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September 2023 by Laura Soto
I have to share our story in hopes other families will use this as a tool to select the best care for their children. At first glance, La Petite seemed like a great fit. We felt this center was clean, secure, we appreciated the curriculum and most of all we loved the live cameras. But the bells and whistles they sell you are not a reality. On more than one occasion we saw teachers taking children Into parts of the rooms that couldn’t be viewed on camera to be disciplined. There was always an incredible amount of teacher turnover which caused the Director to poorly manage the staff in each class. We started noticing behavioral changes in our so and addressed this issue, sat face to face with the Director to have her admit there has been inconsistencies in the classrooms. How could any child thrive in an environment with a different teacher every day? We were assured that we would see consistency. That lasted about a week. It was so bad, that during potty training, our childs needs were neglected because there was a block in communication between the rotation of random teachers in the classroom. The nail on the coffin for us was when I witnessed my son “fall off of his chair” (what the Assistant Director claimed happen). I saw my child hit the floor, while the teacher in question sat there staring at him while he cried hysterically on the ground. So much so that another teacher came running across the classroom to scoop him up and console him. When I questioned what happened the Assistant Director NEVER ONCE addressed if our child was ok. She waited hours to review tape with a Regional Manager and without hesitation began blaming our child and how his behavior had been “so bad the last few weeks”. ( A trend if you read other reviews) So much so that he had been removed from class at points. Into a Directors office. No cameras. See the trend here. Mind you. Not once was this brought to our attention. I watched the camera for 8 straight hours the next day and what I witnessed was sickening. Teachers singling out my son for behaviors that other kids were doing at the same time. He was 2 at the time. 2 year olds are hard. I watched random teachers enter the classroom just to question him (sounds guilty to me), aggressive discipline. I’m talking teachers dragging kids across the classroom, scooping them from the ground and taking them off camera. We picked up our son immediately and never returned. I even once watched a teacher let a preschooler slip out the front door during dismissal. The teacher had no idea. I grabbed the young girl before she walked straight out of the center to the lobby. Finally I’d like to address the curriculum that we were so impressed with from our initial tour. I don’t think I need to explain how a constant rotation of teachers can keep up any sort of structure. It was an awful experience from the moment we stepped in the door every single day. There would be random men whom I assume are husbands of the teachers just hanging out in the lobby and the office. The door to the classrooms was never locked. We addressed that multiple times and we were told they were fixing it. The safety and care of your children is not important at La Petite in New Lenox. Please look further than the bells and whistles they will present to you at your initial tour. I want to point out that since we have left we have learned other extremely disturbing things from other families that have left La Petite. None of which I am comfortable sharing. I can’t wait for the comment to follow this review. Laughable in my opinion since not once has the Director or anyone from La Petite followed up with us about what happened and our immediate exit from the facility but I assure you my negative review will be addressed.
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August 2023 by Laura S.
I have to share our story in hopes other families will use this as a tool to select the best care for their children. At first glance, La Petite seemed like a great fit. We felt this center was clean, secure, we appreciated the curriculum and most of all we loved the live cameras. But the bells and whistles they sell you are not a reality. On more than one occasion we saw teachers taking children Into parts of the rooms that couldn't be viewed on camera to be disciplined. There was always an incredible amount of teacher turnover which caused the Director to poorly manage the staff in each class. We started noticing behavioral changes in our so and addressed this issue, sat face to face with the Director to have her admit there has been inconsistencies in the classrooms. How could any child thrive in an environment with a different teacher every day? We were assured that we would see consistency. That lasted about a week. It was so bad, that during potty training, our childs needs were neglected because there was a block in communication between the rotation of random teachers in the classroom. The nail on the coffin for us was when I witnessed my son "fall off of his chair" (what the Assistant Director claimed happen). I saw my child hit the floor, while the teacher in question sat there staring at him while he cried hysterically on the ground. So much so that another teacher came running across the classroom to scoop him up and console him. When I questioned what happened the Assistant Director NEVER ONCE addressed if our child was ok. She waited hours to review tape with a Regional Manager and without hesitation began blaming our child and how his behavior had been "so bad the last few weeks". ( A trend if you read other reviews) So much so that he had been removed from class at points. Into a Directors office. No cameras. See the trend here. Mind you. Not once was this brought to our attention. I watched the camera for 8 straight hours the next day and what I witnessed was sickening. Teachers singling out my son for behaviors that other kids were doing at the same time. He was 2 at the time. 2 year olds are hard. I watched random teachers enter the classroom just to question him (sounds guilty to me), aggressive discipline. I'm talking teachers dragging kids across the classroom, scooping them from the ground and taking them off camera. We picked up our son immediately and never returned. I even once watched a teacher let a preschooler slip out the front door during dismissal. The teacher had no idea. I grabbed the young girl before she walked straight out of the center to the lobby. Finally I'd like to address the curriculum that we were so impressed with from our initial tour. I don't think I need to explain how a constant rotation of teachers can keep up any sort of structure. It was an awful experience from the moment we stepped in the door every single day. There would be random men whom I assume are husbands of the teachers just hanging out in the lobby and the office. The door to the classrooms was never locked. We addressed that multiple times and we were told they were fixing it. The safety and care of your children is not important at La Petite in New Lenox. Please look further than the bells and whistles they will present to you at your initial tour. I want to point out that since we have left we have learned other extremely disturbing things from other families that have left La Petite. None of which I am comfortable sharing. I can't wait for the comment to follow this review. Laughable in my opinion since not once has the Director or anyone from La Petite followed up with us about what happened and our immediate exit from the facility but I assure you my negative review will be addressed.
