Name: Kim Davidson

Daycare Name & Location: Kim’s Kiddies of Courtice(Highway 2 & Courtice Rd)

How long in the business?: 11 years (since 2001)

Why did you decide to become a daycare provider?: Since my oldest has special needs I didn’t want him in childcare so I decided to stay home. Two more children were added to the Davidson Family!

What’s your favourite part of the day?: Between 9:30 and 12:00 when we are out exploring programming to enrich our minds!

What do you find most challenging about your job?: Snowsuits and toilet training (lol)

What makes you unique?: I just love heading out to Early Years programs and watching the kids explore and learn!

If you could change one thing, what would it be?: I would have more of my own kids (3 is plenty)

Name: Kate

Daycare Name & Location: Let’s Play

Family: Almost 9 years ago my life became richer when my daughter Abigail was born. My son Robbie was born 14 months later and I can truly say my life is better for having these two amazing children in it.

How long in the business?: I have worked with children all my life starting in England where I worked as a nanny after getting my N.N.E.B. qualifications. I arrived in Canada 20+ years ago and worked as a nanny for the first 8 years. I received my E.C.E. diploma during that time and headed into childcare at the YMCA for 5 years and then with a very large childcare at Yonge and Eglinton.

Why did you decide to become a daycare provider?: My career has always been around children and once my own children arrived it seemed the most natural thing was to open my home childcare business so I could stay home with them. I have been running my own home based child- care for almost 7 years. I love being home with my kids and they love having little children around.

Name - Amy Knechtel

Daycare Name & location - Little Friends Daycare – Robert Adams Drive, Courtice

How long in the business? I have been Little Friends Daycare since June, but I have informally been a provider since 2004. I started doing full time care in a clients home and the rest is history. I love being a child care provider.

Why did you decide to become a childcare provider? Since a young age I have always loved taking care of children. I would always be looking after my parents friends kids or planning crafts to do with my friends. After college and trying out the work force it was an easy decision for me. My heart was in childcare. Its what makes me happy and what I’m meant to do.

What’s your favourite part of the day? When the kids arrive in the morning. They are so happy to get here and my kids are so happy to see their friends and start a brand new day. Its awesome!

What do you find most challenging about your job? I would have to say finding activites that kids of all ages will learn from and enjoy. When Im thinking of something new I always have to make sure I can tweak it so that children ages 1 – 8 can benefit from it. It can be difficult at times. I dont want anyone to get bored or feel excluded from anything we do.

What makes you unique? I am unique because I tailor everything I do to the kids wants and needs. I get ideas from the kids on everything from lunches and snacks to crafts and theme days. I get base ideas from them and I turn their ideas into learning activites, role plays, outings, theme days etc. Its great because the kids feel proud when they see their idea turn into something real.

If you could change one thing, what would it be? Honestly, I wouldnt change a thing. Daycare can be challenging at times but I am so happy with the choices I have made. I love that I get to stay home with my kids and have a real impact on the development of other wonderful children. Life is Good!!

Welcome to another provider profile, where we highlight the great childcare workers in Durham Region! Our August provider of the month is Catherine from Pooh’s Playhouse Daycare & Learning Centre

Name: Catherine Campbell

Daycare Name & Location: Pooh’s Playhouse Daycare & Learning Centre located near Simcoe St N and Beatrice ( address available upon set up for interview due to safety concerns for children).

Family: I am recently engaged, getting married October 15th of this year to Brett Lazure. My daughters, Meagan age 18 and Lindsay age 16 help run the family business inside the daycare space and outside available in the comfort of our clients homes for extra curricular babysitting services when I’m not available.

How long in the business?: I have been operating a home daycare since September 1999, so 12 years coming this September.

Why did you decide to become a daycare provider?: I wanted to combine my love of children and my experience as a teen learning speech pathology and behavior management with the volunteering I’d experienced with both Scouts Canada as a Cub Leader and with Girl Guides of Canada as a Sparks & Brownie Leader. You know you love to work with kids when your spending three nights a week and half your weekends with them without getting paid for it. I decided to combine my experiences with my busniess administration certification to create my own home daycare business. At the time it helped to solve my own daycare solution. Now I still do it because I love to help children learn & watch them grow up.

