August 2010
We have had the pleasure of knowing Marsha Nelson for the past 10 years. My oldest daughter, Debbie who is now 10, joined Marsha’s daycare when she was 12 weeks old. My younger daughter, Rebecca who is now 5 and will be starting kindergarten this fall, joined Marsha’s when she was 12 weeks old. I will never forget interviewing Marsha prior to joining her daycare. She made my husband and I feel at home and we knew when we were done with the interview process that this is where we wanted our children to be.
Marsha makes not only the children that she cares for, but the parents as well feel like they are a part of her family. She has a wonderful open door policy on communication and treats the children and parents with the utmost respect. Marsha also teaches the children respect, not only for the other children, but for themselves as well. She teaches them how they can use words and not actions to get through a situation.
Both of our girls had such positive experiences with all of the activities that Marsha exposed them too. From the school-like home atmosphere of learning letters, numbers, shapes and colors as well story time at the library, show and tell, all kinds of crafts that go along with what the children are learning about and gym and music classes to all of the wonderful field trips Marsha planned throughout the year to places like the zoo, pumpkin farms, plays, children’s museums, nature centers, the list goes on and on. I loved picking up my children each day as they couldn’t wait to tell me what they did or where they had gone.
Marsha will always have a very special place in all of our hearts, after all she has been a major part of our lives and lives of our children for the last 10 years. We will miss having a day to day connect with Marsha, but will still keep in contact with her as we feel she is part of our family.
Please feel free to contact me if you would like any more information. I would highly recommend Marsha to any family looking for care for their child. The doors she will open for your family will amaze you.
Sincerely,
Jim, Lisa, Debbie and Rebecca Reck
June 2010
To Whom It May Concern,
Marsha Nelson has been our childcare provider for the past four years. As any parent knows, finding dependable, competent people that you can trust with your child’s care is difficult. Yet, Marsha fits that role perfectly.
Our daughter, Elena, was only 18 months old when she joined Marsha’s Toddlerturf and even from the beginning we were impressed with the level of care and love that Marsha expressed towards Elena and the rest of the kids under her care. Besides providing the normal care of giving the kids nutritious food and stimulating games and toys, we began to see Marsha more as Elena’s teacher. Marsha understood that learning does not always occur in a room and would take the kids on trips all over the surrounding communities on a constant basis: from grocery stores to children’s museums Marsha made learning fun for our kids. Elena would come home with the neatest craft projects as well as a growing knowledge of the A, B, C’s and 1, 2, 3’s. Now, at age 5 I know Elena will be more than ready for kindergarten because of everything Marsha has done for her.
Marsha’s teaching did not end with academics. She understood that to teach means that you often teach kids how to be good people. Every morning our daughter would walk into a home where she would be respected, but was expected to show respect as well. “Please” and “thank you” were taught as a way of showing respect, and the kids were taught alternate ways of expressing sadness or frustrations instead of whining or throwing tantrums. Marsha was always great with showing the kids why it is important to follow the rules and treat someone the way you would like to be treated. Relatives were always impressed to hear us tell of our “nanny” who would take 7 kids, of all ages, on numerous trips and never once have any major problems with disciplining them.
Marsha has continually shown us her desire to provide what is best for our kids, from taking the kids to stimulating kids’ theater productions or swim classes. She has also made it a point to pursue her own learning in the field by working to receive accreditation as well as just keeping on top of what new ideas emerge in the field of childcare. Every year would be different from the last as Marsha would reflect on what had worked, what needed to be modified and/or changed, and what the kids really enjoyed best. As a teacher myself, I know how important it is for educators to routinely reflect on our teaching and modify accordingly. I was so impressed to know that Elena had set routines, but there was the liberty of trying something new as well.
We continued our childcare with Marsha not only because of her dedication towards teaching our daughter, but because we saw how much she truly cared for our daughter and her future. When Elena began to confuse “mom” with Marsha at home on the weekends, I saw just how great of an impact Marsha had on our daughter. I began to see that Elena saw Marsha as another mother figure whom she loved and trusted to always take care of her and love her unconditionally. Leaving Marsha’s care was as difficult as saying goodbye to a great friend because that is what Marsha has become for our family.
Elena will be starting kindergarten this year and it is with sadness that we said good bye and thank you to Marsha. So, it is with great respect and love that I highly recommend Marsha Nelson to any family looking for childcare for their kid(s). Any family would be lucky to have Marsha care for their child.
Sincerely,
Lori Garcia & Eduardo Garcia
February 2010
Marsha,
We would like to express our sincere gratitude for all the wonderful memories, quality care, great times, and overall EXCEPTIONAL experience our daughter Kylie had while attending Marsha’s Toddler Turf. The educational yet fun environment provided a solid foundation for Kylie and helped mold her into the kind and respectful girl that she is now. And it still amazes me that you got her to like wonderful new foods like zucchini bread. I think it’s because this isn’t a job to you; the kids are your passion.
Kylie had such grand experiences with the at-home activities and also visited numerous fun places such as Gymkhana, Pirates Cove, Wild West, Morton Arboretum, children's museums, zoos, outdoor concerts, library activities, nature centers, the circus, plays, music class, swimming at Lifetime Fitness…and the list goes on and on! Even though she is now in kindergarten, she often reminisces about her friends, the daily activities, and the many field trips. Our family has been blessed to be part of your daycare and we would love to have our second child be part of your family when that time comes. We would recommend you and your wonderful daycare to everyone!
Take care,
Rich & Sophie T.
