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Message: Here's a great article I found at www.northwestnavigator.com: -- Today’s working parents can face a number of challenges when confronting the daunting task of supporting a career and caring for a young child. The conflict between work and family can leave many wondering just how to balance these important aspects of one’s life. It’s imperative to spend as much quality time with a child as possible, but how can this be done when there are bills to pay? Fortunately, one such solution exists through the Navy Child Development Home (CDH) program. Through the program CDH Providers are essentially given the opportunity to run a private day care from their own house. This allows a CDH Provider to spend that desired time with their child in a family setting through caring for other working parent’s children, all while providing another source of income to the household. However, the benefits to being a CDH Provider extend well beyond. As a CDH Provider, parents will receive complete support from the program. Regular visits from CDH professionals offer on-site assistance and advice. Providers will also benefit from the other CDH homes in their area through sharing resources and acting as a support network. CDH Providers can also look forward to the monthly training on child-rearing skills - all provided at no charge. These valuable certifications and classes in Child Development and Early Childhood Education are transferable to any Navy installation and can be applied directly toward college credit. Other CDH Provider benefits include: - Start up kits with electrical outlet caps, cabinet safety locks, first aid kits, forms and handbooks keep initial costs at a minimum. - Cribs, high chairs, fire extinguishers, educational materials and other equipment is available free to check out from the CDH Lending Locker. - Low cost liability insurance - Participation in the USDA Food Program - CDH provides promotion, advertising, and referrals Cinnamon Maffitt has been a CDH Provider in the West Sound for a little over a year. She looks after 5 children in her home at Jackson Park including her 22-month old son Hadden. According to Cinnamon, both she and her child benefit greatly from involvement in the program, “Hadden enjoys the close interaction from the other children and the full curriculum I’m able to personally plan for him each day. As for myself, I love the fact that I can make my own hours with this job. Whether someone is more a morning or evening person, there is an opportunity to work when you wish.” The parents of the children in Cinnamon’s care agree in the program’s benefits. Hospitalman Mary Cisney of the Naval Hospital Bremerton recommends others to CDH due to the family setting and close personal attention each child receives. Her three-year old daughter Audrey has been enrolled for two years and has recently been joined by 7- month old brother Jack in the CDH program. “Audrey absolutely loves to going to Cinnamon’s...sometimes she doesn’t want to leave when I come to pick her up,” her mother said. West Sound CDH Director Sandra Evans is always looking for new providers who are interested in building a career and making a difference in children’s lives. “From our point of view there can never be too many CDH Providers,” Evans said. “The more we have in the program, the more we can help families with their child care needs.” Department of the Navy family members, Department of Defense (DoD) family members, and non-DoD civilians are all eligible to become dual licensed-certified CDH Providers. For more information on becoming a Navy child care provider or enrolling your child into a local program please call your local Child Development home office: West Sound, NBK Bangor or Bremerton CDH, (360) 476-4760, ext. 5; North Sound, NAS Whidbey Island CDH, (360) 257-6116; or East Sound, NAVSTA Everett CDH, (425) 304-3690. http://www.northwestnavigator.com/index.php/navigator/regionalnews/cdh_offers_working_parents_options/
