It is always International Women’s Day said the owners of Exploring the Puddle Early Learning Centre in Williams Lake.
“We work with amazing women and they really hold each other up. We would be nowhere without our staff now and our staff from the past,” said Faren Lozier who co-owns the centre with Sheilah Olson. “We’ve been so lucky.”
Both women grew up in the Cariboo.
Olson in Riske Creek and Lozier in Williams Lake.
Originally Olson wanted to be a kindergarten teacher but while studying at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops she learned about the early childhood education (ECE) program.
“I found out some more information and switched to ECE,” she said.
Originally Lozier thought she would go into child psychology but when she started the ECE program she realized how much fun it was.
The two women met while working at Little Chiefs Primary School for Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN) and said eventually they decided they wanted to venture out on their own.
“When we opened up here I knew I wanted it to be how we grew up - being outdoors and on the land,” Lozier said. “Being at Sugarcane and learning the teachings about the land out there was a huge component that we brought in here as well.”
Olson said she enjoys building relationships with children and seeing them develop and grow.
“When you see them get those little milestones they have been working toward achieving, it is so great.”
It could be as simple as putting on snow gear for themselves, she described as a victory.
As an ECE, she can also help build positive relationships about learning that will hopefully continue when the children go to school.
Their learning centre also has an emphasis on community and making connections.
“We want the children to be part of the community and be little community members,” Lozier said. “One of our goals here is not only to be walking through the community but getting involved with businesses.”
Giving an example, she said Lo’s Florist donates items for crafts and the children will walk by and look in the store window or go inside and chat with the staff.
For Valentine’s Day the children received rose petals from Lo’s they then used for sensory bins.
Olson and her husband Cory have two children - Ayden, 5, and Brynlee, 3.
“I love being a mom,” she said, adding she has been able to bring her children to work with her.
Ayden will start school in the fall and Olson is realizing she will be having to do what other moms do - leave him with someone else five days a week.
“It’s going to be a big adjustment.”
Work-life balance means spending time with her family, she added.
“We enjoy baking. I enjoy riding my horses. It’s about just being aware of taking the time to recharge because it is a high burnout job. Faron and I both work part-time so that helps.”
Lozier and her husband Kyle Lozier also have two children - Norah, 6, and Elodie, 4.
Being a mom has not been as easy as Lozier expected it would be considering her education, she said laughing.
“They definitely challenge me in great ways, but I have learned so much from being a mom about myself and as an educator as well.”
Lozier leans on extended family a lot, she admitted.
“I’m so thankful to have my husband’s family here and my family here. It really takes a village.”
Agreeing with Olson, she said it is interesting as ECEs what they can apply to being a parent and what they cannot.
“Some things are completely different when it is your own kid,” Lozier said, confirming they will get each other to deal with each other’s children if needed.
Sometimes not being in the same room as their own children works best.
“When my daughter was in the toddler room and I was on the floor working with other children she found it difficult because I was her mom,” Olson said. “Now that she is older, it is easier.”
Presently they have 67 registered families, and the number grows in the summer by 10 or 12 more.
Inspiration for the business name was twofold.
While working in Vancouver as ECEs they were outside constantly, even if it was raining which happened a lot, so they knew they wanted puddle in the name.
“With Williams Lake being called the puddle it was fitting and we knew we wanted go be going out for walks and exploring the community,” Olson said.
Both women said they feel valued by the families who have children in the centre.
“How I am feeling about my son going to kindergarten, I can only imagine how parents feel leaving their whole world with us and having the faith and trust in us to look after their loved ones,” Olson said. “That alone says a lot.”
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