Kiddie Academy Hosts Storytime LIVE!

This is a sponsored post written on behalf of Kiddie Academy. All opinions are my own. 

It's the time of year when the weather can be slightly unpredictable and unseasonably cool to try to plan an outdoor activity for your children. Whether it's rainy or chilly, it's a good idea to have an indoor activity that the kids will love.

When my daughters were younger, one of our favorite activities was story time. Whether we had our own at home or ventured out to attend one at a local library or book store, we always looked forward to the chance to get lost in a few books. My own love of reading started early, and it was always my goal to foster a love of reading in my children.

Reading aloud to your child has proven lifelong literacy benefits. However, while reading a story, it’s also important to stop to talk about the story to further engage your child in the process.  You can ask questions about the story, talk about the emotions related to the story, or even create an alternate ending. You’ll elevate story time from a passive to an active pursuit, making for a richer, more valuable experience.

Kiddie Academy®  has taken story time one step further by bringing a book to life right before your child's eyes. Kiddie Academy offers a unique story time for children and their parents with its Storytime LIVE!, a free community event where the beloved literary character, Curious George, jumps off the page and visits the classroom in person!

Kiddie Academy, a nationally recognized provider of educational child care programs, has been teaching children and helping them discover more about the world around them for 35 years. Kiddie Academy offers full-time care, before- and after-school care, STEM programs, and a summer camp program for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years.

Storytime LIVE is open to the public not just currently enrolled students at Kiddie Academy. So grab a friend and visit Storytime LIVE this Saturday, September 30th at any of these locations:

• Jackson
• Marlboro
• North Brunswick
• Secaucus
• Watchung Square
• West Caldwell
• Springfield

Do your children love storytime? If so, will you be attending Kiddie Academy's Storytime LIVE! to see Curious George? Find the location nearest you and register here: http://www.kastorytime.com/

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Kiddie Academy: Case Study ~ Gauds and Sahejpals

It's not uncommon for friends to go into business together. For many, combining skill sets and pooling resources is the perfect recipe for success. Such is the case with 2 couples who joined forces to open two thriving Kiddie Academy franchises.

Pramod and Ravinder Gaud and Neeraj and Bala Sahejpal opened their Kiddie Academy franchise in April 2006 at 521 West Capital Expressway, San Jose, California, while in their early 30's. Though the Kiddie Academy brand was new to the area, the Gauds and Sahejpals succeeded in building bonds in the community and setting themselves apart from local competitors. Charged by their success, the Sahejpals acquired another academy, located at 205 E. Middlefield Road in Mountain View, California.

Background: With a background in early childhood education, Ravinder began looking at the opportunity to start her own child care business. After she and her husband Pramod decided to explore franchising as opposed to a home-based, independent business, they soon discovered Kiddie Academy. Pramod and Ravinder asked their good friends, Neeraj and Bala to join them in their business venture. Having a background in business and marketing, Neeraj saw it as a terrific investment and was interested in the business endeavor. Bala, who has a Master’s degree in Computer Applications, was pregnant with the couple’s second child and was excited for the opportunity for her children to be able to reap the benefits of quality child care.

Goals: The Gauds and Sahejpals are continuing to build momentum at their two locations by focusing on community outreach projects, staff development and emerging trends in technology. They have set these goals in motion by facilitating several fundraising activities to support local causes and opened an academy computer lab featuring eight computers. With enrollment at both their academies growing, plans are in the works to open additional academies in the broader San Jose area.

Challenges: The Gauds and Sahejpals found the two biggest challenges to be establishing themselves as a leading child care provider in an area where no other Kiddie Academy locations existed, and learning to balance the day-to-day activities with the responsibility of running a business. Despite those challenges, they have continued to persevere and build enrollments.

Results: The couples’ commitment to success has resulted in continued enrollments and an established presence within their community. Parents are continually impressed with Kiddie Academy’s exceptional curriculum and safety features. The Gauds and Sahejpals find satisfaction in being at their academy and seeing their children attend. They have been dedicated to making their academy a home away from home for not only themselves but the Kiddie Academy families they serve as well.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. However, all opinions expressed herein are solely mine.

