I'm currently a stay-at-home-mom to my 3 year old son. In my pre-parent life, I graduated from Simon Fraser University with a BA in English and a minor in Education (focus on Curriculum and Instruction). I then worked as a Volunteer Coordinator for several major non-profit organizations in the city of Vancouver. After having my son I was overwhelmed with the giant wait lists for child care and underwhelmed by quality of the child care options that were available. In the end, I decided to stay home with my son and provide child care in my home to other little ones his age.
My goal is to provide the kind of child care that I'd have liked to find when I was searching for child care myself. On a personal level, I'm friendly, outgoing, and patient. I'm also extremely careful- safety and health are my number one priorities when it comes to children.
I've been looking after one other little boy in my home full-time since 2009, another little boy full-time since 2012, and I've looked after many children casually since 2009 as well.
I'm an open-minded, unconventional, and compassionate person and I encourage my child and the children I mind to be the same. I teach my son to value all creatures and people big and small. I also teach him that all people are special and important whatever their race, religion, gender, sexuality, etc. We value all families and people and our ideal clients would feel the same way.
The Next Best Thing is a Family Child Care, which means I look after children in the comfortable and safe environment of my own home. My partner and I share our home with our fantastic 3 year old son so not only is our home child-proofed and subject to safety inspection to the standard of the West Cost Child Care Resource Centre, it's also been suited to the high standard we've set for our own beloved child.
Unlike a licensed home daycare or large child care centre or franchise, I'm fortunate enough to be able to ensure a small adult to child ratio; it will never be more than my own child and two additional children. Because of this, I'm able to provide two unique offerings to your child:
A consistent child care provider (myself) that is committed to forming an attachment to your child. Whereas at a larger centre your child may work with various adults on a daily basis.
Daily activities that are driven by your child's complex interests, needs, and moods. Whereas at a larger centre your child may have to participate in activities regardless of interest/specific needs/moods in order to make the day flow smoothly for a large amount of children.
Every parent has a unique set of values and beliefs with regard to the type of child care they believe will most benefit their own child. There is no absolute “right” or “wrong” when it comes to something as personal as child care. For lots of families, a larger, more structured centre is exactly what they want. If you are like myself and you feel that a smaller, more intimate and less structured family environment under the care of one attached and consistent caregiver is best for your child, then TNBT may be just the right thing for your family.
