Caridad Hernandez
Home Child Care Provider
February 25, 2019
In Caridad Hernandez’s home child care, every child is a part of her family and treated with love and affection. Through her fourteen years of child care, Caridad has gained much experience and makes her home a learning environment where children can live a healthy lifestyle, both physically and mentally.
"I believe in the children and want to teach them. In order for them to learn, the first step in our day is to start with good nutrition. It helps them to be alert, active and ready to learn.”
Caridad compares nutrition to the foundation of a home. If your foundation is not made of the correct components, the home cannot stand. At all mealtimes they eat together and discuss the importance of food as building blocks for their growing bodies. The children recognize food as their foundation for a strong healthy body and mind.
With the idea that childhood should be valued and not rushed, Caridad helps strengthen little bodies with physical activity. Children experience inside and outside activities like dancing and exercising, along with simple child play. They move around their community walking to the fire station, police station, and library. Mentally, they are growing as they are constantly asking questions.
Caridad stresses the importance of family time both in her home child care family and with the children’s home family. She leads by example by eating, playing and learning together with the children and asks that parents do as well. Along with the foundation of nutrition and Caridad’s encouragement for learning, the children are both physically and mentally ready for their school years and life.
From Hazleton, Pennsylvania, Caridad has been a CACFP participant through Lehigh Valley Children's Centers since 2004.