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8 Truths About Home Daycare from a Provider

I frequently see articles that offer “truths about home daycare” (and childcare in general) pop up across social media. The thing I notice most about all these articles is that they almost always offer a completely negative view of childcare and daycare providers. They tell parents that their child is not safe, is not eating healthy, is watching TV all day, and many other negative things. These articles prey on the guilt that working parents have and make daycare providers like me extremely disappointed in the public’s opinion of our chosen careers.

A career that is so important in the lives of so many children and families.

There are so many amazing childcare providers out there. Providers that love what they do and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. But the fact is that home daycare is a real career path, one that comes with its own challenges and struggles in addition to an often negative stereotype.

It’s not all fun and games and it’s not just sitting kids in front of a TV. Below you will find all the real truths about home daycare.

1.) Families form tight bonds with providers.

I spent years working in preschool programs and large daycare centers before I opened my own home daycare.  While I always enjoyed the kids that I worked with and their families I didn’t have the same type of connection with them when I worked in large centers that I do now. The children in my care now feel like they are part of our family and I work with the parents as a team.

In large programs and facilities, the caregiver that you drop your child off with in the morning may not be the person that you see when you pick up. With home daycare parents see their daycare provider every day of the week and in most cases, she is the only one, there are no other teachers or assistants. It’s just the provider which means that all your communication and interactions are with that one person.

Parents also likely get to know a provider’s husband and children. Parents have access to her home five days a week, many can just walk right in. These are things that most people only do with friends and family, not business clients. For the children, the provider becomes someone that they can trust and feel safe with. Someone that encourages them to try new things and explore the world around them.

Providers also become a great source of support and advice for parents. They work together as a team to create behavioral, social, and educational goals for the child.  Unlike daycare centers, which have very large staff turnover rates, a home care provider is dedicated to her business and can be someone you can rely on. Your child will be able to bond with them without the threat of having to separate from them in order to move to a different room because of age or having staff that is continually rotating. Consistency is so important for kids and having a stable caring provider helps them feel secure when mom and dad are not around.

2.) A daycare provider’s day doesn’t end when the kids leave.

Think about it your job, when do you get all the little things that make your job possible done? During business hours, right? For a daycare provider that’s rarely possible, if at all.  Daycare providers are with children all day, most working upwards of 10 hrs a day. They don’t have time to do supply runs, put together lesson plans, or prep meals while there are kids running around. This means providers have to spend many hours prepping and preparing things outside of the daycare business hours.

Every night providers have to wipe down toys and equipment in the play area, clean up any leftover messes from the day, scrub down bathrooms, and usually do dishes or laundry.  She spends her free time planning and preparing activities, planning meals, going grocery shopping for snacks and meals, record keeping, cleaning, and much more. These tasks add up to hundreds of hours a year spent working when the kids aren’t present. These are all things providers have to do themselves, there’s no one to delegate these tasks to, and they have to be done in a provider’s off hours.

This is why many providers have strict late pick-up policies. They spend 10 hours working with the children each day plus countless hours of additional cleaning and prepping, which (like many working parents find) leaves only a small amount of time for family time. They aren’t trying to take parents to the cleaners or make life hard for them, providers are just simply trying to balance home and work. Two things are already very much combined due to the nature of this business.

Related: 10 Pet Peeves of Daycare Providers that Parents Should Know

3.) All children are a priority to the provider.

As parents we only need to focus on our own children, sure we acknowledge the feelings of other children but our child’s needs come first. For childcare providers, they have a room full of children that they are responsible for. There is no one child or family that gets better care than the other, no child or family that is exempt from the rules the provider has set forth in her handbook. Providers have special relationships with each child in their care but at the same time, each one is a priority.

This is why providers don’t generally allow for exceptions to be made in regards to their policies.

They have to look out for ALL the children in their care, not just one or two.  This is the same reason for strict rules on sickness. When a child is sent home from daycare because of illness it’s not because the provider wants to be rid of the child or can’t handle a sick child.  It’s because the provider has several other children that she also needs to look out for.  Plus think how uncomfortable must it be it for a sick child, who just wants rest, to be surrounded by the loud noises and commotion that usually comes with a group of children?

There will be a time when your child gets sent home due to illness, but don’t forget that there have been many other times when another child was sent home to protect your child from illness.

4.) Smaller group sizes and multiple ages encourage learning.

