Parental reprieves - by the hour - at day care

  Edna Thompson and Renelle Leinbach know firsthand the challenges of taking young children along to doctor appointments and grocery shopping or the trials of finding a good baby sitter so they can enjoy a night out with their husbands.

  Most day-care centers charge by the day, week or even month, and often require a contract. And many mothers don't have a handy grandparent or close friend to leave their children with for a couple of hours when they have things they need to take care of or would like a little break.

  Thompson and Leinbach believe they've come up a solution. They've opened The Treehouse Kids Club, a child-care facility that offers a new concept in child-care service.

  The Treehouse, 1730 S. 4th Ave., provides hourly drop-in child care for children from 2 to 11 years old - no reservations required. Parents can drop in days, evenings and weekends whenever they need child care, whether to run errands, attend school or meetings, go shopping, see the doctor or dentist, enjoy an evening out for dinner or a movie, or just to relax and re-energize.

  Children may stay up to four hours per day. The cost is $6.50 per hour per child, with a sliding scale for families with more than one.

  "We're here for drop-ins," said Leinbach, adding that she expects the concept will be especially helpful for military families who may not have relatives here and perhaps a spouse is deployed.

  The hourly drop-in center is a relatively new concept, said Thompson, adding that there is only one other such center in Arizona although the concept is popular on the East Coast.

  The Treehouse is even open extended hours to cover parents' night out, Leinbach noted. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays. It's closed Sundays and Mondays.

  While the parents are taking a break, they can enjoy themselves knowing their children are in a safe place having a good time of their own, Thompson said. "We want happy kids and happy parents."

  To that end, The Treehouse has a colorful playroom with lots of toys and activities.

  "We have structured days," Leinbach said. "It's not just play. We have crafts, music and circle time with a story or activity as a group."

  And when parents are enjoying a night out on Friday or Saturday evening, the kids are having their own "night out" with movie time and popcorn.

  Thompson and Leinbach are hoping to interest various businesses such as restaurants and hair and nail salons in partnerships with The Treehouse, perhaps offering discounts to parents. So far, the Crossing Restaurant is offering 10 percent off for those who bring a card from The Treehouse. And prepaid blocks of time at The Treehouse might make the perfect gift for parents of young children, Leinbach suggested.

  The Treehouse is an Arizona licensed child-care facility, and staff is trained to provide a safe and fun environment. All employees are pre-screened with a background check. An employee certified in CPR and first aid is onsite at all times.

  Thompson said she came up with the idea after being frustrated having to do her grocery shopping late at night when her husband would be home to care for their two little girls.

  Besides being mothers of young children, both Thompson and Leinbach have experience working with children at church and are in the process of earning early childhood development degrees.

  The facility's director is Sarah Rutledge, a kindergarten teacher at San Pasqual School, who oversees the curriculum for The Treehouse.

 "As moms we know the need for a place for children to be cared for," said Thompson. "We invite parents to try us."

  For more information, call 783-TREE or visit www.treehouseyuma.com.

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Joyce Lobeck can be reached at jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-6853.