About Joyful Noise -- An alternative to institutionalizing

• Philosophy
• Daily Schedule
• Chris' resume

The Nanny
Community

Children in our society are weakened by poor nutrition, media saturation and expectations to perform academically at a younger and younger age.   Play strengthens them and I take it seriously, striving to provide a safe, nurturing environment where they can unfold imagination, independence and reverence as a solid foundation for all that is to come.   Joyful Noise is an alternative to institutionalizing young children.   Instead of being overwhelmed they are secure and soothed, yet stimulated.   Here where their natural explorations are not interfered with they have the freedom to truly discover themselves.

Much of the philosophy surrounding child care at Joyful Noise arises out of the Waldorf tradition of education.   This influence brings an appreciation of:

• the importance of nature as a teacher,
• simple toys made from natural materials,
• honoring the rhythms of the day and the year,
• observing the child,
• and the inner development of the adults who care for children.

Woven into this you will find other compatible philosophies of child care derived from a lifetime dedicated to learning about and caring for children, and the ever-evolving wisdom that each day on that path brings!  My practices are in keeping with my beliefs that in their first, most important, years young children need to be nurtured and strengthened in a mindful, peaceful way for the tasks that they face later in life.

Since this family has been growing since 1981, it is a little more extended than most. It consists of many parents and many children. Some of us sleep overnight in our house, but most of our family arrives just in time for breakfast and departs just before dinner. We spend the day like most families: laughing, singing, eating, resting, cleaning, learning, hugging, crying and kissing.   But what unites us is not genes and a mutual family tree; instead we are connected by love, caring and a genuine concern about the quality of our lives.   I feel that if children leave our home knowing that the world is an exciting and beautiful place to be, and that they are an important part of this world, then we all have accomplished something worthwhile.