TAYLOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — A little over two years ago, we told you about Tiny Stepping Stones in Wayne. It's the first-of-its-kind daycare, offering child care 24/7, providing access to people who work outside the 9-5 shift.
WATCH OUR PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Daycare open 24 hours is helping fill the void for parents working outside a 9-5 job
Now, Tiny Stepping Stones is making a big leap, opening a second location in Taylor. With the Holidays coming up, the opening couldn't come at a better time.
"I’ve been waiting on them to open for quite some time now," said Taylor parent Sonia Williams.
Williams is signing her two girls up after learning of Tiny Stepping Stones from a friend who goes to the original Wayne location.
In August 2022, Tiny Stepping Stones opened it's first doors in Wayne. That's the same time that child care came on Madison Scheurich's radar, a working Mom who's daughter was just months old at the time.
"I worked at Little Caesars as a training manager, so my schedule changed all the time," Madison said. "I thought I was going to have to get a different job."
Madison says she felt a wave of relief learning Tiny Stepping Stones offered 24/7 care, signing her daughter up. Now, both of her kids are enrolled. The odd hours are also a reason that Sonia, a CNA, counted down until Taylor's opening.
"If I would like to pick up I would be able to. so the other shifts are like 3 to 11 and 11 to 7," Sonia said. "Knowing that this center is a 24/7 center. That would give me the opportunity to pick up. Especially because Christmas is coming up."
President of Tiny Stepping Stones Chyna Stone added that parents lean on them a lot this time of year.
"That second shift that’s where a lot of the hours are needed," Chyna said. "With holiday times many of my parents will be working triple time - not even double time just to make sure that they can make ends meet for their kids."
Chyna said that the idea for a 24/7 daycare sprouted from her other business, Comfort and Care, a 24/7 elderly facility. She noticed her staff lacked child care on odd hours.
"What about Amazon? that’s 24 hours. What about the hospitals? That's 24 hours. What about the Ford plant all of these things? What about GM, what about Chrysler?" Chyna said.
Chyna saw how big that need was after opening the Wayne location.
"I knew with that location filling up so fast that we needed another location," Chyna said.
It took a year of crossing T's and dotting I's between locking in this building in Taylor and welcoming little ones. This location officially opened at the end of October, just in time for Halloween.
"Very emotional. I spent a lot of hours here. Blood, sweat and tears," Chyna said.
For the parents dropping off the little ones on the way to work, Tiny Stepping Stones is always in their back pocket.
"I don’t trust everyone with my kids and I felt so like, like a mom guilt that I had to put my kids in daycare and my daughter loves everyone," Madison said.
"Between here, their grandparents and then my very close friend like they’re all like locked in with me," Sonia said. "When they say it takes a village it does. It takes a village."