What makes you unique?: Our unique quality would be our Preschool Program offered on Tuesdays & Thursdays. On Tuesdays, our children learn such things as Colours, Numbers, Alphabet & Shapes by incorporating books, computers, arts & crafts and circle learning time. Our “fun themes” on Thursdays like Western Day, Ladybug picnic, Circus Day and many others are incorporated not only using arts & crafts, but music, drama and dress up into the program as well. Our daycare offers a before and after school program where school aged children are picked up and dropped off safely by taxi from school offices to my doorstep and are then able to participate in our theme day program. Full meals, daily schedule and a provider that genuinely cares for them as opposed to looking at them as a paycheque. I know I’m doing my job when children are having fun & don’t to leave at the end of the day, when I see them in public and I’m toppled by hugs & kisses, including children grown up and no longer in my care. Teachers have commended me for preparing children for Junior Kindergarten.

If you had $1000 for your daycare what would you use if for?: I would love to renovate our playground to have it levelled off under our equipment, filled in with rounded pea gravel so that when it rained we wouldn’t have mud under our swings & slides. Fresh sand for our “Racing Car Bed” Sandbox is needed as well. New plush “Pooh” Chairs for our playroom and a new table with chairs for puzzle & kitchen fun would also be an asset.

If you could change one thing what would it be?: I would love to be able to take our client base, our unique program and space with the care we provide and turn it into a caring commercial facility. My dream is to open a daycare in the Oshawa Centre where we can not only care for children full time as we do now, but also a “drop in” centre for shopping moms to help de-stress their shopping trip.

Name: Karen Peacock

Daycare Name & Location: Caring Karen Daycare is located on the boarder of Courtice/Oshawa near Bloor and Townline.

Family: My husband Daryl and I have been married for over 13 years. I am the mother to 4 wonder children. Ashley age 12, Cindy age 8, Gage age 5 and Brooklyn age 4.

How long in the business?: Caring Karen Daycare is a new daycare in the Courtice area.

Why did you decide to become a daycare provider?: I am a biological and adoptive parent of 4 children. I LOVE having a house full of kids, hearing their laughter,and teaching them how to walk, talk, and master new skills that prepares them for school and life in general. In the past I have volunteered at our school on many school trips and events. My husband & I have worked with the Durham Children Aid Society as foster parents in the past. Now we are adoptive parents. I love being around children. Now as my youngest child starts her new journey in JK come Sept 2011 I have decided to open my home to others as a home daycare and provide care for children in our area.

What makes you unique?: As an experienced mother of four children I understand how difficult it is to trust your children to someone else’s care. I try to make my daycare feel like a home away from home to everyone. I provide a warm safe family environment while providing the children with an educational environment to learn and play.

If you had $1000 for your daycare what would you use if for ?: If I had $1000 extra for the daycare.. I would probably put it towards a new 2nd computer for the older kids to use to learn and prepare them for school.

Name: Rosie Colombo

Daycare name & location: Rosie’s Home Daycare is located at Harmony and Taunton in Oshawa.

How long in the business?: I am new daycare provider.

Why did you decide to become a daycare provider?: Opening my own daycare is something I have always wanted to do since the birth of my nine year old daughter. I love being a mother and I love children! Being a working mom for nine years, I understand how difficult it is finding a daycare provider for your child that you can trust, I wan’t to provide a safe and happy environment that will give parents peace of mind while working.

What makes you unique?: What makes me unique is that I provide a warm family environment, because my daycare kids will be part of my family. One of my passions are cooking and baking. I plan to cook and bake along with the children, we are not afraid of getting messy while creating our yummy masterpeices!

Family: Husband Sean, two wonderful boys – Owen 4 and Luke 2.

Daycare name & location: Play Days located at Townline/Taunton in Oshawa

How long in the business?: The childcare profession for over 20 years.

Why did you decide to become a daycare provider?: I love being home with my 2 boys and this way I get the best of both worlds. I also wanted to give other Mom’s the piece of mind of having their children looked after by a professional who enjoys her job.

If you have $1000 for your daycare what would you use if for?: Definitely a deluxe triple stroller and even more large outdoor equipment. Kids need to have fun in the sun !

Favourite memory as a provider?: I love when the children give you a hug and a kiss as their way of saying thanks for all you do. It make’s what we do so worthwhile.

