Posted: 10/26/04
Great attitude and environment make Bethís daycare a winner
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
A love of kids, a great sense of humor, and a beautiful country setting.
Those are three of the main ingredients in Beth Klinskiís successful day care in rural Caledonia.
Klinski was recently chosen as as Daycare Provider of the Year by fellow members of the Houston County Licensed Child Care Association.
I visited with Beth for about an hour on October 20 to do a story on her award. It was nap time when I arrived at 3:15 p.m., so the house was quiet (for a short time).
As we visited at the kitchen table, the first thing to strike me was Bethís sense of humor and happy misdemeanor. She has been blessed with that. It lies just below the surface, and not many sentences pass before a hearty laugh comes out.
She got into daycare in about 1974 when she started taking care of Al and Lucille Fruechteís kids at her home at the bottom of Schauble Hill, north of Caledonia.
She received a day care license about 12 years ago when she and her husband, Allen, moved to their current home on the former Dewey Strub farm in section two of Mayville Township.
Beth applied for a license so she could take care of more children and bring in an income. She is now licensed to have 10 children, with three under the age of two.
ìI enjoy staying home and taking care of kids,î Beth said.î And my kids were all getting big so I needed my baby fix,î she added with a laugh.
A typical day for Beth starts at about 5:30 a.m. with a workout at Shapes in Caledonia. Daycare starts between 6:30 and 7 a.m. The children eat breakfast, then watch television while she does dishes.
Then they do crafts and coloring, and play. If itís nice, they go outside.
Then itís lunch, read a story, and take a nap. After kids wake up, they play, watch TV, and eat a snack.
ìWe try to go outside as much as possible, weather permitting,î Beth said. Thatís where their beautiful farm comes in. There are places to play and explore outside, and lots of farm animals too, like ducks, turkeys, chickens, horses, and cows.
As we visited, children started to wake up from their naps and wander into the room. Beth got them settled with books in the living room, and held some on her lap. There was constant movement, but Beth was able to keep visiting with me while dealing with the kids.
I asked what she liked about her job. ìI love playing games. I like teaching them crafts.î
After a short pause, she continued, ìI just enjoy being with the kids. No matter how bad your day is, they can always make you smile and laugh.î
Whatís the hardest part? Beth said she most dislikes cleaning. Then she added that the hardest part is getting different personalities to meld together. Some kids are strong-willed, some cry easily, some are bossy.
Training and classes help her with her job a lot, she said. So does a food program that offers funding for her to provide balanced meals.
Is the job draining? ìItís pretty, should we say, stressful,î Beth answered with another laugh, giving a hint to what might be the best antidote to that stress.
Reading helps her unwind at the end of a busy day, or ìvegging outî in front of the television.
She is honored to have received the daycare provider award. ìMaybe a little overwhelmed. I feel happy.î She said it is good to know that her fellow daycare providers felt she deserved the award.
Beth said she has met many great children and parents over the years. ìI appreciate the support that they give me, their respect. And Iím thankful that they let me take care of their kids.î
By the time our interview had ended, the room was filled with kids. Beth managed to get their coats and shoes on as we headed outside for a photo. Some of the bigger kids helped the smaller ones. It seemed chaotic to me, but Beth was patiently and firmly in control.
I asked a parent who had stopped in, Sandy Jennings, what she thought of the daycare. Sandy prefaced her comments by saying that her daughter, Haley, had only been coming to the daycare for about three weeks. But Sandy likes it, and said that Haley had adjusted well. ìIt was something I was really worried about,î Sandy said. She likes the country atmosphere, and the crafts. Then she asked Haley, age three, what she likes. ìGo outside,î Haley answered.
Beth and Allen Klinski have five children (of their own); Jennifer Johnson, 32, Duluth; Theresa Longhorn, 30, Columbia, Maryland; Amanda Pohlman, 26, Caledonia; Jeremy, 24, La Crescent; and Kevin, 19, a student at Winona State University. They have five grandchildren. Allen is a beef farmer, and also works at Badger Corrugating in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
About Beth Klinski and the day care association
Houston County Licensed Child Care Association (HCLCCA) gives a Daycare Provider of the Year award annually.
HCLCCA is a member of the Minnesota Licensed Childcare Association.
Dawn Felten, an association member, provided the following information explaining why Beth Klinski was chosen as Daycare Provider of the Year.
ìBeth has been active in our county association and served as president elect and president. Actively attends conferences and association meetings. Helps in marketing childcare in the community. Last year organized and worked at the booth at the family fair sponsored by the Caledonia ECFE. She is a graduate of the Minnesota Licensed Childcare Association(MLFCCA), Essential Elements for Childcare providers. This involved a 24 hour commitment on Bethís part for eight consecutive weeks and one Saturday for 8 hours in ITTI (specialized Intensive Training for Toddlers and Infants)
Dawn gave the following information about the local daycare association:
Our association isÝa memberÝof the Minnesota Licensed Childcare Association. More info on this at www.Ýmlfcca.org
Our president is Lisa Selberg in La Crescent. Started in 1984. This is our 18th or 19th provider honored over the years. ÝHCLCCA goals are to offer child care providers the training, assistance, and support needed to help them care for the children in their homes. To promote quality child care by increasing public awareness of the family childcare profession, and to make licensed childcare a respected profession in the community.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com