What parents are saying about The Children's House Montessori Preschool
A deep respect for each child is paramount at The Children’s House. We believe that a child learns best when every aspect of his development — cognitive, physical, social and emotional is nurtured. Our students and parents appreciate our approach and have been kind enough to share their thoughts about The Children’s House. Here is a small sample of the kind of rewarding experience The Children’s House has become renowned for.
Laid an incredible foundation…we have yet to find a school that compares
We signed our twins up for The Children’s House before they were even born, and I’m so glad we did. They are now four, and I truly believe the early education and environment they experienced here laid an incredible foundation for their development. They are naturally curious, eager to understand how things work, and constantly asking questions about the world around them.
After moving to Atlanta, we enrolled them in another Montessori program, and the comparison really made us appreciate just how special The Children’s House is. Even with the many excellent options in the greater Atlanta area, we have yet to find a school that compares. The school, the teachers, and the culture are what we miss most for our children.
My wife works in healthcare, and I’m an entrepreneur in the aviation industry. As parents, we have always been intentional about how our children spend their time. We don’t want a computer or screen to become a substitute for real-world experiences, so we have kept screen time extremely limited, essentially just video calls.
We are now planning to homeschool our children after our move to Atlanta, and the foundation they received at The Children’s House will absolutely be a part of what we carry forward. We are incredibly grateful to the teachers and everyone at the school who invested in our children during such an important stage of their lives.
Wesley C. Rhoads
I truly don’t think I could have found a better place anywhere for our children to flourish
About six months into our five years at The Children’s House, I told my husband he could not take another job elsewhere until both our kids graduated from The Children’s House. I truly don’t think I could have found a better place anywhere for our children to flourish.
The Children’s House hasn’t just been a school. It’s been a community. A community of teachers and families that foster independence, growth and curiosity. The Children’s House intentionally created an environment where teachers and parents work together to provide consistency and structure while children gain essential life skills.
I lost count of how many times I asked for guidance on how to handle situations at home with our boys. The teachers were true partners to us who really understood each child as an individual. We couldn’t have had a better preschool experience thanks to Ms. Debbie and her amazing, calm and caring team. It’s a magical place.
Megan Carr
They welcomed therapists, worked with them, and had him ready for kindergarten.
We love The Children’s House, Debbie, and every teacher our kids had. The younger two of our three kids went through the school, seven years in all, and they loved it.
Our oldest to attend is an energetic girl who was quick to learn new skills, and the team did a great job encouraging her curiosity and building her independence.
Our youngest was born very early and had some delays, so we weren’t sure what pre-school would look like for him. Debbie and her team never made us feel like he was a problem to solve. They welcomed his therapists into the classroom, worked with them, and had him ready for kindergarten.
Now, two months into the school year, he’s doing great and having a wonderful start. We’re so grateful. The Montessori approach made both of them more independent than we thought was possible at that age. If you’re on the fence, just go tour it. We’d do it all over again.
Dan Merrithew
An absolute gem—a magical, peaceful world where childhood is preserved in pure form.
With four children and a history of multiple moves, I have had experience with six different preschools and have toured many more. It wasn’t until my last child that I found The Children’s House. This place is an absolute gem—a magical, peaceful world where childhood is preserved in pure form.
Debbie is a master of her craft. She has created an environment where the children feel safe, at peace, and free to explore at their own pace, surrounded with wonderful resources and excellent guidance.
My son consistently came home with an easy, contented demeanor and a smile on his face. If you are privileged enough to secure a spot here and it is a good fit for your family, then do not hesitate. I only wish all four of my children could have experienced it. Thank you, Debbie, for this priceless gift to our family and our community.
Thank you also to the teachers, all of whom have been nothing but lovely and a true blessing.
Melody Smith
“The Child Whisperer”
“We moved from South Florida where my daughter’s were in Montessori and I did quite a bit of due diligence to find a true Montessori school. Mrs. Debbie Richardson is amazing along with her assistant Stacey. She let me visit her as often as I desired which told me a lot as there are some schools in the area that will not allow you to visit their classroom. I had heard Mrs. Debbie was the “child whisperer.” This is an accurate statement.
My younger daughter is introverted and Mrs. Debbie easily knows how to work with each child on an individual basis to help them grow socially and emotionally and connecting the puzzle that unlocks the key to their success as a life long learner. Mrs. Debbie nurtures them and knows exactly when they are ready developmentally to move on to the next stage for each area of learning. At the end of preschool she was able to tell us that our daughter was not yet ready to go onto to Kindergarten emotionally even though she was academically ready. This was a very important and delicate conversation which she explained so well that helped us understand that this was a gift we were giving our child. My daughter is now moving onto Kindergarten this year and has grown so much that it was the best decision we could have ever made for her.
