Meet Lindsay Crabtree & Linda Gonzalez

        My name is Lindsay Crabtree and my wonderful co-owner is Linda Gonzalez, or as I call her, Mom. We are the mother-daughter team behind The Learning Tree Preschool. Words cannot express how excited we are to be in business together, providing quality childcare to families right here in our community. 

        From a young age, I had a dream of one day opening my own preschool. I started at home as Mom’s helper and eventually started babysitting. I kept my sights set on that dream, even imagining my own children growing and learning with me at this preschool. As life would have it, I had to put this dream on pause. I decided to follow a different path; inspired by the healthcare professionals who had taken care of my grandmother as I was growing up and my own desire to contribute to the lives of others in the same way, I began to pursue a career in healthcare myself. I graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Administration with a minor in Business. Soon after, I was given an opportunity within a local healthcare system where I was able to enhance my skills and expand my knowledge with a wonderful team. Not only did I gain more experience in the field, but I also had the chance to enrich my skills as a leader. During my time there, I met my husband, had our first daughter, and went back to school to earn a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University. 

        Since we were both working parents, we were on a mission to find the best possible childcare for our little girl. If you’re reading this, you know the emotional toll it takes on parents to find a place you can trust to be safe, sanitary, and secure - a place that was a healthy and hearty environment for the most precious part of your life to be looked after when you’re not around, to be educated, to flourish… And, of course, you know the feeling of never being quite mentally prepared to send your child to a preschool, despite it being the only option at the time. We knew we had found the right place when we finally felt comfort: we loved their program and their staff. I was so amazed at how much my daughter was learning at preschool with her teachers and her new friends that dropping her off each day became exciting for all of us. 

As time went by, we found out we were expecting our second little girl! Unfortunately, near the end of this pregnancy, our family experienced an extremely unpleasant situation with my daughter's preschool teacher. My daughter wasn't harmed in the situation, but I was both uncomfortable and unsettled with what had happened and how it was handled by the preschool staff. I lost the most important piece needed in a parent-preschool relationship: my trust in their ability to care for my daughter. This was the catalyst behind my decision to keep  my eldest daughter home with her new sister and me. Although I wish my daughter did not have to go through these circumstances, it opened up a new chapter in my family's life. As I sat home with my two girls during my maternity leave, my childhood dream came back to me. What if I was able to make my dream a reality? The girls were learning so much so fast and I did not want to miss a second of it. Thoughts came rushing to my mind about the preschool that would be everything I had ever hoped for and more. I had the ability to make childcare more comforting, trusting, safe, and educational for families and their children with my own family growing with me right by my side. I expressed my determination and passion to my loved ones and unsurprisingly, they were all on board. I am truly blessed with an amazing support system who have the same passion for children and helping others like I do! My parents (my children’s Nonna and Papa) were so excited to be a part of this journey. They love being grandparents and jumped at the chance of being even more involved.

        With another big life change, I resigned from my job to pursue my dream full time. I have been able to take a negative experience and turn it into something exceptional. Using my leadership and education, with my mom as co-owner, the time had come: The Learning Tree Preschool is now a reality! Today, I am able to provide families with a healthy, safe, educational preschool where they can feel comfortable bringing their kids to each and every day. Having gone through what we did, I know firsthand how stressful it can be to search high and low for the right fit for your child and prepare as parents to take them to preschool. I also know that I never wanted to miss a minute of their days and wanted to know they were being well cared for, so it was important to me to provide a real time camera system for our families so they don’t have to miss a minute either! I have realized how significant preschools are to a child’s development, mentally, physically, and socially. They learn so much, play all day, get the exercise they need, all while socializing with new friends. We all know they grow too fast, so why not present them with an amazing opportunity for growth knowing they will be safe and healthy the whole way through? The Learning Tree Preschool is family owned and operated, and we want your family to join us. We promise that all children who walk through our doors will be cared for as if they were our own. We want you to trust that your child is in great hands being loved and well cared for by individuals who understand the emotions you are going through as parents. 

        Please call us today to learn about our program. We would love to tell you more about us, meet your family, and provide you with a home-away-from-home experience here at The Learning Tree Preschool.

Hope to see you soon!

Lindsay Crabtree and Linda Gonzalez

Co-Owners, The Learning Tree Preschool