Summer is wrapping up and school starts in less than a month. I am definitely going to take advantage of every last day of summer because this school year is huge for us. It is hard for me to believe it but all three of my kiddos will be in elementary school this year. As you know, Gemma starts Kindergarten in September! I feel like every time I turn around another milestone is hit, and I am looking back wishing I could slow things down a bit.

Most parents will agree—don’t you feel like you are constantly catching your breath? From the crack of dawn to way past their bedtimes, my kids keep me so busy. I guess when the kids are young like this time can tend to rush by at warp speed—before you know it, they’re off to school and we are left wondering if we gave them everything they need to succeed.

I know I’m not alone—as a working parent my head is always spinning. I run from work meetings to events then to school (and after school) activities, swim, sports and dance…oh, and let’s not forget our packed weekends. All the time I am left worrying and wondering, am I doing enough for them…are they where they need to be emotionally, physically, intellectually? The day-to-day stresses of parenting can seem overwhelming at times, especially when you’re in the thick of it.

Luckily, for hard working parents there are resources and ways to make sure your child has a leg up and is well prepared for school and beyond starting from early childhood. I have been working with KinderCare since they opened their Tribeca location and I am constantly amazed by their dedication to early childhood education. KinderCare is a high-quality early education institution for children ages 6 weeks all the way up to 12-years-old (in some locations). I mean, KinderCare has been in the business of educating children for nearly 50 years—so they know a thing or two about it.

Students leave KinderCare more prepared for kindergarten and especially so in subjects like math and literacy. KinderCare kids enrolled in their kindergarten programs are reading at first-grade levels! I recently read on the KinderCare blog that TerraNova results show that KinderCare kids are more prepared than their peers for grade school.

My kids have had their struggles with reading and I made it my priority to figure it out. We tried several teaching styles and approaches and we’ve visited tutors until we got on track. It takes so much dedication and time to work with each child’s individual needs and to find their strengths and challenges. Literacy is essential to life—reading helps kids to understand and excel in every other subject.

I wonder, had my kids gone to KinderCare for early education if the teachers would have identified reading issues earlier. Of course, children develop at different ages and paces, but KinderCare would have been able to tell me if my kiddos were on track, excelling or in need of some extra help. The key is to identify these things early so children can be prepared for elementary school and beyond.

We are constantly wracking our brains to figure out ways to give our kids a leg up in life or how to fully enrich their lives through education. KinderCare helps to develop children’s creativity, collaboration and critical-thinking but also important skills like executive function, which includes mental flexibility, perseverance and focus. We want our children to be fully prepared to go back to school after summer break and that should extend to our littlest ones, too! KinderCare’s quality early education helps children develop the skills they need to thrive in school and in life. Here’s to a new school year mamas (and Dada’s)!