ExchangeEveryDay Past Issues

I disagree with the article, stating that
children do not fair well in Family Day Care
setting. This is just the opposite, where as the California Statistics on Child Care states children fair far better in Family Child Care homes with licensed Directors
who holds some type of credentials or degree, and staff with ECC units, than in the traditional schools, and centers. Providers are limited to the number of student they can teach, whereas the other entities are overcroweded, and has a tendency to loose their teaching impact
on children.

I currently work closely with family child care providers in Butte County, CA and the providers I work with are encouraged to value the whole child and provide children an opportunity to grow in all areas...socially/emotionally, cognitively, physically. etc. We need to educate parents about what school readiness really means...we want children to be prepared for life and we do that when we love and care for them unconditionally...children are born eager to learn and achieve...we don't need to cram education down their throats.

I feel that many of us who have been family child care providers for a long time and have actively pursued education in the field of early childhood are very cognizant of school readiness and do provide programs that work towards school readiness. I for one have found many of my students are too prepared and are bored that first year. I work with local kindergarten teachers in order to provide a seamless progression from child care to school. As a teacher of early childhood providers and teachers one thing that I often find is people are doing a great job working with young children they are just not aware of the importance of the work they do. In class we give them the research and name the lessons that they are teaching. I feel that support and giving them the language to support their good practice is important. I also found that sometimes challenging them to defend their practice encouraged growth and better practices.

This was an excellent article, if the providers are following the FDCERS book for Family Child Care, all these area which you spoke about in the article are covered on the Lesson Planning and more. I will share this information with other providers in our support group.

Thanks Kathleen - you have mirrored my thoughts exactly. I truly believe that the very best care is in family child care - but, sadly, also the very worst. As the nursery rhyme says "when it is good, it is very, very good. and when it is bad, it is awful." The individual attention that builds a child's belief in him or her self is the most valuable thing we can give our children to ready them for school!

The goal is to educate parents to recognize good care whether it takes place in a family home or in a center. I have observed outstanding family child care homes that not only provide a consistent caregiver, but create an early learning environment exemplary to the over-scheduled and "academicized" programs often seen in centers. What family child care homes often lack is glossy marketing.

If the program offers opportunities for free play indoors and outside; an attentive, communicative and nurturing adult; lots of books and art supplies; and NO turns with the black box - it is probably the best we can do for our children. I think we too often visualize the mostly mythical crabby lady sitting in the chair knitting and watching the Price is Right while the babies are strapped into high chairs crayoning coloring books. Family child caregivers work 10-13 hours a day with little respite and still manage to WELL meet 3-8 children's needs. They deserve respect, support, and full inclusion under the ECE professional umbrella.