Testimonials
"We absolutely love Ms. Cathy! She is an extension of our family, as interested in the well-being of our children as we are. Cathy is organized, knowledgeable, professional, reliable and caring. She expects a lot of herself and of the children she invites into her home. The values Cathy teaches our children each day mirror those we try to teach our children at home. As such, key messages on how to treat others, good behavior and work ethic are well understood by and consistent for our children. I am delighted at how my children look forward to their "Ms. Cathy Days." When I'm at work, I know my children are learning in a safe, loving and supportive environment. What a blessing that is! We are forever grateful and couldn't imagine our children anywhere else." Shannon Ryson mother of Jack (7) and Ellie (4) in Miss Cathy's
care since birth.
"I have known Cathy Alcantara for 8 years since moving to Wheaton, Il. Our children have been close friends for many of these years and I have gotten to know Cathy well over the years. I have said to her several times that I wish I had known her when my children were babies as I would have hired her immediately to care for my children. Cathy is an organized, articulate, well educated and warm individual. She cares deeply about children and wants every child she meets to strive to be the best that he or she can be. Cathy has an ability to pinpoint childrens' strengths and her goal is to help children realize their abilities from a very young age. I encourage you to trust Cathy to care for your children - you will be glad you did."
Amy Holsinger mother of Sarah (17), Thomas (15) and Julia (11).
"Miss Cathy’s Little Learners has been my children's daycare provider since August of 2006. I am a teacher and have high expectations for the individual who takes care of my daughters. I scrutinized a lot of care providers prior to finding Cathy and feel we are extremely lucky to have discovered her. I am blessed to have found such a wonderful, loving environment for my girls! I am impressed everyday how she encourages my children, hugs them daily, and makes them feel at home. The care they receive, the warmth and happiness of this day care cannot be beat. Miss Cathy strives to provide an optimal learning environment with age appropriate educational tools as children grow and develop. Miss Cathy believes young children learn through active exploration of their environment in child-initiated and teacher-selected activities. Miss Cathy has allowed me to have a career while providing the best care for our children. Miss Cathy genuinely loves our children and helps them mature into secure and educated children. It is also wonderful that she gives us continual feedback on their development (so we know that they are getting that one on one attention that they need) and when a milestone is reached. As parents, we are aware of goals and experiences that are provided for our children and expectations for their performance. Miss Cathy works collaboratively with families to ensure that children are provided optimal learning experiences."
Elizabeth Pasqualicchio District 200 Preschool Teacher and mother of Peyton (4)
and Reagan (2) in Miss Cathy's care since birth.
"We have been so pleased with our experience at Little Learners Childcare! Miss Cathy has so many wonderful items for the kids to play and learn with, and she has added many new items in the 3 years we have been with her. We also really appreciate the emphasis on music, reading, and sharing time. Our older daughter has developed great social skills and manners in her time there, and our younger daughter is a happy baby who gets the attention she needs and loves watching the older kids. Miss Cathy has set herself apart from many of the other in-home daycare providers we considered because of the extensive training in early childhood development and education that she has sought out. She does a great job of recognizing our kids’ interests and strengths, and then provides opportunities for the kids to do more of those things. There is no prescribed age for learning something new or set time for playing with a certain activity – she follows the cues of the kids. She also challenges them to develop new skills as well. We are frequently amazed by the skills and knowledge our older daughter has picked up that we would not have expected yet! Miss Cathy is also very nurturing and patient with our baby. Each of our girls started at Little Learners at just 12 weeks of age, which was not easy, but we knew they were in excellent hands with Miss Cathy. In addition to her impressive qualifications, she provides lots of reassurance and information by giving us a written log for each girl at the end of every day, taking the time to talk at drop-off and pick-up, and even sending home a small photo album from time to time. But, most importantly for us and for the kids, our girls have fun and feel loved there. We cannot imagine sending them anywhere else!"
Chloe and Mike Wieczorek, parents of Audrey (3) and Megan (1) in Miss Cathy's
care since birth.
