Nearly eight years ago, a single mother with two young sons came to BANANAS looking for child care. Her youngest son, then 4 years old, had never spoken a single word, not in Chinese (his mother’s native language) nor in English. She worried that she needed to find a child … Read More
Tireless Advocate, Passionate Leader: Remembering Carol Thompson
It is with immense respect and deep appreciation that we remember child care leader Carol Thompson. A tireless advocate for families, she worked to help create a child care subsidy program that could support parents, children, and early childhood educators. For 35 years she lead the staff at Child Care … Read More
How to Spot the Signs of Child Abuse: Information for Child Care Providers
By Freelance Contributor Jane Sandwood A new child abuse case is reported every 10 seconds. The United States has one of the worst child abuse and maltreatment records among all industrialized nations. As child care providers, we deal with children each and every day, who may be among these numbers. … Read More
Teaching the Next Generation of Early Childhood Educators: Client Success Story
Part of the work we do at BANANAS involves coaching early childhood educators to improve the quality of child care programs. Our Quality Improvement Coaches spend time at licensed child care centers and family child care homes to discuss ways to improve and support implementation of health and safety, engage … Read More
Community Care Licensing: Child Safety
As child care providers and parents, we all want to keep children safe and to ensure their environments are set up to prevent accidents. The California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division is responsible for promoting the health, safety, and quality of life of each person in community care … Read More
It’s Week of the Young Child!
Welcome to Week of the Young Child! Today is the beginning of a week-long celebration of children, teachers, families, and early learning started by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Each day has its own theme to inspire learning through a range of fun, educational activities. At … Read More
Tips for Parenting Children with Dangerous Food Allergies
By Guest Blogger Dolores “Dolly” Santos of DollyMath.com Being a parent is challenging enough. You are constantly dealing with schedules, babysitters, and mealtimes. When you add a dangerous food allergy into the equation, suddenly you find that even the tasks that should be simple, like dropping your child off at … Read More
Five Simple DIY Projects To Make Your Home More Accommodating For a Child with Special Needs
By Paul Denikin, Guest Blogger from DadKnowsDIY Having a child with special needs can be one of the most amazing, eye-opening, and frustrating experiences a parent can have. The amazing part comes daily; the frustration comes when it’s time to find the best ways to comfort, teach, and love our children … Read More
Overnight, Weekend, and Evening Child Care from Gma Village!
In today’s society, many low-income parents work unpredictable schedules and demanding hours. For low-wage workers, the challenge of finding and paying for child care during weekends, evenings, or overnight can be overwhelming and seemingly impossible. Traditional day cares typically operate during daytime hours, leaving parents with non-traditional work schedules unsure where to … Read More
Post-Election Tips for Domestic Employers
Now that the election is over and a new administration is preparing to take office, there is a lot of uncertainty about the future. At BANANAS, we work closely with families who employ in-home caregivers—nannies and babysitters—and with the loving community of people who provide in-home care. We know there is … Read More