THE ECE COMMUNITY - What's Happening with Child Care Businesses During Covid-19?





FIVE MINUTES WITH:  Kelly Macdonald and Bonjour Childhood Wellness Centre

Tell us a bit about your business, centre or school, home care or program, how does it tie into the field of Early Childhood Education?

Bonjour Childhood Wellness is a Reggio Emillia inspired home-based daycare. Our focus is on expressive arts and wellness.
We also have evening life skills workshops for young adults with Down syndrome.


Who is your clientele?  Who uses your program the most?  Or, how can ECEs benefit from your business?

Currently, the children attending are aged from one to four. The young adults attending the life skills workshops are late teens and early twenties.


Do you do any workshops?  Can a childcare or classroom have you in to visit?                  

Kelly is the ateilerista for the program. She visits local daycares to offer expressive arts programs.

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How do you manage juggling child care and business (making the fit between child care and a business enterprise)

I have an assistant that delivers some of the daily programming. I am able to attend to business related activities when needed during that time. Also, I set aside time when the last child leaves to address business related activities.


How has the recent lock down and quarantine affected your business?

We have been unable to operate since 15 March. I have kept in touch with the children online. I am a photographer and have a “Beyond My Window” photography project. I have photographed and chatted with our children and those in our life skills program through my window when they pass by our house. I also have used the time for programming.


What is the most rewarding or successful part of your business?

I document our activities daily. It is rewarding to see each child develop creatively as individuals. It is also rewarding to see the children develop their social skills - bonding and supporting each other. It is rewarding to see the pride that the day care children and the life skills young adults take in their accomplishments. It is rewarding to know that your efforts have a longstanding impact. I have kept in contact with children that were previously in my program. They have thanked me for sparking in them an interest in art, reading, and music.

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 Any pitfalls?

I have been involved in childcare for 22 years. I have encountered many challenges through those years. Now, I am aware that each day may bring its own challenges, and I am prepared with the skills and experience to address them. The key is always to keep positive and know that there is a solution to every situation.


What advice would you give to someone who wants to go into your type of business?

You must be flexible. Each day is different, and your plans for the day may need to be reconsidered at a moment’s notice. You must have a passion for children and for helping them develop.

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