Night at the rock and fancy daycare

Yesterday DH and I went to go see the Nets exhibition game at the Prudential center which was fun until the last 60 seconds where they couldn't keep it together and lost to the Boston Celtics. I must say, although the Prudential wasn't sold out, it was more filled than any Nets game that I have seen in Secaucus. However, I now realize why the Nets will probably never pick Newark over Brooklyn....it felt like Hot 97 Summer Jam in there and I don't think that is their target audience. There was a decent amount of diversity but many of the garden state's suburban families are uncomfortable stepping foot in Newark for fear of being shot upon arrival. Despite hundreds of cops and metal detector and the fact that the Rock really is a beautiful arena with comfy seats, I saw people looking around nervously like a riot was going to break out any minute ;) I wasn't even that type of vibe, people were just loud and having fun but if you haven't been exposed to such things...

I also got to spend part of my day yesterday visiting daycare centers (oh joy). I started off by going to the most expensive place in a 10 mile radius so I could understand what one gives up when you don't have that type of money. This place was $1250 per month and the yard was a veritable play land with all the best toys I have ever seen. Their infant "cottage" was completely separate and they had 1 caregiver to 2.5 children. The children looked happy and the staff was very friendly. Oh, and there was exactly 1 brown baby in there. But some of the stuff that they offer I can totally live without...I really don't care about "baby" sign language! They also give kids homework starting at 2 and they guarantee that by the time you child leaves to go to regular school, they can read and do math up to fractions. Maybe I am going to be the most simple-minded parent out there but I am ok if my kid is just happy and plays around until time for school. I don't think being able to do fractions at 5 will have any bearing on their success...wanting success bad enough to work for it as a grown up will be the deciding factor (of course my kid could just decide to take the easy way out and marry well or get their own reality tv show like Frankie and Neffie...hehe!).