For Anika and Sam · Noor's daycare from September · Sun Aug 9
First if cost leads. Second, behind Bright Steps, if the commute does.
Why Bright Steps is not the pick: it saves 8 minutes a morning for $530 more a month.
Not like-for-like: Sunflower has no September place (start January), and Little Acorn's price assumes 4 parent duty hours a month.
Each criterion scores 0 for the worst option and 1 for the best, in proportion. Cost first weighs cost 60%, commute 25%, ratio 15%; commute first swaps cost and commute. Bars show each score; longer is better. Commute is minutes added to the morning drop-off; ratio is toddlers per caregiver. Prices and ratios are from each provider's August rate sheet.