The latest buzz in the world of child care is that the Region of Peel is ready to close all 12 of its Learn Play Care centers.
While this news is hard to digest, especially for the families who attend these centers, it certainly does not come as a surprise to Early Childhood Educators who understand the dynamics of the field.
Why is this happening?
Child care is a business like any other, and part of this business is making ratios work. Ratios are determined by the Day Nurseries Act and regulate the maximum number of children allowed in any one classroom and the number of educators required to meet the ratio. The current ratios are:
Infants (6 weeks-18 months)-1:3, maximum 10 children
Toddlers (18 months-30 months)-1:5, maximum 15 children
Preschoolers (30 months-48 months-1:8, maximum 24 children
J/K (4 year olds)- 1:10, maximum 20 children
S/K (5 year olds)-1:12, maximum 24 children
The older age groups require less staff per child whereas the younger groups require more staff. Child care centers rely on the older groups to offset the costs of the younger age groupings.
With full-day learning being implemented all across Ontario, child care centers are losing their older age groups and thus finding it difficult to keep their businesses open.
The Region of Peel centers were probably the least thought of as likely candidates to face closures, but it makes sense.
By closing these centers the funding can be used for the full-day kindergarten programs that are proving more costly than governments can afford.
It can encourage families to go to new centers that are also suffering through the the loss of kindergarten children, and perhaps help keep them from facing similar closures.
Unfortunately, it also means that Early Childhood Educators have less opportunity for fair paying jobs, and families relying on subsidies in Peel will have a harder time finding centers that accept subsidy because of new guidelines for child care centers in peel; any for-profit child care center can no longer accept subsidized children unless they were approved before the change.
What does the future look like?
Full-day kindergarten was part of the Charles Pasqual Report which is a document outlining recommendations by Pasqual on how to create a universal child care for all. Other suggestions in the report were to extend maternity leave to 2 years and send children to public schools at age 2. So the child care of the future looks non-existent.
Some would argue that this plan sounds perfect. But there would be so many areas affected including: businesses that will have staff off work for 2 years instead of 1year, families having 2 years off at a lower percentage than the current 55%, and taxpayers paying more to afford all these extra children in schools.
Not to mention the children who will be placed in environments where teachers are not allowed to assist with washroom routines. This means that a child who has an accident must change themselves or the parent will need to be called in to take care of the child because the teacher cannot provide care.
My views
I believe that Early Childhood Educators are the best qualified people to care for young children. I believe that young children do not belong in the public school system, and instead need to be in a building that follows different Ministry guidelines that leaves the care in child care.
I feel that parents are excited for the idea of saving money on child care without fully understanding what they are giving up with Full-day learning. Here are a few examples:
-Hugs
-Washroom routine
-Rest time routine (naps)
-Encouragement to eat lunch/snacks
-Individualized accommodations for cultural preferences and needs
-A more controlled environment for those with food allergies
-Smaller ratios
-More stimulating outdoor environments to encourage physical development
What I ask of you
Please do not believe everything advocates tell you. Question their goals, plans, and ways they see their ideal child care operate in the real world. I have. And I have noticed that most have no real answers. The future of our children needs clear answers and a solid plan to implement quality care.
The main idea advocates want to pass on to you is that quality care is only found in non-profit centers and should be free for all families.
The only reason non-profit centers are of higher quality is because the government only gives them adequate funding. But a non-profit center means that the person who starts up the business cannot make a living at all. That could be why there aren't enough child care spaces. What's wrong with entrepreneurs making a living while providing quality care? Perhaps the real issue to advocate for is fair funding to all centers. Perhaps if we did that we wouldn't have such a crisis today.
1.23.2012
1.22.2012
Our Disney Vacation
Our vacation was planned to suit the interests of my family. All the work I put into it paid off. Our trip was completely magical. Even my husband who wasn't sure if this vacation was worth all the money said that he had the most fun he's ever had in his entire life.
Here is a brief summary of what we did on our trip. I hope it will inspire you to research and plan the perfect trip for your family.
When we went:
We decided to go from Friday, January 27th to Friday, February 3rd so that we would have the weekend at home to recover. The whole family appreciated this minor, but significant, detail.
Going in January was a great time to go. The weather was between 74-84 degrees every day but by 6:00p.m. we needed a zip up sweater. The crowd levels everywhere were very low. The longest line we waited in was 30 minutes but the average line was about 5-15 minutes.
Where we stayed:
We stayed at Vacation Village at the Parkway, a Timeshare 10 minutes away from Disney World. Our unit had a full kitchen so we were able to have some of our meals there. There were two large heated swimming pools, two hot tubs and a kiddie pool with a waterfall (but that pool was freezing so no one used it). We declined the complimentary breakfast and averted any sales pitch attempts from the timeshare reps.
