Faithful Friends Childcare
701-552-2476
About Amber
Hi, I'm Amber! I am the owner and operator of Faithful Friends Childcare. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from North Dakota State University. I took numerous courses studying early childhood education, child psychology, family living values, and child development. My previous experience in childcare began as a teenager when I was hired for numerous babysitting jobs for several years. That helped me discover my joy and excitement in working with children of all ages. This led to working as a nanny, spending 2 years employed at a daycare center in Fargo, and one year working at an education program for students before and after school, and during the summer. I even spent over a year working at the 'Happiest Place on Earth', Disney World! After graduating college, I spent 4 years working in elementary schools. I am CPR and First Aid certified, as well as SIDS and Shaken Baby Syndrome trained and certified.
Once my daughter was born, I knew my standards would be high in finding childcare. I wanted to find a warm, caring home environment so she would be comfortable and at ease while we were away during the day. I was looking for more than just an all day babysitter; instead I wanted someone who invested their time in the well-being of my child! It was tough to find what I was looking for, and became discouraged. This became more of a challenge when my second daughter was born. I realized that with the expectations I was looking for, I was meant to be the childcare provider! I knew exactly what I was looking for and how to achieve it. My background experiences and training ensured that being a childcare provider was the right path for me.
"A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove ... but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child."
About Faithful Friends Childcare
I offer an early preschool curriculum. I do not order a box set of directions. Instead, I choose to design my lesson plans and activities around the personal interests of the children. All lesson plans focus on education, such as alphabet, colors, sounds, shapes, numbers, opposites, rhyming, animals, people, and more! In addition to learning valuable educational tools, your child will be learning numerous life skills. I promote independence by having child-friendly labels on drawers and storage bins. I help children practice manners, follow rules, and listening skills. We will have themes to continually reinforce and practice what we are learning. Music and movement is an enjoyable time for children as studies show it develops creative thinking, fine motor skills, and stimulates the part of the brain that learns. Several times a week we will have exciting, creative arts and crafts time! We will have plenty of story time with our collection of books, as well as a rotation of library books. Along with our lesson plans, we have children's devotions where we talk about various Bible stories and the life lessons God has created for us.
Our schedule allows for plenty of free-play! I have toys and activities for children of all ages. There are many different types of toys that appeal to our senses and needs. Baby and toddler toys stimulate repetition, sorting, organizing, noises, textures, colors, and lights. Preschool toys focus on hand-eye coordination and creative, imaginative play with friends. We also have an art easel to encourage creativity, coloring books, puzzles, games, and dress up. When it is time to play, I like to be involved with what the children are doing. I don't sit by and watch. I interact and ask questions to encourage conversation. We have a large backyard with a swingset and slides to play on, as well as numerous outdoor toys. I believe your child will get a very well-rounded experience when they come to Faithful Friends Childcare!
Why choose home childcare?
Every parent must face the challenge of deciding if a home daycare or center daycare is the right choice for them. It can be a difficult, stressful time researching what would work best for your family. After working in a daycare center for two years, I learned a lot about what I would want for my children.
Benefits of a home daycare
*Individualized care ~ This is so important for children, especially during their first years of life. Needs are met, routines are established, and close attention is given.
*Siblings stay together ~ In centers, children are often separated by age. This can be very stressful on children, considering they are already away from their parents. Being together brings comfort and peace.
*Personal Relationship ~ This holds true for the parent and provider, as well as the child and provider. I can give you a daily report on your child and get to know their needs. We can work together in making decisions about what works best for your child. I offer newsletters to keep you constantly involved in what we are doing each week. The child benefits from knowing their expectations, anticipating the day's events due to our daily schedule, fully understanding our routine, and not enduring the stress of the potential change in providers every day. Children may get attached to providers and be devastated if someone quits.
*Growth from each other ~ It is proven that children benefit greatly from being around kids that are older and younger from themselves. Older children learn to assist younger children, therefore gaining a sense of pride from being someone younger children can look up to. Younger children are very observant and learn from watching and experiencing. Many try to imitate what others are doing.
*Establishing close friendships ~ Of course there are kids of all ages at a home daycare and a daycare center, however the lower child to adult ratio at home daycare allow for children to get to know their friends on a closer level. This also leads to everyone being more willing to accept sharing, taking turns, playing together, and including each other.
