| About Me... |
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| Hi! Thank you for taking the time to stop in to learn more about me and my daycare home. My name is Melanie, I am a thirty-one year old mother of five, married to Marvin. I have accumulated 18 years of 'experience' working with children, starting out with babysitting jobs in my young teens, continuining with my own children, and working as a PCA. I operate an unlicensed family-style daycare in my home. Unlicensed is not the same thing as unprofessional and I operate my business to reflect this. We are currently renting and look forward to licensing when we buy. This is my business, I take it seriously. I am warm and dependable. Monkey Business is located in Apple Valley, Minnesota. I have been FBI background checked and will continue my early childhood education. I have taken two semesters of child development classes, assisted in a pre-school class, spent two years working full time as a personal care attendant to two special needs girls, recieved training in FAS, ADHD, and other areas. I have also had five children of my own, current ages from 7 months to 12 years. I belong to internet support groups, where I go for answers with situations I am not familiar with. I have also began publishing a semi-monthly newsletter to keep you abreast of special days, closings, and activities we have done and are doing. I've enjoyed children for as long as I can remember. I spent my days after school babysitting and having adventures with the kids, then started my own family young. For three years, I home educated my two oldest boys, for mostly non-religious reasons. I am christian and raising my children to reflect this the best I can. We do say prayers over our meals, simple, age-appropriate, but never require nor pressure the daycare children to do the same. In high school, I student taught at the elementary schools, mostly art and photography classes, but some general. I had planned on becoming an elementary school teacher, but started my own family. I'd always wanted a large family if I did have children and planned on staying home (which is good with childcare costs!!). We enjoy laughter and my kids get in on the act when they are home with the daycare kids, too. My philosophy has evolved over the years as I have had more children of my own and taken care of more of other people's children. I try not to sweat the small stuff, and a lot of it IS small stuff. I don't fuss over clothes, exact schedules, cleaning your plate, little owies... Clothes get dirty, kids ideas and moods can change our schedules, kids will spit food on your floor if you are adamant about cleaning your plate (so I have a no-thank-you bite rule and you certainly won't get anything special if you didn't make a valiant attempt at your meal!), and if you hover over an owie, it actually makes it hurt worse!! (So I give them attention, a hug, and a bandaid if needed, then turn them onto something new...owies are reported, sometimes photographed, and you are given all the info). I'm looking for a family with simular views so my natural style meshes well with the style the kids get at home. Kids are naturally bright and eager to get noticed, I try to channel it so they have a rewarding day. If a situation is just not working, I won't hang onto your child for the buck! Every child deserves to be loved and cherished in their daycare home, too! So, there's some information about me to start you off! If you are still interested, you can feel free to call me to set up an appointment to meet me. My home number is 952-223-0358. You can also check me and my family out further at http://www.geocities.com/marvin_n_melanie |
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