Sheryl

Growing up I lived In Raurimu with my family and hold many cherished memories of my childhood on the farm. My first job was in a Public Accountancy Firm, once I moved to Auckland I continued this in two New Market firms.  When my children were born, I decided to be a full time Mum, still wishing to be contributing to the home financially, I began my journey working with children. I hold an Early Childhood Education level 4 qualification; a current first aid certificate and have over twelve years of experience as an early childhood teacher.  Becoming a mother began my passion for home-based childcare as I could remain at home with my children during their crucial developmental and early schooling years. During these years I discovered my true love for home-based care and pursued further training in a level 4 ECE course, where I gained valuable knowledge and insight into child development and also deepened my understanding of the importance of nurturing environments for children and reinforces my goal in life, to create an environment that nurtures and engages young minds into becoming lifelong learners. By combining my personal experiences as a mother with my professional training, I believe I am able to create a nurturing atmosphere that promotes growth, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning for every child in my care.

I believe that children should expect that their physical and emotional needs will be meet by the person caring for them and that they will be kept safe from harm.  I am to maintain the family’s routines as much as possible, so that their night time routine remains harmonious.

That respect flows both ways, that we teach the children manners and in return ensure that we too use our manners when talking to them.  To listen and be at eye level of the child so they feel respected and understood.

That children do not have to be entertained all the time, that they need time to create play for themselves and in fact most likely learn best in this process as one can learn best from making a mistake and working out how to correct the situation, with a caring person to guide them should that be required.  They need to connect with nature, be able to get dirty, to discover and wonder.

We need to open their eyes to what is around them, so getting out and about, showing them as many things as we can to open up their world, discussing with them what they liked or didn’t like about the adventure, so we are able to extend on the things they enjoy and further the experience.  To help them understand how to become life long learners.

They need to understand what behaviours are acceptable in different situations, to teach the children self help skills, giving them the satisfaction and pride that they can do things for themselves.

To attend group sessions, where the children get to enjoy music and dance, do art and craft, play outside and make their own friendships, learning from and with their peers, so they can grow in confidence and learn to communicate, problem solve and self-regulate when things don’t go the way they wish them to, to guide them along the way should they need further reassurance or guidance.

All in the hope that the children will become competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society.

Creating a nurturing, caring environment for children is essential for their development and that is exactly what I strive to provide with my home-based childcare. Should they require, I endeavor to have children sleeping in separate spaces, allowing them to get the full rest they need, dining is always seated, whether on a floor space or at a table, and a play area to accommodate your child’s routine as much as possible. I have a large fully fenced backyard which provides a lot of space for the children to run around, play, discover, and explore the outdoors! I support children having access to both indoor and outdoor learning experiences. The safety of your child is my top priority. I have plenty of resources to engage your child, including, a sandpit, we love doing crafts and creating items they and you will treasure, and lots of books for story time. We spend a lot of time out and about exploring the local community and creating connections to the area. Visiting parks, playgrounds, beaches, music sessions and libraries as much as possible, especially on sunny days, as well as regularly meeting up with other educators and socialising with the children! I do my best to follow the interests of your child, also allowing them to explore new ideas and provide resources and learning experiences based on this knowledge. Creating cherished memories for your child is a vital aspect of my home-based childcare, as these moments will stay with them and be fondly recalled when they have children of their own. Being inclusive in my practice is also important to me and the learning environment I create; I often celebrate special milestones and cultural events with the children fostering their sense of belonging in my home-based childcare.