Elmhurst KinderCare

Dear Members of Our KinderCare Family,
I wish to take this opportunity to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done for both Elyssa and me. Given that we do not have family in the area; the teachers and staff at KinderCare have served as Elyssa’s “second parent.” As many of you know, Elyssa is adopted. What you probably do not know is that I went from a single woman who knew nothing about children (and I mean nothing), to a mother with a three month old child in less than one hour. In less than two days, Miss Stacey was able to secure Elyssa a spot in the infant room and thus our journey with KinderCare began. Honestly, I am not certain Elyssa would have survived without Miss Margarita. Knowing nothing about how to raise a child, not to mention feed one, I did exactly what they told me to do. I would frantically take notes as one of them outlined Elyssa’s evening routine and feeding schedule. They informed me of what to look for in her diaper and when to take her to the pediatrician. Miss Margarita would tell me “go home and feed her this, she likes it now”; or “go buy her Cheerios. I gave them to her and she loves them.” Miss Margarita was the first to see Elyssa’s first tooth. When she told me I cried because I was so glad it was her. My tears soon dissipated as I asked, “do I have to do anything with it and if so what?” 
Elyssa was so fortunate to have had Miss Colleen for almost three years. Her ability to really get to know Elyssa was, in my opinion, the key to Elyssa’s development and growth. The patience and understanding she exhibited was remarkable! No matter what, she was always there to help Elyssa work through any difficulty she was experiencing even when Elyssa was no longer a student in her classroom. I will never forget the evening I was putting Elyssa to bed (she was four at the time) and she told me that she “loved Miss Colleen because she made her feel happy and safe.” That in turn made me feel safe and for that I am forever grateful.
I would also like to extend a special thank you to Miss. Sharline, Miss Linda, and Mr. Vince for never giving up on Elyssa and continuing to guide her through a very difficult time and transition. Thank you for aiding in her growth and development and for being so incredibly patient and tolerant of the difficulties she was experiencing. Elyssa is not necessarily an easy child to parent and/or teach at times. But you never gave up on her. Miss Sharline, thank you for your sophisticated insight and guidance. You were always extremely positive and I walked away from each of our conversations believing that things would get better. You were so right! 
Elyssa was extremely fortunate to spend to spend the summer in Miss Maureen’s class and is currently in her afternoon Kindergarten class. She is flourishing in this environment! I am blessed that Elyssa was provided the opportunity to work with Miss Maureen. I appreciate the friendship I have developed with her and know that she always “goes the extra mile” which has significantly impacted Elyssa’s development in a very short period of time.
There are no words to express how thankful I am for the opportunities that Miss Lisa and Miss Stacey have provided for Elyssa. Without this staff, I am certain that Elyssa would not be where she is today. All of you who have taught her or interacted with her have had a hand in making her the very special person that she is. Together we have produced an extremely warm, caring, loving, and creative child. 
I am so fortunate that Elyssa has a place to go where she is happy and feels comfortable, safe and loved.
Thank you to each and every one of you. You have been and continue to be our guardian angels.
With sincere gratitude,

I would like to share my thoughts on KinderCare as a mother of 3 young children, all of whom attend KinderCare. My husband and I entrusted our children's daily activities, well-being and safety to the dedicated teachers and staff that makes up the center. This of course was not any matter to be taken lightly and proved to have many factors surrounding the decision-making process. In unquestionably the most formative years of their lives, we wanted to ensure that our children would feel comfortable in this environment in order to establish a secure relationship with their teachers on every level - a relationship full of support, love, structure and learning. What could be more important than having your children in Quality childcare which will give them the tools they will need to succeed in school later on in life. KinderCare is our choice for many reasons. The most important reason however is that our children have clearly developed into intelligent, social and happy little individuals. We owe this in part to KinderCare without a doubt! Our children truly enjoy attending and even talk about their teachers when they come home after a long day. that speaks volumes. I realized that the childcare we choice was an excellent one and that our children were in the best hands they could be next to our own.

I wanted to take a few minutes to thank you and your staff for the past year of care you all have provided to both of my children. Specifically, Miss Teuta deserves special recognition for her role in Brody’s amazing development over the past year. When Brody started at KinderCare he was 21 months old and a very young “Two” in Miss Teuta’s room. From the beginning, Miss Teuta took extra care to make sure he was not lost in the group of older and much more verbal children. Although he was not very verbal at 21 months, she immediately noticed he knew his letters and numbers and gently encouraged him to use his words to express his thoughts. She encouraged him to participate in group time without stifling his thirst for individual play. Her flexibility and patience were evident immediately. He very quickly felt part of the group and in the process grew close to Miss Teuta. Early on I would ask Brody who his best friend was, and he would proudly exclaim, “Miss Teuta!” This is not unique to Brody. Anyone who walks into her room will hear a chorus of “Toota, Toota…” followed by any number of comments or requests. The kids love her almost as much as she loves them. Even so, it didn’t take long for me to see that she practices just the right amount of sternness to temper her kindness. She has clearly mastered a higher understanding of the two year-old mind. As is the case with all two year-old children, Brody is a very stubborn child. However, speaking as a mother who has watched her child hold his breath until he passed out in a fit of rage, I think I have earned the right to say he may have a little more stamina than most. Miss Teuta has handled him amazingly. She and I regularly had extensive conversations about his experiences in her classroom. Because she knew his personality, we waited until he was ready and used a “full-steam-ahead” approach to potty training. It was quick and painless and I feel like Miss Teuta coached me through the process just as much as Brody. This was such a success because she truly took the time to get to know my child and the way his mind works. Miss Teuta is no pushover and I admire her for that. Towards the end of his stay in her room I began to worry that his bond with her was so strong that it may complicate his transition to the next classroom. Of course, I underestimated Miss Teuta. She gently coached him until he was asking every day to visit the “Three’s”. She played a major role in creating the independent and outgoing three year-old boy that Brody is today and the loving bond she created with him was strengthened by her ability to recognize he was ready for a new experience. I believe anyone who works with two year-old children is a saint, but someone who does it as well as Miss Teuta should be commended. She is gentle, yet firm. She has high expectations, yet practices understanding. And she loves these kids as if they are her own. This much can been seen by the mark she has left on my son. Miss Teuta is a very special and gifted teacher and should be recognized for the amazing effort she puts forth every day. KinderCare is very lucky to have her.