Testimonials
At Free To Be Me Preschool in Mar Vista Los Angeles
"Parenting a preschooler is challenging, and finding a preschool that shares your philosophy on parenting is even more challenging. Luckily for me and my son, we found FTBM. Emma, and all the amazing teachers, have nurtured who my son is and given him a safe, open, happy place to do what preschoolers should do -- play. The languagethey use and the way they speak, observe and listen is empowering to the children, and to the parents -- my child has blossomed, and I have become a better mother by following their example. Whata gift to our family to have found this magical school."
-Andrea K.
"Both of our children, even having very different temperaments, loveFtbm and their wonderful teachers. Emma and her amazing teachersare so caring and nurturing, allowing the kids to explore their own free play in a self directed way by creating a respectful and emotionallysafe environment. We are so grateful to have our kids in a school that provides a non-judgmental learning environment where their feelings are supported and where they learn the tools to express themselves."
- Gi-yeon and Kai
“Free to Be Me has been such a wonderful preschool for both my son and daughter. The environment Emma
and her teachers have created is magical and truly is a place where kids can express themselves freely. I know when I leave my kids at the school that they will never be judged, shamed or disciplined in a punitive way. Over the past 4 years I've been welcomed by this amazing community that has truly supported my family and the growth of my children. I have seen how the philosophy of this school has benefited both my introverted child and my extroverted child equally and prepared them for kindergarten. I can't speak highly enough of our experience at Free to be Me.”
- Nicole S.
“Free to Be Me has been the most nurturing and wonderful school for our son. He has become a part of the FTBM family over the past two years and absolutely loves school. Emma and the teachers make this a most loving, caring and magical place where children are really seen, heard, and appreciated for who they are. The children are valued as part of a community. The parents have the opportunity to become part of the community too and the support has been priceless for our family. Our wish is for others to join FTBM and have as great of an experience. We will have teary eyes when it's time to graduate! “
- Amy R.
“My daughter had a hard time saying goodbye and transitioning (and still sometimes does) but the support we both receive is so genuine and kind and the tools I have learned from Emma and all the teachershave been so helpful and truly priceless. Free to Be Me Preschool goes beyond being an amazing school; Emma really has created a community with planned outings, parties, beach days, picnics, and education classes and moms/dads nights out. It is truly magical in every way. The teachers at Free to Be Me teach me everyday and are all 100% in tuned in with the children and every one of them deeply cares about each child. They really stay true to their philosophy and together they have created an environment that is flourishing and respectful and of course fun filled with love!”
- Kristi K.
"We love how Free to Be Me takes children’s ideas seriously. We were at a different preschool previously and when my daughter mentioned to the old preschool that she wanted to try face painting, the answer was 'no', but at Free to Be Me, they said 'yes' and it turned out to be a wonderful drama activity that many of the children engaged in and enjoyed. We also love that the children are free to wear whatever they want to wear (or don't want to wear). This may seem trivial to some people, but we have a child who likes to change outfits multiple times a day, go barefoot, be shirtless and wear unconventional clothing. At our old preschool, none of this was allowed - she had to stay in the same outfit all day long whether she was comfortable or not, but at Free to Be Me, the answer is always 'yes' because the children truly are free to express themselves in a variety of different ways. We also love the compassionate communication and peaceful conflict resolution at Free to Be Me. This was crucially important for us since we do not use punishments nor rewards at home and we wanted a like-minded environment in a preschool."
- Bethany