Read what families like you have accomplished.

Zoe

Before my daughter Zoe was born I used to imagine my life as it would be with her life in my hands. I always knew that I wanted a life less selfish and hoped to feel the power of a love not found, or bound by any circumstance...a love inherent and deep that can only come from the bond between a parent and your perfect child.

Zoe was born and I drove us home from the hospital and hoped the car seat was in right. My wife and I sat on our couch at home and I held Zoe in one hand and realized that her life and happiness, her self-worth and passion, her values and outlook on EVERYTHING was going to always be a part of my life and it would be up to me to help her make it wonderful.

Then...Zoe didn't talk and I told myself it was because the nanny only spoke Spanish while we were working all day. I gathered stories from relatives to showcase the fact that my family has a history of being slow to speak. I'd give excuses and explain how, I, as a child didn't say a word until one day--my covert genius came to life...and... I began speaking in full sentences.

I didn't want to believe that anything was wrong. I hoped it would pass.
She didn't speak, and she lined up crayons instead of drawing. She stood alone at recess and I spied on her and felt her hurt as she tried and failed to relate to the other children. She cried for 2 years everyday when we dropped her at pre-school.

I felt guilty and responsible for her speech delay. I felt guilty for my own ignorance about Speech and Language delays. I felt guilty for feeling like I had to provide explanations for why she wasn't speaking.
I felt guilty for wanting her to overcome this so I could have the daughter and relationship that I saw those many years ago in my mind's eye.

The tests came back. IQ, expressive and receptive language, academic and cognitive, occupational, hearing, auditory processing, neurological, and Dr. Brad Berman (a year later)... The test results were like Picasso paintings. Some said slight others severe. They recommended two to lifetime of treatment. They waffled on expected results. There were no definitive answers only more questions and doubt.

The school board IEP meeting felt like I was committing Zoe to an insane asylum. Then, one fine day, my wife met a mother whose son was a Happy Talker.

Charlene met with us the next day. We sat on chairs made for 3 year olds and my wife asked her 10000 questions. Our eyes asked for hope and Charlene spent the next 2 hours giving it to us.

Charlene's vision and passion sparks the same in her peers. Patience and perseverance like this, I've rarely seen. Anne and Cheryl know Zoe and fashion their teaching style and lessons so that Zoe wants to be there and enjoys learning. I trust them and Zoe is a confident, loquacious, playful 5 year old. I have conversations with Zoe now.

Zoe is a Happy Talker. I'm a Happy Talker too.

Jay

It's been about 3 months since Jay started going to Happy Talkers. The progress he has made is very encouraging and we are so grateful to you and your school for that. We are looking forward to the preschool program that Jay is going to start in January. You have created a place of immense hope and encouragement, and you have assembled an excellent team with great care. So take some time to pat yourself on the back as well. You deserve it. God willing, all your dreams for the future of Happy Talkers will come true. We genuinely wish for that to happen. Thank you so much for being such an important part of so many children's lives. It is a great responsibility and you have handled it superbly. Keep up the good work. Thanks again from the bottom of our hearts. Wishing you and your family a joyous time during the holidays and a happy and successful year ahead.

We have written some words to thank Miss Ann and Miss Valerie. Words cannot really describe how grateful we are to both of them, but we did want them to know how special they are to Jay and how much difference they are making in his life.

Miss Ann, magic is the word that comes to mind when we think of you. Jay has made so much progress under your care. Your approach to each skill Jay works on is very individualized, your intuition to differentiate between what is mastered and what is not is exceptional, your patience is immense and above all, your affection is genuine. We are very grateful to you for all the help you have given Jay. Keep up the great work. Wishing you and your family happy holidays and a happy new year.

Miss Valerie, someday hopefully, Jay will thank you himself in his own words, but we just wanted you to know how important your help to Jay has been. You are the first person who has read a story to Jay. He is beginning to understand questions and is answering some of them as well. Thank you for every minute of time spent with Jay. Your help gives us hope and encouragement for Jay. Keep up the good work. Wish you and your family happy holidays and a happy new year.

