Education

I personally thrive on working with, and educating children. Through play we learn, as children and as adults too.

I insure several opportunities to learn and grow each day. I think that children require structured learning time each day, as well as several chances to just go free.

We have a circle time each day which consists of a 5 - 10 minute yoga session (and stretches) led by Rebekkah. I think a shorter daily yoga session is best for the younger children as they have a shorter attention span, and the idea is to have fun !!

We follow with a series of books and action songs. I find several books in a row can seem tedious for an 18 month old. We keep the songs and books in tune with our weekly theme, and take this as an opportunity for some repetitive reinforcement of the ideas of our theme.

The children enjoy mastering a story through the week, and so I tend to pick one or two that I will keep for the week, and add a few new ones each day. Reading is a very large part of my programing.

We also have new songs each week. Some the kids are familiar with, and some are new to them ( and sometimes me !)

We often add a game of sorting, and or some kind of counting and organizing during circle time. (ex. during farm week we had a very large bag of assorted plastic animals. We took turns pulling them from the bag, if it was an animal you would find on a farm, we would place it in the barn and if it was not it went in a separate pile. ) These games teach not only the particular skill we are working on (counting, color recognition etc. ) but a great way to work on sharing, cooperation, and patience.

We do modules for learning and have a lesson plan. This plan will include section like cooking and food, music, art, games and , poems, puppets, on and on. I do themes like seeds, butterflies, farm animals, ocean week etc. but I always keep on working on the basics too. ABC's and 123's are always being taught. I do try to work on incorporating the theme into these basic skills.

I have both a kindergarten readiness checklist, and a baby developmental milestones chart. This helps me keep in mind things our little people need before going to school and helps me establish reasonable goals for each age group.

I often use puppets as a tool to have fun with the kids and often use them to lead circle time. We have a few faves that have developed real personalities !! Puppets are a great way for me to be super silly with the group (I feel it is important for the children in our lives to see us be silly at least once a day ) I know the parents appreciate my ability to let loose with my gang.

Music is very important to me. I feel that children's moods are altered by the kind of music they are listening to. There for when it is free dance the louder and crazier the better, when it is craft time it has to be jazz, when we are eating lunch or having free time is is some fun but mellow tunes & we sleep to lullabies. Music makes brains grow !!

We (Rebekkah and I) have a weekly music circle as well as our regular daily singing. We have several interesting instruments that we use with the children and we explore rhythms etc with them. Drumming is one of our favourites and we have several types of exotic drums to play with. This music time is for the whole group young and old.

We have a wonderful piano teacher come into the home once a week to do lessons with the 3+ group. The parents do pay for these lessons and it is of course optional. So far all of the 3+ families have jumped at the chance for the lessons, and see it as a wonderful addition to the program.

I always make sure to put aside time for free play. Sometimes I set out props to encourage a game to develop and sometimes we just plain old play. I love sitting back and watching a few little ones come up with the neatest ideas. Blankets become boats, and chairs become choo-choo trains right before your eyes like magic !!

In the afternoon while nap aged children are resting we have a preschool activity time. This is where we will do some pre reading, early math and older crafts. A focused time for the older group. Rebekkah will have a daily yoga session with this group and work on some poses that are geared towards older children. She uses stories to encourage the kids to learn each movement. This is great in the winter because the older children may not get as long to play outside at school or daycare and need to learn how to channel that energy in a positive manner. And in the summer this can be done outside....is there anything as lovely as seeing several children doing yoga in the grass, basking in the sun ?

Also If your child is of the age where he/she is receiving homework then we are able to set aside time after school to complete it here. When you have to work and be apart from your child, it is so great not to have to use the little evening family time you have doing homework (or fighting about it !!) We are here to support in this area and give time and guidance. My own child will be at the table completing hers so it will be a great study group for them all !

Over view of my little daycare :)

I would like to tell you about my home, my family and a bit about why I am doing child care.