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November 2022 by Stacie Hoving
We love La Petite! My children originally went to an at home daycare and unfortunately the at home daycare wanted to downsize so that meant no more childcare for my two kids. I felt like I was against the odds two kids (16 months and 3 months at the time) trying to find a new daycare last minute during a pandemic and baby boom felt unrealistic, I felt doomed. I called so many daycares and everyone was a no but on a Tuesday I got a call from Nicole saying they are able to take on my two kids if I’m still interested I have never said yes so fast before! Carrie the director stayed late for us to come tour the building. Carrie and Nicole are both so friendly and so informative with all the questions me and my husband had. The school itself is huge in my opinion! My daughter definitely had a hard time adjusting to a daycare but knowing I was able to check the cameras and see she was completely fine after I left made me feel at such ease! Her teachers are so kind and just all around such nice people! My daughter gets so excited every time she sees her teachers. Now she runs into daycare like she owns the place and she’s always smiling and saying bye when it’s time to leave! My sons teachers are just as amazing! I will check the cameras and see them playing with him and the other babies and they send pictures through the app they use to keep us informed through out the day. Honestly seeing pictures of both of them throughout the day is my highlight! We’ve only been going a short time but within that short time the staff and directors have been great! I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for a fun, safe, and friendly daycare!
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November 2022 by Emily Beck
I can’t say enough about how great they are! Anytime we have a question or a request for our daughter we get a quick and helpful response. The quality of care she receives compared to other places is fantastic! And all the teachers and staff are so polite and professional. I recommend the La Petite Academy (New Lenox) to my friends and anyone who asks!
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November 2021 by Justin Witalka
Transitioning from in-house day care to La Petite Academy was a worry for both my fiancée & myself but from the first moment we met Carrie and the other wonderful & friendly staff of La Petite, we knew we had nothing to worry about. They are so patient and fun with the children while remaining professional and put so much thought and creativity into their daily lesson plans. They also hosted a carnival...we were sortajealous we couldn't play the games and win the prizes! All the teachers we have met have been nothing but kind and friendly. Definitely recommend!
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November 2021 by Vickie F
The best thing to happen to our family in a long time. Carrie, the director is AMAZING! There is nothing that woman can't do or make happen. Everyone there is very nice and friendly and our daughter can't wait to go back time and again. They make transitioning from one classroom to the next very easy. Our daughter is newly potty trained and I was told she been making regular visits to the bigger kids classroom so she'll be comfortable when she's there starting in January. When we had a death in the family, I reached out to her to arrange for our child to go to school on a day she doesn't normally so we could attend the funeral services and give her some normalcy. There are so many "extra opportunities and services here for the whole family to take advantage of. During parents night out, she stayed at school until later in the evening while my hubby and I put up the Christmas decorations without worrying about what the toddler was getting into . They collect stuff for charities, teaching children the value of helping others less fortunateI should also mention how safe this place is It's like Fort Knox. Nobody gets in or out without passwords or being identified . There are security cameras all over the place giving you opportunity to watch your child .Everything they do is safety and education driven .Update 12/2020... my 5 year old is reading at a second grade reading level thanks to the private kindergarten experience with Miss Diane. She's also been caught doing math equations on my dry erase mess board at home, which is so encouraging. She has gotten so much out of the 3 years we've been attending, I'm sad that we can't continue beyond kindergarten with them.
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November 2021 by Mayra Ramirez
horrible experience with this daycare and the teachers are two faces they smile at you but they are yelling to our babies through the camera you look as if they are talking to them but in reality they are yelling at them my 1 year old daughter was bullied and the teachers just said it was behavior of the child's age, they always shielded him for his behavior and never did anything. my daughter does not walk at the time and she was bitten, kicked and pushed by the child and they never did anything. Carrie always said that the child had behavior problems but she never did anything. I just want to tell parents to be careful when leaving their children and always make time to talk to your children and check the cameras. I have so many bad things about this daycare that I prefer to leave it like that, it took me more than a year to put this review.
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November 2021 by Shannon B.
The teachers are wonderful and underpaid. Management, however, is unprofessional, overpaid, and less interested in the best interest of the children and more focus on the business side. Great teachers, poor leadership. I would not recommend this daycare facility.