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Kiddie Academy: Case Study ~ Sparta, New Jersey

I love a great local success story! I especially love one where people have pursued a passion. Here is an inspiring story of Kiddie Academy franchise owners who followed their dream.

Jill and George Malanga opened their first franchised Kiddie Academy in July 1996 at 233 Sparta Avenue in Sparta, New Jersey, at ages 50 and 59, respectively.

Fueled by their overwhelming success, they opened their second location at 179 Cahill Cross Road in West Milford, New Jersey, in September 2004. Unlike owners of other child care concepts in the area, the Malangas treat each parent and child as they would a member of their own family, regularly going above and beyond to provide the best service possible.

Background: Jill was a franchisee for NutriSystem, but shortly after the birth of her first child she wanted to shift her attention to her son. When it came time to select a child care facility for him, the options in the area were not up to her standards. As a result, she decided to open a Kiddie Academy franchise, not only for her son but for other parents in the community looking for a better option. George, a former high school teacher and 30-year veteran of the music industry, saw the success of his wife’s venture and decided to follow in her footsteps with a second location shortly after his retirement in 2003. Each time they see a satisfied parent or hear a student’s laugh, the Malangas know that their decision to become Kiddie Academy franchisees was the right one.

Goals: For George and Jill, giving parents peace of mind is their top priority. They regularly consult with parents to provide the best possible service to their children, including waiving the tuition for any student with a parent deployed overseas. With enrollment at both academies nearing capacity, the Malangas are also considering opening a third location in the area.

Challenges: Maintaining the company’s cozy, nurturing atmosphere is always one of Jill’s top concerns, since she operates one of the largest Kiddie Academy facilities in the United States. Kiddie Academy’s innovative curriculum and hands-on approach to educationally-based child care keeps the academies inviting and personal. Jill and George want each parent and child to maintain the special feeling of being part of their Kiddie Academy community.

Results: Jill’s constant drive to make her academy the best it can be has paid off over the years. Events such as date nights and shopping days, as well as pancake breakfasts and end-of-the-year recitals, continuously receive rave reviews from parents and children alike. Not only has she received several awards from both her franchisor and the local community, she has also made quite a difference in the lives of the children who attend her academy – an achievement that cannot be measured by a certificate or plaque, but instead by the smile on a child’s face.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. However, any opinions stated are my own. Factual information was provided by Kiddie Academy.

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Kiddie Academy Franchising Opportunities

I can remember when our search for a preschool began. We had a list of reasonable requirements, but we were willing to make compromises. We toured many facilities and labored over a decision. Finally, we made a choice and enrolled our daughter, who is now 9.

Looking back on her first year of preschool, I can now say that I was never totally satisfied with our choice of preschools that year. There were several reasons for my regret. It was a combination of my high expectations and not being able to find exactly what we were searching for.

If I could have only created my own preschool and daycare center...It would have been perfect!

Today that's possible thanks to Kiddie Academy Child Care Learning Centers. Kiddie Academy has been providing educationally focused daycare for over 30 years. Currently, Kiddie Academy is expanding throughout New Jersey and is looking for passionate individuals and/or couples to open franchises in the Garden State.

Looking to grow professionally while still being able to have personal time to enjoy your favorite activities? Do you want to set your own schedule? If so, becoming a Kiddie Academy franchisee is perfect for you.

If you have an entrepreneurial spirit with a desire to run your own business, Kiddie Academy is looking for you to become a franchisee.

Kiddie Academy is committed to the success of each individual franchise and will support each franchisee to meet their strategic growth goals and to ensure success.

Pieces of a Mom will be featuring Kiddie Academy franchise success stories through the end of March. In the meantime, for more information on this wonderful opportunity, visit the Kiddie Academy Franchise Website.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

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An Artist's Rendition and Mystery Reader

Last Friday, I volunteered to be a mystery reader in Harper's preschool classroom. It was exciting for me, and and a complete surprise for her. She had absolutely no idea!