Samantha

Over the past few months I have noticed an incredible improvement in Samantha's speech and confidence. Her teachers and classmates have also told me of her amazing strides. These improvements are the result of the fun and motivating sessions that she has with Loren every Monday. She has found a new friend and teacher, and as a parent I cannot ask for a better therapist.

Jeremy

My husband and I have enrolled Jeremy in two other preschools and Happy Talkers is the first school that Jeremy actually LOOKS FORWARD to going to. Every morning he says "I want to go to Happy Talkers". On days where we have to miss school or weekends, he’ll still ask about going to Happy Talkers!

During the children’s morning circle time, I love how the children get to find their own little person (that actually resembles them too!) from the board to reflect that they are in attendance. I also love how during goodbye circle each child gets to sit in Ms. Kim’s lap while the other children sing goodbye to him/her. All these extra little touches go a long way to making the children feel special and cared for.

Jeremy is concurrently enrolled in another preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays. What’s really interesting is that all the songs and rhymes that Jeremy recites at home are only from Happy Talkers! Every time I hear him singing a new tune/rhyme and ask him where he learned it, he always answers Happy Talkers!

Tristan

Thank you so much to all of you at Happy Talkers who see what an awesome kid my son Tristan is. It is great to know we have people on his side who see the cool kid he is. I am so grateful to every one of you. Cheryl, Thanks for taking the time to talk with me after his sessions, give us homework and suggestions, and communicate with his teacher from the school disctrict. Azi, Cathi, Kim, Vanessa, Jeff, and everyone else who works (or has worked) with him in class. Thank you for being fantastic teachers and helping to bring out the best in him. Also thank you for always answering questions and giving honest feedback when I pick him up. Erin, Jennifer, Mitch, Charlene and everyone we have worked with in the office. Thank you for helping us get him enrolled and get the help he needs. Also thank you for being good listeners and helping us figure out what services he should or could be getting in the first place.

We came here because we felt he needed more than he was getting from the school district and wanted a little extra support. What we have received is that and so much more. Not only did you accept him into your programs, but you did it with open arms. Not only is he talking better, but he did it on stage this summer. Not only are you teaching him language, but how to communicate more effectively with others.

Thank you for helping Tristan succeed on his journey.

Casey

It is always a pleasure to drop Casey off and pick Casey up. Casey is always excited to go to “school” and is always engaged in circle when we arrive. Everyone at Happy Talkers is friendly and enthusiastic and open to questions. We get valuable suggestions and feedback. It is an amazing relief and joy to find a program that is in tune with the needs of the kids. This is a great setting for kids with delays to get to participate in a group setting and learn at their pace.

We really appreciate the opportunity for Casey to work with all of the therapists and teachers. He has learned so much and we look forward to seeing how much Casey grows in the New Year.

Andrew

Dear Charlene,

Jonathan and I have been meaning to write this letter for some time. We want to thank you for the wonderful work you have done with our son, Andrew, and for providing such a great environment in Happy Talkers. We couldn?t have asked for a better situation when we happened upon you and Happy Talkers last January.

We were desperately searching for a toddler program for Andrew that would address his speech and language delays as well as his overall developmental delays while teaching him to participate in a group setting with other children and begin to learn to do the many things that would be required of him in a school for typically developing children. In the approximately 8 months that Andrew has been attending Happy Talkers, we have seen tremendous growth in Andrew?s total development. He has gone from only having a few words to a vocabulary we can?t begin to count and learning to combine two, three and in some cases, four word utterances. Additionally, Andrew was not yet walking when he came to Happy Talkers. You and your staff have been patient and understanding of Andrew?s special needs and have encouraged him to develop at an incredible rate. He now walks, talks, climbs, nearly runs, can sit in circle time, sings songs, works on art projects, and much, much more.