"When we were looking for childcare for our first child, we were desperate to find someone who we would feel completely comfortable with from the first moment. It’s not unlike when you “just know” as soon as you walk into your first house or you “just know” when you’ve met your future spouse. This decision was that important, and with Cathy, we had that initial feeling that she was “the one. “ I took out the checkbook and wrote a deposit as fast as I could after our short initial visit. Three years later, we couldn’t be happier with our decision.
Cathy is uniquely superior in the care that she provides. She is an outstanding mother, is a highly educated woman, and most importantly, she is a woman of great integrity. She is dependable, and Cathy does so much to make us feel that our children are being cared for and supported in every sense. We read her daily notes at the dinner table each night, and we keep them in a notebook for years to come. Not only does Cathy include all the necessary information about when they napped (and how long), and when and what they ate, she also includes a descriptive narrative highlighting the key points of play and development for the day. Our six-month conferences with Cathy are also so informative and just another indication of just how serious Ms. Cathy is about ensuring not only the safety and nurturing of our children, but also guaranteeing that we (as a team) do all we can to make sure our children are developmentally advancing in all areas. Ms. Cathy is someone whose opinion we truly value. She has our children's best interest in mind at all times.
Upon our first meeting, we were so impressed that she not only gave us the invitation to take a tour of her home, but she also expected to see our home; the home environment of our children. This was a step that showed us how selective she is in who she chooses to care for. The families at Ms. Cathy’s have been as special as Ms. Cathy herself. Our children have had the advantage of spending time with other children who are being raised to value good manners, kindness, education, hard work, compassion, humility, teamwork, and self-worth.
I always thought I would be a stay-at-home mom. Being a working mom is rewarding, but honestly, I wouldn’t be working if we didn’t find Cathy. I truly feel that, if I cannot be there to nurture, support, and love my children during the school day, Cathy is a close second. My children feel comfortable with her, supported by her, and they truly love her. When they need extra love and attention, she provides it. She’s completely in tune with their goals, but also their personal needs based on who they are as individuals. We cannot say enough about Cathy, and we would be happy to answer any specific questions you may have. Please e-mail us at eileenwill7@comcast.net " Mark and Eileen District 15 teachers, parents of
two boys ages 3 and 1 in Miss Cathy's care since birth.
"We absolutely love Ms. Cathy! She is an extension of our family, as interested in the well-being of our children as we are. Cathy is organized, knowledgeable, professional, reliable and caring. She expects a lot of herself and of the children she invites into her home. The values Cathy teaches our children each day mirror those we try to teach our children at home. As such, key messages on how to treat others, good behavior and work ethic are well understood by and consistent for our children. I am delighted at how my children look forward to their "Ms. Cathy Days." When I'm at work, I know my children are learning in a safe, loving and supportive environment. What a blessing that is! We are forever grateful and couldn't imagine our children anywhere else." Shannon Ryson mother of Jack (7) and Ellie (4) in Miss Cathy's
care since birth.
"I have known Cathy Alcantara for 8 years since moving to Wheaton, Il. Our children have been close friends for many of these years and I have gotten to know Cathy well over the years. I have said to her several times that I wish I had known her when my children were babies as I would have hired her immediately to care for my children. Cathy is an organized, articulate, well educated and warm individual. She cares deeply about children and wants every child she meets to strive to be the best that he or she can be. Cathy has an ability to pinpoint childrens' strengths and her goal is to help children realize their abilities from a very young age. I encourage you to trust Cathy to care for your children - you will be glad you did."
Amy Holsinger mother of Sarah (17), Thomas (15) and Julia (11).
"Miss Cathy’s Little Learners has been my children's daycare provider since August of 2006. I am a teacher and have high expectations for the individual who takes care of my daughters. I scrutinized a lot of care providers prior to finding Cathy and feel we are extremely lucky to have discovered her. I am blessed to have found such a wonderful, loving environment for my girls! I am impressed everyday how she encourages my children, hugs them daily, and makes them feel at home. The care they receive, the warmth and happiness of this day care cannot be beat. Miss Cathy strives to provide an optimal learning environment with age appropriate educational tools as children grow and develop. Miss Cathy believes young children learn through active exploration of their environment in child-initiated and teacher-selected activities. Miss Cathy has allowed me to have a career while providing the best care for our children. Miss Cathy genuinely loves our children and helps them mature into secure and educated children. It is also wonderful that she gives us continual feedback on their development (so we know that they are getting that one on one attention that they need) and when a milestone is reached. As parents, we are aware of goals and experiences that are provided for our children and expectations for their performance. Miss Cathy works collaboratively with families to ensure that children are provided optimal learning experiences."
