On kindy
I admit defeat. The forces of nature and the hideousness of the current government's early childhood education policies have overcome. I had for some time intended to write to the head honchos at kidsfirst kindergartens to complain about the ways in which our kindy has become a top-down institution instead of a community resource. But just as I was writing the one in my head about why I no longer take the laundry basket home when it is out with a request note and why I wouldn't be fundraising for a kindy which changed its hours without community consultation and harrasses families who don't fit their specs of dropping off by 8.45am each morning... just as I was writing that in my head for the seventh time, tragedy struck in Christchurch and it seems worse than churlish to complain given that head office is in Christchurch and some kindies are so devastated that apparently no one has yet been inside to assess them.
Soooo. Putting my best community foot forward seems a better idea now and as if on cue we get a newsletter today inviting us to enter our shortest children in a trikeathon. Not just a trikeathon, but a trikeathon combined with a mini gala with face painting, nail polish painting, a cake stall, a sausage sizzle, a kiddies drinks table and a coffee table. Please circle which you can be available for. Just for good measure, there is a place to circle if you can be available to organise more fundraising activities throughout the year.
A very wise friend said to me, eight years ago as I held my baby in my arms on the telephone in London and she whispered while her children were asleep in New Plymouth, don't join the kindy committee. Not ever. They were very wise words and I am sticking to them. No doubt I will volunteer to do some cakes if the oven gets fixed in time and to stand on a stall, and to get sponsors for the trikeathon and to remind FH twelve times when it is on so he doesn't double book (cos' he'll be on kiddie duty while I sell sausages or something similar), but I am NOT circling the bit about organising more fundraisers.
I am making progress on the Chch kindy dressups project:
This used to be a top which was handed down to me and didn't quite fit. I think the gauzy floral ruffles suit four year old fantasy better than they suit me. Now I have cut up a black and white skirt which has a broken zip and is a little too big in order to make capes. I'll nip down to the Sallies to get some bits of glitzy clothing to plunder for shiny effects tomorrow.
The other reason that fighting the kindy changes seems less important is that Anne Tolley is doing far more damage. She has lifted the maximum roll for a preschool from 50 to 150 and knocked the requirement for trained staff down to 80%. Selfishly, I breathe a sigh of relief that my children will not be affected by these dismal and nasty changes. This post from Sue Bradford is an important read.
Soooo. Putting my best community foot forward seems a better idea now and as if on cue we get a newsletter today inviting us to enter our shortest children in a trikeathon. Not just a trikeathon, but a trikeathon combined with a mini gala with face painting, nail polish painting, a cake stall, a sausage sizzle, a kiddies drinks table and a coffee table. Please circle which you can be available for. Just for good measure, there is a place to circle if you can be available to organise more fundraising activities throughout the year.
A very wise friend said to me, eight years ago as I held my baby in my arms on the telephone in London and she whispered while her children were asleep in New Plymouth, don't join the kindy committee. Not ever. They were very wise words and I am sticking to them. No doubt I will volunteer to do some cakes if the oven gets fixed in time and to stand on a stall, and to get sponsors for the trikeathon and to remind FH twelve times when it is on so he doesn't double book (cos' he'll be on kiddie duty while I sell sausages or something similar), but I am NOT circling the bit about organising more fundraisers.
I am making progress on the Chch kindy dressups project:
This used to be a top which was handed down to me and didn't quite fit. I think the gauzy floral ruffles suit four year old fantasy better than they suit me. Now I have cut up a black and white skirt which has a broken zip and is a little too big in order to make capes. I'll nip down to the Sallies to get some bits of glitzy clothing to plunder for shiny effects tomorrow.The other reason that fighting the kindy changes seems less important is that Anne Tolley is doing far more damage. She has lifted the maximum roll for a preschool from 50 to 150 and knocked the requirement for trained staff down to 80%. Selfishly, I breathe a sigh of relief that my children will not be affected by these dismal and nasty changes. This post from Sue Bradford is an important read.
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