First who we are. I am Blair. I am a mother of three beautiful children. Noah my oldest daughter is 13 years old. Army my youngest daughter is 6. And my newest addition is Lincoln who is now 3. We are a pet free ..... smoke free home !! We are what you would call grass roots family, we try to keep things as simple as possible. We cloth diaper, and bake our own bread. Home cooking is the word of the day !!

My husband Jayson and I live in the Westboro area, in a bright open concept home on Churchill Ave. The main level of my home is dedicated to the daycare. The large living room is the main playroom, equipped with a big cozy sofa, play kitchen, puppet theater and lots of stimulating and educational toys ( not a Barbie in sight!!). The room is child friendly, and magical, but not obnoxious, and "plastic". The playroom is just off the living / dining area and kitchen. This is ideal for me as even when I am preparing meals and getting drinks for the children I can see everything that is going on.

We have a large child friendly yard that is off the playroom. We use the yard enthusiastically all year round :) There is also a big deck that we can use when the ground is just too muddy for play! The yard has two slide structures, a giant sand boxed and, a picnic area, and a large garden that we use to grow our own veggies in all summer long. I LOVE the kids to help me pick the veggies from the garden that we will then eat for lunch !! We also have bins and bins of toys to explore, and several ride on toys of all shapes and sizes.

I worked in health care before starting my home daycare 6 years ago. I changed careers after the birth of my second child Army. She had a special beginning in life that really didn't make it practical for me to bring her to daycare each day. I have never looked back. I believe it to be the most rewarding thing I have ever done. I get to work in the home, and provide a preschool type environment to my children.

I know that I will continue to provide childcare to my community for many years to come.

Diapers, bottles etc.

First I need to say that I am not just cloth diaper friendly ... I am cloth diaper only !!!!

I insist that the families cloth diaper , at least when they are here. Some families are already cloth diapering, some buy some to send here, and some get a diaper service. But any way you look at it we are a green family, and diapering is really a life style, and a parenting style that we have adopted.

I do not wash the diapers.... I simply wrap up the diapers (and their contents) and put them in a nappy bag to be brought home and laundered by the parents.

I am happy to do a diaper demo for any families that are interested in adopting this gentle method of diapering. And if you ever have any questions I am always happy to sit and chat about your diapering needs as your little one grows. I am working on a blog to directly chat about these needs :)

As for bottles....With the recent concerns with plastics you will send in the drinking vessel you see fit for your baby. I do accept Siggs and glass bottles (but the glass needs to be sleeved!) or whatever else you feel is the best choice for your family. If you are sending milk each day, of course the bottles can go home, and back, but when that is not necessary it is best to have something for drinking that your baby will leave here. It is easier for me not to have to round up the cups each day!

OK so lastly... if something is a special treasure please leave it at home !!!! Don't send in the special sleep thing and need me to return it each evening.... you can allow me to give your baby what I think is best or you can buy something to have here and I will wash it weekly.

General Philosophies...

I will keep this part simple..... that is my philosophy in a nut shell ! We keep it simple :)
I don't try to do too much at any one time. We finish, and tidy, before moving on to the next thing, and we are kind to one another.

I want the children to know what is being expected of them, and have guidelines they can follow at any age. Our day is consistent, and every day there is predetermined activity that the children know and are building on, (and are excited about). The activities are simple, and yet educational. Examples of daily activities are : circle time, yoga, and music lessons.
I speak to the children in a clear, confident, and kind manner. I don't talk them down or talk down to them. I am clear about what we are doing, & what I need them to do. I have a group that is quick to help their peers, can follow group instructions, and play together.

I feel it important to foster independence in little people. We encourage the group to reach their particular goals. Weather it is learning to walk, or cut with scissors !

We may not do as much in a day as some other daycares, but we are not a group that likes to be overwhelmed (who does??) ..... we like to keep it simple and do one or two things right!
I have a strict no violence policy and that includes nasty words. I take the time to teach the little ones what appropriate terms are to ask for a toy, or a turn.