Family child care providers offer a comfortable home-like setting where a child will be one of only a small handful of children. This gives children the opportunity to get more individualized care and spend more quality time with a caring adult on a consistent basis. This fosters a child’s social and emotional growth through trust, affection, and security.  It also allows for daycare providers to be more flexible in the services they offer or the activities they do with children.

Home daycare also accepts a variety of ages and mixed age groups are more comparable to a natural family environment or real-life situations. Mixed-age groups allow children to learn from each other, they learn from watching other ages play and interact. There are less competitive behaviors between children and less competitive pressure to achieve because the children are at various learning levels.

5. ) Daycare providers are more than just stay-at-home moms.

Let’s be real for a minute. Running a home daycare is nothing like having your own children at home all day. It’s not at all the same. 

I’m not saying stay-at-home moms don’t have the skills to watch other children or that their program would be lower in quality. That has nothing to do with it and that way of thinking is the problem. The reason that I have included this truth is that I frequently see this used to negatively describe in-home daycare providers.

“Tara is using one of those stay-at-home-moms to babysit Aiden.”
“Centers are way better. Home daycare is just stay-at-home moms that need playmates for their kids.”
“My kids won’t learn anything at a home daycare because they are just stay-at-home moms that need cash, they’re not educators.”

Those are just the tip of the iceberg of real comments people have actually said to me while referencing legitimate home daycare programs.  

Just because someone chooses to offer a childcare service in their home while they have young children does not mean that they are uneducated or that their program is lacking. Maybe being able to be home with their child (the biggest perk of this business for many providers) is what let them to this career but that doesn’t mean they can’t offer a quality program. This is a hugely common stereotype that needs to be put to an end.  Many SAHMs turned providers have a background in early childhood education, whether it be formal education or experience working with children. They are also required to continue their education by taking classes in child development, each state has yearly requirements for continuing education for licensed daycare providers.

Yes, there are many SAHMs that turn to home daycare to help support their families. But that doesn’t define their program. And once their home becomes a daycare business they are a self-employed business owner. Or work-at-home moms.

6.) Providers are in this business for the money.

I constantly see this comment used as proof that all daycare providers are greedy and selfish, that they don’t really like children. I’m not sure why society feels that in order to prove that we care about children, both educators and daycare providers have to offer services for free.

Childcare is a much-needed service and providers have the skills and desire to provide it. Should grocery store employees not be paid because we need to shop for food to survive? Daycare providers truly are not trying to take advantage of parents, they are trying to make a living in a field they enjoy.  A career that is paid significantly less than most other careers.

This is not a career for people that want to get rich quickly, or really at all. But it is still a job and providers expect to be paid for their services. 

The fact is that we do love kids, you can’t be in this field and not love them, but we also have families to support just like everyone else. We just choose to do it by offering a service in a field that we actually care about and enjoy. If you really stop and think about it a home daycare provider is opening her entire life to the families that are part of her program. Her home, family, pets, and privacy are all affected by the decision to do family childcare. It’s a major commitment and one that many people couldn’t make. That right there should show how dedicated a provider is to their job.

Related: 10 Things Parents Should Expect from a Daycare Provider

7.) Home daycare providers are not the parent’s employees.

There are major differences between a home daycare provider and babysitters or nannies but the main one is that providers are not employed by the families in their program. Home care providers run a small business that offers a service parents can choose to use for a fee. This means that she has a set of professional goals she wants to achieve and rules for how her business is run in order to achieve those goals.

If you feel like you need to ask your provider to change several policies, anything from scheduled time off to hours of operation, then it’s best you find someone who will fit better with your needs. Even if you really like the provider on a personal level. Not agreeing with her policies and constantly trying to get them changed will only be a headache for both of you that usually results in the dissolution of services on negative terms. Neither the parent or the provider wants to have a relationship like that, it’s best to find someone who’s policies matches what you are looking for rather.  Each provider has a set of policies that work best for her and her family which means that each provider may have slightly different policies. It’s very likely you’ll find someone that matches your needs, even if the first couple of interviews don’t.

8.) Not every provider will be a good fit (even if you want them to be).

To me, this is where the majority of issues with daycare providers arise. It’s one of those truths about home daycare no one likes to think about.

A family expects that they will pick a provider and everything will be roses and rainbows. The truth is sometimes you just clash or your child struggles to adjust.  Sometimes no matter how hard you or the provider try, you just can’t make it work. I’ve had kids in care that I loved to death but had to part with because the parents and I ended up clashing over policies they had no issues with during interviews. I’ve had parents that are amazing and but I had to let them go because the child never felt comfortable and adjusted. 