What we did:
Friday
We flew down, rented our car and picked up a few groceries. Then we just explored our resort. We weren't able to swim because it was too cold.
Saturday
We went to Disney's Hollywood Studios. This was our first stop because my guys love Star Wars and at Hollywood Studios you can sign up for Jedi Training and be part of a live show. We almost didn't get to sign up in time but got our guys into the last show of the evening (thank Goodness). This was arguably the highlight of the trip for the kids.
Hollywood Studios also has Star Tours which is a ride were you go on a mission with C3PO. After the ride (like almost every ride) you get dropped off inside the gift shop. Tatooine is full of Star Wars stuff. I got the kids each a Star Wars piggy bank for their bedrooms and some T-Shirts. They were even able to make their own light sabers for only $21. It was a great price for such a cool experience.
Sunday
We went to Universal Studios Island of Adventure. We had reservations for Confisco Grill's character breakfast where we were greeted by Spider man, Thing 1 & Thing 2, and The Cat in The Hat. I highly recommend this breakfast experience as it was so much fun (and delicious too).
We loved the Dr. Seuss area, Superhero area and the Jurrasic Park area. In the Dr. Seuss area we loved the look and feel of everything around us. It felt like we walked right inside a cartoon world.
The Spider man ride was by far the favourite for my guys. In the superhero area the superheros were spread out to take pictures and sign autographs, then villain music would fill the air and they would rush over to their bikes and take off down the park. Then the villains would come out to take pictures and sign autographs. It was so dramatic and made for a fun experience.
Monday
On Monday we took a break from theme parks and spent the morning at the pool. In the afternoon we went to Downtown Disney to shop and eat at the T-Rex restaurant. The kids loved the Lego store and I loved the Disney Store and the Disney's days of Christmas store. T-Rex was out of this world. I highly recommend it.
Tuesday
We went to Magic Kingdom on this day. We loved the Monster Inc. Laugh Floor comedy show and Mickey's Philar Show. We managed to get on a lot of rides because the lines were so short. We didn't see as many characters as we wanted to see but we did find Chip and Dale, and Mickey and Minnie.
The celebrate a Dream Come True parade was very exciting to watch. We all enjoyed seeing all our favourite characters up close.
For dinner we ate at the Crystal Palace which was a character dinner. We met Tigger, Eyeore, Piglet and Pooh. It's a buffet restaurant and the kids really enjoy buffets.
Afterwards we found a seat to get ready for the Light show and Firework display. The best moment was when Tinkerbell flies out of the castle through the sky. Now that is magical :)
Wednesday
This was another theme park break day. We swam all morning again and into the afternoon. Then we went shopping for a bit at a flea market up the street from our resort.
After that we went to watch Cirque Du Soleil in Downtown Disney. The show was amazing with cool stunts and costumes. I couldn't really follow the storyline but it seems the girl got her prince.
Thursday
This was our last day of activities. We went to Animal Kingdom. We enjoyed looking at all the animals. The kids enjoyed collecting stamps at all the workshop stations throughout the park. We watched the Lion King show and loved the energy of it. Mickey's Jammin Jungle Parade was fun too.
We had a lunch reservation at the Rain Forest Cafe. We all shared the massive Volcano dessert and still couldn't finish it.
Friday
This was a sad day. Home day. We woke up, finished gathering our things and headed for the airport at 7:00a.m. only to discovered our flight was delayed. We spent the entire morning hanging out in the airport.
Final Thoughts
We found Disney's Magical experiences that were perfect for our family. There was nothing planned that wasn't thoroughly enjoyed by all of us. I challenge you to explore what Disney has to offer that meets the interests of your family and make your reservations early so that you can experience the magic for yourself.
Here is a brief summary of what we did on our trip. I hope it will inspire you to research and plan the perfect trip for your family.
When we went:
We decided to go from Friday, January 27th to Friday, February 3rd so that we would have the weekend at home to recover. The whole family appreciated this minor, but significant, detail.
Going in January was a great time to go. The weather was between 74-84 degrees every day but by 6:00p.m. we needed a zip up sweater. The crowd levels everywhere were very low. The longest line we waited in was 30 minutes but the average line was about 5-15 minutes.
Where we stayed:
We stayed at Vacation Village at the Parkway, a Timeshare 10 minutes away from Disney World. Our unit had a full kitchen so we were able to have some of our meals there. There were two large heated swimming pools, two hot tubs and a kiddie pool with a waterfall (but that pool was freezing so no one used it). We declined the complimentary breakfast and averted any sales pitch attempts from the timeshare reps.
