It's Your Oregon: Laurie's House
Laurie Todd has been providing community and natured-focused childcare out of her home for 14 years. She specializes in in-home programs for infants and toddlers.
Laurie's House, Portland, OR
Laurie Todd: Portland, Oregon
Laurie Todd has been providing community and natured-focused childcare out of her home for 14 years. She specializes in in-home programs for infants and toddlers. Laurie nurtures a close knit community by asking parents to make a three year commitment and only caring for four children at a time.
Outside of her home, Laurie is a long time environmentalist and naturally integrates eco-healthy practices in her daily life, such as washing and saving plastic bags. The parents she serves are conscious of these issues as well, so when she heard about the program, she thought: “Why not be certified?” She thanks the Eco-Healthy childcare program for raising awareness about environmental health concerns among parents.
Laurie’s childcare excels beyond the Eco-Healthy checklist. She used to require that parents agree to use cloth diapers, but now approves of biodegradable options such as those offered by G-Diapers or 7th Generation. Laurie recommends not using commercial baby wipes, because of all the packaging waste. Instead she recommends a Montessori approach which involves softening paper towels in warm water and a bit of olive oil for a baby’s bottom.
Another Laurie-approved eco-tip is to compost and grow a garden! The first group of kids that she cared for are now 14, and they fondly remember helping with the compost. She doesn’t teach these practices; children learn by doing. And parents whose children attend Laurie’s childcare have to be comfortable with their kid’s getting dirty. Laurie believes that there is a certain amount of unwarranted fear about having children outside; she bucks this trend by cultivating a relationship to nature.
When Laurie is asked what her “curriculum” is, she often responds “berries”. She grows six kinds, and kids learn their colors that way, when the strawberries get really red they are ripe enough to eat. When you are little and get to eat all the berries you want, you learn life is good.
Click here for information on how to become an Eco-Healthy Childcare.
