Meet Kareena Ramirez of Little Bee Academy in Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kareena Ramirez.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My family and I have a long history of caring for children, it’s what we love! My grandmother, Mary, cared for over 300 foster children throughout 17 years so we grew up with tons of kids in our home. We were changing diapers at age 5 and playing with real babies, lol, we didn’t need dolls. I initially went to college for Administration of Justice to be a Probation Officer and began working at the Juvenile hall in Sylmar around age 22, but I didn’t like the politics or the way they treated the kids there. It wasn’t how I saw myself helping or giving back. The opportunity to do that just wasn’t there, so I decided, with the push from my mom, to open Little Bee and do what we had loved and help kids in a different way. My grandma taught us kids need us to keep it simple. Lots of Love, lots of attention, acceptance, support, positivity, to learn and to grow with whatever mess is necessary and lots of sunshine and fresh air. And of course, healthy home cooking. We’ve been open a decade now and I feel so blessed to have come this far and to do what we love to do.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
In the beginning it was a bit of a struggle learning the ropes. We had so many different things come up that we learned the hard way but the struggle is always necessary for growth, it is the best teacher. In regards to our locations, the first location I got was older and needed lots of work and TLC. Every year I saved up and would do 1 major thing. New play structure, Cement, new gates, new flooring, etc. And now I couldn’t be happier with everything.

Please tell us about Little Bee Academy.
Little Bee takes a different approach to childcare. We base our learning experiences on creativity, freedom of expression, and just having fun. We provide the kids with a loving, fun, safe, and kind of old school environment. We don’t do the iPads and electronics. I’m not knocking them at all, just not something I choose to use at our centers. We give the kids the opportunity to be creative, to think, to explore and experiment, to learn, and to just be kids. Our academic curriculum is also based on a creative lesson plan. The children learn through art, play, and critical thinking projects. Using this foundation has really helped my younger toddlers to my preschool children grasp the concepts of the material being taught much quicker.

For our baby bee’s, we implement an infant curriculum as well. It is also based on a creative platform. From birth, our babies are learning and soaking up everything we expose them to. Reading to them, talking to them, sensory activities, and manipulatives are super important for an infant’s development. Our curriculum does just that as well as lots of love and tlc.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Success to me is making yourself happy. Whatever it is that does that for you. I personally enjoy helping other people, being able to help my family, and completing goals I set for myself. Things that challenge you as a person, things that make you step out of your comfort zone and grow, or just a hard-learned life lesson. Overcoming these things are all markers I look for and see as success.

Contact Info:

• Address: Little Bee Academy
  15500 Chatsworth St.
  Mission Hills, CA. 91345Little Bee Academy Northridge
  9801 Hayvenhurst Ave.
  Northridge, Ca 91343

  Little Bee Academy North Hills
  15709 Lassen st.
  North Hills, Ca. 91343

• Website: www.littlebeeacademy.com
• Phone: (818) 891-5325
• Email: littlebeeacademy@yahoo.com
• Instagram: @littlebeeacademy
• Facebook: Little Bee Academy
• Yelp: Little Bee Academy Childcare, Little Bee Academy Northridge, Little Bee Academy North Hills