1. A Farm School

    1. A Farm School

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    Santa Paula, CA

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    Sonshine Preschool

    Sonshine Preschool

    4.7
    (13 reviews)

    It is hard to put into words how wonderful Sonshine Preschool is. The staff are all so welcoming…read moreand friendly that it feels like you're walking into a second "home" when you drop your little ones off at school there. Both of my daughters have excelled at Sonshine, and they have learned so much over the last two years that I know they will thrive in Kindergarten and beyond. The teachers are kind and caring, and they know how to nurture preschool-aged children so that they learn through play and feel excited to go to school each day. They also communicate well with parents, and I am thankful to be aware of how my girls are doing and what they are working on at school each day and week. The office manager is kind and effective; she also sends out regular communication and replies quickly to emails, calls, and inquiries. The director of Sonshine is so well organized and so approachable and warm hearted; under her direction, the school has taken important and effective steps to ensure that students, staff, and families stay safe during the pandemic. The school is clean and well equipped with a lovely little playground and a bike/trike area as well. I highly recommend Sonshine to anyone looking for a nurturing environment for their young children. If you're considering sending your child (or children) to Sonshine, I urge you to schedule a visit- we felt the warm and welcoming feeling there right from day one.

    While I wanted to believe Sonshine Preschool was the right fit for my daughter and family, we have…read morecome to find it falls short of our expectations in philosophy and practice. We have tried to be collaborative, and provided a laundry list of comforts in her backpack that help our daughter feel safe as well as additional outside personnel support. We have gone above and beyond in my humble opinion to try to make this work. With that being said, I do not think we are aligned in values despite our sincere commitment to our daughter's education. First of all, Sonshine's behavioral and developmental expectations of toddlers are incredibly unrealistic for many children. While kids are not developmentally one-size-fits-all, expectations at this school are black and white for the most part. Children will either fit into the arbitrary mold or not for their chronological age group, and inadequacies will be conveyed frequently in one way or another. We were told to arrive 15 minutes late consistently because our daughter was struggling with separation anxiety during orientation and 1 day after that. I believe this colored their faith and perception of her moving forward. The thought behind the 15- minute late start time was that maybe it would help her avoid crowds, and have immediate access to an aide. We tried it out a few times and considered it, but after much thought I couldn't swallow or reconcile how it may make my daughter feel to be the last to walk in the classroom when she is already in significant distress from all the changes going on around in her world right now. We were told to pick her up 20-30 minutes after dropping her off each time. Despite the reiteration and understanding of this just being "handbook procedures" implemented across the board for the purpose of equality and fairness, what I cannot accept is that this protocol is not backed up by any logical research whatsoever to my discovery nor is it in the best interests of children. I firmly believe it benefits staff more than the kids themselves. First of all, my daughter would likely internalize a 15-minute late start time as being "different" or "othered" like the black sheep of the group, creating the opposite of safety and inclusion especially in children who are very sensitive to the environment and implicit messages conveyed. Also, what human being can manage distress in 20-30 minutes? From my experience in working with people from all backgrounds and ages, some adults can't even manage to meet that timeline so is it really "reasonable" to expect that of a toddler? No, it isn't. Children have to start somewhere, and we need to give them ample room and opportunities to grow rather than hinder their progress by being too conservative. They should be provided with the opportunity to learn and reinforce skills in new circumstances, and given consistent and predictable routines for safety. All children deserve patience, strengths-based approaches, and adults who build up their confidence and self-esteem. When we believe in children and their abilities with positive psychology, they thrive and meet their full potential. As a family of health providers with a combination of decades of experience, my husband and I agree that kids should be taught that having and expressing feelings is normal and acceptable without negative punishment. It is our responsibility as adults to model this effectively for children, and consider the interpretation received by our kids through our actions as well as the lasting effects. Positive psychology teaches kids that it is not "bad" to feel, and there is nothing "wrong" with having big emotions. We are not meant to be robots. When we were told the plan is to reevaluate her every Thursday to graduate up in a "reasonable" fashion, we were given no indications of how she would specifically be evaluated as evidenced by omission of clear examples or goals for time advancement. I do not think my daughter is being given enough credit for her resilience observed by those who have worked intimately with her over the past year and witnessed her growth nor do I feel she is being challenged enough, which for someone like her could lead to stagnation in adjusting to a new environment without the ability to get the full benefits of the program such as adapting to transitions, participating in social interactions, and engaging in a timeframe that optimally supports her ongoing development. Every child deserves sufficient access to an education and learning opportunities with their peers. It is a basic human right. Because we hold the message of inclusion near and dear to our hearts in our family and our values and approaches to basic child rearing and psychology diverge with that of the school, we found another preschool that aligns more with the security of the child and the family system.

    A Farm School - childcare - Updated July 2026

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