Get to know the inside scoop from some of our current families!
This month, the Marks Family From Toddler AM shared their experience with us! This stellar, fun loving family joined WFP in the 2023 Infant Class and have continued since then. We are so glad to have them!
1.Child age or class: Sophie, Age 2
2. How long have you been a part of WFP?
We started at WFP last year for the 2023-24 school year in the Infant/Pre-Toddler class!
3. Why did you decide to attend WFP?
I had always heard such wonderful things about co-op preschools in our area, from friends and family, and I loved the idea of being able to be present in class too. I loved the play-based philosophy and I was interested in the parent ed portion and being able to help and participate in the school. I was particularly interested in WFP because a dear friend of ours had gone through the program with both of her children and always raved about it. Her children are now in college and a Senior in high school, but she still talks about how special the school and its members were.
4. What is the best part of WFP?
The best part of WFP is that it feels like such a warm, natural fit. From Day 1, Sophie has felt comfortable in the environment here. She has always taken a little time to warm up to new people and a new environment, but she immediately felt comfortable exploring and playing (with mama check ins too of course). We love our teacher, Heather, and are thrilled to have her for a second year. She has always been wonderful with keeping the classes structured enough, yet been open to flexibility and “reads the mood of the room” quite well. Parent Ed has always been very relatable and I’ve learned so much, whether it be from Heather or the other parents. Lastly, we really love all the variety of play-based learning and that the children can really just gravitate towards whichever activity sparks an interest at that moment.
5. What changes have you seen in your child since beginning WFP? What have they learned?
Some of the changes I’ve seen in Sophie during our time at WFP are more confidence, better at sharing and better at following directions. Also, there are little things, such as Sophie is now a huge fan of eating blueberries, after we signed up to do the watering at the preschool for a week during the summer. When she realized she could eat them right off the bush, they were suddenly much more delicious!
6. What changes have you seen in yourself? What have you learned?
Changes in myself since starting at WFP – I think I’ve learned to be a LITTLE less critical of my parenting and whether or not I’m doing everything well enough. I found it so helpful to start our time at WFP in the Infant/Pre-Toddler class because the format was a bit less structured and we essentially had parent ed and “check-in” time every week. This gave a lot of opportunities for discussions about different things we were encountering in our parenting journey and it was so helpful to hear the thoughts and advice from Heather and the other parents (especially since most of the other parents were second or third time parents). Everyone is just really down to earth and mostly have similar values and goals when it comes to raising their kids. I’ve learned so many tips and ideas of different ways to approach different situations in raising Sophie and it’s been really helpful to have a “safe place” to bring up various concerns or challenges, as well as share milestones and exciting things I’m experiencing as Sophie’s mom.
7. What advice do you have for families considering WFP?
If possible, start with the Infant/Pre-Toddler class. I think it’s a great transition into the more structured years at the preschool, gives so much opportunity for lots of parent ed and discussion, and it’s a great opportunity to start socializing your little one more as well as to meet other parents, likely wanting to raise their children in a similar way.
We hope you enjoyed hearing from one of our returning families at WFP!