Mother of four, with a drive for writing, creativity, and child development!
My experiences with parent co-op preschools began in California. I joined with an already-formed group of moms for my son’s preschool. This was a wonderful experience, as it was training grounds for what a great functioning group of parents should look like in a co-op situation. I continued with different groups for the next 3 years.
After jumping coast-to-coast to Maryland, I started up preschool again, this time using some materials and ideas that I had put together on my own. Soon “Treasure Builders Preschool” was born!
It was successful! I continued to use this program for 4 years with other groups. Each year I updated and revised the program. Other parents made wonderful input, and we all learned from each other. That is what a parent co-op is all about.
I have also worked at a “Parent’s Day Out” child care program, and ran an in-home day care for 2 years. I became more and more interested in becoming a child-care professional. I started taking evening classes on “Child Development”, “Planning Curricula”, and more. I also completed a course from the Institute of Children’s Literature in writing stories for children and teenagers. In 2017 I earned my CDA Credential (Child Development Associate). This is a nationally recognized credential for teaching preschool, and offering care for young children.
Time files, and soon the day that my youngest child went to kindergarten arrived. I was asked many times what I thought about my newly acquired “free-time”. I would smile and admit that preschool still continued on for me. I now work at a private IB World School and preschool. It’s a wonderful program, and I learn much there. But it doesn’t dim my love for parent co-ops. They are wonderful, successful, and great training grounds for parents and children alike.