Marilyn D. Olson
President
I grew up in a small town in Central Iowa. I am the youngest of six children. I am a wife and a mother of three children. I moved to Minnesota from Iowa about thirteen years ago. In Iowa I did home childcare in my several years ago, when my first two children were 5 and 8. I also worked for Control Data Corporation. At CDC I carried out computer training and testing on the Plato System. At Dytec I did administration and office management. At EduTEC I did bookkeeping and payroll. I have also been providing home child care in my home in Lake Elmo for four years. I have taken various child development classes and I am working on receiving my CDA.
I think raising my own children has influenced my decision to work with young children. I have always enjoyed working with children and I believe there is a strong need for quality childcare, today. I am a patient person, who has a lot of experience in dealing with children. I also believe that I am somebody who can make a difference in children's lives. Since I started doing childcare in my home, I have realized how a child's environment is critical to their development. A child needs to be in a safe, caring, and stimulating environment, in order to grow and learn. I provide a safe and caring environment for the children in my home and, I also provide many learning activities for stimulation. Through my home day care, I have found that I am confident in my abilities to work with children and, I believe that I can provide a positive environment for children.
To establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment
I provide a safe environment by making sure that all harmful substances are out of a child's reach. All of my cleaning substances are placed in high cupboards and I make sure that all the outlets in the house have covers over them. I also provide constant supervision over the children to ensure their safety. Every morning I make sure that my house is ready for children and free of hazards. I make sure that the water heater is always at to prevent the chance of scalding. I emphasize the importance of walking in the house to the children, so any falls can be prevented. I have a fire extinguisher located in my house and it would be easy to access, in case of a fire. Every year during fire prevention week, I go over fire safety with the children. I have the name and phone numbers of emergency contacts, posted by the telephone. I have also explained to the parents, the importance of letting me know when someone different will be picking up their child from day care.
I provide a healthy environment to children by supporting their emotional development. I talk positively to the children and support their attempts in different activities. I model positive behavior for the children; I never yell at the children or use inappropriate language. I let each child know that they are special to me and that I value them as a person. I give the children hugs when they need them and offer them individual attention. I also provide a healthy environment for the children by providing them with nutritious meals and snacks. I make sure the children's meals are well balanced and offer them a variety of foods. Competency
To advance physical and intellectual competence
To advance physical competence in children, I make sure the children have time for large motor activities everyday. I have a large yard where children can run and play. I have a slide, swings, sand box, and many riding toys for children to use. I also have many balls, bats, footballs, and sand toys that children can use outside. I frequently take the children to parks, so they have more opportunities to use their large muscles. During inside time, I do a group time with the children everyday. During group time we sing songs and dance with the music.
To advance intellectual competence in the children, I provide stimulating activities for the children. I use the Early Beginnings program to get activities for the children. Everyday the children do an art project and learn a new piece of information. I also teach the children Spanish words from an audio tape. I take the children to the library every week, so they have an opportunity to select books that interest them. I read aloud to the children everyday and there are many books available for the children to explore. I also do a variety of flannel board stories and finger plays with the children. Competence
To support social and emotional development and to provide positive guidance
I support social and emotional development through my interactions with the children. I let each child know that they are special to me, by giving them attention and encouraging their attempts to learn. I hold high expectations for each child and I believe that every child is capable of learning. I give the children hugs when they are upset or anytime they just need a hug. I believe that children need to be nurtured by their caregivers in order to develop socially and emotionally. I also value the children's play. I give the children plenty of time for free-play because I believe that play is essential to social and emotional development. Through play, children learn ways to deal with their emotions and different ways to solve problems. I continually give the children positive affirmations to promote self-esteem.
I provide positive guidance by being a positive role model to the children. I model behavior that I would like the children to use. For example, I always say, "Please" and " Thank you." If the children forget to say these things then, I remind them. I tell the children what my expectations are for them and, I remind them when they are not following the rules. I give the children positive feedback so, they know when their behavior is appropriate. I use positive redirection with children. When a child hits another child or is disrupting their activity, I will get the child involved in another activity. Competency
To establish positive and productive relationships with families
I believe communication is the key to establishing positive and productive relationships with families. Everyday when the children are dropped off at my house, I talk to the parents and, listen to any new information they might want to share about their child. I try to see things from the parents' perspective and this helps me to understand where they are coming from. Before each child begins day care in my home, I set up an interview with the parents and their child. I tell the parents how my program is run and ask them to share any expectations they have for me. During this interview, I can determine if my program fits the needs of the parents and their child. I give each parent a handbook explaining my program and my rules. This lets the parent know how the program is run without any surprises. Like the beginning of the day, I also speak with the parents at the end of the day, to discuss their child's day. I like to tell the parents something positive about the child's day and I will let the parents know if I have any concerns. I build an open and trusting relationship with the parents in my program, so the lines of communication are always kept open. Competency
To ensure a well-run, purposeful program responsive to participant needs
I provide each parent with a handbook about my program. In my handbook, I discuss the way my program is run and inform the parents of my expectations. Before each family begins in my program, I discuss the tuition and, the procedure for which it is to be paid. I keep a record of each child's weekly tuition, so I can make sure the payment procedure runs smoothly. I make sure each parent fills out an emergency sheet before their child starts in my program. So if there is an emergency, I will know who to notify.