When you’re a parent, few decisions feel as overwhelming as trusting someone else to care for your children. For one mother of six, that decision came during one of the most challenging seasons of her life.
At the time, she was working full-time at Burger King. Her youngest son, Alex, was just a few weeks old, and her daughter, Lucy, had recently celebrated her first birthday. Her grandmother had been helping care for the babies, but with two infants to watch, it was becoming too much.
After moving into the Arbor Crossing Apartments, she found herself driving past Giraffe Laugh every day.
“I had never put any of my older four children in childcare,” she recalls. “I was terrified.”
Like many parents, she had heard stories about negative childcare experiences. If she was going to trust someone with her babies, she wanted a place where she could stop by anytime, stay as long as she needed, and truly feel confident they were safe and loved.
One phone call changed everything.
When she reached out to Giraffe Laugh, she spoke with a staff member who patiently answered every question, explained the programs, and connected her with community resources. Before making her decision, she researched the center and asked around.
“I never once found or heard anything negative.”
Three days later, she enrolled both of her children.
“Our lives changed forever in the best way.”
Finding a Second Family
On their first day, her daughter was just 14 months old, while her son was only eight weeks old.
Instead of tears or fear, her daughter quickly settled in.
“Every time I peeked in, she would tell me to leave,” she laughs.
That was the moment she knew they had found more than a childcare center.
They had found a second home.
Over the years, Giraffe Laugh became much more than a place where her children learned and played. It became a support system for her entire family.
“We are part of the scholarship program, and without it, I would not have been able to finish school, follow my dreams, and start building the life my family deserves.”
Support Beyond the Classroom
Life became even more difficult when her children’s father left, leaving her to care for six children on her own.
“I felt overwhelmed and abandoned,” she says. “I was told to ‘figure it out.'”
Facing the uncertainty of providing for her family alone. She shared, “How was I supposed to provide for six kids on my own?”
But she found comfort at Giraffe Laugh. “Giraffe Laugh was my shoulder to cry on, and the staff informed me of more programs and ways to get help in the community. The staff at Giraffe Laugh always understands, and I never feel like I am being judged. “
Her family also participated in Giraffe Laugh’s Holiday Giving adoption program. During what she describes as one of the most stressful Christmas seasons of her life, the program helped ease the burden of providing for her children and reminded her that she wasn’t facing those challenges alone.
Growing with Giraffe Laugh
Today, Lucy is a confident preschooler with a big personality. She loves school, enjoys gymnastics, treasures time with her friends, and has even started recognizing letters and beginning to read words.
Her younger brother, Alex, has grown into a sweet, curious little learner who now confidently communicates with words and looks forward to going to school each day.
Their growth reflects what happens when children have consistent, nurturing relationships and opportunities to learn through play in a supportive environment.
Looking back, this mother says her family has experienced many highs and lows over the years, but one thing has remained constant.
Giraffe Laugh.
“It has always been my second family.”
Today, she has finished school, is working in her dream career, and is building the future she always hoped to give her children.
She credits much of that journey to the support she found when she made one phone call during one of the hardest moments of her life.
“I will always be thankful for the day I got over my fear and called desperately in need of a helping hand and a change in my life.”
Her story is a reminder that quality early childhood education does more than prepare children for kindergarten. It strengthens families, connects parents with critical resources, and helps create brighter futures for everyone.
At Giraffe Laugh, every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive, and every family deserves a community that believes in them.
Note: Some names have been changed to protect the privacy of the children and their family.