What we did:
Friday
We flew down, rented our car and picked up a few groceries. Then we just explored our resort. We weren't able to swim because it was too cold.
Saturday
We went to Disney's Hollywood Studios. This was our first stop because my guys love Star Wars and at Hollywood Studios you can sign up for Jedi Training and be part of a live show. We almost didn't get to sign up in time but got our guys into the last show of the evening (thank Goodness). This was arguably the highlight of the trip for the kids.
Hollywood Studios also has Star Tours which is a ride were you go on a mission with C3PO. After the ride (like almost every ride) you get dropped off inside the gift shop. Tatooine is full of Star Wars stuff. I got the kids each a Star Wars piggy bank for their bedrooms and some T-Shirts. They were even able to make their own light sabers for only $21. It was a great price for such a cool experience.
Sunday
We went to Universal Studios Island of Adventure. We had reservations for Confisco Grill's character breakfast where we were greeted by Spider man, Thing 1 & Thing 2, and The Cat in The Hat. I highly recommend this breakfast experience as it was so much fun (and delicious too).
We loved the Dr. Seuss area, Superhero area and the Jurrasic Park area. In the Dr. Seuss area we loved the look and feel of everything around us. It felt like we walked right inside a cartoon world.
The Spider man ride was by far the favourite for my guys. In the superhero area the superheros were spread out to take pictures and sign autographs, then villain music would fill the air and they would rush over to their bikes and take off down the park. Then the villains would come out to take pictures and sign autographs. It was so dramatic and made for a fun experience.
Monday
On Monday we took a break from theme parks and spent the morning at the pool. In the afternoon we went to Downtown Disney to shop and eat at the T-Rex restaurant. The kids loved the Lego store and I loved the Disney Store and the Disney's days of Christmas store. T-Rex was out of this world. I highly recommend it.
Tuesday
We went to Magic Kingdom on this day. We loved the Monster Inc. Laugh Floor comedy show and Mickey's Philar Show. We managed to get on a lot of rides because the lines were so short. We didn't see as many characters as we wanted to see but we did find Chip and Dale, and Mickey and Minnie.
The celebrate a Dream Come True parade was very exciting to watch. We all enjoyed seeing all our favourite characters up close.
For dinner we ate at the Crystal Palace which was a character dinner. We met Tigger, Eyeore, Piglet and Pooh. It's a buffet restaurant and the kids really enjoy buffets.
Afterwards we found a seat to get ready for the Light show and Firework display. The best moment was when Tinkerbell flies out of the castle through the sky. Now that is magical :)
Wednesday
This was another theme park break day. We swam all morning again and into the afternoon. Then we went shopping for a bit at a flea market up the street from our resort.
After that we went to watch Cirque Du Soleil in Downtown Disney. The show was amazing with cool stunts and costumes. I couldn't really follow the storyline but it seems the girl got her prince.
Thursday
This was our last day of activities. We went to Animal Kingdom. We enjoyed looking at all the animals. The kids enjoyed collecting stamps at all the workshop stations throughout the park. We watched the Lion King show and loved the energy of it. Mickey's Jammin Jungle Parade was fun too.
We had a lunch reservation at the Rain Forest Cafe. We all shared the massive Volcano dessert and still couldn't finish it.
Friday
This was a sad day. Home day. We woke up, finished gathering our things and headed for the airport at 7:00a.m. only to discovered our flight was delayed. We spent the entire morning hanging out in the airport.
Final Thoughts
We found Disney's Magical experiences that were perfect for our family. There was nothing planned that wasn't thoroughly enjoyed by all of us. I challenge you to explore what Disney has to offer that meets the interests of your family and make your reservations early so that you can experience the magic for yourself.
1.10.2012
What Really Puts The Future of Humanity At Risk
So, apparently Pope Benedict says that gay marriage will ruin humanity. I'll let you digest that thought for a moment.
Somehow two people who want to be exclusive, loyal, and tell the world that they actually love each other enough to want to spend their lives together are harming humanity's future.
On The View this morning Elisabeth Hasselbeck said that gay marriage doesn't threaten her marriage, but that divorce does. I agree with her. Here are the things that I believe are ruining marriages and thus the future of humanity (in no particular order):
1. Technology
We all have some form of technology that we use on a daily basis. There are 100's of gadgets designed to keep us connected and in the loop at every waking moment. We are becoming addicted to checking for updates and afraid we will miss something. Some people even bring their phones to bed with them. This cannot be good for marriages/relationships. While we may be more social with strangers, we are actually less social with people in front of our faces.
