

"I found my consultant.  The second time, up she popped," said Hopkins.

Even with a path to follow Hopkins said creating Sprouts About wasn't easy.  But an accommodating landlord did the buildout for her and Hubby did the extensive electrical and computer wiring. Friends donated piles of toys and games.

It was the intimidating DCFS that delayed the center's planned opening from September until now.  "It took forever to get my certification," said Hopkins.

For an annual $25 membership Moms (or Dads) can leave the kids at Sprouts About for an hourly fee that varies with age and potty skills Monday through Saturday from 7:30 am to 10 pm, 11 pm Fridays and Saturdays.

What about Sunday?  "We're closed.  I needed a day myself," Hopkins said.

In the pic:  Caregiver Sitwat Zamir plays with her 13 month-old son, Zamir, and 19 month-old Joe Farra at Sprouts About drop-in daycare center, 61 Polaris Drive, LITH.