If you could change one thing, what would it be?: The ability to hire an assistant and have more children enjoy the daycare but one important thing would be to have stricter regulations for some providers that do not meet the needs of children in their care. Every child deserves the best from us and to leave with happy memories every day.

Daycare Name: Utica Community Daycare, Inc.

Family: The Utica family boasts 31 full/part time children ages 12 months to 10 years old. We employ 6 staff. A cook, a cleaner, 2 ECE’s, a school-age teacher and a resource teacher/supervisor.

Daycare Type and Location: Licensed childcare Port Perry, ON

Why did you decide to become a daycare provider?: The centre was opened as a safe pace for local farm families to send their children during the day. It has evolved into a non-profit centre for all Scugog families.

How long have you been in business?: 24 years

What do you find most challenging about your day?: Meeting the needs of such a diverse group of children, many with exceptional needs, can be exhausting but so incredibly rewarding.

Favourite memory as a provider?: When our school-age program (10 boys and 2 girls) made handmade blankets for each of the toddlers and preschoolers as Valentine gifts.

What makes you unique?: Our quiet rural location, low ratios and homey atmosphere are unique in licensed centre care.

What’s your favourite part of the day?: Circle Time! Singing songs, show & share and reading stories with the kids can make any day better.

If you could change one thing, what would it be?: More government funding for Non-profit child care programs to keep child care costs down for parents.

Name: Mrs. Laurie at
The Learning Playhouse

Family: I have been married for 18 years to my wonderful husband Andrew and we have 3 beautiful children together. Katelyn 14 years old, Megan 11 years old and Kyle 10 years old.

Daycare type and location: Family home daycare at 1400 Mary st. North on the north/west corner of Taunton & Mary close to Ormond Dr.

Why did you decide to become a daycare provider?: I have always loved children and I knew I wanted to be a teacher so I went to Durham College and earned my Early Childhood Educator Diploma. I decided to run a home daycare so that I could be home for my own children and still have the career I love. I also enjoy having the flexibility that a home daycare gives me to schedule our day around the needs of the children.

What do you find most challenging about your day?: Parents who do not arrive on time as this upsets the children as well and parents who do not pay me on time or in full as this is my pay cheque just like you work for your pay cheque.

Favourite memory as a provider?: Since I have been a provider for a long time it is really hard to pick just one favourite memory……. I would have to say it is when I get my hugs and kisses from the children and when they see me outside of the daycare and still remember me.

What makes you unique?: well I am Mrs. Laurie that should say it all….LOL! I have a great sense of humour, love to dress up and have my inner child escape as well as I am very loving and caring to the children that come into my life even if it is for a short period of time. God gave me my talent and He blesses me with the joy that each child brings me.

What’s your favourite part of the day?: Playtime!! I love playing with the children and listening to them while they learn and grow into unique individuals.

If you could change one thing, what would it be?: To be allowed more than 5 children at any given time. If home daycare’s were allowed more than 5 children (not including our own) then we would be able to assist more families for before and after school and it would be more financially feasible to hire an assistant as that would be a win-win situation for everyone. But according to the Ministry of Community and Social Services we are only allowed 5 children at any given time.

December Provider of the Month

Welcome to another provider profile, where we highlight the great childcare workers in Durham Region! Our December provider of the month is Amanda from Sunderland Country Day School.

Name: Sunderland Country Day School Family: I have four, a 6 year old daughter, 4 year old son, 3 month old son and an 8 year old step son Daycare type and location: Full-time child care centre, teaching montessori, French, music, drama and more. Located in Sunderland, right beside Sunderland Public School Why did you decide to become a daycare provider?: I decided to become a child care provider when I moved to the area, and was commuting to far to work and couldn’t find a centre in the area. I am a certified school teacher and want to offer a unique opportunity to children in the north. How long have you been in the business?: I opened the centre this past summer. What do you find most challenging about your day?: Most challenging thing about the day is trying to get all the other stuff done, on top of planning for the children. Favourite memory as a provider?: To date, is the excitement I have received from the community of a licensed child care centre opening in town. What makes you unique?: We offer a montessori education, without the high end rates, and have drama, French and music in our day What’s your favourite part of the day?: My favourite part of the day is when everyone arrives as they are always smiling, and at home time when you see their excitement in telling their parents what they did in a day. If you could change one thing, what would it be?: Um?? Tough question. If I could change one things it would be having been licenced before the start of the school year.)