Meet the Owner: George Glean of Children's Corner

Situated on the corner of Stratford Rd. and Church Ave., Children's Corner looks like a little unassuming storefront. But step inside, and you'll discover the day care center is filled with children from the ground floor up. 

Behind the entire operation is owner George Glean, who began the business 30 years ago and is still looking for ways to expand the center's offerings to the community-at-large. 

If No One Else is Doing it, Do it Yourself 

Glean and his wife decided to open Children's Corner when they realized there were few places in the neighborhood that offered day care services to the parents that needed it.

"We had young kids of our own and what we had seen we didn't like," Glean said. "We were living on Beverly Road and there was nothing along Church Ave. at the time. We just thought it best to open something." 

Glean, who hails from Grenada, was a teacher before opening the center, so guiding and interacting with children came naturally. He said when the center first opened, it began in only the first floor of the building. "We had five kids when we first started," he said. 

"After the first year we [began using] the first apartment above," he continued.  

After that, they continued to expand. "We had to take out kitchens and bathrooms to make the classrooms," he said with a laugh.

Economic Changes Affect the Corner

Children's Corner currently has 30 children in its care, Glean said, adding that at one point, the center had double that amount. 

"The state of the economy is terrible," he said. "Parents send their kids to the public schools to save."

To offset these challenges, Glean expanded the business' offerings. "[The youngest age accepted] used to be 3-years-old," he said. "Now we take from 2-years-old to 6-years-old."

A normal day for a child at the center can begin as early as 7 a.m., when the first batch of drop-offs begin. "We don't charge extra for early hours, but they typically come in at 9 a.m.," he said. 

Like any school day, children engage in a set schedule, which includes: free play time; clean-up; "circle time" where kids sing songs, read stories and listen to nursery rhymes; take on scholastic projects including writing and arithmetic; take a walk around the neighborhood with the teachers; nap time; snack time and free play once more. 

Most children that are enrolled at Children's Corner are 2- or 3-years-old, Glean said. "When they hit four or five, [parents] tend to take them out and put them in public schools," he said, noting that he would like to see that change. 

Looking Toward Growth

"Within the past 10 years, this area has changed so much, you just have to look to see what you could add to the mix," Glean said. 

He added that Children's Corner is trying to branch out and offer more to the community. "We've started a Saturday care," he said. "It's called 'Saturday Morning Cartoons.' You can run errands while we watch your kids."

Saturdays are not your typical day at the Corner, as children up to 12-years-old are welcome to come to spend the day. "We also have piano and guitar lessons then," he said. "We're just trying to make the Children's Corner a community center, and let people know we have a space."

Children's Corner is open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturdays, but parents must call on Friday to reserve a spot.  

Overall, Glean is most concerned with giving children the care they deserve. 

"The most important aspect of this job is the impact [we have] on a kid's life," Glean said. "We've had children go on and graduate as lawyers and doctors. Parents always call us and tell us we layed the foundation that carried them through. It's the most gratifying thing."