Crafting, Mending, and Modelling in the Parent & Child Program

​In Parent and Child Groups, when (or if) our hands are free as the children play, some parents and caregivers engage in mending clothing from home or crafting toys or seasonal decorations to take home. 

​"In an age of phones and virtual communication, it is such a privilege to do work with my hands while my child plays independently."

​Having our attention on our own work provides good modelling for the children and helps some of the older ones, in particular, to play independently with parents close by. Skills such as sewing the blanket stitch, visible mending, working with felt fabric, and needle felting are learned along the way.

The satisfaction of making and mending things by hand can replenish the energy which is naturally, and necessarily, depleted in the full time work of caring for children in early childhood.

Mulberry is the highlight of our week. Being a stay at home parent can be isolating, particularly with a toddler, but our mornings spent with Mary at Mulberry always fill our buckets. In an age of phones and virtual communication, it is such a privilege to do work with my hands while my child plays independently. She loves the routines of our school morning and she talks about them throughout the week. The songs have made their way into our daily lives! We've built friendships with other parents and we've both learned from the wisdom of our "classmates". Mary is an exceptional educator who makes everyone feel welcome, leads the conversation in an objective manner, and challenges us all to think critically about child rearing in the 21st century. Each week feels like a really awesome dinner party!
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-Isabelle
Parent & Child program / 2024