student midwife seeking wholesome childcare

[cdnmom]

Hi all, I'll be starting my midwifery program in September and am begging for recommendations for like-minded childcare in Brampton, Ontario where my daughter will be staying while I'm commuting to and from school. It's her first time away from me (she's now 2) for an extended period of time, and I'm hoping to find something via personal referral versus childcare centre (or centre if there's a good one out there highly recommended). Anyone live/work/play around Brampton?

Thanks!

[moonyoungi]

did you post in your tribe section?? You probably will get more answers there. Good luck with your program!

[punkrockmomma]

I'm in the US, but have you looked into Lifeways? They are usually childcare centers, but are wonderful!! I know the ones in my area, the parents who take their children there are very into natural/attachment parenting, and when I was pregnant I had one of our local centers "teachers" in my birth class, and she was having a homebirth. Lifeways is the daycare of the Waldorf school movement, so there will be a lot of natural toys, outside time, and usually they feed the children organic vegetarian meals. http://www.lifewaysnorthamerica.org/ Here's their website. I volunteered for a while at the one in my area, and I wish it was closer to my house or school so I could send my DD there while I'm in school. Good luck with your schooling!

[JessieBird]

I'm not in your area so can't offer any specific names but my suggestion is to look on Kijiji and any other childcare directory/classifieds you an find and phone every ad, no matter what kind of terrible first impression you get. You never know who you'll meet and who you'll click with. You'd be amazed at how many childcare providers hide their wholesomeness or crunchiness behind what they think is a more professional exterior. The secret for me was to visit a LOT of day care providers (both centres and in-home) and to keep an open mind. I had a LONG list of requirements and a fairly specific picture of what I was looking for. In the end, I am absolutely thrilled with the care we found (and so is DS) but it is nothing like what I'd expected. It meets all of my requirements (organic, loving, thoughtful, peaceful, same approaches to potty learning and discipline, etc, as I have...those sorts of things) but the exterior package is not at all what I thought would work for us.