I have had my children (boys 2 & 3 years old) at Little Discoveries (LD) over a year. I wanted to…read moremake sure I made it through the honeymoon period and through some challenges before I posted such an important review. Any parent would agree: nothing is more important than our children. I can safely say, now, with well over a year (closer to two?) at LD on Creative Lane that this IS the BEST preschool in town. I toured many others and my first son attended another one before schooling at LD. I've never been happier for the switch.
About my family: I'm a nurse who works 7am-730pm (long hours that start early) and my eldest boy is on the spectrum. My husband owns a local business so he often works long hours as well. This preschool not only accommodates our crazy early schedules and long days, but the manager, Lacy, and owner, Rhonda, constantly go above and beyond to accommodate my son's special needs.
Autism was not something familiar to my family when I enrolled my kiddo in preschool. It was something we learned a LOT about in a short period of time and, of course, that period of time was during preschool years. Lacy and her staff worked diligently and with SO MUCH LOVE to make sure my son could stay in a social setting and still have all of his needs met. They filed extra paperwork, have meetings, allow his intense therapy schedules, take feedback, and communicate 100% any time something was a concern or needed attention. That respect and safety is not something that's usually felt by ASD parents.
Many ASD parents homeschool or leave kiddos with family because they don't trust anyone else. I feel so honored and lucky to say that is NOT the case for my family. I trust the LD staff to always care for and love my children as if they were their own. Any issue I've ever mentioned has been immediately met with constructive feedback and genuine concern. I've never felt like my kids have been targeted for my continuous questions or special needs.
Lacy, the manager, is a mom and a darn good one. She runs the school like it's her baby. And, in fact, her baby attends the school. That alone told me the care would be excellent. It's one thing to have a removed manager, it's another to have one who's onsite all day and has her own precious family attending. If something doesn't work out for kids, Lacy is the first to come up with clever solutions or make changes to help the kids succeed.
LD has cameras that work all the time, too. Parents can watch their kids when they're away. So, it helps keep those of us feeling guilty about time spent apart involved as much as possible. If there's ever a question about the kiddos' day, there's video evidence to reference. The camera system is secure and locked down so only parents have access. I actually thought I'd watch the cameras a lot more but I find that I feel so confident in my kids' care that I don't stalk the cameras much anymore.
The preschool is clean and safe. There's all kinds of fun, new equipment and toys. They have their own chef who makes quality, healthy food for kids and they all sit to eat like a big family. The school structure is conducive to learning (and fun!) without impeding autonomy and independence. And everyone gets to play outside on one of the different playgrounds!
At this point, my family has had about half the staff babysit at our home. We trust and love the girls who teach the kids like our own family. I am constantly amazed by how patient these girls have been with my and others' children. I cannot imagine a more stressful job: lots of fragile, needy little people, demanding parents, and 100% of every move on camera. And yet, they are always peaceful and full of love for our babies.
There's never a time children are left to cry. Every. Single. Time. I've seen a kiddo cry on camera, they rush to help them. This was a HUGE deal to me as another local school practices the cry-it-out method (which some countries might consider child neglect). The girls rock the kiddos and sing to them, holding them with so much love. They instinctually snuggle the kiddos and land kisses on their heads in exactly the way I would. That kind of love and attention is what I desperately wanted to make sure my babies didn't miss out on while I work. I am SO glad they get that love all day!
The memories these girls have are incredible, too. They remember every allergy, which kid is allowed juice (or not), every specific nap time, each jacket and new pair of shoes the kids wear in and out, etc. It's incredible. Everything is organized and laid out for consistently great care. They work on potty training, critical thinking skills, art, reading, and more.
I could not be more impressed with (or grateful for) such outstanding care. Rhonda, the owner, has some incredible preschools. This one is my favorite. Lacy and her LD staff are phenomenal. It all comes down to love and caring, in this and so many ways, Creative Ln staff are undoubtedly the best. Thank you LD!!
