Position: Lecturer in childcare at Bracknell & Wokingham College
- What was it like taking a year out to work with children in Malawi andNepal?
The experience was so amazing I feel dislocated being back in England.For three months I worked in a school in the mountains of Nepal. The oxcart went past twice a day, boys got buffalo milk from the dairy and thenearest town was an hour's roof-top bus ride away. For five months Ihelped out at an orphanage in Malawi.
- What surprised or shocked you the most?
I'm shocked by how much is wasted in childcare in England. In bothorphanages the kids ate everything on their plate.
- How did you learn from your trip in terms of childcare?
I realised how much we pander to our children. As parents we are far tooindulgent and kids aren't given enough responsibility. In Nepal the kidshad to wash their own clothes and were looking after the goats. I tookthem trekking and not one of them complained once. They even wanted tocarry my backpack.
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