Dea's Place
[email protected] Cold Lake, AB, Canada

Hey! Its me, DEA! I am the owner and childcare provider here at Deas Place. I just wanted to pop in and talk a bit about choosing the right place to send your littles. Many of you are heading back to work and need to make the tough call on childcare. Do I send them to a private day home or a large daycare centre? To help ease your mind and make the right choice for your children, heres a bit of what you can expect from my private day home! ... We have far less cases of illness because there are less children in one space. Children of all ages are with children of all ages! The older children learn how to interact with the smaller children and vice versa. With a smaller establishment, the bond between the children is unmatchable. Not to mention the teacher-student bond with a small group size. (They really become part of my family) Constant updates and "what we did today" photos in my private group on FB, along with personal messages. A home-like environment that makes your child feel welcome, loved, comfortable and not overwhelmed if its their first time coming to day care. Flexibility Making the choice to send your babies to someone else is never easy. So please, send me a message or comment below any questions you have. I always look forward to welcoming new families!

The only one who will truly understand, is another mom who is equally as fed up. #momsStickTogether #momlife #Truth

Can we just talk about how quickly time really does fly? When youre a child, time almost seems to go backwards. Once you reach adulthood, mmm still not so bad. But then BAM, you have your own children and you want nothing more than for time to slow right down again. Show us your littles side-by-side in the comments! Lets see all those little faces growing way too quickly.

When a child hands you an incredibly small tea cup and serves you a plastic croissants along side it...you best be eating that shit up, making yummy nosies and asking for more.

There is no doubt about it, this is one of the craziest schools years we will probably ever deal with. Teachers, students and parents are heading into the unknown with 1000 questions, 0 answers and 100 fears. Check out this really great read about making those things a little bit easier for your kids this year. Pay attention to them and make sure you really tap into their thoughts and feelings. https://www.womansday.com/l/g3124/best-back-to-school-tips/

BACK TO SCHOOL! Everything we do here leads up to this moment where the children have been preparing to head off to school. They have been working on social skills, conflict resolution and creative thinking that will make them good classmates. ... Theyve mastered many self help skills, are able to use materials appropriately and can write their own names! They have developed the confidence and independence that will make them great students that will pave the way for later success. Always a bittersweet time.

Are you sending your kids back to school in a few short days? Heres a little bit more information on what to expect when they go back. Parents, a friendly reminder to keep your children home at the earliest signs of an illness. This is no common cold we are talking about, please take it seriously and do your part to keep teachers, day home providers, your family and other families safe. https://www.alberta.ca/k-to-12-school-re-entry-2020-21-scho

We love to put lots of focus on self-help skills and independence like tidying up, opening our own snacks and putting on our own clothes & shoes. Why? To build confidence, important life skills, respect for ourselves and others which paves the path for later learning in school.

Couldnt be more accurate. #happyfriday #momlife

WHAT AN ADVENTURE! Yesterday was quite the day, in all the best ways possible. Early in the day we quickly realized that we only had big kids! (Such a rare occasion). We decided there was only one thing to do...see what kind of shenanigans we could get up too. We grabbed a couple fishing rods and headed out the door. On the way to the marina, we watched a bit of road construction, because who doesnt love big trucks? ... We had fries and ice cream for lunch (Whhhat?!), Brinlee caught her first fish, we got soaked at the splash park (no bathing suits needed) and rode the bus. As a day home provider, planning and structure is needed most days. But I cant tell you how wonderful this no-plan adventure was. Im sure going to miss these big kids when they head back to school.

Some of the best things are created with fingers and a bit of paint!

I bet you didnt know that we are starting a #cheersquad did you?

A little bit of yoga and stretching is healthy for all. Yep even kids can benefit hugely from yoga. Just like adults, yoga helps to promote: better breathing, mental clarity, flexibility, focus, self-esteem and self respect. Plus, it gives us lots of laughs as they topple over trying out a new pose.

Today is Play In The Sand Day and the kidlets at Deas Place had no trouble finding the perfect way to celebrate.

Incase no one has told you yet, youre ROCKING it at this "parenting" thing. Keep it up. Happy Monday Families!

Its been a long time since my baby was a baby, but I can 100% still remember and still relate. Anyone else?

This whole COVID-19 pandemic is scary and truthfully, terrifying for all these sweet little faces. Even as adults we are struggling with the changes, the uncertainties and the fear. Its important that we keep our children informed in ways that make sense to them. We had a lot of fun creating our very own sock masks to help keep us (and our families) safe from these horrible germs.

STOP Let them work it out. Just like many other moments through a childs day, a fight or argument is a prime teaching moment. As you can imagine, a day home filled with little people of all ages and stages quite regularly sees some fighting. But all I see is opportunity. So what does an argument teach a child, when the parents dont step right in and end it? It teaches them: problem solving, communication, conflict resolution and how to understand and regulate emo...tions. It also teaches them to see the argument from both sides. Guiding your kids through these challenging situations is setting them up for great success later. But how do you go about helping them but still leave them in charge of the situation? Start by calmly asking them to work on the problem together. If you see they are struggling or the issue is not getting resolved, try the following: Help them understand the emotions they are feeling Remind them that we can solve the problem with words (not hands or feet) Ask them to come up with a solution, dont come up with one for them Guide them through an apology (both giving it and accepting it) You would be amazed at how well these little warriors can solve a dilemma amongst themselves. How do you solve conflicts at home? Drop a comment below.

