Bringing your child to daycare for the first time can be quite exciting! It can therefore be nice to hear how other parents experience this. Carlijn tells you her experience with childcare at Wiedewei Paddewei in Barendrecht, where her son Otis plays.
“Otis has been going to the green shelter at Wiedewei Paddewei every week on Tuesdays and Fridays since January 2021. During the tour we had a very nice feeling about this establishment. In fact, we quickly agreed that Wiedewei Paddewei would be a suitable daycare for Otis. We were happy that there was a place for him!”
A nice feeling at the reception
“Beforehand it felt a bit uncomfortable to take our child to the daycare because mom and dad have to work. But now we look at it very differently. We see the benefits of learning to play together with other children, learn new things and grow in a different environment. Otis likes it there and above all feels comfortable and 'at home'. We find that very important!”
The small-scale shelter with a green character
“At Wiedewei, the children spend a lot of time outside in the beautifully maintained garden, which we think is a real plus. This is really distinctive compared to other reception locations we went to look at. This location also has small groups, divided by age group of 0 – 1 year and 1 – 3 years. Because the location is not that big, the little ones come into contact with the other groups before they transfer to the new group. We can imagine that the transition to a new group is therefore less significant!”
Sleeping outside at the shelter, we thought it was a good idea!
At Wiedewei, the children can sleep outside because of the proven positive health benefits. We understand the reasoning behind it and thought it was a good idea. That's why we gave Otis permission to sleep outside. We also trust that the childcare workers are good at sensing when a child is ready. Otis had to get used to the daycare during the first few weeks. He only started sleeping outside when the childcare workers had gotten to know him well and felt he was ready.
Loving care and attention from the pedagogical staff
Another reason to go to Wiedewei Paddewei is the childcare professionals. They are so sweet and caring! It's wonderful that they really consider each child's needs. They try to maintain the same routine as at home as much as possible. If anything changes in the routine, they adjust accordingly. This gives Otis peace and regularity, which we also appreciate. Of course, things can sometimes be a bit different, as there are other children, and sometimes things don't work out. But their approach is truly to follow the same routine as at home. The childcare professionals also do a lot of creative activities with all the children, no matter how young they are! It's reassuring to leave Otis with them. He always has a smile on his face when he sees them.
