Did you hear about the CDC?

I learned about the CDC when I was pregnant with our now three year old, Lucy. I kept hearing fantastic stories about the place. How it is not just a day care, it's more a school with an amazing ratio of teacher to students (mostly thanks to practicing early childhood education students), a great atmosphere, and high standards. One of our colleagues who had a child there told us jokingly that the place had one bad side- it is spoiling children. His son told him that teachers in his room scratch his back when he cannot fall asleep, and he demanded the same at home.  :-)

We were warned that there is a long waiting list and that we should file paperwork as early as possible. As new and quite ignorant parents to be, we decided it must be an exaggeration and took our time putting our unborn baby on the waiting list. The idea seemed rather crazy. So, we were very surprised that we did not get accepted when we were planning...  Lucy started CDC when she was 14 months old - We survived thanks to my mom who put her whole life and career in Poland on hold and came for 10 months to be a full-time grandma.

Lucy was born with club feet. She has to wear corrective braces during the night and during nap times.  We were warned in Iowa City at the UIHC Ponseti clinic that many preschools don't want to deal with that kind of extra burden, so we were worried that we would have to look for alternative ways to make sure that Lucy would have her braces on at least 16 hours per day. Worry no more!  Lead teachers in her room had no problem learning how to deal with Lucy's feet, and they trained others.

Once in a while you hear bad stories about preschools in the area, so I want to share with you ones from the CDC. My first bad memory was when my daughter told Danielle, her classroom teacher, that she loves her. I was right there and I thought that my heart will break from jealousy!  Second was when Lucy was disappointed that there is no school during the weekend (how dare they!). Later came the moments when she did not want to be picked up earlier (mom, it's group time now, my friends need me), and using school to negotiate ( but my teacher read to me three stories before the nap time! ). When Lucy's progress with potty training was stalling, Danielle told us to stop putting on her diapers and let her, the teacher, worry about all the mess. Lucy was making great progress in a couple weeks. (Unfortunately, it all reversed the moment Lucy's twin sisters joined our team!)

Because I am not an American, I did not know any English nursery rhymes or children's songs. Lucy on the other hand was bringing home a new song or story every couple days. I was very happy when the CDC adopted classroom blogs as a form of communication with parents. Blogs filled with our kids pictures, short videos, descriptions of the activities, educational resources and also hyperlinks to websites where I and other foreign parents could listen to the songs that our children were learning at school and learn along too. 

The moment we learned I was pregnant again we put our unborn baby on the waiting list!  Poor Candice had an extra challenge when she learned that we will have twins!  After a time of nail biting we were accepted!!!!  Lilian and Vivan have loved the place since day one (another painful moment haha). They are 6 months old now and doing activities that I wouldn't even think to do with infants. For example they were painting with ice cubes while study the polar regions and finger painting black and white artwork (panda bears) while learning about Asian countries!

My husband and I serve 200+ future teachers in the College of Education every semester.  We can do that because we know that our kids are nearby and well taken care of.  I felt such a "mother guilt" when I came back to work after my short maternity leave. But seeing how much my girls are learning and how greatly their brains are stimulated, little bodies nurtured and treated with love, I don't feel as bad anymore. Actually, anytime we are not sending Lucy to school we feel guilty that we are depriving her of a great education.  She is looking forward so much to see Donna and Leann, to answer the question of the day posted on the door to her classroom, to work with Word Wizards (UNI students working with CDC friends to raise their phonological awareness), to the visits by Reading Buddies (first grade friends), to P.E. with Mrs. McCumber, music education with Mrs. Grey, walks to the UNI library for story time with Mrs. Yolanda Hood...  but most of all, she loves to play in the loft with her BFFs Alma and Cathy.

Spring is here! Observe our little munchkins walking around campus, playing near the campanile, walking to visit the dinosaur in Latham Hall (The Earth Science Department), or Mrs. Yolanda in the library. They are UNI CDC kids, and they are purple for life!

Magda Galloway

Mom of Lucy, Lilian and Vivian

UNI Instructor/ CDC Policy Board Member