Rose Garden’s vision for virtues

ROSE Garden Childcare Centre in Lilydale is having an open day on Saturday 21 February.
Between 10am and 1pm parents will have the opportunity to look over the centre and meet the staff.
The Rose Garden philosophy is about creating children who are friendly, caring, respectful, co-operative and peaceful,” said licensee Ferruccio Baiocchi.
“Character formation starts at birth and ends around six to seven years of age.
“Does it not make sense that childcare should be the first formal education that a child is exposed to, especially when it comes to character education?”
Mr Baiocchi said Rose Garden Childcare had identified this need and worked together with parents in bringing out virtues in children.
Their character education program is called ‘The Virtues Project’ and Mr Baiocchi says it has been acknowledged by the United Nations Secretariat as a “model global program for families”.
“Imagine your child doing as he or she is asked, being friendly and kind to siblings, being respectful and co-operative with teachers when at school. These are some of the life skills that Rose Garden teaches children,” Mr Baiocchi said.
He said staff attended regular training sessions so they could bring those skills to the children.
“In doing so, their attitude also changes into caring, friendly, united and joyful staff. This benefits the children enormously who so love coming to the centre each day,” he said.
Director Deborah Norfolk has worked for many years in childcare. She said when visiting the Rose Garden centre in Sunshine she was particularly taken with the peaceful atmosphere.
“In all my years of childcare I have never seen a 30-child room so peaceful as that one,” she said.
The open day will enable parents to see for themselves the environment in which the Rose Garden program is delivered, as well as providing an opportunity for children to have fun.
The centre will be open from 10am to 1pm and there will be face painting and a jumping castle to keep the littlies entertained.
Rose Garden Childcare is at 35 Cave Hill Road in Lilydale. Phone 9735 5366.