Elizabeth Pasqualicchio District 200 Preschool Teacher and mother of Peyton (4)
and Reagan (2) in Miss Cathy's care since birth.
"We have been so pleased with our experience at Little Learners Childcare! Miss Cathy has so many wonderful items for the kids to play and learn with, and she has added many new items in the 3 years we have been with her. We also really appreciate the emphasis on music, reading, and sharing time. Our older daughter has developed great social skills and manners in her time there, and our younger daughter is a happy baby who gets the attention she needs and loves watching the older kids. Miss Cathy has set herself apart from many of the other in-home daycare providers we considered because of the extensive training in early childhood development and education that she has sought out. She does a great job of recognizing our kids’ interests and strengths, and then provides opportunities for the kids to do more of those things. There is no prescribed age for learning something new or set time for playing with a certain activity – she follows the cues of the kids. She also challenges them to develop new skills as well. We are frequently amazed by the skills and knowledge our older daughter has picked up that we would not have expected yet! Miss Cathy is also very nurturing and patient with our baby. Each of our girls started at Little Learners at just 12 weeks of age, which was not easy, but we knew they were in excellent hands with Miss Cathy. In addition to her impressive qualifications, she provides lots of reassurance and information by giving us a written log for each girl at the end of every day, taking the time to talk at drop-off and pick-up, and even sending home a small photo album from time to time. But, most importantly for us and for the kids, our girls have fun and feel loved there. We cannot imagine sending them anywhere else!"
Chloe and Mike Wieczorek, parents of Audrey (3) and Megan (1) in Miss Cathy's
care since birth.
"When we were looking for childcare for our first child, we were desperate to find someone who we would feel completely comfortable with from the first moment. It’s not unlike when you “just know” as soon as you walk into your first house or you “just know” when you’ve met your future spouse. This decision was that important, and with Cathy, we had that initial feeling that she was “the one. “ I took out the checkbook and wrote a deposit as fast as I could after our short initial visit. Three years later, we couldn’t be happier with our decision.
Cathy is uniquely superior in the care that she provides. She is an outstanding mother, is a highly educated woman, and most importantly, she is a woman of great integrity. She is dependable, and Cathy does so much to make us feel that our children are being cared for and supported in every sense. We read her daily notes at the dinner table each night, and we keep them in a notebook for years to come. Not only does Cathy include all the necessary information about when they napped (and how long), and when and what they ate, she also includes a descriptive narrative highlighting the key points of play and development for the day. Our six-month conferences with Cathy are also so informative and just another indication of just how serious Ms. Cathy is about ensuring not only the safety and nurturing of our children, but also guaranteeing that we (as a team) do all we can to make sure our children are developmentally advancing in all areas. Ms. Cathy is someone whose opinion we truly value. She has our children's best interest in mind at all times.
Upon our first meeting, we were so impressed that she not only gave us the invitation to take a tour of her home, but she also expected to see our home; the home environment of our children. This was a step that showed us how selective she is in who she chooses to care for. The families at Ms. Cathy’s have been as special as Ms. Cathy herself. Our children have had the advantage of spending time with other children who are being raised to value good manners, kindness, education, hard work, compassion, humility, teamwork, and self-worth.
I always thought I would be a stay-at-home mom. Being a working mom is rewarding, but honestly, I wouldn’t be working if we didn’t find Cathy. I truly feel that, if I cannot be there to nurture, support, and love my children during the school day, Cathy is a close second. My children feel comfortable with her, supported by her, and they truly love her. When they need extra love and attention, she provides it. She’s completely in tune with their goals, but also their personal needs based on who they are as individuals. We cannot say enough about Cathy, and we would be happy to answer any specific questions you may have. Please e-mail us at eileenwill7@comcast.net " Mark and Eileen District 15 teachers, parents of
two boys ages 3 and 1 in Miss Cathy's care since birth.