Testimonials

As parents deeply invested in our child’s development, we feel incredibly fortunate to have found Lifetime Montessori School in San Diego. From the moment we met Ms. Kristin, the principal, it was immediately clear: this school isn’t just using the Montessori name—it’s living the philosophy in every detail.

Most parents may not realize that “Montessori” isn’t a trademarked term. Any school can claim to follow the method without truly doing so. But at Lifetime, everything—from the prepared environment to the way teachers engage with students—is grounded in authentic Montessori principles and developmental science. If you visit and speak with Ms. Kristin, you’ll quickly realize: this is the real deal.

One of the key reasons we chose Montessori is because of the long-term impact it has on children. While only around 1–2% of American children attend Montessori programs, the approach has produced an outsized number of leaders and innovators. The founders of Google (Larry Page & Sergey Brin), Amazon (Jeff Bezos), Wikipedia (Jimmy Wales), SimCity (Will Wright), and even public figures like Julia Child and Stephen Curry all had Montessori beginnings. This is not coincidence. These individuals credit their early Montessori experience with building their independence, creativity, and love of learning—traits that led to their success. Montessori nurtures how to think, not what to think.

Our son is thriving under the care of Ms. Faride. Her calm presence, wisdom, and deep understanding of toddler development reflect the very best of the Montessori tradition. She brings a gentle structure that fosters independence, curiosity, and emotional growth—exactly what young children need to become confident, capable humans.

Every staff member we’ve encountered is aligned and deeply committed. The teachers don’t just “watch” children—they mentor and guide them with intention. They understand the why behind every choice. It’s clear that the entire team loves what they do, and that passion creates a truly nurturing environment.

We couldn’t be happier that our son is growing in a school designed for human development—not just test performance. Lifetime Montessori has created a space where toddlers can truly become full-functioning, joyful, independent people.

Thank you, Ms. Kristin, Ms. Faride, and the entire Lifetime team. You’ve built something truly extraordinary.

Our key factor in sending our daughter to Lifetime Montessori school was the fact that our son had been there for two and a half years and we were really impressed with the school! We knew that it was the right place for our daughter to be. When she first started here, she was very quiet. She didn't have trouble in social situations but she was shy. Since she started school here, she has blossomed, her vocabulary has expanded tremendously and we now have full conversations with her and understand her better. She is much more a leader and more independent.  As a parent, there's no greater satisfaction thatn to see your child love to learn without it being forced and to see that excitement and joy from learning. 

I have two children enrolled at Lifetime Montessori School and they have spent time in the Toddler, Primary, and Elementary programs. I am a Montessori trained teacher myself and I have a high standard when it comes to Montessori schools. If you are looking for a truly authentic Montessori school, this is it. All of the lead teachers are trained at the highest level, the classroom environments are beautifully prepared and well maintained, and every aspect of the Montessori philosophy is followed closely. The administrative staff is welcoming, engaging, and deeply committed to the well being of the children. There is also a lot of opportunity to be involved in the community through parent volunteering and various family events through out the year. It is a wonderful school to be a part of!

Our eldest child completed her Kindergarten year here and just finished her first year of Elementary. She really blossomed during her Kindergarten year. We saw so much come to fruition in terms of her social, emotional, and academic development. The work she did the first two years came full circle. She got the chance to be a leader in the classroom which matured her and grew her confidence a great deal. The teachers did a great job integrating more specific Kindergarten curriculum into every day and in weekly pull out groups. I do not believe that her Primary experience would have been complete without the Kindergarten year.

Likewise, we have been beyond pleased with the Elementary program. We've seen her confidence and ownership over learning continue to grow. The students are allowed to self direct their learning while being guided by exceptional teachers who focus on the students' holistic needs and instruct in a multidimensional way. Its really fascinating to watch! She enjoys being part of a community of children that range in age and ability where there is no competition, just a lot of collaboration and sharing of knowledge. We are very glad that she has not felt any pressure from formal tests, grades, or homework. Instead, she continues to think of school as a place where learning is fun and relaxed. That has been huge for us. She has been so happy in the Elementary classroom!

Our family has been extremely pleased with Lifetime Montessori School. We've been here for a year with 2 kids aged 5 and 2. The teachers are highly skilled, experienced, and wonderful! We love the staff, all the activities organized throughout the year, and just how warm everyone is. Along with caring for the kids, the school makes efforts to also educate parents on how to work with our kids at home, support them and help them grow as individuals. These are free sessions on weekday evenings, and they provide free childcare and dinner as well. We've not seen this anywhere else! It shows how much they are committed to building a solid environment for the kids.

We want to specially call out the director Ms. Kristin, who is the person behind everything and is the reason this school stands out in our opinion. She truly cares about the kids and is very engaged with the families. We saw this on week 1 when she called to check if our son was having a hard transition, when I mentioned to the teachers that he was emotional (which actually was for something unrelated to school). She's also made herself available for consultations on handling challenging situations at home with our older. We've taken her up on these a couple times and they were super helpful. She has the experience to provide strategies and tools to help navigate parenting in general. Just talking to her has proven to be beneficial to us and we love that she takes the time to help the school community. She's amazingly patient and calm as a person, and radiates that positive energy. Ms. Kristin is very well versed in Montessori principles and is a brilliant teacher. We've learnt so much from her! We very highly recommend Lifetime to anyone considering this school.