Andrew, as you know, has just started attending a pre-school for typically developing children while still being supported by Happy Talkers two days per week. It has only been a couple of days now, but we are seeing that Andrew will do just fine in his new pre-school and we credit that success in great part to what he has learned and experienced at Happy Talkers.

We are so thankful we found Happy Talkers and so proud to have been a part of your ?toddler communication group? since the beginning. Happy Talkers is a fantastic organization and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all of the great work you have done with Andrew.

Warmest regards,
Barclay Lynn and Jonathan Dickstein

Eilis

Dear Miss Charlne,

Thank you so much for all your help. You have been so wonderful to me and helped me SO much! I will miss you lots!

Love and hugs and kisses,
Eilis

Jefferson

Our son Jefferson was diagnosed with a neurological speech disorder that affected his motor planning with his expressive speech as well as fine muscle movement in daily activities. We searched the area for a program that would be able to cater to his needs individually as well as him a small group experience. We were unsuccessful until we found the Happy Talkers program. Jefferson has been attending Happy Talkers for the past six months.

Due to Jefferson?s significant speech delay, Eric and I placed Jefferson in Happy Talkers on a full time basis. At the time he was four years and three months old. Jefferson had previously attended general learning center, which proved to only decrease his self-confidence and painfully make him aware of his being different from the other children.

Within the first week of placement into the Happy Talkers program with Charlene Sigman as the Speech Therapist and educator, Jefferson?s spirit brightened, and he began to look forward to school. His enjoyment of learning, working within a group, building friendships, and self-confidence in his personal skills proved to have a marked impmvement. This increase in self-confidence spurred his willingness to work hard in his individual speech therapy sessions with Charlene Sigman.

Jefferson had begun the program with limited speech intelligibility and no multiple word phrases. After four months, Jefferson?s speech intelligibility has increased dramatically with him using three and four word utterances at a 60% intelligibility. Jefferson is now attending a mainstream preschool in the mornings with the adjunct of Happy Talkers in the afternoon. His entrance into the mainstream program has been both positive and rewarding. He continues to get three individual speech therapy sessions with Charlene Sigman weekly, as well as working with the speech immergent preschool group offered through Happy Talkers during the afternoon hours.

There is no possible way I could put into words the gratitude and appreciation Eric and I feel towards the Happy Talkers program. Charlene Sigman came very highly recommended. The gains Jefferson has accomplished and continues to accomplish could only have been due to Charlene?s amazing ability as a speech therapist and educator.

Sincerely,
Eric and Julie Haslam

The Hickson family

My son has been attending Happy Talkers since April 2002. He is two years old so this is our first experience with a structured program.

Happy Talkers has provided an excellent program with a perfectly smooth transition for these little ones. My son has felt "right at home" at school and enjoys each lesson. The children are learning rapidly with Charlene and her staff's natural approach in guiding the little students in structured activities such as: circle time, arts and crafts, snack time and story time. The interesting themes each week touch on the world around the students, moving them towards pre-school and kindergarten.

My son has been practicing letters, days of the week, conversation and counting which strengthens the work we do at home as a family.

I higly recommend Happy Talkers to anyone!

Sincerely,
Annette Hickson

Luke

Dearest Charlene and the gang-

We appreciate all of your loving care for Luke this past year. Thank you for your encouragement and excitement towards Luke's growth. It's been wonderful to see and HEAR how Luke has grown!

Thank you and Big hugs!
Allison, Luke and the whole Bell family

The Lloyd Family

Dear Charlene,

I wanted to extend my appreciation to you and your entire staff at Happy Talkers! There has been a noticeable improvement in my son's behavior and speech since he became a student. He enjoys coming to each session and always leaves in a great mood. Although he is a cautious and somewhat shy boy, he can now play well with other children around and can follow structured activities much better. He is vocalizing many more words and sounds that I know is due to both the small group environment as well as the individual speech sessions. You and your staff seem to truly care about each child and their individual improvements/achievements. The atmosphere at Happy Talkers is always upbeat, positive and professional. Thanks again for all your help and support!

