ABOUT ME

 

*** Please read the Parent Hand Book for more information about what ABC Child Care has to offer your family. ***



I have been a registered Child Care Provider since 2012. Previous to that (2004 – 2009) I managed the Radio Shack in La Grande.  I left Radio Shack at the end of 2009 to move up to Enterprise to work for my father as his book keeper. In 2012 he decided to retire leaving me to choose my next career path.

 

My sister (who has two amazing little girls) had just lost her daycare and was in the process of finding a new one. She approached me with the idea of watching her daughters until she could find someone else. I agreed. We told my parents and my father asked, "why don't you start your own daycare?"  It was a possibility I had not thought about before, but the idea of working with children instantly felt like a fit.  I got on the phone the next morning with the Wallowa County Child Care Resource and Referral office and started my journey of becoming licensed. I haven't regretted this choice in my life. It allows me to stay at home with my own children, Olivia (born 2004) and Izzy (born 2013).  Both of my children were born premature. Olivia was 2lbs 7oz (14 weeks early), and Izzy was 4lbs (9 weeks early).  When Olivia was released from the NICU, she was sent home with 80% Oxygen for 3 months.  When she turned 2, she was still behind in her verbal communication and I often wondered if she could hear very well.  I took her to an ear, throat, and nose specialist in Bend.  He informed me she needed tubes in both her ears. That because she was premature her ear canals were under developed and retaining a lot of fluid, causing hearing loss and delayed speech.  Because of the challenges I have personally experienced with my own children, I have learned to handle all types of special care needs that a child may have. 

 

When I told my Child Care Representative about why I believed becoming a Child Care Provider was the right career path for me, she agreed after hearing about the struggles I have overcome with my own children.   We discussed names for my Child Care, and settled on "ABC Child Care" (A Better Choice). Shortly after I started getting more kids, I quickly became known as "Aunt Sandi" to them, so my name unofficially changed to "Aunt Sandi's ABC Child Care."

 

The type of care I provide in my home is play based. Though we do many little arts and crafts, and school related activities (math, reading, writing, shape recognition) I focus on making everything a game.  I often play with the children.  When they play house I normally end up being their babysitter for their dolls or puppies. When we are doing a craft such as beading, I will guide them to create whatever their imaginations come up with.

 

I provide a safe, nurturing, and learning environment for all ages. I teach values such as honesty, respect, self-confidence, self-discipline, love, sensitivity to others, kindness, friendliness and fairness.

 

My approach to discipline is to first express my disapproval (without attacking character), state my expectations, and show the child how to make amends. I give choices, and in extreme situations a child may be given a time-out.