West End Academy Daycare

West End Academy Daycare

5311 McKamey RD
Knoxville, TN
, 37921

865-690-1720

7am to 6pm

105 - 130/50/60-125

Laura Fair

We are a faith based, nonparochial daycare. We offer pre-k for 3-4 yr olds, hot, nutritious meals and lots of love and fun.

 One of the most important things we can teach our children is to love themselves. They need to know they are worth loving, they are special, and they are smart. If a child is made to feel they are stupid or bad, they will meet those expectations. Praise your children or students. Give them opportunities to succeed. Avoid situations that will make them feel they have failed. Listen to them, make eye contact with them and respond to what they say. This makes them feel like they are worth listening to and that they are important.
 Another important thing we must teach our children is respect. Respect for all other living things. Respect for authority is critical. Without this, our children will not have a chance in the world we live in. This lesson starts at home and should be practiced at school. Parents and teachers are a child’s first authority figures. How we teach them to respect us is how they will all other authority figures in their lives. Do you want your child to argue or be rude to a police officer or their bosses? This could leave your child without a job or in jail. You deserve respect from your children; you do not have to earn it. None of us is perfect and making mistakes does not strip you from your right to demand respect from your children. It is not only a right, but your responsibility to teach your child respect.
 Boundaries! Recognize them, accept them, and challenge them. We all have boundaries that we must live within. Your children should start learning this from the beginning. There are legal boundaries and there are social boundaries. Allowing children to rule their world does not help them in the long run. Learning to clean up after yourself is a very basic lesson in boundaries. Not hitting other people, or taking toys away from others are lessons in boundaries. Keeping food in the kitchen or toys in the bedroom is a lesson in boundaries. We do have to be allowed to challenge our boundaries. If we blindly accept every boundary set for us by the law or by society we do not leave any room for growth in ourselves or our community and world. Help children learn to question boundaries yet respect them.
 Every child is an individual. There are no set standards or rules that can be applied to the development, education, or personality of a child. I do not believe that a child should be evaluated by any stringent guidelines. Be proud of each child for who he/she is as an individual. Help them learn things that they should learn but do not stress you or them out about how quickly they learn.
 Anytime you meet an unruly child you will hear or say “That child needs more attention”. Or you will hear “That child is spoiled rotten”. So we attribute bad behavior to two totally opposite judgments. I do not believe there is any such thing as holding a baby to much or giving a child to much attention. A child is spoiled when they never learn respect or boundaries. Positive attention only reinforces a child’s self esteem, confidence, and security in their life. So yes, “That child needs more attention”. It may be positive attention or it may be attention to the lessons of respect and boundaries. Love them! No matter how ugly they act, love them. Discipline them, but know the difference between discipline and punishment. Teaching discipline is one of the most loving things we can do. Know how to apply natural consequences as punishments whenever possible.
 We have to provide consistency in our child’s life while helping them learn to adjust to change. Be consistent with rules and expectations. Provide routine in their day. Help them face change head on and do not be to rigid in your routine.
 Help your child learn to accept the consequences of their choices. I think that is what the experts were talking about when they said to give your children choices. At lease that is what I hope they were talking about. Children do not need to many choices. They are not prepared to deal with too many. They will feel more security when you make decisions for them. As they get older, give them a little more room to make decision and let them live with the consequences of those choices.

Have fun! Remember, they are kids. They just want to have fun. So lighten up, be silly, and enjoy our children.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and again, feel free to discuss any of these things or others that concern you with me at any time.