Weekends are for family time. Family is everything to me. With the hustle and bustle of every day life, its so important to slow down once in a while and really connect with those closest to you. We LOVE the beach and enjoy spending our family time soaking up the sun. Whats your families favourite way to spend a weekend? ... #beach #coldlake #swim #summervibes #sunshine #albertabeaches #family #lifesabeach #familytime #connect #love #lovinglife

Every summer, (somewhere around #ParentsDay) we put together a little something for all the mums and dads! A beautiful collection of all the great things their kids created throughout the year. These littles work so hard all year on their projects and always get so excited to bring it home and show it off. #parentsday #artwork #daycare #learning #growing #celebrate #kids #kidsart #art

Beach days are the BEST days. #HappyFriday #Sunshine #smiles #beachlife #lifesabeach #friyay #watermelon #coldlake #sandybeaches

A Thursday morning has never looked so cute.

When you have kids, what is guaranteed to come along with it?...other than lack of sleep, a new caffeine addiction and all the love you can handle...MESS! Kids, of almost any age LOVE to get messy. The summer is the perfect time to set up some super sloppy activities and let them go wild! Check out these really fun ideas and engage in a little mess with your kids this summer. ... https://craftwhack.com/what-a-mess-20-awesomely-messy-acti/

There is something absolutely fascinating about watching a child discover and learn about the world around them. #mondaymornings #mondayvibes #grow #love #explore #discover #dayhomeprovider #childcare

Today Im making it #FunFactFriday and #FlashbackFriday. Look at this oldie but goodie! Fun Facts about ME! Did you know that I have two step-children? ... Both are adults now and living in N.S. Taylor 21, is engaged and working as a pharmaceutical technician. Brandon is 24 and has graduated as a mechanical engineer and he just started working designing ambulances. Happy Friday everyone.

When allowing children to participate in risky play that challenges them in an environment that is both SAFE and SUPPORTIVE the rewards outweigh the risk. Here are just some of the many learning outcomes this risky play helps promote: Building trust, strength,self awareness, turn taking, experimentation, exploration, social skills, cooperation, language, turn taking, building friendships, cause and effect, math, science, shapes, respect for self and others, directional... concepts, decision making, self-control, problem solving, spatial awareness, measurement....Can you name a few??? Sure, its always a possibility that someone could get hurt, and no one ever wants this to happen but even the occasional ouch offers more opportunities for learning. Like building confidence and resiliency to try it again, ability to assess situations for potential dangers, memory - what they did and could do differently next time, being more aware of surroundings, expand on the risk management, learning about emotions which provides further opportunities for other children to present empathy, kindness, concern and compassion.... We cant let our own fears get in the way of giving children the freedom to grow and develop. Opportunities to expand on childrens self-esteem, conquer fears and grow confidence lurk around every corner.

How blessed am I to fill each day with all these little beautiful faces.

Although Mondays are NO ONEs favourite...these beautiful little faces do make it a little easier. Heres to you Monday!

Yeah, we all make that face. Its followed by angrily talking through your teeth while threatening your kid but maintaining the smile. HAPPY FRIDAY ALL!

Sometimes in preschool, there are activities that seem to have no real purpose, other than fun of course! But did you know almost all of the activities we do here at Deas Place serve a secret purpose? Like cutting paper for example ...learning to use scissors and cut up paper at a young age actually develops bilateral coordination (both sides of your body working together but performing different tasks). ... It also develops hand-eye coordination, strengthens hand muscles, develops fine motor skills, and promotes focus and attention! Yep, all that from just a pair of safety scissors and a sheet of paper.

No one concentrates as hard as a child with a glue bottle.

What is a family based business? Its a business run by the whole family! Do you remember going into a store that was being run by a whole family? The kind of place where the kids came into the store after school to start working along-side their parents? Where both parents worked hard together to keep their business running strong? ... Well Deas Place is JUST THAT. A family run business. This is Alex, hes my pride and joy and one of the greatest teens I know (not to brag though). Every day he comes in the house and heads right downstairs to my day home before doing anything else. He checks in on his Mama to see how my day was and asks if I need a hand. He always comes to chill with the littles too! Its important to us that our whole family is part of this business, because well...we strive to make our home your childs second home.

True learning learning that is permanent and useful, that leads to intelligent action and further learning can arise only out of the experience, interest, and concerns of the learner. -John Holt Children are beautiful and unique in so many ways, including their learning. While structure can be great, allowing a child to simply learn using the environment around them can do great things. Their interests and natural curiosity with the love and support of YOU, will allow... them to learn things that you cant get from "structured" learning. Read more about the huge benefits of child-led learning! https://genmindful.com//min/benefits-of-child-led-learning

The face you make when you open up your Facebook page and see 300 PAGE LIKES? WHAT? I am overjoyed. I never would have thought that my little business would have this much love and support. I truly love what I do and love every child I have the honour of spending time with, so to see this much love in return just fills my heart. ... Heres to many more amazing years with all the littles and SO MUCH MORE LOVE!

Now accepting payment in the form of coffee. HAPPY MONDAY FAMILIES! May your coffee be stronger than your toddler.

Our logo got a little freshening up! Tell us what you think. FUN FACT! Did you know that these hand-prints are actually mine and my sons? In 2008, he was just a wee 3 then...we were getting messy with some finger paints and VOILA the Deas Place Logo was created.

As we move through the "phases" and parents head back to work, the demand for childcare is higher than usual. In effort to continue to provide quality care while transitioning through the many changes set out by our province, I will not be taking on any new families at this very time. Given the added precautions in the fight against Covid, focus remains on health and safety. If youre in need of services for later on this summer and when these cool kids head to school, Id be happy to chat. Thank you for all the recommendations, inquiries and overall support