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Kids happily knocked over building blocks and played with stuffed animals in front of walls covered with children’s art. With a two-year-old boy perched on her lap and another at her feet grabbing her pant leg, Susan Chase looked completely at ease.

“(It’s overwhelming) at times, but I love it. I’ve always loved kids, being around kids,” Chase said. “I’m just one of those people.”

In 1993, Chase opened a day care in her childhood home – the downstairs apartment below her current residence. Her day care is nestled between student residences in the University Neighborhood, near Syracuse University’s campus, and has become a fixture in the community.

She finds clients through word of mouth and is known in the community as Sue’s day care. She’s run her registered business for over 30 years, and after taking care of 120 kids along the way, Chase has no plans to retire anytime soon.

Chase has always been surrounded by kids. When she was 11, her sister had a baby, so she grew up taking care of her niece. As an adult, she worked at the child care facility at Onondaga Community College and completed an internship at Erwin Nursery School before starting her own day care.

“My approach to child care is family child care. It’s not like a center. It’s not like a preschool,” Chase said. “I know they’re not my kids, but sometimes I feel like they are.”

Chase has two children: a son and a daughter who were 6 and 2 years old when she started the daycare in 1993. She was a single mom who needed to go back to work, and her sister moved out of her apartment downstairs, providing the perfect opportunity for a new business. After a few months of painting and preparing, Chase’s daycare was born.

Chase’s day care is situated in the middle of a street of college-aged neighbors. She said there’s always been students on the street, but in the 90s, she noticed more families nearby. Now, she said she is one of only two residences on the street that don’t belong to students.

Every Friday, the kids at Susan Chase’s day care participate in a story time with children’s librarian Quinn Gardner at Petit Branch Library. In the colder month’s, Gardner visits the day care for the weekly ritual to alleviate time spent in the cold. Cassie Roshu | Senior Staff Photographer

Gabriella Nalon, a Syracuse University senior, lives next door to Chase. Coming and going from her apartment, she often sees Chase’s day care kids playing in their backyard jungle gym.

During the warmer months, Nalon said she often says hello when she sees Chase’s day care kids playing in the backyard or walking down the street. She likes having the day care next door, because it adds “more stability” to the neighborhood.

“It gives a little more of a family vibe,” Nalon said. “It feels like you’re in an actual home and not a temporary house.”

Chase said she doesn’t mind having students around, as long as they are respectful. To make sure they follow Chase’s expectations, Nalon and her roommates always let Chase know when they are hosting friends or having a barbecue outside.

Chase said most students are great, but the noise level, parties and language have gotten worse over the past 10 years. She blames headphones for students’ general lack of awareness but appreciates when students still say hi when she goes on walks with her day care kids.

Nalon introduced herself to Chase at the beginning of the year and said she was incredibly kind.

Susan Chase’s day care features a photograph wall of every kid that attended her program, featuring some who now send their own kids there. Since opening in 1993, Chase has worked with over 120 kids. Cassie Roshu | Senior Staff Photographer

“Sue is the sweetest,” Nalon said. “Thanksgiving break, she got us some caramel chocolate cookies. She made them herself. It was delicious.”

The day care’s ties to the SU community go beyond proximity. Some SU students enroll their children in her day care, including students with children and international students from Russia and Saudi Arabia. Sometimes, former day care kids go on to attend SU and send their children to Chase later on.

“One little guy came back, he goes, ‘I don’t know if you remember me,” Chase said. “I remember everybody, and I had him when he was 5, and his wife and him just had a baby,” Chase said. “They live over here and they’re on my list (for day care).”

Chase’s day care is a stable presence not just for families in the area, but also for local businesses. Every Friday, Chase brings her day care kids to the Petit Branch Library in the Westcott neighborhood for storytime with children’s librarian Quinn Gardner.

During the colder winter months, Gardner comes to Chase’s day care in person because the kids can’t walk to Westcott. They call her Miss Quinn and refer to the library as “Miss Quinn’s house.”

Gardner went to an at-home day care when she was young, but said the woman who ran it was scary. Gardner said Chase is “wonderful,” and is impressed by how Chase creates an environment where all the kids feel comfortable and happy with her.

“Even after the kids are older … (to Sue) they’ll be like, ‘Hey, can we spend the night?’” Gardner said. “It just shows how great she is with all of the kids and how much they really love her.”

Chase has a wall of photographs of every kid that attended her day care program. She works with parents to maintain relationships with the kids over the years and some still come back when they are in high school and college to say hello.

“The kids were really young when I had them, so they feel like I’m part of their life, you know,” Chase said. “I’m just grateful to be able to do something that I love.”

Published on January 28, 2026 at 9:59 pm