Mrs. Debbie is also an amazing parent. I am not even sure how many times I asked her to help me through processing parental decisions including sibling rivalry. I�ve told her she needs to do parenting classes because she is so patient and kind and the response that she gives you speaks volumes of how much she truly cares for each and every child.
Thank you Mrs. Debbie and Mrs. Stacey for creating such a wonderful team to help our children grow in all areas with the kindness and love you show while doing what you do everyday!”
Sherri Beckman, Occupational Therapist
“One of the Smartest Decisions We Ever Made”
“Sending our son to The Children’s House and director Debbie Richardson for preschool was one of the smartest decisions we have ever made. Our son is creative, energetic, and has a lust for life as well as a strong will, and the environment at The Children’s House was the ideal preschool setting for him. Debbie and co-teacher Stacey Travis were able to identify his natural strengths and found creative ways to challenge him in those areas. They nurtured him academically and at an appropriate level; exposed him to new experiences and cultures; and taught him the importance of being a good classmate, citizen and friend. They were able to do all this while also celebrating his innate spirit.
When our son entered Kindergarten this past year, he had been instilled with a love of learning and was prepared to take the next step in his academic journey. In his first year, he has excelled.
We also believe that one of the most important things The Children’s House and Debbie Richardson provide, in addition to preparation for school, is the advice they shared and understanding they conveyed regarding our role as parents. Having the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with Debbie and Stacey most definitely taught us to be better parents and role models for our son.”
Lindsey Edmondson
“The Children’s House is a Great Fit for Our Family!”
“The Children’s House is more than a preschool. Debbie Richardson has created a community. A community that helped us learn to be a better family. From 2019 to 2022 we watched our son blossom, socially and educationally. Debbie and her team of long tenured teachers help the children to learn to be independent, curious, and compassionate. We are forever indebted to the foundation they’ve helped us lay for our son.”
Michael Lewandowski
“Leaving TCH was a heartfelt loss”
Our family was lucky enough to send both of our children to the toddler program at The Children’s House. Ms Julie and Ms Shannon were each of our kids’ very first teachers, and Debbie as the Director was–and is–just wonderful beyond measure. We cherished this wonderful school community. When our family relocated, leaving TCH was a heartfelt loss. We really had a thoroughly wonderful experience there.
Crystal Parker
“A rare gem…your child will have a great start to life”
“The Children’s House is an amazing place for your child to learn and grow. I searched for several years to find this wonderful school. Having a doctoral degree in the Humanities and graduate work in education/psychology, I know how important school placement is especially for the early years of life. Rest assured that your child will be in a very loving and safe environment. With a Montessori approach our very bright child developed confidence, independence, and long periods of concentration. He was able to focus in areas of weakness and strengths and developed close relationships with other children. Ms. Debbie will work beautifully with parents to create an individualized plan based on the needs of your child and help advise you with kindergarten placement if needed. She will show love and guidance to your child each day. Our son has now thrived in kindergarten and first grade in a traditional environment and still loves to go to school each day. I cannot say enough positive comments about Ms. Debbie and the Montessori approach for the early years. The Children’s House is a rare gem located in the Lake Norman area. Your child will have a great start to life in these special early years.”
Dr. Karen Schwabe
“The Children’s House is a Great Fit for Our Family!”
“Debbie has a comprehensive knowledge of child development. She is aware of exactly where Marshall is in all areas of development and helps direct his learning as needed. His independent nature has had an opportunity to grow and develop. I love how his spirited nature is gently redirected when needed. TCH has been a wonderful choice for Marshall! I am impressed by the calm nature present in the classroom each morning at drop off, as well as the face time with Miss Debbie at pick up. I love that Marshall is treated with such love and respect every day at school. The fact that Marshall is able to make choices that enhance and drive his learning is something that was not available at his previous preschool. TCH is a great fit for our family!”
Susan Ricks, Speech Therapist
“Many Fond Memories”
“I enthusiastically recommend Debbie Richardson and The Children’s House for any preschooler. The program is universal because it is catered to each individual child. It does not attempt to mold the child to fit the program but molds the program to fit the child. I hold many fond memories of Debbie and the year that she taught my son. Her experience, patience, nurturing demeanor and respectful manner will always stand out for me as a few of many the reasons that she is such a wonderful teacher. I highly recommend her to any family looking for a superior preschool experience.”
Lora Shealy