August 2009
Marsha Nelson has cared for my son Tyler for 2 years and I cannot say enough good things about Tyler’s growth and happiness because of Marsha’s care. There are plenty of daycare providers and center out there, but I have found there are close to none that provide the love and education that Marsha does. Tyler was a preemie and it has always been very important to me that he learn at an accelerated pace in order to catch up with his peers, but not at the cost of being pushed too hard. Marsha works with each child in her care individually to make sure they are learning at their own pace and I am overly satisfied with Tyler’s growth.
The activities that are available to the children at Marsha’s ToddlerTurf are one of my favorite things about Tyler having been in Marsha’s care. From field trips, show-and-tell, story time, crafts each day, gym class and all the extra things Marsha does with them – like the circus and plays (that even I myself have participated in and enjoyed myself!); Tyler has gotten to do so many things that I feel all children benefit from being exposed to. Tyler has always been happy and excited to go to Marsha’s house and he use to always ask for her on the weekends too! He has formed a close friendship with all of the children there and has learned a great deal about sharing & friendship. We are both going to miss Marsha and everyone there a great deal.
Marsha is also great at keeping communication open with parents and keeping parents involved in the child’s daily activities. Anytime she has had a question or concern about Tyler, his development, behavior, etc, she always asks and I feel comfortable discussing anything regarding Tyler with her. Trust is the most important thing when you let other people watch your children and I’ve fully trusted Marsha and her family for years.
I have always loved feeling like I was a part of Tyler’s day, even when I couldn’t be there. From pictures, to the schedule of what Tyler ate, how much he slept, what activities he did, etc. My favorite part of the day is the ride home listening to Tyler tell me all about his day and all the things he did.
Tyler and I both love Marsha, Bob and her family very much and we will miss them next year when Tyler goes to Kindergarten. I’m so grateful for the care she has given Tyler over the years and she is someone that will always be very important to me. If there is one thing I could say about Marsha’s ToddlerTurf, and her services, is that any child will flourish is every way possible in her care.
Joy Keller
January 18, 2008
Dear Future Family of Marsha's Toddlerturf:
I am writing to recommend an exceptional daycare provider, Marsha Nelson, for your consideration. My daughter, Sydney, started at Marsha’s daycare when she was just over 3 months old, until she turned 3 ½ years old. Over the years, my husband and I watched Sydney flourish and grow to be a very kind, respectful, and loving child. We believe this is greatly due to the excellent care she received at Marsha's Toddlerturf.
Marsha provides a loving home and truly fosters the children in her care. The reason I selected Marsha's daycare over the many choices available to us, from large day care centers, to nannies, and other day care providers, was due to Marsha’s experience, professionalism, and personal love of this profession. At Marsha's daycare, my daughter was exposed to so many educational and physical activities such as: nature walks, museums, library visits, plays, swimming, police and fire department visits, and zoos. I truly saw the excitement, joy, and smile on Sydney’s face at the end of each day.
I also feel that Sydney received individual attention from Marsha that attributed to her development, where she may not have received elsewhere. My daughter practiced and learned her ABC’s, counting, motor skills, and behavior skills under Marsha’s direction. She can count to 20 and dictate her ABC’s, she can recognize the spelling of words, and is extremely polite. As a parent, I am very proud.
Marsha also provided very useful guidance and support to a new mother on such matters of infant/toddler milestones, such as, weaning the bottle, potty training, the use of kitchen utensils, drinking from a cup, saying “please”, and “thank you”, putting on a coat, putting on shoes, and many more.
On a personal note, Marsha Nelson provided excellent care of our daughter, and will be greatly missed by our family. Please feel free to call or write if you wish further information from me. I write in support of Marsha's Toddlerturf, and would recommend her day care to all parents who are lucky enough to be chosen by her.
Very truly yours,
Christine A. Seton-Koch
September 29, 2006
To Whom It May Concern:
When I returned to work in September of 2003 after having my first child, I interviewed numerous day care providers. Just when I was feeling that my decision to go back to work and leave my child in the care of another person was a mistake, I met Marsha Nelson. As soon as I walked into Marsha’s home, as well as met her face to face, I was instantly comfortable with her and the environment in which the children would be in everyday. Marsha’s home is set up like a small classroom; ABC’s and numbers decorated the walls, there were stimulating and various age appropriate toys and a craft table just to name a few. During our initial conversation, Marsha was very honest on how she provides care, education and physical resources for the children and I knew at that point that she was the one that I would trust.
My oldest son had been in Marsha’s care for approximately three years. I saw him prosper tremendously educationally, physically and emotionally. Daily he brought home his accomplishment/projects that he has been working on that day or week and is so proud to show them off to everyone. My youngest son had been in Marsha’s care for approximately one year (since he was 3 months old). Though he was not involved with the curriculum my oldest son was, he developed socially and had a comfort level with Marsha that I only see when he was with us. When they were sick and could not make it to Marsha’s, she always calls to check on them and see how they were doing. Marsha treats all of the children like her own and to me that is the highest level of care and sincerity that I could ever ask for.
Due to the upcoming birth of our third child, a very difficult decision was made by our family to move to a larger home which has lead us to purchase a home in another city. Due to the geographic location of our new home we were regrettably forced with the decision to leave Marsha’s Toddlerturf. This decision was very difficult to make since she has been a part of my children’s (and our) lives for some time. The thought of looking for quality care for our children is one that I fear since all others will be compared to the care Marsha has provided to my children over the years and I know quite honestly that they will never measure up.
We are pleased to recommend Marsha’s Toddlerturf to any family looking for quality care for their children and will make ourselves available to any family searching out additional information regarding the type of care that is provided by Marsha.
Sincerely,
Danilea and Brian Mayer