ABOUT ME:
My name is Rhonda Strycharz. I have been a Family Child Care Provider since June 2000. I graduated from Central Connecticut State University, with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, in May 1991. I worked for a Child Care Center for one year, as the Infant Room Head Teacher. Following this, I was a Nanny for the next 8 1/2 years, until I opened Rhonda's Romper Room.
I am a state licensed, first aid, and CPR certified child care. I attend monthly meetings with our local daycare association, NWCARE ( www.nwcare.org ), where we have speakers, professionals, as well as fellow providers to seek advice, ideas, knowledge, etc. from When I am able to, I attend classes that further my knowledge in many areas of my profession.
HOW I GOT TO WHERE I AM NOW:
I married Glenn in October of 1996. When we were house hunting, we were looking for a house that I could run a home daycare in, without having it take over our home. When we found this house, we were very excited because of the layout. Because I did not get a job as a school teacher, due to lack of teacher positions in any schools, I planned to open the home daycare when I had a child.
Our daughter, Victoria, was born in May 1999. She actually came to work with me, when I was a nanny, for her first year! Then, I opened my home daycare. I have been working at home ever since! In March 2008, I also took on the newest venture in my life, home schooling Victoria in the elementary grades. I am able to work with her and not have it disrupt my time and attention with my daycare children. It is a wonderful experience for everyone involved.
I have always wanted to work with children. My original plan was to be a teacher. When I graduated from college there were few job openings, so I pursued other alternatives, but stayed in the same field. Each job experience has offered me the opportunity to expand my knowledge.
A member of
Northwest C.A.R.E. child care association
nwcare.org
MEALS:
I participate in a federally funded food program and receive money each month as reimbursement. Children are offered breakfast, lunch, and p.m. snack daily. Children are allowed to bring their own meals if they desire. Food brought from home for meals should be comprised of healthy foods, please.
A DAY IN RHONDA'S ROMPER ROOM FAMILY CHILD CARE:
Each morning the children are offered several different things to do. They can work on puzzles, build with blocks, drive cars, trucks, and trains, color, draw, or watch television. This is all done while all children are arriving to start their day at Rhonda's Romper Room Family Child Care.
During our Preschool and Circle times, we work on the calendar, weather, season, what we should be wearing each day due to the weather, our topic of the day, the letter and number of the week, and color and shape of the month. Then we do a project, where children use their fine motor skills while cutting, coloring, painting, gluing, and / or tearing. We also read stories, sing songs, do some large movement exercises or dance, and get ready to go outside. Each Thursday we do something special. It could be a cooking activity, science experiment, social studies project, or holiday project, to name a few ideas.
Outdoors the children run, skip, gallop, balance, climb. swing, slide, jump, balance, and get a lot of large motor and physical activity. They have bats, balls of all sizes, hula hoops, jump ropes, frisbees, swings, climbers, cars, play houses, and a sandbox. Our play area is 40' X 32'. It is filled with Playground Safety Surfacing woodchips. Children are also able to run around in our large, grass filled back yard.
We do have to walk to the bus stop several times a day. This is a terrific time for group discussions about the changes we see! We live in a beautiful area and are always able to see the leaves changing, animals, neighbors, all sorts of neighborhood things. It also guarantees outside time and exercise for those children that don't really want to play outside.