The Brat Pak ~ Home Daycare & Preschool.

Our Philosophy

1.    To create and atmosphere of trust, security and comfort in which your child can feel motivated, esteemed and appreciated.

2.   To promote the uniqueness and individual worth of each child by focusing on competence and capabilities.

3.   To provide and enriched and stimulating environment that meets the needs of the whole child, including the cognitive, creative, social, emotional, physical and spiritual self.

4.   To provide opportunities for self-expression, investigation and experimentation both independently and collaboratively.

5.   To cultivate attitudes, habits and appreciations that will enable the child to explore, question and discover the world, its peoples, and their cultures.

6.   To encourage problem solving skills and responsible decision through respectful guidance.

7.   To provide an appropriate balance between active and passive activities, as well as between child-initiated and adult-initiated activities.

I tried to each my child with books,
He gave me only puzzled looks.
I tried to teach my child with words,
They passed him by, often unheard.
"How shall I teach this child?" I cried
into my hands he put the key…
"Come he said, play with me!"

--Anonymous

 

Safety

The safety of the children is taken very seriously at the Brat Pak. My home is equipped with smoke detectors. Practice fire drills for children and staff are held regularly. The garden play area is completely enclosed by a high fence. All equipment, indoor and outdoor receives constant safety checks. Our staff child ratio is low and during outings we maintain a ratio of 3:1 or less. We have strict pick up policies as are outlined in your contract.

Discipline.

The Brat Pak knows that children feel secure when they are provided with consistent guidelines. Children must have the security of knowing what they can and cannot do, once such limits are set that they should not be changed on a whim. Such limits must be based on a thorough knowledge of growth and development. Our by-line at the Brat Pak is: unrealistic expectations, do we have them? We believe that the environment must be child centered so that “no’s” are kept to a minimum. The few “rules” we do have are based on health, safety and the rights of others.

Signing with our Children.

 

Almost a year ago we decided to include basic global signing with our children, in an effort to facilitate communication with our young charges. We all took to it like ducks to water; the children, our staff and our parents alike. It has helped offset many tantrums and is defiantly helping with our toilet training efforts and with  each child's efforts to make their wishes known!

 
Signing helps;

  • Teach your hearing baby to communicate before they can speak
  • Build their confidence and alleviate frustration
  • Enhance your child's verbal, literacy and mathematical skills
  • Create fun & memorable ways to teach & learn

 

  Please see our, 'Signing with your child page.'