Childcare

Villa Christina is tucked away on a side road near Perimeter Mall, but it's ambience is more Italian countryside than Atlanta suburb.

The three-story, stacked-stone Italian villa houses a gourmet restaurant, two ballrooms, two private dining rooms (the restaurant does a lot of business events), an exhibition kitchen, an outdoor Event Pavilion and a casual take-out restaurant.

Open for lunch and dinner, the menu focuses on eclectic Italian cuisine. Entrees include several fresh pasta dishes; fresh fish, lobster and other seafood; and beef, venison, veal and lamb. For the sweet tooth, desserts are hand-crafted by a Gold Medal pastry chef, and there is an extensive wine list available.

The food is refined, the atmosphere is chic, and definitely romantic. So why is it listed on this website?

A summer jazz series is fun for the whole family, with free outdoor concerts and activities each month of the season. Special holiday brunches for Easter, Mother's Day, and Thanksgiving are great for all ages, with sophisticated fare for the grown-ups and kids' tables of standard favorites and children's activities and entertainment.

Jeronimi! offers weekday discounts for groups of 10 or more. For parents who aren't interested in jumping, The Haven is a quiet parents' lounge with computers and WIFI, and a library of books and magazines.

The main play area features castles, slides, and obstacle courses. A toddler corral offers toys and a smaller structure for climbing, and best of all, it has its own walls and door. Big kids can't end up in there by mistake.

Birthday Parties are offered seven days a week, and run one and a half hours long. Weekday parties start at $99 and weekend parties start at $169, with only one party scheduled at a time. Families can bring in any food they like, including ice cream, and Jeronimo's provides paper goods, juice, ice, and hand sanitizer for quick clean-up before cake time. The staff can order pizza for parties. Call for current availability.

Since 1992, Nanny Brokers has been placing childcare professionals with families around the metro Atlanta area.

Nanny Brokers can help arrange temporary, part-time, or full-time childcare with live-in or live-out arrangements. In addition to screening applicants and providing background checks, some of the more unique services of the business include matching families to share nannies, and offering a mommy nanny option, in which childcare providers with their own children can be placed with families who want reduced childcare costs and a playmate for their child.

The company can even source housekeepers and cooks!

Georgia's Dream Nannies is a domestic referral agency in Georgia specializing in placing first-class domestic personnel in homes and private estates throughout the state. All candidates are screened and trained, and clients rave about fast placements.

Services include full or part-time placement of nannies, house managers, and housekeepers. All permanent placements receive a 60-day trial period.

Olive.You.Nanny bills itself as a hip nanny agency for savvy city parents. The referral based business matches families with full-time, part-time, summer, temporary and even occasional (we need a night out) sitters.

Since 1992, Nanny Brokers has been placing childcare professionals with families around the metro Atlanta area.

Nanny Brokers can help arrange temporary, part-time, or full-time childcare with live-in or live-out arrangements. In addition to screening applicants and providing background checks, some of the more unique services of the business include matching families to share nannies, and offering a mommy nanny option, in which childcare providers with their own children can be placed with families who want reduced childcare costs and a playmate for their child.

The company can even source housekeepers and cooks!

24hours All About Children is a home day care that offers daily, hourly, and weekly care for children.

Before and After Care for school age children is available, as well as carpool services within 10 miles of the homme.

This parent-owned online directory of childcare options includes in-home providers, nannies, childcare centers, and babysitters, serving infants through school-age children. The website also offers links to helpful articles on parenting, state oversight agencies, and more.

The database is searchable by zip code, children's ages, and type of care required. Results include contact information; a description of the services offered; the staff, philosophy, licensing, and facilities of the provider; and hours of operation. Helpful icons beside search matches indicate which providers offer drop-in services and off-hours care; some listings include photos.

A very minimal amount of information can be gathered from a free search of the site - name of daycare, how many children of various ages are cared for by the provider, address, and phone number. To get additional information - hours of operation, website address, photos, etc. - parents must subscribe.

A note of caution: Listed providers are not screened, so while the site is a great starting point in a search for childcare, it's imperative that parents check out claims regarding licensing, staff, and facilities.