Sincerely,
Maggie Lloyd

Noah

To everyone at Happy Talkers,

It is difficult to express just how much your wonderful program has meant to our family!

Noah has become a Happy Talker! (Well, mostly a Happy Singer right now, but this will surely change into talking soon.) You have all been awesome! Thank you for ALL that you do! You've made a special place in our hearts!!

We love you!
Amy, David and Noah Borovsky

Ryan

Dear Charlene,

One of the best things for Ryan this year has been Happy Talkers. He is so happy there that he talks a lot about it. He really looks forward to coming. Thank you! I look forward to what he will learn in the year 2003.

Thank you for being so flexible regarding his schedule and working with us to allow him this great opportunity. I can't thank you enough!

Sincerely,
The Wongs

PS: Thank you so much for the Polar Express book-he loves reading it! (o:

Words of thanks from our Happy Talkers families:

I know there are a million other things that Kim, Andrea and Azi perform everyday on behalf of the children that go unnoticed by us parents, but I really really want to express my deepest gratitude and thanks to them for ALL their hard work.

From the first time I contacted Happy Talkers, each person I have dealt with has been incredibly compassionate and understanding regarding my son's needs. It was amazing to me that everyone looked at him as an individual and they all have truly wanted to help. When Erin was fielding the phone calls, she was empathetic and knowledgeable answering my questions. Jennifer has been very patient when I have called with questions. She is always so friendly. She too is very knowledgeable and if she does not know the answer she has someone call me back promptly. It is such a pleasure dealing with everyone at Happy Talkers.
The Stepping Stones team is unbelievable. As soon as my son started in class they were willing to listen to my concerns. It is comforting to know that I am leaving my son for 2 hours with a team of warm and caring individuals. Ozzy comes to class with a huge smile and a greeting everyday for my son as well as the other children in the class. They have all made such an impact on my son and I am so grateful for that. Finally, Valerie brings a wealth of knowledge regarding my son' speech therapy needs. She is also extremely willing to listen to me and figure out the best program to address his speech issues. All of you are so supportive and I thank you for that. I feel so lucky that my son is surrounded by such wonderful, professional people. Thank you and Happy Holidays.

We would like to say thank you to all the teachers and therapists at Happy Talkers. My son has been with Happy Talkers for more than one year. He has made tremendous progress. He started from single syllable words a year ago to so many words today. It’s unbelievable. I think some of you have witnessed Eric’s one-year progress. We are very happy with the services provided by Happy Talkers. All of you have been very helpful for Eric and even our family. All of you at Happy Talkers should be proud of what you have been doing and achieving for the kids. You have won our trust. We truly appreciate your help and service. Wish all of you happy Christmas and a wonderful new year.

There are truly not enough words to describe what you and your staff do for kids and, equally as important, their families. It is comforting to know there is a place for kids to learn, play and thrive in a secure, loving and compassionate environment.

Although our daughter, was enrolled for just a short amount of time, the relationships we established with her teachers and therapists made it very difficult to leave. From day one, she instantly became part of your family. We emphasize "family", because our baby was taken in with open arms by Miss Vanessa and Miss Erin. Soon enough, we met Mr. Jeff, Miss Cheryl, Miss Azi and Ms. Ann, who are also wonderful people. As parents, we initially had reservations about leaving our child with people we did not know, but our concerns were soon alleviated after observing how well her teachers and therapists interacted with the kids. One thing was always for sure, we were always met with smiles and enthusiasm.

On behalf of our entire family, we would like to thank you and your staff for your kindness, warmth and compassion. Our daughter truly enjoyed her classes and always looked forward to seeing all her friends, teachers and therapists. We miss you all!!