In the field of Early Childhood Education, it is well understood that care and education are intertwined, and that quality care IS education.   

Here at Little Tot’s Early Childhood Care & Education I believe in the advantage of a warm family relationship for every child.  One thing that I love about my job is the ability that I have to witness the children in my care grow from that tiny little baby to a strong confident preschooler.  Family relationships, care and connectedness are the three reasons why my job is the most rewarding that there is.

“There is a growing body of research on children’s attachments and relationships with child care providers.  Recent studies show that child care does not weaken the bonds between parent and child; moreover, secure attachments to consistent child care providers-especially when providers are well trained and care for a small number of children- have been associated with better cognitive and social development, greater language proficiency and fewer behavior problems” (The Florida Child Care Quality Improvement Study, Howes & Galinsky as sited in Rethinking the Brain by Rima Shore).

“To safely relax, an infant literally needs to feel at home.  What does this mean? In the words of a hypothetical baby:  This is my place.  I know these people.  They know me and they like me; despite my crying and diarrhea and difficulty going to sleep.  I can count on them to take care of me, to respond to me.  I can be ME here with all my quirks and still be accepted.  I will be safe here.  What makes a feeling of home is that sense of familiarity, acceptance, and safety” (Caring Spaces, Learning Places, Greenman). 

That sense of familiarity is of utmost importance.  Parents should consider when looking into care for their child, trying to find a stable nurturing caregiver that will suit their childcare needs until their child starts elementary school.   A child’s sense of comfort provides him or her the optimal opportunity for learning.  Recent brain research has shown that children who receive erratic care have higher levels of cortisol (stress hormone) in their blood system.  The presence of elevated levels of cortisol inhibits cognitive (thinking) abilities, and therefore drastically affects learning abilities (Building Children’s Brains, Lessen-Firestone Ph. D.).  What this means in laymen’s terms is that when children are under stress, their brains do not function normally.  For a child moved from place to place, they are so concerned (stressed) about the new environment, children and caregivers, that they loose any opportunity for learning that is provided to them. 

The sense of safety and stability is consistent at Little Tot’s.  Because I provide care to children of all ages, children never have to experience the loss of their caregivers, environment or surroundings.  They maintain the same friends and caregivers from infancy to preschool.  I raise my own three children with the children of all of the families enrolled.  Consistency of care, a child’s comfort here and their feeling of stability is of utmost importance to me.  I love that my children have the same friends day after day, and that I know each individual family in my care.  I like forming friendships with my clients, taking time at the beginning and ending of each day to talk about their child’s day.  It makes me feel good to be here for each family, and I would like to think that this familiarity helps make the transition from home to school easier for both the parents and the child.