Testimonials
I started bringing my son to a parent and child class, The Connection Group, ran by Clarice, in 2015. At the time I was stressed out, and trying to find ways to raise my 13 month old son in a calm, consistent environment. Clarice’s approach to parenting was SO helpful, and made so much sense.
She was able to teach us in a group setting without shame or embarrassment. The tools I learned in those classes are still in use years later.
When I had my daughter in 2016, I started taking classes with her right away. It was so comforting to walk in to class that first day. I had been parenting my son for the last 18 months using the skills I had learned, and I was so excited to be starting off on the right foot with my 2nd child. Clarice even made the comment once that I was so much more relaxed this time around. She is a HUGE reason for that.
I honestly can say that Clarice has helped me become a better parent. My kids are 5 and almost 3 now. They are in classes and preschool, and even though we are no longer in any of Clarice’s classes, I still occasionally ask her questions about parenting, teachers, expectations for classes the kids are taking. We are so grateful to have such a caring, loving person in our lives.
On a final note I’d like to say that in the past 5 years I have met lots of teachers, doctors, instructors and other people that work with children. Some are great, some are just average. Clarice stands out as someone that truly cares about children. When you see her working with parents and children you absolutely can see that is her calling.
-Britt Kirk, Parents
I first met Clarice over 10 years ago at the University of California Los Angeles where she was one of the most memorable Infant/Toddler Teachers in the Psychology Department’s Infant Development Program. Her warm demeanor, professionalism, and knowledge in Early Childhood Education (ECE) quickly turned her into an invaluable resource for her colleagues, parents, and undergraduate students interested in the field of ECE. A few years later, Clarice had the opportunity to have a profound impact at the Loyola Marymount University Children’s Center. Here, she had the opportunity to continue to grow not only as a teacher, but also took on administrative responsibilities when she became the Infant/Toddler Curriculum Coordinator and Site Supervisor.
Under her mentorship, teachers and undergraduate students alike had the opportunity to learn about high quality care and best practices, licensing and National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation requirements, the Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE) philosophy, and overall child development.
Now, Clarice continues to share her wealth of expertise as a Lactose and ECE Consultant across different communities and through different platforms. Clarice is a well-respected leader in the field and her mission to have readily accessible resources for parents and professionals is nothing short of admirable.
–Grizel Lopez, Ed.D., Loyola Marymount University Children’s Center Associate Director, CA
Our introduction to Clarice started with a concern about our baby. Our little Makayla was uncomfortable with strangers and cried often when someone unfamiliar greeted her or when she
was in a public setting.
As first-time parents, who happen to be blind, we were unsure if her behavior was normal and did not know how to remedy the situation. My wife and I were unable to go to public places as a family because Makayla cried when she was introduced to new people and/or environments. Fortunately, we met Clarice. In discussing our concerns about Makayla with Clarice, she suggested that socializing with other babies may help in our situation. Hearing this, my wife and I considered bringing Makayla to her class, The Connection Group.
At the time, Makayla was five months old. The difference in Makayla’s adaptability to social situations and environments was evident from one class till the next. Upon the second class, Makayla was more comfortable with her environment. She was more willing to take risks and explored toys that were further away from us. She also interacted with other babies. As a result, Makayla’s social skills and tolerance for new environments increased as the months went on. She was also calmer when approached by strangers and no longer cried when introduced to new places. Clarice’s guidance, knowledge, enthusiasm, and patient teaching provided us with the strategies and perspectives that we would not have gained otherwise.
We spent the next two and a half years with Clarice learning, growing, and enjoying the accomplishments and challenges that come along with each developmental stage. We would list all of the lessons on parenting that Clarice has provided us, but that would take too much space on the page. The support that she has provided to us in adjusting to being new parents has been
invaluable. She provided us insight into Makayla’s personality and helped us learn how to accommodate her temperament, and for that, we are grateful.
Clarice has a caring dedication to her craft, and it is evident that she has a loving heart for everyone she teaches. She was always respectful. She didn’t talk down to us because we were blind or first-time parents. On the contrary, Clarice did what she could to ensure that we knew that other parents had similar struggles and that we were normal first-time parents trying to adjust to parenthood just like everyone else. Most of all, she believed in us and encouraged us through the challenges that arose as first-time parents.
Thanks to Clarice, we now have the tools necessary for a strong positive foundation for our little girl. I know that we have much more learning to do in the years that lie ahead, but our time with
Clarice has refined our parenting style and given us a good model for success.
-Chuy and Kia Vaca, Parents
My son Felix is a little more than two years old (28 months to be specific!) and he is a smart, inquisitive, talkative, friendly, sweet, funny little boy, and my wife and I firmly believe that this is in no small part due to the time that we spent bringing him to The Connection Group with Clarice Dionisio. Bringing Felix to the Connection Group right up until the point he was two years old was invaluable to every facet of his development. We would have continued bringing him as long as we were allowed to if he hadn’t started pre-school.