You might be considering whether Woodland Park Co-op is the best fit for your child and what they might learn.
For us parents and caregivers, the community at the co-op is also truly a treasure trove of inspiring characters to learn from – especially if you are trying to learn how to raise your kids in a respectful, gentle and nurturing way.
So here is a slightly tongue-in-cheek account of some of the ‘types’ of caregivers you might encounter. In reality, we often embody most of these each and every work day:
The Empath
You are most likely to hear them saying: “I’m so sorry that happened”
Their vibe: Heart-centered
You can recognise them by: Whatever the problem, the children gravitate towards this person, knowing that they will come out of the interaction feeling seen, heard and understood.
The Alpha Mommy
You are most likely to hear them saying: “Tell me about it”
Their vibe: Quietly regal
You can recognise them by: Kids who don’t even know this person will come to them for hugs if they are upset.
The Fact Checker
You are most likely to hear them saying: “That’s developmentally appropriate at their age”
Their vibe: Reassuring
You can recognise them by: This person is most likely your parent educator or a member with experience of loads of toddlers/ young kiddos.
The Roughhouser
You are most likely to hear them saying: “Are you playing?”
Their vibe: Poised
You can recognise them by: They tend to be in the middle of games of chase or roughhousing – also ready to step in and make sure play stays safe.
The Mediator
You are most likely to hear them saying: “I’m noticing you both want to play with this toy, I’m going to hold onto it while we figure out a solution.”
Their vibe: Centered
You can recognise them by: This is a role we all play in the co-op.
The Creative One
You are most likely to hear them saying: “Yes, I see your magic wand! What are you going to turn me into?”
Their vibe: Playful
You can recognise them by: Ribbit, ribbit.
The Grounded one
You are most likely to hear them saying: “Yelling over here hurts our ears. If you want to let it out, go to the top of the hill”
Their vibe: Solid, stable, secure.
You can recognise them by: Literally nothing fazes them.
The Magician
You are most likely to hear them saying: “Saying that to our friends can hurt their feelings, but we can call each other silly names, what’s the silliest one you can come up with? Mine is rutabaga!”
Their vibe: Humourous
You can recognise them by: Turning pain into fun, with light-heartedness.
The Warm One
You are most likely to hear them saying: “Do you want a hug?”
Their vibe: Affectionate
You can recognise them by: They will have two or three kids in their laps at story time or in the reading nook.
The Safety-Conscious One
You are most likely to hear them saying: “Sure you can climb up there, if you can get down by yourself.”
Their vibe: Confident
You can recognise them by: They’ll be the one watching like a hawk
The Connector
You are most likely to hear them saying: “Can you find a friend to help push you on the swing/play that game/water the garden?”
Their vibe: Encouraging
You can recognise them by: They’ll be warm and welcoming to all the kids and caregivers.
Woodland Park Cooperative School 