Dear Parents,

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re looking for more than just a childcare center. You’re looking for a place where your child will be safe, loved, encouraged, and genuinely cared for while you’re away.

I understand that feeling because before I was the founder of Early Connections, I was simply a mom trying to make the best decisions for my own children.

Like many parents, I wanted to give my children the healthiest, happiest start in life. I found myself constantly researching nutrition, organic foods, artificial dyes, preservatives, chemicals, and everything that could impact their health and development. The more I learned, the more I changed the choices I made for my own family.

When I moved back to Illinois, I was faced with the same challenge so many parents experience. I needed to return to work, but I struggled with the idea of leaving my children with someone I didn’t know. They weren’t just my children. They were my heart.

So instead of searching for the childcare I wished existed, I created it.

I opened a small home daycare where my own children could stay with me. The children who joined our family weren’t treated differently. They ate the same organic meals my children ate. They learned together, played together, celebrated milestones together, and received the same love, encouragement, and care I gave my own children.

As the years passed, I couldn’t stop thinking about one question. What if more children could experience this?

That question became Early Connections. I wanted to create more than a beautiful childcare center. I wanted to create the kind of place I had spent years wishing existed.

• A place where children are truly known.

• Where teachers build meaningful relationships instead of simply supervising.

• Where classrooms feel warm, welcoming, and full of life.

• Where healthy, organic meals are part of everyday care because I believe what we feed our children matters.

• Where families feel like they belong from the moment they walk through our doors.

Every decision we’ve made has been guided by one simple question. “If this were my own child, would this be enough?” If the answer was no, we kept improving.

That question shaped our classrooms, our programs, our meals, our environment, and the team we’ve built. It continues to guide every decision we make because I believe children deserve more than a place to spend the day. They deserve a place where they feel safe, valued, encouraged, and loved.

• When your child walks through our doors each morning, I want them to feel like they’ve come to a place where they belong.

• When you drive away, I want you to feel the same peace I would hope for if I were leaving my own children with someone else.

To me, Early Connections means creating early connections that matter most. Connections to confidence. Connections to kindness. Connections to healthy habits. Connections to curiosity. Connections to learning. Connections to friendships. Most importantly, connections built on trust.

My hope is that when your family becomes part of Early Connections, you won’t simply find childcare. You’ll find a community that celebrates your child’s milestones, supports your family, and continues to care long after your child has outgrown our classrooms.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for considering Early Connections. It would truly be an honor to earn your trust, welcome your family, and become a small part of your child’s journey.

With gratitude,

Anita H. Skaljic

Founder & Owner, Early Connections Childcare