Category: childcare

Posted in Blogging, blogging the important stuff, childcare, Christmas, December thoughts, early learning thoughts, home is where the heart is, work

It’s December|First Year Done|Home is Where the Heart Is

Posted on by Marly

Some could say that the first year at a new job is always going to be stressful.  Now add on the fact that my centre was brand new at the beginning of this year.  It officially opened in January and had a dedication service in February.

And, now, we’re at the end of the first year, tracking on well to reaching capacity and running smoothly with all the staff that we need.

I don’t see my colleagues as just ‘other staff’ though.  They’re like family.  Distant family, yes…but family nonetheless.  It’s like what Tim Healy said at our Christmas service on the weekend: We can have more than one home, because home is where the heart is.  And my heart and soul and mind are set firmly at my centre.

Do you feel that way at your centre?

The families that call our centre theirs, the team, the support from the Church team…it’s been an amazing year.  Yes, I’ve been sick countless times and had to have time off…but that’s the hazard of working in my profession.  Children are germ magnets…and maybe I am too.

There have been some amazing moments too.  The little things.  Children learning my name, or reaching for me, or just wanting me to join in their play.  Children learning, developing, growing.  The first steps…the first words… the smiles, the tears, the giggling.  The spilled milk…the crying over spilled milk…all of it.

But I think for me, the defining moment was when my Director said to me, after I’d gone away for a holiday and come back, “You’re not going anywhere, we’re keeping you.”

To feel like a valued member of the team, of the family? That means more than anything.  Especially after the way I felt at my previous centre.

Home.  Home is definitely where the heart is.

So, this Christmas season, I can only give thanks to God.  Thanks that 2015 turned out the way it did.

And here’s to a just as amazing 2016.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

Posted in childcare, life, my thoughts, personal, work

Reflections of Myself

Posted on by Marly

Listening to:  Encounter – Riverview Worship
Mood:  Awake, content, happy

I’ve had this thought:  Taking initiative is difficult for me.  Unless it comes to direct interaction with the children at work.  I’m more of a follower and thrive when being directed by others.

I had a big win the other day.  I was settling a child to sleep, and by reading a book that he chose he eventually just dropped off to sleep.  Sleep time can be difficult; the key is to remain calm and ‘low’ as it helps to settle the children down.  Especially if they are still spending their energy.

I think allowing the children to make choices and to give us cues as to when they are tired and being flexible with rest times works.  Rather than having strict rest times.  Obviously, once we have more children that may need to be altered, but while we have low numbers and the children we have are getting used to the centre it has worked quite well.

I am still super excited about heading to work each day, and I pray that this continues.  I know there will be down days; every job has that.  However, I am excited for the possibilities and helping my centre grow and become everything it can be for the community it aims to serve.

This is my centre and I’m proud of where we are and where we’re heading and absolutely blessed and feel that it is such a privilege to be part of such an important journey.

I still feel I have more to offer and just need to figure out what that is.  I’m not artistically inclined and sometimes it takes time for me to come up with ideas for programming, or abstract thinking.  I feel that comes back to the fact that I have a ‘follow the leader’ approach to life.

Give me a task to do and I’ll set my heart and mind to it.

Being left to my own devices I often flounder and will just stick to the easy route of allowing spontaneity to ensue.

This also leads to me appearing lazy; but, I’m far from it.  I’m usually just off in my own little world, which is always busy.  If I could write everything that was going on in my mind on any given day, I’d probably fill pages and pages…even write a book in a day.

So, just because I may look like I’m sitting around doing nothing, doesn’t mean I’m not actively engaging with the environment I’m in.

I guess children are like that as well.

I’ve learned from experience that a child who is sitting by themselves with nothing at hand doesn’t necessarily need or want attention.  Sometimes they are just processing their environment and will eventually make a decision as to what/how they want to engage.

Of course, there will come a time when some encouragement or prompting is welcomed, but this often depends on duration and other factors.  But, allowing children to make their own choices is important in building independence and teaching them how to navigate their world.

It’s how they learn.  It’s how we all learn.

We never stop learning and growing.

And, reflection is a big part of that.  So, here’s my first one for the year.  🙂