Colic, teething, sleep schedules, diapers by the dozen and potty training are just a few of the troublesome stages most parents cannot wait for their infants to outgrow. But not Ms. Carla Dean. For twenty years, Ms. Carla, as she is affectionately known by her bunnies and their parents, has been taking care of these issues for hundreds of Capitol Hill babies in the Bunny Room at Jenkins Hill Child Development Center, located at 201 4th Street SE. And her inspiration is simple . . .

The Kids

“I love kids,” said Ms. Carla when asked why she was still a caregiver to children ages six weeks to eighteen months after so many years. And she knows her stuff. When new babies come to Jenkins, first Ms. Carla builds trust and provides a warm, fun, environment. Then she encourages physical and social development through play, songs, story-time and outdoor activities. And her favorite thing to do: make the babies laugh.And laugh they do - because they love her. Mom Liz Pelcyger said Carla was the first woman outside of her family that Theo fell in love with. “Theo gazed at Ms. Carla in awe, was comforted by her hands, her voice, her embrace. He learned to walk so he could follow her, and learned to push so he could evict other children from her lap.” Grace was another big fan. Recalls Victoria Dunning fondly, “I would [go to] pick Grace up and find her sitting in Carla's arms, babbling away telling her stories about her world.” Although Grace has moved up to the Pony class, she still mentions Ms. Carla along with family members, every night before she goes to sleep. According to Jen Squires, Carla is the "go-to" person for her two Bunny boys. “I think they appreciate her calm, quiet presence that contrasts with their generally more frenzied natures.”Jenkins Hill Child Development Center Director, Susan Nowak, who has worked with Carla for sixteen years says Carla is one of those rare people who is universally loved by babies and who loves babies back. Novak is amazed at Carla’s ability to get into the minds of babies and understand their needs. “It makes her so good at what she does,” Says Nowak.

The Parents

Ms. Carla’s child rearing flair does not go unnoticed by new parents who are often apprehensive about leaving their little ones for the first time. Sara, mom to Jacob and Zachary, both Jenkins Hill alumni said she was sold after five minutes of watching Carla attend to the babies' needs with calmness and grace. Linda Sinoway and her husband Doug Kelly, also alumni who have since moved off the Hill to Ohio agree. “As new parents, we were a bit nervous about leaving Jack, [then four months old] in someone else's care, but after observing how gentle and loving Carla was with infants and toddlers, we were reassured instantly about our decision to enroll him at Jenkins Hill.” They remembered that not only did Carla get Jack to take a bottle, but also had him napping regularly, two feats he and his wife, like many new parents, had trouble accomplishing. Valerie Jablow noted Carla’s kind and patient nature with every child in the class. “That is a tremendous skill when you're dealing with kids of various ages and temperaments,” stated Jablow.

It is this special demeanor, according to Director Susan Nowak, that has helped prevent Carla from burning out after all these years. Nowak cited Carla’s great work ethic and even-keeled nature as keys to her success. “Carla never provokes drama. She always maintains a stable atmosphere in the classroom while making sure there's flexibility for the children to have fun.”

Expert consultants

Ms. Carla, along with her longtime Bunny Room colleague, Ms. Jemaell, who is celebrating her 16th year at Jenkins, are not only caregivers to the six babies in their charge, but also take good care of their kids’ parents, helping to make the transition smooth from home to the center, answering questions about child-rearing and offering advice when needed. “Communication is the key,” Ms. Carla says adding that she feels it is part of her job to make parents feel secure and likes to spend time at the end of every day detailing their children’s activities. Parents appreciate this attention and have come to depend on it. Sara admits that she spent hours asking Carla her advice. “I was clueless about raising a child and Carla, along with Jemaell, were my expert consultants. They had the answers for everything.” Not only do they have the answers but also sensitivity to new parents’ feelings. Howard Crystal recalled when his daughter Sheina was almost one and Carla would ask him if she was walking yet. He would reply ‘No, not yet’ and wonder why Carla and Jamaell were smiling at each other. Little did he know Sheina had been walking at Jenkins Hill for weeks. Carla and Jemaell had kept the secret so Howard and his wife could experience that special ‘first’ moment themselves.

Another Twenty Years?

Many more ‘firsts’ will be experienced by infants in the Bunny Room with Ms. Carla and Ms. Jemaell who have no plans of retiring any time soon. That’s good news for Jill Cashen & Keith Ashdown who enrolled their daughter, Eleanor at Jenkins Hill last September. “We love Carla and are so thankful that she has stuck with her job for twenty years - just long enough to become part of our expanding family.” Howard Crystal felt the same way. “There's no doubt in my mind that having our kids spend this critical time in their life with Carla, the Bunny Room, and Jenkins Hill was the best thing we could have done for them. She's the best.”

Jenkins Hill Child Development Center will honor Ms. Carla along with her colleagues at their Teacher Appreciation Day celebration. It is scheduled for Friday, May 12 from 4:30pm-6:00pm on the playground at Jenkins Hill at 201 4th Street, SE. The celebration will be an ice cream social, and the Capitol Hill Community is invited - especially those who want to pay special tribute to Carla's years of service. To make a contribution to Ms. Carla Dean’s future retirement and son’s college fund or for more information about Jenkins Hill, call 202. 543-4664 or E-mail: JenkinsHill@dcaccess.net.