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November 2019 by Nicole White
My husband and I pulled our children from La Petite (New Lenox) in May 2019 after being in their care for almost three years. It is intentional that I have given myself some time to process all that led to our decision before writing this review, as I wanted to be fair and balanced, but also candid about what we experienced. Overall, LP has a long-standing history and they’ve been in the child-care business for quite some time. That, however, is their greatest impediment to true child-centered care. Their focus is on profits and not what is best for children. The teachers are overrun, given very few resources, stretched beyond their bandwidth – and for very little pay. While there were a few (and by few, I mean less than a handful) teachers throughout our time at LP that we were very fond of and who genuinely seemed to care for our children, they didn’t stay long given the environment, and there was a constant revolving door of teacher talent. Over time, this took a toll on our children. Eventually, my two year old son began to have major meltdowns, where he’d be practically inconsolable. The teachers and director (Carrie) seemed at a loss for what was triggering his meltdowns, despite the fact that he was doing well at home. We hoped it was a phase, but after several weeks with no improvement, we began to question everything that we’d been so sure of before – even our own parenting. Are we doing something wrong? Is he upset with us? Every day at drop-off, we watched our son’s light dim as we pulled into the parking lot. Things eventually came to a head when I logged into the cameras and witnessed a teacher literally push my son across the floor during one of his tantrums. The director had the audacity to tell me that the teacher was defending herself from my son (a two year old). They never apologized, acknowledged that it was wrong or took responsibility for her actions. In fact, I recently learned that she’s been promoted. We immediately pulled both of our children from LP, which was pretty heartbreaking given that my daughter in Pre-K had an incredible teacher whom she was very fond of. We had no idea where we would place them, but we followed our spirits, hearts and intuition. It is now four months since our experience there and I am happy to say that my son’s disposition improved almost immediately when we removed our children from LP’s care. At his current daycare, his light couldn’t be brighter. He asks about his teacher on the weekends and looks forward to going every day. His current teacher is so incredibly engaged with each and every one of her students, but what I think has made the biggest difference is this: he knows she genuinely cares for and about him. He is not just a number, just another tuition payment, he is not just there. He matters and she makes sure he knows it. At first blush, you may find the director Carrie to be very friendly, warm and engaging. That was our initial impression as well. However, her true colors were revealed over time. I am grateful to the few teachers there who, despite every disincentive to do so, poured into our children over the years. They were the exception. But we are so grateful to have moved on and I will honestly never look back.
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November 2018 by Stacy Burke
My girls have been going to LaPetite since they were babies. Can't say enough good things about this place. It's clean, offers activities, and has a great staff.
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November 2017 by Loni Marie
Toddler thrived prior to attending. A couple months after transition to twos room he developed severe anxiety. WHENEVER I stopped in unannounced the entire room of toddlers were just running around. Teacher of room told me he would cry n cry n instead of comforting him she said she would put him in the corner until he fell asleep crying! He wouldn't eat while attending. She said he would sleep all day, this tells me she didn't allow him out of corner because he continued to cry. (Teachers aid couldn't look me in the eye when I'd have questions) Would eat like he wasn't fed all day once he got home. Developed anxiety with loud sounds n would hide in corner if he heard loud voices. Night terrors. Spoke with director about my concerns, nothing changed. Needless to say I refused to take him back. I felt there was no stimulation or constructive schedule conducive to learning. My son had been in daycare since he was 6months old and he loved going to old daycare center!!He was even starting to talk!! Complete turnaround once we had to switch. Refused eye contact or affection, became angry constantly. Teacher seemed irritated by toddlers in classroom. It's been about a year since he attended, I can only hope she has been replaced.
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November 2016 by Erin Gioiosa
La Petite is a home away from home for my two children. We have gone to this school for 4 years and my daughter has been there from infant to pre-school. In addition, my son started at age 3 and continues to go to school age. The directors and the staff are kind, caring, and understanding of the demands of parenthood and always try to lend a helping hand on those challenging days and celebrate the milestones with you. There new program Precious is wonderful to alleviate parent anxiety as they send pics and updates all day long. Thanks, La Petite!
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November 2014 by Paul Dobbelhoff
We have been bringing my daughter here since she was an infant and could not be happier. One of the things I appreciate most about La Petite is their flexibility. Juggling work and home life can be a challenge, but they never push back when you need to alter your schedule. Above all, we have been thrilled with the staff at La Petite. I have always felt the teachers have been engaged in helping my child learn and better interact with her classmates. They also give daily reports on what your child did that day, so you feel like you never miss a thing. The staff has a genuine relationship with my daughter, I've never felt like she was just another member of the class. La Petite Academy has my full endorsement, and we hope to continue with them for years to come.
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November 2012 by Teri O'Niel
My daughter has been attending LaPetite for over two years now, and I can't say enough good things about the school. The care she receives is top-notch, the curriculum has been fantastic, and the staff and management team are second to none. I would not hesitate to recommend this school to anyone looking for the best place to care for and educate their child(ren).
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November 2012 by Andrea Prochaska
After moving back to New Lenox a year ago I thought I had found a daycare as good as the one we were leaving behind. However, after going through two really bad ones we finally found LaPetite and have not looked back since. They are wonderful there and take really good care of my children. You know you are in the right place when you kids come home "messy" and tired by the end of the day. A parent couldn't ask for better than that. I would highly recommend then to all parents who are in need of a good daycare.
