It’s commonly said that “It takes a village to raise a child”, and although the 21st Century village is not like that of old, this sentiment still rings true.
Working parents rely on dedicated family members, professional child carers and supportive employers to help raise happy, healthy and engaged children. And although this year’s global pandemic affected our usual education and care routines, it was heartening to see how the community banded together, even as social distancing drove us apart.
In the child care setting, families and educators connected digitally, adapted to a ‘new normal’ and worked hard to provide children with safe environments and enriching experiences.
Children were included in virtual storytime sessions and birthday parties while isolating at home; parents were reassured that their kids were safe at care; and G8 Education’s Kindness Initiative saw child care centres spreading happiness to the wider community with ‘leave what you can, take what you need’ pantries, meal services and rainbow displays.
More recently, G8 Education has launched an online resource called Community Cubby which recognises the importance of the child care community for families and helps them manage life’s extraordinary and everyday challenges.
Community Cubby provides 24/7 support to parents and it also offers a library containing inspiration and advice for all families in early childhood learning centres.
At this link, you’ll find:
- Expert tips on play-based learning;
- Kid-friendly recipes;
- Fun physical activities; and
- Health and wellbeing tips.
There are free materials to download, too, including the At Home Learning Series and Cooking is Learning recipe eBook, and although Community Cubby was created in response to the challenges raised by COVID-19, we’re pleased to report that it’s a permanent resource which will draw on the experiences of centre managers, educators and teachers to support families.
2020 has certainly reminded us to be grateful for the support of others and we’ve seen that a real sense of community can be fostered with online interactions, as well as face-to-face ones. And whether you’re joining the Cubby Community or conversing with your child’s educator, it’s comforting to know that child care providers are part of the village we live in and are on hand to help raise our children – whatever challenges come our way.
