I began my childcare journey as an Educator back in 2009 and haven’t looked back! My husband and I have three children, who were still at school at the time, so it was the perfect way to continue as Mum at home as well as earn an income for my whanau. My children are now adults and I have had the privilege of caring for my three grandchildren as their Educator and Nan.
I am blessed with the unique situation of having my oldest daughter with her husband and 3 children living beside me – an extra play space at times, then on the other side is my lovely in-laws – an extra Grandma & Grandad to the many children I have had in care over the years.
My house has an open plan living with kitchen and two living areas providing ample space for our varied play activities. Most of my toys and resources are stored in a way that children can choose their own activity. Painting, play dough, experiments and messy play are happily explored regularly in my home, as well as the odd baking adventure. I have a cat but being a princess she doesn’t hang around to play, instead preferring to hide away and snooze in a secluded space.
My fully enclosed section has a large gate dividing the front yard from the back. The front yard has a play hut and easy access to bikes, balls, water play and other outdoor experiences. There is a good concrete area as well as grass and I encourage outdoor play as much as possible. The back yard is where the swing sets and vege garden access is, which we use after I have put our gentle giant, Zeus, a bullmastiff, away.
I believe providing a diverse range of experiences for tamariki is crucial, so getting out and about is essential. Music groups, libraries, playgroups and drop-in gyms are fantastic for fostering larger group involvement. Parks, playgrounds and bush play are also vital to our practice. They offer essential risky play and nature knowledge while also providing a calming environment.
I believe in a child-led care environment where children are empowered to be their best ever selves. I like to notice a child’s urges and interests and extend their learning in ways that are meaningful to them. Learning should be fun so there is a lot of laughs and happy times. Each child becomes another member of my family and is therefore enveloped in a safe atmosphere of belonging, love and a little bit of crazy fun! To me, a child is a future adult and their voice is heard and valued in my home. I do, however have 3 simple rules – be kind to yourself, to those around you, and to your environment. We all live with boundaries in life and I think we should start teaching that from the very beginning.
Keri is a highly experienced Educator who holds both the Level 4 NZ Certificate in ECE and the NZ Diploma in ECE (Home Based). Keri has been fully safety screened including referee, ID and Police checking. A comprehensive children's worker interview has also been undertaken. Keri is deemed safe to be working independently with young children.
