I’m originally from Bogota, Colombia, where I earned my degree and started my career in the business world, visiting customers and helping them adopt new products and services - I’ve been helping others ever since. In 2007, I decided to devote myself to working full-time with young children. I started as a nanny and tried hard to bring love, joy and energy into all of the homes where I worked. Over the years, I've worked with families across Needham, Newton & Dedham. Because I’m fully bilingual, I’ve led programming in both English and Spanish, including full immersion at the request of multiple families. At one point, while coordinating playdates with 3 children in one household, and 2 in another, I discovered that children could learn so much more from socializing with a mix of ages, and that's when the idea for Patico's Home Daycare was born. As a mother, and now a grandmother, I cherish every child’s uniqueness, and I treat each child as if they were my own because I know how precious they are. I’m thrilled to welcome families in Dedham to Patico’s Home Daycare, and I look forward to meeting you and your little one.

I have worked within the educational system for 18 years. I began in early childhood education, it is my passion, and I have always wanted to return to my roots. My working career began in travel and tourism. I then transferred to health care as a Facilitator and Coordinator at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. My career then took me to banking in the Commercial Lending Division at Fleet and Sovereign Bank, now (Santander). During this time period I decided to enter the teaching profession so that I could spend more time with my children, go on longer vacations, and have a similar schedule. I have been an educator for 18 years. I first began as a 5th Grade resource teacher and then became a kindergarten teacher / resource kindergarten teacher. I was also a Family Community Field Coordinator for Boston Public Schools. Family involvement and family engagement are important for the development of children. I also incorporate a variety of cultures by having food , cultural days, and reading various books from around the world. I encourage families to get involved through participation.

As a mom of three, life can be busy, but I am at my happiest when I’m around kids. The more you work with kids and help them learn, the more you learn yourself. I started my program because I wanted to create a career around my passion for child care. Plus, I love supporting other parents and sharing my knowledge. When my daughter was in child care, I remember how helpful it was that the program had her on a consistent nap schedule—it made our life at home so much easier! I want to offer that same support to the families in my program and help figure out what works best for their children and their home. I hope parents see Miles of Smiles Childcare as an extension of their family.