You have to be open about your parenting and ask questions during your interviews with providers. That way both you can decide if it will be a good fit or not. Don’t sugar coat behaviors or downplay family routines. 

Do your homework, ask questions and evaluate the space in terms of how your child will do. You know your child best. Ignore the price (obviously after determining they are in your price range) and the flashy toys or marketing. Look at the program and space in terms of how it will affect your child. 

• Have a child that is sensitive to noise? Is there space for him to go when overwhelmed?
• A provider that takes lots of field trips sounds amazing but to a child that needs consistency and structure, this might not be a good fit.
• Are you an attachment-style parent? Does the provider incorporate this style into her program? How will you prepare your child to adjust if not?

There are so many things to consider but even then sometimes it’s just doesn’t work out. It’s hard when it happens and no provider likes to see it happen.

The overall fact is that you picked your provider and you need to do your homework before starting your child. I frequently get inquiries where the only question people ask is what I charge. There is so much more to a daycare than what they charge and cheaper isn’t better always. Look for quality childcare providers that offer an engaging environment for your child, not just who is cheapest. I understand that everyone has a budget but don’t decide on potential providers simply by what they charge.  Interview several in your price range and decided what one matched your values and needs the most. The one you connect with the most.

Communication is vital to a successful home daycare setting. Find someone that you feel comfortable with and feel like you can easily communicate with.

Want to learn more truths about home daycare? Check out these posts:

5 Myths About Early Childhood Educators // Preschool Inspirations

What an In-Home Preschool Looks Like // Things to Share and Remember

What Does a Childminder Do? // Clare’s Little Tots

More Than Just a Provider // Little Sprouts Learning

Not “Just” a Preschool Teacher // Stay At Home Educator

**Terminology note: Many providers feel that the term “daycare” is derogatory and are trying to move away from it. Many prefer ‘child care’ over ‘daycare.’ While I support this effort, I have chosen to use ‘daycare’ in this article because there is a vast majority of people outside of this field that are unaware of this preferred usage who still use the terminology of ‘daycare.’  This article is meant to reach the community outside of just child care providers and hopefully make many in the community aware of all the work providers do each day. To reach that audience, we needed to use the daycare terminology. It is not meant to offend or devalue our career paths.**

Looking for more post about running a daycare? Check out my daycare page to learn about starting or running an in-home daycare.

In-Home Daycare and Group Home Child Care in Kalamazoo MI

The Kalamazoo home daycare options below are dedicated to providing families
with quality home childcare in a safe and nurturing environment. Group home daycares are personable alternatives to large
centers with hundreds of children. Entrusting your family childcare to a Kalamazoo home
daycare gives children the added security of being cared for in a home environment while still giving parents the peace of mind
that comes from knowing their children are under the supervision of licensed professionals. We gathered the information for home
childcare centers in Kalamazoo into one place in order to help simplify your search
and make it more enjoyable. Since home daycare information can change often, please help us stay up to date by letting us know
if any of the information on our childcare providers is out of date or incorrect. We want to give you the right information
every time.

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ALLIE’S PLAYCARE

5609 Brandy Chase Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49009 | (269) 578-6927

Who: children ages 0-5 What: endless fun and countless memories made together in our welcoming home and outdoors Where: (contact for Kalamazoo address) When: hours of operation are M-F 7:30-4:30   About me and my fam: I am a new mama as of December 2021 to . ..

CYNTHIA KILLINGSWORTH

607 Southworth Terrace, Kalamazoo, MI 49048 | (269) 492-9923

CYNTHIA KILLINGSWORTH is a CHILD CARE GROUP HOME (CAPACITY 7-12) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 12 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

MARGARET HOME DAYCARE

3069 Mount Olivet Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49004 | (269) 491-3874

MARGARET HOME DAYCARE is a CHILD CARE GROUP HOME (CAPACITY 7-12) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 12 children. The home-based daycare service helps with children in the age range of 4months -12 years old. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

MARY YERDEN

217 Evelyn, Kalamazoo, MI 49001 | (269) 207-3707

MARY YERDEN is a CHILD CARE GROUP HOME (CAPACITY 7-12) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 12 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

AGNELLO FAMILY CHILDCARE

3105 Winchell Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49008 | (269) 492-9962

AGNELLO FAMILY CHILDCARE is a CHILD CARE GROUP HOME (CAPACITY 7-12) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 12 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