2. Porn
Porn may arguably be the most accessible thing on the Internet, providing men (and women I guess) with on-demand movies featuring anything (and I do mean anything) your heart desires. Unfortunately it can leave married women (or any woman) feeling less than perfect and not good enough which does put a strain on marriages. It conditions men to believe that it's ok to look at other naked women having sex because they don't touch. However with this conditioning the chances of in real life cheating rises if the opportunity were to present itself.
3. Strippers/Prostitutes
Similar to, but much worse than the porn, strippers and prostitutes bring sex closer to home and provide temptation to cheat. These women make cheating that much more accessible which is far more threatening to humanity's future than gay marriage.
4. Photoshop
Yes, photoshop is a threat because it is used to create outrageous images of women and how they should look which are unattainable. This puts a lot of pressure on women to try to look like the images they see all around them. Since they will never look like the photoshopped images, self esteem is lowered and a negative cycle begins that will trickle into the marriage.
5. Desire for everything to be fast and easy
I blame the "instantness" of the Internet for this one. We want everything and we want it now. We want to "click" and be done with it. We want easy quick food, easier ways to do housework, easier ways to make money, etc. No one wants to put in time and effort and actually earn achievements in their lives anymore, and this is evident in the effort we put into our relationships as well. Many people want to just quit when a problem arises. Somewhere a long the line we started to believe that love shouldn't take work. This is why the divorce rate is so high.
6. Credit/Debt
In relation to the point above: we want everything now even if we cannot afford it. Thanks to credit cards, lines of credit and loans of every kind we can now have everything in exchange for a lifetime of debt. As we get buried in debt and financial problems occur, ( you guessed it) marriages suffer.
So before the Pope tries to blame gay marriage for ruining the future of humanity, perhaps he should look at all the things we are accepting in our world that are actually directly related to the future of what marriage and family will be moving forward.
What do you think puts the future of humanity in jeopardy?
Somehow two people who want to be exclusive, loyal, and tell the world that they actually love each other enough to want to spend their lives together are harming humanity's future.
On The View this morning Elisabeth Hasselbeck said that gay marriage doesn't threaten her marriage, but that divorce does. I agree with her. Here are the things that I believe are ruining marriages and thus the future of humanity (in no particular order):
1. Technology
We all have some form of technology that we use on a daily basis. There are 100's of gadgets designed to keep us connected and in the loop at every waking moment. We are becoming addicted to checking for updates and afraid we will miss something. Some people even bring their phones to bed with them. This cannot be good for marriages/relationships. While we may be more social with strangers, we are actually less social with people in front of our faces.
2. Porn
Porn may arguably be the most accessible thing on the Internet, providing men (and women I guess) with on-demand movies featuring anything (and I do mean anything) your heart desires. Unfortunately it can leave married women (or any woman) feeling less than perfect and not good enough which does put a strain on marriages. It conditions men to believe that it's ok to look at other naked women having sex because they don't touch. However with this conditioning the chances of in real life cheating rises if the opportunity were to present itself.
3. Strippers/Prostitutes
Similar to, but much worse than the porn, strippers and prostitutes bring sex closer to home and provide temptation to cheat. These women make cheating that much more accessible which is far more threatening to humanity's future than gay marriage.
4. Photoshop
Yes, photoshop is a threat because it is used to create outrageous images of women and how they should look which are unattainable. This puts a lot of pressure on women to try to look like the images they see all around them. Since they will never look like the photoshopped images, self esteem is lowered and a negative cycle begins that will trickle into the marriage.
5. Desire for everything to be fast and easy
I blame the "instantness" of the Internet for this one. We want everything and we want it now. We want to "click" and be done with it. We want easy quick food, easier ways to do housework, easier ways to make money, etc. No one wants to put in time and effort and actually earn achievements in their lives anymore, and this is evident in the effort we put into our relationships as well. Many people want to just quit when a problem arises. Somewhere a long the line we started to believe that love shouldn't take work. This is why the divorce rate is so high.
6. Credit/Debt
In relation to the point above: we want everything now even if we cannot afford it. Thanks to credit cards, lines of credit and loans of every kind we can now have everything in exchange for a lifetime of debt. As we get buried in debt and financial problems occur, ( you guessed it) marriages suffer.
So before the Pope tries to blame gay marriage for ruining the future of humanity, perhaps he should look at all the things we are accepting in our world that are actually directly related to the future of what marriage and family will be moving forward.
What do you think puts the future of humanity in jeopardy?
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