Our Second Home, Our Community, Our Family
Three years ago, I was a “first time parent” sending my son to daycare and I experienced a plethora of emotions. I had a million questions and thoughts running through my head. Will the daycare center love him? Will the teachers understand what he wants and needs? Do they know that he must sleep with his stuffed monkey? Will they help him socialize? Will he learn anything new? With all these questions, how would I find the perfect place for my son?
It wasn’t until we toured Jacob Duman Early Childhood Center at Lake County JCC, and without any hesitation, the staff and teachers answered me with a resounding YES! I was instantly in love and my husband and I knew it was the perfect place for our family.
When the pandemic hit, my husband and I decided to start sending our 1-year-old to daycare. It was a tough choice since it was the very first time our son would be in public. Although, I had reservations, the staff at Jacob Duman Early Childhood Center eased my mind again and went above and beyond for his transition. They made him feel a part of the community in an instant. As a parent, the single most important thing for me to know is that my children are loved and cared for and the J does just that.
You can tell the staff at the J are there every day because they truly love what they do! Every morning we walk in the door and a staff member either greets us by name or with a huge smile and a warm hello. The teachers share stories from the day and update us about our son’s interests. The teachers love the way the kids play, learn, talk, grow, explore, and create. They are extremely creative when planning new units and are organized when creating new learning opportunities. My boys have learned so much in the short time we have been a part of the Lake County JCC community. Their learning goes beyond any academic milestone. They learn how to be a part of a community and how to contribute to a group, all while singing songs and learning about Jewish holidays, traditions, and values. Our boys walk into school every day and know that there are amazing teachers and new learning opportunities that await them!
Jacob Duman Early Childhood Center is more than just our daycare, it has become our second home, our community, and our family. We believe our children are at the best place while we go to work each day. We are truly grateful for the teachers’ sacrifice and efforts during the pandemic to make sure our children were safe. They took on the challenge and did it with a positive attitude! We look forward to the end of every workday to see our kids and hear about their exciting adventures at the J. We are grateful to be a part of this very special community.
– Lauren Weingarten
Lauren Weingarten lives in Lake Zurich with her husband Adam and two boys Easton (4) and Tristan (1). Their family loves to walk to the local parks and play at the baseball diamonds! They also love celebrating all the holidays and they read together every night! The Weingarten’s are big Chicago sports fans, especially when it comes to the Chicago Cubs. Lauren went to Camp Chi and she knew Jacob Duman Early Childhood Center at Lake County JCC was the perfect place for her boys from the moment she stepped into the doors. She is a reading specialist in the local school district, and she enjoys being a part of FIG for Lake County JCC.