AMY L. PARTANEN

5159 East Main St., Kalamazoo, MI 49048 | (269) 779-4489

AMY L. PARTANEN is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 6 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

AMY MILES

6337 Crestwood Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49048 | (269) 532-9405

AMY MILES is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in Kalamazoo MI, with a maximum capacity of 6 children. The home-based daycare service helps with children in the age range of 0 to 204 months . The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

ANDRYA DOORLAG

833 Nichols Rd, Kalamazoo, MI 49006 | (269) 491-1887

ANDRYA DOORLAG is a CHILD CARE GROUP HOME (CAPACITY 7-12) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 12 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

AUDREYS DAYCARE

2908 Winchell Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49008 | (269) 270-3400

AUDREYS DAYCARE is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 7 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

AUNTY JAYLA’S

1028 Reed Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49001 | (269) 830-3927

AUNTY JAYLA’S is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 6 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

BEARD’S BACKYARD DAYCARE

6849 Gleason St, Kalamazoo, MI 49048 | (269) 626-5338

BEARD’S BACKYARD DAYCARE is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 6 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

BUSY LITTLE BEE’S

203 Glendale Blvd., Kalamazoo, MI 49004 | (269) 910-9231

BUSY LITTLE BEE’S is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 6 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

CARRIE BOCKSTANZ

5166 Sharon St., Kalamazoo, MI 49004 | (269) 808-7811

CARRIE BOCKSTANZ is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in Kalamazoo MI, with a maximum capacity of 6 children. The home-based daycare service helps with children in the age range of 0 to 144 months . The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

CHUCTA, TARA

5933 Texas Drive, Kalamazoo, MI 49009 | (231) 629-1616

CHUCTA, TARA is a CHILD CARE GROUP HOME (CAPACITY 7-12) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 14 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

CYNTHIA M. GRAY

1528 Woodward, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 | (269) 382-6852

CYNTHIA M. GRAY is a CHILD CARE GROUP HOME (CAPACITY 7-12) in Kalamazoo MI, with a maximum capacity of 12 children. The home-based daycare service helps with children in the age range of 0 to 204 months . The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

D POINT

4630 Silverleaf Lane, Kalamazoo, MI 49004 | (269) 267-4718

D POINT is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 6 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

DAISY MARIA BIELSKI

5579 Wren St., Kalamazoo, MI 49004 | (269) 352-4327

DAISY MARIA BIELSKI is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 6 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

DEANNA PHARES

2903 Berry, Kalamazoo, MI 49048 | (269) 330-3816

DEANNA PHARES is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 6 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

DEBORAH NOCIS

6015 Celery St, Kalamazoo, MI 49048 | (269) 492-8185

DEBORAH NOCIS is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 6 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

DEBRA COOPER

7608 W G Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49009 | (269) 353-2771

DEBRA COOPER is a CHILD CARE GROUP HOME (CAPACITY 7-12) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 14 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

DESIREE’S DARLINGS

3326 Sunfield St. , Kalamazoo, MI 49004 | (269) 381-8178

DESIREE’S DARLINGS is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 6 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

EDGINGTON, REBECCA

7844 Hillview Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49009 | (269) 352-4336

EDGINGTON, REBECCA is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in Kalamazoo MI, with a maximum capacity of 7 children. The home-based daycare service helps with children in the age range of 0 to 204 months . The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

GRANNY GIRL DAYCARE

3312 Saint Antoine Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49006 | (269) 487-8807

GRANNY GIRL DAYCARE is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 6 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

HOPE FIGGINS

1211 Palmer Ave. , Kalamazoo, MI 49001 | (517) 604-0238

HOPE FIGGINS is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 6 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

IMAGINE & GROW DAYCARE

3927 W C Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49009 | (269) 650-1060

IMAGINE & GROW DAYCARE is a CHILD CARE GROUP HOME (CAPACITY 7-12) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 12 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

JAMIE DENNANY

8578 N 12th Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49009 | (269) 762-4197

JAMIE DENNANY is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 7 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

JAMIE LYNCH

4466 East D Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49009 | (269) 501-7491

JAMIE LYNCH is a CHILD CARE FAMILY HOME (CAPACITY 1-6) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 7 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

JANET LANKFORD

5162 W On Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49009 | (269) 375-4728

JANET LANKFORD is a CHILD CARE GROUP HOME (CAPACITY 7-12) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 14 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

JENNIFER DODGE

7892 E Ml Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49048 | (269) 312-9401

JENNIFER DODGE is a CHILD CARE GROUP HOME (CAPACITY 7-12) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 12 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

JORDAN JRS. DAYCARE

7668 East O Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49048 | (269) 303-4797

JORDAN JRS. DAYCARE is a CHILD CARE GROUP HOME (CAPACITY 7-12) in KALAMAZOO MI, with a maximum capacity of 12 children. The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.

