A dedicated and doting grandmother, Susan always looked forward to spending summers with her granddaughter, Megan. But she never expected to be searching for a pre-school for the young girl.

Following an unfortunate turn of events, Susan’s role abruptly shifted from adoring grandmother to primary caregiver. Three-year-old Megan’s parents were both suffering from long-term illnesses and were increasingly unable to care for her. When her father was hospitalized, the family made the difficult decision to move Megan from Arizona to Maryland to live with her grandparents.

Almost overnight Susan needed to find a pre-school for Megan. She began calling local facilities but quickly discovered that enrollment deadlines had passed. When a friend recommended that she contact YMCA Ayrlawn Program Center, Susan was surprised by their willingness to accommodate her granddaughter. “After they heard about our need, they made it so easy for her to get started, even though it was well past the enrollment deadline,” Susan recalls.

Megan quickly adjusted to her new, nurturing environment. “She loved it at Ayrlawn. Everybody in school knew her, and she knew everybody. They really made her feel welcome,”
Susan says.

When her parents’ health began to improve, Megan moved back to Arizona. While the transition was difficult, Susan knew it was best for her granddaughter to be with her parents. However, just a few months later, tragedy struck. Megan’s mother died suddenly, and her father—still ill and grieving—felt unable to care for his young daughter.

With her granddaughter’s life in turmoil, Susan once again turned to the YMCA for pre-school. Megan enrolled at YMCA Ayrlawn shortly after moving back to Maryland and quickly reunited with her favorite teachers and classmates.

“All the people at the Y really reached out to her after her Mom died. The friendships and connections that she has made at the Y have been really important. They have really helped her overcome a lot of the loss she has felt,” Susan says.

The YMCA’s curriculum-based child care programming ensures that Megan has something different to do every day. “She is such a social, happy little girl, and she just loves the variety of things offered at the Y. She has Spanish classes, ballet, swimming; there is always something exciting going on,” Susan says.
 
The variety of offerings helped Megan adjust once again and begin to feel at home in Maryland. “When she returned to pre-school after her mother passed, she was clingy at first. She needed an extra hug before she was ready to let me go. Now, she doesn’t even look back at me. She just skips right in,” Susan says with a smile.

No matter what the future may hold for Megan, and no matter where she lives, pre-school at the YMCA has helped her build a strong foundation for success. It’s certain that Megan will always be at home at school.

Learn more about the YMCA’s curriculum-based child care programs.