I could not be any happier with the choice I made sending both my boys to Lifetime Montessori School. My oldest boy started when he was 20 months and was there through kindergarten. The transition into 1st great went really well and he was really well prepared. My youngest son is currently there in kindergarten and has also been there since he was 20 months. I can't thank the director and staff enough for helping them grow and become such confident, responsible, caring individuals. So many of the staff members are dear to me as I have known them for a long time. Many of them have there been since my son started there 6 years ago and they all have such a passion for what they do. Over the years I have watched the Director, Kristin, run this school and am truly amazed by her passion. I have been driving from Carmel Valley to this school for 6 years now and am not regretting it for a second. It has been the best decision I have made!

My son attended Lifetime Montessori for three years. They truly were three wonderful years. During this time, he blossomed into a confident and independent individual. Through love and encouragement he developed a profound love for learning and a sense of responsibility that goes beyond the classroom.

This is our children's first year at Lifetime Montessori School LMS, but they have been in other Montessori communities since the age of 18 mos. Our daughter is 6 and in the elementary program and our son is 4 and in his second year in a primary environment. They are both very happy at LMS and have remained the same confident children through their transition into a new environment. The teachers are happy and engaged and really seem to enjoy being at the school and with the children. They understand Montessori principles and this methodology is in place in all the classrooms. The school has a lovely outdoor play area, garden and courtyard and I love that the kids go in and out of their classrooms throughout the day to garden, wash windows, etc., not just at play time. The Administration at this school is wonderful. Very engaged, easy to reach and the kids love them. I also love that on parent nights, or other events at the school, child care is provided free of charge - it makes these events so much more convenient.

Absolutely love Lifetime Montessori School! Have had two daughters here over the past year and it’s been wonderful. Ultimately it’s the caliber of the teachers that makes all the difference. The teachers (and staff) here are exceptional - they take education and academics seriously, but they’re also just awesome people that love my kids and treat them with respect and kindness every day. We’ll be back next year.

Thanks to Lifetime Montessori school my daughter has made a seamless transition to Kindergarten at our local public school. She has adjusted very well socially and seems to be at the right level of education for her age. The teachers and staff at Lifetime Montessori were more than helpful in preparing her for her future in elementary school and beyond. We are very pleased with the quality of education and closeness we had with our teachers. Thank you for all of your guidance and support!

Our children have attended Lifetime Montessori School for over a year and we could not be happier with this fine school. We strongly believe in the Montessori method and always knew that our children would attend a Montessori program until first grade. But we never thought we would find such an amazing school so close to our home. Having looked at many other Montessori schools, we were extremely impressed with the facility, materials and all of the teachers. From the moment you drive up to the school and walk into the doors, you feel the warmth and experience of the staff and notice the immaculate facility. Just looking at the children in the classrooms, watering the plants, playing together... you can see their proud happy smiles. The Montessori trained teachers at Lifetime Montessori are remarkable. With unconditional patience, kind hearts, and open arms, all of the teachers and assistant teachers provide a safe educational environment allowing both of our children to thrive. The Montessori method is unlike any other preschool program - it is not daycare. At Lifetime Montessori, we have seen our 2-year-old transform into a polite, patient, smart, independent girl. And our 4-year-old is currently learning how to read - not just memorizing letters and words - she is actually learning how to put sounds together to make words and sentences. There are so many other reasons why we love Lifetime Montessori - easy drop-off and pick-up car line, seasonal family events, a variety of after school activities (our girls love the dance and Spanish classes), and parent education nights. We really feel lucky to have found this amazing Montessori school.

My daughter attended preschool at Lifetime Montessori School this past year. I can't say enough good things about Lifetime Montessori! The teachers are patient, caring, and genuinely concerned about all of the children's well-being and education. The school principal is very organized and always striving to improve. My daughter attended a different preschool the year prior and our experience there was much less organized and the teaching staff seemed under-qualified. I'm so glad we switched to Lifetime Montessori School!

We were so fortunate to have our daughter Alexa attend Lifetime Montessori School in 2008-2009 year. The school is very impressive not just by its great new facility, but mostly by its amazing staff and teachers. They take that extra step to give the kids very special individual attention, loving care and unbelievably successful learning curriculum! We all know that the Montessori system provides great results but this school provides a lot more than that - teaches the children independence, respect for each other, and many very practical life lessons! Kristin, the school director, is a very caring person with great personality that always seeks to give more and more to the kids. The school offers many activities - Spanish, Mandarin, Dance, Gymnastics lessons just to name a few. She really cares about the children, the teachers, and the community. I'd honestly say that this has been the best year for my daughter not just academically but socially as well. She enjoyed every day at Lifetime Montessori, made a lot of friends, learned a lot, felt the loving care of the teachers and we will terribly miss you all! Thank you for this wonderful experience!

I love Lifetime Montessori School. My 3-year-old twins have really matured over the last school year. The teachers are so warm and friendly and truly enjoy working with the children. I always feel confident in knowing I am leaving my children in a safe and stimulating environment. I have gained a lot of insight and good advice from the school sponsored lectures and enjoyed (along with my children) all of the seasonal parties and other activities held throughout the year.