“As a baby, Stijn slept outside, in a lovely outdoor bed. Well wrapped up, in the fresh air and with bird sounds in the background. Exactly the care I had hoped for. Peaceful, healthy and close to nature.” For Kim, mother of Stijn (2) and Daan (5), Wiedewei Paddewei felt like the right place from the start.
Two brothers, one place
When the family moved to Barendrecht in 2022, big brother Daan was the first to start at Wiedewei Paddewei. Later, Stijn followed as a baby. They quickly felt at home there. “Especially outside, where there is always something to do,” says Kim. “The garden is large, a bit overgrown, with places to discover and a huge sandbox to play in endlessly. And what I really like: being outside is not a separate activity at Wiedewei, but a given. Every day again.”
Real contact
Wiedewei Paddewei has five groups. Yet the location feels small and manageable to Kim. “There is something familiar in the air. From the moment we enter, attention is paid to us. All children are really seen. Not ticked off, but looked at. No quick 'hi', but real contact. Even Daan, who has been in primary school for a year now, still gets a loving 'good morning' and 'how was your day?' when he goes along to drop off or pick up Stijn. I think that is so typical of Wiedewei.”
Early birds
It also works out well in practical terms. “Because I teach myself, I have to be at work on time. Wiedewei Paddewei offers early childcare from 7:00. That is really nice for us as early birds.” For Daan, who was still a toddler at the time, it also turned out to be a golden opportunity. “As a toddler, he found it quite exciting to immediately join a full group. Thanks to the early childcare, he was able to start calmly and had all the attention for himself for a while. Saying goodbye has never been a problem again.”
Get your feet off the floor
Kim also really appreciates the space for music and dance. “Stijn loves that. They put on a song or the basket with musical instruments comes out. The wheels of the bus, Hansje Pansje Kevertje or the Hokey Pokey: when the music starts, you see Stijn beaming. People are dancing and singing along. When I get a video of that, I automatically start smiling. Wonderful, that carefree fun.”
Thinking along, pruning along
As a member of the Location Parent Council, Kim thinks along with what is going on at the location. “A fun way to be involved and get to know other parents better.” Other initiatives also strengthen that sense of connection, such as the annual garden party. “Then all the dads and moms are invited to work together in the garden. Pruning, weeding, raking: parental participation at its best. And secretly, as parents we also really enjoy being able to wander around in that nice garden ourselves, instead of just the children,” laughs Kim.
A very nice day
Kim sees how much Stijn learns from his time at Wiedewei. “Eating independently with cutlery, waiting your turn, sharing toys: all skills that he automatically takes home with him. I also saw how much he picked up from Daan at the time. The children learn from each other, from the employees and from the challenging environment. And in the meantime, they just have a really nice day. You pick them up and think: yes, this is right.”