I use a simple redirection approach for little ones, and when older we try to "give them words" A frustrated 3 year old is trying to say something .... even if it isn't coming out right. It is amazing how quickly a sad face goes away when they know they are being understood.
As a deterrent I will use "time outs" when I think the child is old enough to understand. But we do try to avoid such situations before they need these "quiet moments."

I chat with them about what is a more appropriate action, or word, and how to say sorry when the time is right ,and all is calm again. We have a 3 part sorry here ... first you feel sorry, then you say sorry, and then you act sorry (of course by changing whatever required the sorry in the first place ! )

I don't believe the TV is a babysitter. Although we will use the tele for yoga videos, sign language videos, and a little rainy day Baby Einstein. We do usually have it on in the morning when we would be receiving the group (even if everyone else is at the table doing a craft) because I find it a very powerful tool to distract little eyes and make the goodbye smoother. It is all about keeping everyone happy :)

But of course .... life is too short to spend in front of the TV all day. Don't you think?
So in short I try to treat your child with respect and love. We are family here and the children are an extension of our family. We are united in our devotion to giving the kids a loving and supportive environment to grow and learn in.

Nutrition philosophy

I take the feeding of children seriously. I cook whole foods, and have a large variety of ways to get kids to eat whole grains, veggies, and proteins. I previously took a course targeted to child care providers called "picky eaters".

Although my family does eat meat (in moderation) my daycare program is 100% veggie ! I feel that meat standards is a funny topic and I like the families to choose what , when, and how much meat to give their children.

We do eat farm fresh organic eggs, and a variety of dairy products. The same goes for the grains and produce as well. I do try to buy organic when reasonable to do so, but this is not always possible. (I get large bulk orders delivered to my home with dry goods and grains etc.)

I try to avoid an abundance of corn, wheat, vegetable oils, soy products, and of course packaged foods.

The list of things I make from scratch is a long one .... I don't buy hummus, pesto, butter, nut butters, juice, crackers, cookies, muffins ..... just about everything we eat is produced right from scratch in my kitchen !

I also keep a strong focus on live, raw foods. I dehydrate a large percentage of my foods to avoid nutrient destruction in the cooking process. We have green smoothies with kale, spinach, dandelion greens, and all kinds of lettuces. The kids LOVE them and are always asking for more green smoothies please ! Nothing makes me happier then little green moustaches !

I also cook with olive, or coconut oil not corn or vegetable, & in salads we do use some cold pressed oils like avocado, and walnut.

I feel that white flours, and sugar are mood altering drugs, and I try to avoid them when possible. I will not feed your child sugary snacks and send them home to you, and I ask you do not feed your child a sugary breakfast and send them to me :) ** pretty please ! The crackers that I create for the little ones are made from vegetables and flax (that's all !) and the kids love them. I don't like the idea of filling a belly up with wheat and salt as a snack.

I put up a menu for each day of what your child had for lunch so you know what you should feed them for dinner. If for example we had pasta, I would encourage you to focus on proteins for dinner time.

Speaking of protein .... people always ask me what I do for protein. Well we eat eggs, yogurt, cheese, all kinds of seeds, and nuts, and make butters and milks from them too. And let's not forget that the most absorbable form of proteins are from plant based foods ! These little guys are well fed and none of them are lacking in protein :)

When your baby is very small you can send in meals for them to have if you like, until they are able to eat what the others are eating. I would think that by 12 months of age they would be fine to just have lunch like a big girl/boy with the group.

As far as milk goes, if your baby needs special milk or if you are set on them having strictly organic milk, you will need to send in their milk for them each day. I will provide a large glass of milk at lunch time. If your baby is still using milk as a food and will need 2-3 servings of milk send in the other "feedings" as well.

I do accept breast milk too in specially labeled bottles. (We can chat about this if need be.) We are 100% breastfeeding friendly !!