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Experience of finding a kindergarten in Lisbon – Victor Veryalov on vc.ru

I wanted to share our experience of finding a kindergarten in Lisbon.

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views

We live in Lisbon in the Benfica area. In general, we like the area, we do not regret our choice. Since March 2022, we have been slowly looking for a garden for our son Demid.

At the time of writing this post, Demid is 2 years and 3 months old.

In Portugal there is such a division:

* For the smallest: creche or berçário, groups form there from 6 months.

* Then jardim but, they are from 3 years old.

It is very difficult to get into public kindergartens. There are many people who want to work there. The thing is that they are either free or the fee is much less than in private gardens. In this regard, in the state Kindergarten is very hard to get into.

We knew all about it beforehand. We also knew that Lisbon in this sense differs not for the better. To expand the options, we began to look at both public and private gardens.

Total for the first sample of 11 gardens in the nearest district. We did not begin to disassemble on likes / dislikes. We literally took into work in general everything that was within the coverage radius of our area.

What did you encounter when choosing?

Some telephones are not answered. The link in Google is active, but the phones are not answering.

The second problem: even if the phone is answered, the Welcome day cannot be appointed immediately. They promise to call back, but they don’t. Or they ask you to write an e-mail, but they do not answer.

I must say right away that about 1/3 immediately said that there were no places. Another 1/3 said that they take only from the age of 3 and, given our age, they cannot offer anything.

There were mostly options for which it was impossible to get clarity.

I started looking for alternative phone options if they don’t answer the main one from Google. It didn’t help much. Then we began to walk with our feet in the garden. This didn’t help either. They answered that gardens from 3 years old, now nothing can be done. The only thing we were offered was to get on a waiting list. But, it certainly confuses me. After all, these are not guarantees, you will lose time, you will wait and you will not get anything. Frightening prospects.

The first ten kindergartens gave us only 1 working option. And this option did not suit us, the kindergarten was in a private house, it did not have its own territory and the children in it were very small. On our scale, it could be called a nursery-garden in a large apartment.

Decided to expand the selection, look further than 20-25 minutes walk from home. In total, 8 more options were added.

The situation was repeated: not getting through to the unit.

Can’t take at our age and so on.

There were only two working options:

1. The new kindergarten is open 24/7, but it takes 45 minutes to get there

2. The kindergarten is much closer, but this is the Burak district, it is controversial (sometimes social).

Initially, we did not want to look in the direction of this area.

The first version turned out to be a very strange story. They can only do Welcome Day on weekends. But, they can’t write to him over the phone. They ask to write to EMAIL, but they themselves do not answer it later. It’s been two weekends and we still haven’t been able to get to them. A very interesting, of course, system …

According to the second option. The garden is located in a residential building, but what is convenient, the garden has its own separate entrance and it does not intersect with the residents. The territory is very large and even has its own fenced yard and there are even mini gardens for children. I met with the owner. I felt like she didn’t care. She talked to me for 45 minutes. In this garden, different children work in separate rooms:

* Very young (from 6 months to 2 years)

* Slightly older from 2 to 3 years

* Even older from 3 to 6 years old

They have signs listing all age groups.

In our thoughts, we attributed our Demid to the group from 2 years to 3 years. Beginning of classes in September. There are places, there are 22 children in the group.

What did I like?

There is a kitchen, and not just one, several kitchens for different ages.

Children can sleep, there are beds (not all kindergartens have this).

Large territory, it is fenced, no stranger will get in, and the children will not run away.

Personal approach to each child:

All shoes are signed, each has their own clothes, each coat hook is signed + there is a photo of the kids.

Flexible working hours until 18:30 and, if desired, for an additional fee. the fee can be left for another 1 hour.

Good approach to sanitation, super clean everywhere. I had the soles of my shoes treated + my hands were treated.

What didn’t you like?