After I read the book that was chosen for me by the teachers, the children played a game, and then they were seated at the tables to do an art project. Their task: to draw something they remembered from the story and include the mystery reader somewhere in the drawing.

As the children drew their pictures, I wandered around admiring the work of the budding artists. Although they were all magnificent, one of them caught my attention. Harper's classmate and friend, Brady, is quite the Picasso. His attention to detail is envious. I don't think I'm as detail oriented as he is...even as a grown up!

This is how I was depicted by Brady.

Check me out! He captured it all: my boots, jeans, trench coat, hoop earrings, and my hair in a ponytail.  And look, he's even got me holding my camera!!!! I look better in his drawing than I do in real life!

Something tells me in 25 years, we'll all be paying big bucks to hang his artwork on our walls!

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Days of the Week - a catchy tune

When I visited Harper's preschool class for the Mother's Day celebration, the children sang a bunch of songs. Here's a clip of her singing the "Days of the Week" song. Cute jingle!

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Movin' on up

It's unbelievable to me that I have a second grader and a preschooler. It seems as if Emma just had her first day of preschool. Now it's Harper's turn.

Emma's first day of school was uneventful. It's old hat to her by now. The bus thing doesn't faze her. After all, she's one of the big kids now.

My second grader ready for her first day!

My preschooler...not so ready for her first day. Underneath this forced smile were tears just waiting to break through. After 3 days, I'm happy to report that our drop-offs are getting easier.I miss my babies!! :(

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Catch Up

Sometimes I feel as if I have dangling posts. You know, those posts to which I never follow up. So, in an effort to tie up some loose blog ends, here's a post giving an update on a few recent posts.

1. I wrote here about my recent 2-day hospital stay. Last Tuesday I received the results of my blood work. All the lab work came back normal, and as a result, my general physician thinks the problems I am having stem from high blood pressure. He suggested that I buy a home blood pressure monitor and take my BP 6 -9 times per day, and follow up with him in 2 weeks. My monitor arrived today, and I've begun collecting my data!

2. I've written about the long road to choosing a preschool. Monday was registration at our first choice for Harper. It began at 12:00 pm. When I arrived at 11:15, I was the 23rd person in line. The first person arrived at 9:00 am. Crazy! After an hour long wait, Harper was enrolled in the time slot that I preferred!! Yay! I'm so happy. By the time we made it to the front of the line, there were only 2 spots left in the class that I wanted. We were lucky! Whew!

3. Do you remember that art easel that I wanted to makeover? Well, I did. Here are the before and after pics.

Before
After

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Making our preschool rounds

Is it really that time already? Time to start touring preschools? I can hardly believe that my baby is three and she'll be off to school in the fall. I remember it clearly when I did the tours with Emma. I procrastinated like crazy and didn't start the research until late August. Yes, that was a mere 2 weeks before Emma was to start school. I panicked about availability. I worried that there wouldn't be a spot for her anywhere. I won't put myself through that again.

Since we no longer live in the same town that we did 4 years ago when Emma entered 3-year preschool, we can't send Harper to the same preschool Emma attended. And I wouldn't choose to do so...I wasn't incredibly fond of the school. We've got to take a look at a few schools. Now, I'm not fanatical about where she goes. This isn't the Upper East Side of Manhattan. We have no plans to throw $50,000 at her preschool education. But I want to be somewhat selective and prioritize what's important to us. At this point, socialization is our top priority. Since she's been home with me since birth, her exposure to other children has been limited. Other than her several, weekly activities, the time she has spent with peers has been minimal.

We toured a school on Monday and loved it! It offers a 2-day/week class for 3-year olds with a choice of 1 of 3 time slots. Because it is operated in conjunction with our local municipality, registrants must be residents of our town. It's located at our local recreation center, which conveniently, is located 4 minutes from our home. Yay! I love that!! I was impressed by the curriculum, and the average tenure of the teachers is 10 years.

I want to get her in to this school. But, and it's a big but, there is no open registration. Registration begins on April 27th. First to show up are the first to secure a spot. So, can you guess where I'll be on the morning of April 27? Yep...camping out at the rec. center!

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