Jennifer Sims
Home Child Care Provider
January 10, 2017
Jennifer Sims has the natural gift and ability to take care of children. Starting with her own eight siblings, Jennifer cared for the younger ones just like they were her own and served as the neighborhood babysitter, inviting kids to join their group. As she worked towards her certification, Jennifer served as an assistant at a home child care provider and the true testimony to her abilities came as that child care home closed. The families asked Jennifer to stay with their kids and even set up a facility for her.
Jennifer now has her own in-home child care where she serves to separate shifts, during the day and after-school care, with children ranging from birth to 13 years old.
Parent relationships are critical. Each day, a log is sent home. This details the child's meals for the day and what they ate, tasted or wouldn't try. Jennifer even asks what she can do differently, knowing the kids might eat a certain food at home, but not with her. In addition to the daily log, an organized, color-coded menu system is displayed for anyone who visits. She happily shares her system with fellow providers at trainings through her sponsor.
Jennifer's focus above all else is the kids, as she strives to find what makes each child their own person. If the kids need a different order to the room, she moves things around. If one learns better with numbers, shapes and letters on top of their favorite cars, she doesn't hesitate to place them there.
"I have a diverse population. I want every child to feel welcome, as if this is their home away from home, and know they will be taken care of."
Along the way, she has cared for kids with autism, sensory disorders, hearing disabilities and Down syndrome. She understands that kids don't always see things the way we see them, and works nonstop to find what will work to make everyone successful at her home.
From Parkersburg, West Virginia, Jennifer has been a CACFP participant through Child Care Food Program since 2008.