Testimonials
Sasha
My daughter and I moved to the area a year ago. She was 15 months old, and meeting new people was a challenge for me. A friend in another town recommended the Early Years Family Centre, and I’m so glad she did! As soon as we walked in the door of the Sacred Heart location, I felt like we were at home. The Centre offered so many amazing activities for my daughter to explore. The lights and sounds were dimmed to avoid over-stimulation. And while there were music and movement classes available, they in no way pushed my very shy little girl to participate when she wasn’t ready. And when I needed to return back to work abruptly, the ECEs kindly game me childcare suggestions. They always provide a listening ear and a helpful hand.
My daughter was a late talker. I was concerned about a speech delay. The ECEs and Speech Language Pathologists were so friendly and helpful! They gave me suggestions of things to try at home, they eased my anxiety, and gave me numbers of professionals to call when I needed. I am eternally grateful for their support and professionalism, and I highly recommend them to all my friends and neighbours!
Dennie
The Early Years Family Centres have been so important to me as a parent. I knew that every week of my maternity leave I had a safe, engaging, exciting place to take my little ones. It gave me a chance to connect with other families, to discuss any parenting concerns with the staff and visiting experts, and to just simply get out of the house! Now, as a Pre-Kindergarten teacher, I cannot say enough about the centres to my students’ families. Regina is very lucky to have three centres. I wish we had ten more!
Alison
My daughter and I were in regular attendance at the Early Years Center in all three locations). We used both pre-registered scheduled and drop in programs. The benefits for us were huge for us: Programs were flexible; My daughter had benefit of toys and materials that were not available to her at home; My daughter, an only child had social interaction with other children; As a first time parent I had interaction with other parents as well as support and advice from trusted and informed staff at the Center; I was able to monitor if my baby was meeting developmental milestones and assist her development through the activities, and resources at the Center; Baby Yoga was a great resource to us both; it assisted me in recovery after childbirth and later supported my daughter in her muscle development; and My daughter had her first exposure to musical instruments and has retained her love of music.
An Early Years Center provides a warm, accepting environment where children and parents can experience learning, social support, early years development and have fun. It was a valuable resource for my daughter and me. I am hopeful that the Centres can receive the funding they need to continue providing the practical resources that support isolated families. I am no longer able to take my daughter to the Centre because of my work schedule, however I feel very fortunate to have been able to give her such a positive experience at the center during her first months. I have recommended this resource to other parents.