First day of school for my baby Alfie… tears, nervous rashes, sleepless nights, anxiety through the roof — and that was just me. He was absolutely fine!
As a parent, I feel like it comes with the role to take on any uncomfortable feelings our babies have. The funny thing was, my babies were fine. It was me, dealing with my weird can’t-let-go issues.
But, I reckon I know why my kids were both fine starting school.
Like a lot of modern day fambams, my husband and I both have our own businesses and have negotiated our way through juggling being parents and working at the same time. So, from early on our babies both went to Goodstart Early Learning Centre for two days a week. From day dot, they’ve mingled with, played with, learned with and laughed with other kids and adults. I really feel like this gave my kids the confidence to communicate with people of all ages and to walk into a group of kids they’ve never met, and very quickly, find their place. If you’re like my family and need a little helping hand so you can bring home the bacon, I’m hoping this info makes your decision easier…
The perks of kickstarting your child’s learning at Goodstart Early Learning Centre
Kindy days
You can make sure your kids are ready for the next big chapter of their lives — school! The Goodstart Kindergarten & Preschool Program is run by a lovely bunch of university qualified teachers who are passionate about the learning outcomes for children. They take a personalised approach to a child’s learning based on the specific needs and interests of each child. I mean, if it helps with learning, they might even dress as Batman, just for your child! For people who work longer hours and can’t take their kids to a regular kindy, Goodstart offers long daycare hours to make it easier. Oh, and you get to graduate!
Learning about all cultures
All cultures are explored and celebrated at Goodstart — I loved this! The curriculum includes culturally diverse learning experiences every week and kids are encouraged to share their own culture with other students and educators. Parents and grandparents are always welcome to come in and showcase their own cultures and traditions to the class. Alfie would constantly come home telling me about Indigenous, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and Indonesian cultures. I was so proud!
Stamping out bullying
In my experience, Goodstart had a strong focus on emotional wellbeing and they helped my kids to recognise and work through their feelings. Even now, my kids are both very aware of the conflict resolution process (even though they may not always practise what they preach, lol) and aren’t scared to seek help from a trusted adult. They teach our children about how to respond to unkind behaviour and make sure they feel safe approaching the educators.
Play based learning
Goodstart explores a range of child-led activities which follow individual and group interests. On a typical day, children have access to dramatic and imaginary play, sensory play, technological exploration, gross motor activities, literacy and numeracy development, social and emotional learning, art, dance and music as well as rest and relaxation time. If you’re like me, you’ll be blown away by how much growth and learning happens when they first start. The things they come out with are amazing!
Healthy beginnings
Nearly all Goodstart Centres have a qualified cook to create healthy, nutritious, and diverse meals. They provide breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and a late snack. If you’re concerned about what your kids are being fed, the centres display their weekly menu and share it with families.
They are also happy if you’d prefer to bring in your own food for your child. And if your child has a dietary requirement, an allergy, intolerance, religious, or cultural reason, their cooks will cater to your specific needs. FYI if your child is like my Alfie and tells his educators that he is a chocolatarian, and only eats chocolate, it’s okay — they won’t believe him.
So, there you go. For me, Goodstart gave both my children a great start in their learning and definitely made them school ready. I was the one with separation anxiety, not them.
To find a centre near you and book a tour, or to find out more information, jump on their website HERE.