Although the garden area is clean, there is a feeling of some neglect. This is most likely due to a lack of funding. There are toys, but visually they are already “worn out”, although for children, I think this is not important.

Also, the area itself, of course, confuses me. There is social housing along the way. Next to him is garbage, some abandoned things. You start imagining things. But, you need to go through it quite a bit and this is comforting. From what I liked: the attitude of the owner (there are two sisters) and this is extremely important. Having your own territory is a big plus. Plus, people have already gone there and they gave a positive response, I talked.

We made a decision for ourselves: to go to this garden for at least 1 year and see how this year goes.

Along the way, we will get on the Waiting list for those kindergartens that are only taken from 3 years old. These gardens, they are Pre Escolar (at schools). Of the advantages, the child begins to get used to it and then it is easier for him to go to the same school + of course the program flows smoothly. From what I learned later: Find out how many people will work in your group? Ideally, at least 2. She is a teacher and a nanny. According to education standards, more teachers are needed for very young children. It turns out that the costs for the business are growing, but the return is not. It turns out that it is not very profitable for private gardens to deal with very young children (6 months). Therefore, initially these are the smallest groups and it is difficult to get there.

If you haven’t had a baby yet, make a reservation in advance. I think that you can do it even at the stage of pregnancy. There is also such a structure as Agrupamento. You can go to it, and they will assist in the device of the child. You can do it through them. But our specific Agrupamento works only with the age of 3 years. And they offer, as a rule, the nearest options and look at the availability of places. Relatively speaking, they will not build a rating for you, but they will simplify life.

What do I think? If you have a baby, say 2-3 months, then in theory you can find a place. And from the age of 6 months. finish my studies up to 3 years, and then go to Pre Escolar. If you, like us, have a 2-year-old child, then most likely you will have to go where there is a place, and the choice will be small. Wait 3 years and then go to the kindergarten at the school. But you need to get on the waiting list in advance.

I was also told by locals who have been living here for over 10 years. Expectations will need to be lowered a bit. Private gardens are often in residences. There is not much choice in Lisbon for this kind of business. Or you can find a good garden, but not in your area, you have to travel, somehow get there. In terms of expenses, the kindergarten that we have chosen:

entry 160€ + insurance 30€ (per year) + monthly 275€ + food 105€ (if you want, you can bring your own).

It’s inexpensive for Lisbon. In general, a kindergarten can cost 600 euros / month, and even up to 1800 euros / month can reach. And yet, I voiced my difficulties on one of the resources. And people answered from the nearest areas from Lisbon, for example from Oeiras, that they did not have such a thing and there were places in the gardens. And yes, people who have lived in our Benfica area before have all confirmed that they have faced the same difficulties before. Lisbon is different from this for the better.

I’ll try to make an update of this article after a while, as we walk in the garden. We will be given a program for the next month, what will they do in the group. Let’s see if your son likes it. What is the development of the child? How he gets along with other kids, how he relates to teachers, and so on.

Here are some examples of gardens that we have seen:

Four

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Home education, or why do we need a kindergarten?

Today on the agenda is a guest post by Angelina Demidova , the author of the Business by the Fireplace blog. Angelina is from that rare breed of people who are not afraid to ask tough questions and go against the grain.

A few years ago, having weighed all the pros and cons of kindergarten, she preferred home education to it. This post is not a call to abandon the kindergarten for each child and not a manual on home education. This is a call to think, to ask ourselves a difficult question to which there are no obvious answers …

I’ll start my post with a little story. Once my son came from school (it was in primary school) and said: “Mom, today the guys and I discussed kindergarten, they told me this!!! It’s good that I didn’t go to kindergarten…”

Of course, all this is from the realm of horror stories, but… If we discard conventions like “all children should go to kindergarten” and try to assess the situation without prejudice, we can understand the following:

• not every child can go to kindergarten,
• not every child needs it,
• not every kindergarten is right for your child,
• not all teachers and children in groups will treat your child the way you want.

But this is important! The foundation of the personality, its main features and characteristics are laid and formed from 0 to 5-7 years and fall precisely on the “kindergarten period”. Have you ever thought about who and what puts in the head of your child in your absence, what morals and values ​​he instills, what models of behavior he demonstrates, in what ways he educates, limits or vice versa reveals his personality?

A child attending a kindergarten spends most of his time outside of his family. And if you remember that the process of education is a continuous process and it takes place 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with a break for a night’s sleep, then the question “who and how brings up your child” becomes very relevant.