Open arms welcome Fairchild children

Published July 24, 2007
By Staff Sgt. Connie L. Bias
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Amidst a rush of miniature socks and jumbled shoes, order and loving discipline envelop chaotic movement. Calming joy holds up a baby's tired cries in a bright living room, and on a backyard swing-set, patience stands firmly behind a reprimand.

Welcome to the homes of Fairchild's childcare providers, who spend their days (and often their nights and weekends) watching, raising and teaching children on the base. A small, dedicated group of less than 20, these women speak enthusiastically about a work schedule that frequently surpasses even the notoriously long hours of active-duty work. One provider, Brianna Evans, is open 17 hours a day with no complaint.

"I love it!" she said. "You're busy all the time; I am never bored. It's a challenge, too, because there's always something new. If it's not potty training, it's something else."

With her age range of 21 months to 4 years, it can indeed seem like "something else." A former house-plan drafter, Mrs. Evans opened her home to daycare children a little less than two years ago, and now watches 11 children total (though just six kids at one time, per regulation.) While her former career offered a set work schedule with regular clock-out time and off days, she's now up "at the crack of dawn," every weekday, and even keeps going through the weekend - every Saturday she plans swimming, skating or other group activity with the parents of her daycare kids.

"I like to spend time with the parents and the kids together so we can all feel comfortable with each other," said the provider. "I feel like if the parents are comfortable with me, the kids will be even more comfortable."

This above-board devotion to time and care has marked Mrs. Evans as one of the best childcare providers on the base. In fact, in 2006 she was named Fairchild's Child Care Rookie of the Year, a local award honoring a provider in her first 18 months of caring for children.

The Family Child Care office also chooses an annual Family Childcare Provider of the Year, and that award recipient goes on to compete at the Air Mobility Command and Air Force levels. Childcare provider Tobie Dreiling was honored with the award locally, and is currently waiting for AMC results.

"I was really excited about the award," said Mrs. Dreiling, adding that one major reason she's successful as a daycare provider is that she's "had some great mentors and instructors."

In addition to the amount of time these two providers spend with children each day, they also have to complete official childcare study modules in order to obtain their Child Development Associate and become accredited through the National Association of Family Child Care. Beyond that, providers like Mrs. Dreiling often choose to dedicate even more time to study - she has logged more than 30 hours of personal training this year and almost 270 hours in the past two years. Much of that time is dedicated to special needs study. Currently, three of Mrs. Dreiling's daycare children need special care.

"I always keep a spot open for special needs children, and my daily schedule is probably a bit stricter than most homes because the special needs kids need that," she said. Her kids range in age from four months to 8 years, and she said she teaches the older children to help out with the young. Just like Mrs. Evans, Mrs. Dreiling keeps her parents as involved and informed as possible.

"I give each child a new disposable camera every few months and have their pictures developed," she said, explaining one of her techniques to share daycare events with parents. "I scrapbook some of the photos - I have a scrapbook for every child - and then I give the rest of the photos to the parents. Parents miss a lot, and this helps to involve them even when they're not here."

"They're both naturals," said Jane Drake, Family Child Care director, of the two providers. "Brianna is very positive with the children, and her home environment is incredible ... and Tobie does whatever it takes to provide the extra care her special needs children require. She also constantly opens up her home to people moving on and off the base."

And that warm, open home environment is what it often boils down to. During the constant surprises and busyness of little lives and the long hours required of daycare providers, parents of children in these two women's homes know one thing: their young ones are loved, welcomed and well cared for.