ELIZABETHTOWN — The availability and structure for providing day care for children has been changing in the North Country over the past four decades, as witnessed by former caretakers Gay Olcott and Dawn Fenton.
Olcott began her child care in September 1985 after her youngest of five children was born. It was partially due to what she called “empty nest syndrome,” since the other four had started school. She estimates she provided care for 100 youngsters over the years.
Licensed child care providers, such as Olcott, have been required to take 30 hours of training per year.
“I had to make out and keep paperwork,” she said.
In 2003, Olcott went even further and took the 120 hour Child Development Associate Preparatory Program at Clinton Community College, of which she is most proud.
Most likely partially due to the stringent obligations, there are fewer in-home providers. On a two block section of Water Street, there had been five home daycares. If one provider was unavailable due to an appointment or illness, which was rare, the others would be available.
Now, none exist.
There was some public assistance, such as for food.
“I had to keep a lot of paperwork for this and had to have menus. It was free for the kids. I have also received equipment from the state, such as playground equipment, but I definitely didn’t become a care provider for the money. I never charged more than what I gave,” said Olcott.
Today, many of the local youngsters who would have gone to home care providers attend the Early Bridges program, a collaborative partnership between Boquet Valley Central School and Adirondack Community Action Program, Inc.
Olcott feels they are missing out on some of the advantages of an in-home climate.
According to the Early Bridges website, “We have combined BVCSD and Head Start staff to provide a unique program that focuses on the whole child and their family. Early Bridges is available free of charge to district and/or Head Start-eligible three- and four-year-old children who are residents of BVCSD.”
Among the benefits Olcott cites was, and still retains, the love from and to her.
“The kids I had called me ‘Gay-Gay,’ though my grandkids call me ‘GG.’ Once, I went off the road in a heavy rainstorm. The deputy sheriff came up to me and asked, ‘Gay-Gay, are you alright?’ I am glad I have made a difference in their lives,” she said.
Former child care provider Dawn Fenton lives across the street from Olcott.
“I was a care provider for 15 years. I had been working for Essex County. When we began adopting kids, I would have had to find daycare for them, so I started providing for others,” she said.
“Of course, I love children. When I got married, I had wanted six kids. I was one of 10 children.
“Often, if I had a child in my daycare, within a couple of years, I would take in another one from that family. I did more than just watch the kids, I started doing pre-K lessons. I would say, ‘It’s circle time,’ and the kids would do worksheets, which they would then take home in a folder. They loved it.”
Like other providers, Fenton had a waiting list. Often, it was for the next child in a family.
Her house became a second home.
“When parents came to pick up their kids, they often didn’t want to go home. They felt so comfortable here,” Fenton said. “Eventually, after the younger kids ‘graduated’ from my daycare, I decided not to take in any more. However, I still wanted to be with kids, so I became an aide at ELCS (Elizabethtown and Lewis Central School).”
Over the years, providing home care changed, as New York state would modify the requirements.
“When they changed something in the city (New York), they would change it up here. For example, I could no longer allow the kids to go up a flight of stairs in my house. I also had to provide a monthly menu. This became too much, so I had the parents make lunches for their kids,” Fenton said.
The rewards of providing love for youngsters continue.
“Several years after I discontinued daycare, I was at a NYS Police traffic stop. All of a sudden, one of the troopers, who I had as a kid, came over to my car, called me ‘Dawnie’ and hugged me,” Fenton said with a smile.
The kids would call her husband, “Paulfenton”.