Meet Yvonne Cottage | Founder & Director of The Children’s Cottage Daycare and Preschool

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yvonne Cottage and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yvonne, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Over 16 years ago I found myself climbing the corporate ladder. As I climbed higher I eventually saw the glass ceiling and I could not get through. I found myself questioning my existence in the corporate world and pondered how much of an impact I was actually making in the world. I realized that I was not finding the cure for cancer at this corporate job, However, in my heart I knew I could make an impact on my community so I started to brainstorm ways I could have a deep impact on the community and after some research and soul searching decided that although I was not going to find the cure for cancer, I COULD raise up a generation of future doctors, future lawyers, scientists, you name it, I could help parents raise their children and provide a safe, nurturing welcoming and accepting environment where children would thrive and THEY could find the cure for cancer if they wanted to. So I opened up a home based child care center that eventually evolved into a 24/7 child care center, a preschool and a before and after school care program.

What should our readers know about your business?
My name is Yvonne Cottage, I am the founder and director of The Children’s Cottage Daycare and Preschool. Our home-based early learning program is located in Lancaster CA which is North of Los Angeles in the Mojave Desert. We are a wrap around child care facility, which means we provide more than just childcare for our clients; we provide a safe, nurturing environment where their children will learn, laugh and grow and parents/caregivers learn alongside of their children in this unique early childhood development program. Often times we provide time and space for community resource agencies to give one-on-one sessions for each child when needed, for example behavioral therapy, speech therapy, and developmental therapy to name a few, We use early learning theories such as Piage’s theory and Vygotsky’s theory and set them into practice every day in our program that includes multi-age group classroom, preschool classroom and an infant and toddler classroom. There are multiple outdoor playgrounds that provide each age group with their own space. What sets our childcare facility apart from others is the fact that we are 24/7 and we are unique because we have low child to adult ratios. Another unique feature we have is that we teach advocacy to our families and hold parent workshops throughout the year.. We have provided care for over 200 children in the last 17 years, many of which are under-represented in our community. I am proud of the deep impact we have made in our community by teaching each child that they are loved, they are special, unique and important and also teaching them that their voice matters. I am the most proud of the fact that we have taken field trips to the State Capitol to give speeches outside of the Governor’s office and showed a tangible example to the children of what it looks like to be speaking up and use your voice to make change. We got to where we are today in this business by treating each family, child and parent alike with respect, dignity and equitable opportunities for them to succeed in their family goals and dreams. We have overcome challenges by having faith, speaking up in advocacy and never giving up. We have definitely learned lessons on this journey and one of them is that you have to be bold in advocating for your rights and teaching children to be advocates is just as important as teaching ABC’s and 123’s. I teach the children in our care that no matter how old you are your voice matters, your thoughts and opinions matter and no matter how old you are, you can make a change! What I want people to know about our us is that we are not just child care providers (and most definitely not babysitters), but we are a one stop shop, a community resource hub for our clients, a lifeline to the resources in our community. We dont just care for children, we TEACH children TO CARE for themselves and for others and for the community.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There are many hidden gems here in the Antelope Valley! One of my absolute favorite things to do with my friends up here in the high desert is to go hiking and we are blessed to have part of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) going through here, which is a long-distance hiking and equestrain trail that spans from Mexico to Canada. This is a hiking trail that has scenic views unlike any other we could spend a whole day out on the trail and picnic out there under some shade. Another hiking trail is Vasquez Rocks which boasts huge craters near the San Andreas Fault Line, this is an exciting hiking and picnicking area that has been used for famous Hollywood movies such as Austin Powers International Man of Mystery, Planet of the Apes, Startrek and the Flinstones just to name a few. After a long day of hiking we could go have dinner at the Broken Bit in Quartz Hills which has one of THE best steaks you will ever have in your life. On another day of our time together we could go catch a show at the Lancaster Performing Arts Center located in downtown Lancaster. With many options such as magic shows, musicals and family friendly concerts. There is something for everyone at the LPAC (Lancaster Performing Arts Center). After catching a show we could stroll down the beautiful Lancaster BLVD and play some keys on the pianos as we made our way to Rio Brazilian Cuisine. Hands down the best Brazillian food I have ever had! The next day we can head down to the Lancaster Museum of Art and History (LMOAH) to check out their art exhibits. The LMOAH has 3 stories of interactive and exciting art as well as a family art room where anyone and everyone is welcome to come in and let the creative juices flow. Lunch would follow and with many options on the Lancaster BLVD we could chose a quiet cafe or a more lively Mexican Food restaraunt like Don Sal. To continue the week we would go to the Prime Desert Woodland Reserve and observe nature through the breath taking views of the Joshua trees and mutlitude of birds chirping outside. After walking around the preserve we would go out to the Antelope Valley Winery and have a wonderful afternoon at one of their taste testing sessions. Towards the end of our time together we could go visit the Lancaster Western Hotel Museum and learn about the time John Wayne spent as a child in Lancaster. To end our week we would go to Boots and Buckles for some dinner and line dancing. What a wonderful week!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband who is my best friend, partner and biggest cheerleader. My children who continue to teach me every day that there is no way to be a perfect mother but a million ways to be a good one. My parents who immigrated here from Mexico. and taught me that hard work and determination looks different and unique on everyone. My spiritual parents Mr. and Mrs. Nava who taught me the meaning of Agape love. My mentor and coach Nicole Jansen who has awakened the skills in me that I never knew I had. My right and left hand Ms Susie and all my team at The Children’s Cottage who show up every day with a smile.

Website: https://www.thechildrenscottagedaycareandpreschool.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yvonnecottage/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonne-cottage-b90563253

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yvonnecottage79/