Taking community guidance

‘We are allies’

The new owners of The Little Kids School in Vaucluse speak to The AJN following concerning comments shared on Facebook.

Annika and Harri outside The Little Kids School, Vaucluse. Photo: supplied
Annika and Harri outside The Little Kids School, Vaucluse. Photo: supplied

For Marion, Harri and Annika the main priority at The Little Kids School in Vaucluse, formerly Yeladim and then Kiddy’s, is the safety of the children.

“We are allies,” Annika told The AJN, speaking after pro-Palestinian rumours were spread on social media. “It’s a bit disheartening when we’re really trying so hard.”

Over the weekend, images were shared on a public Facebook group showing a ‘ceasefire now’ sticker which had allegedly been planted on a sign outside the daycare centre, alongside a comment allegedly made by the new owners. The post was flooded with concerned comments from community members, as well as parents of children currently at the daycare centre trying to set the record straight.

According to the Facebook post, someone tried to peel the sticker off before going inside to talk to one of the owners.

“I asked her if she knows that there’s a Palestinian flag on her signs, she said she knows and it’s horrible what’s happening there now in Palestine,” the post reads. “She’s the owner, she runs it with her son. They both knew it’s there and told me we need to be careful who we speak about Palestine with because there’s some Jews in this area.”

But Harri said it’s all a misunderstanding, explaining that when the woman referred to “flags” they believed she was referring to the new “enrol now” banners.

“Once she clarified that there was a pro-Palestinian sticker on our banner, we explained that it was not us and Marion made a comment about how upsetting things are with everything going on.”

Harri explained that they immediately went outside and removed the rest of the sticker. They were later heartbroken to hear about the Facebook post.

The Little Kids School is a boutique family-owned and operated early childhood education and care service which was started more than 40 years ago.

The sticker that was plastered on the daycare sign. Photo: Facebook

The family is not Jewish but is trying its hardest to keep the culture embedded in the centre, especially given so many of their families are Jewish.

“I love the culture, and given so many families here are Jewish, I’m excited to have that as part of our teaching culture,” Harri said. Annika also explained that she often reads PJ Library books to the children at her other centre in Penrith, and teaches them about Chanukah, despite having no Jewish families there.

“We have extensive knowledge in the early childhood profession. I live and breathe it,” she said. “And the National Quality Framework talks about the need to embed your centre in your community’s needs. So, if that’s the needs of the community, why would we change it?”

The family acknowledges that they’re not Jewish, but they cannot help that. What they can do is listen to the educators who have been there for years and listen to the families.

“We don’t feel that politics really has a place in early childhood. We’re open to everything, but we will let the community guide us, and we’re not going to do anything that’s going to be offensive,” Annika said.

The centre celebrates Shabbat every week as well as the chaggim, and provides a kosher service.

Annika and Harri both say that at the end of the day, they want to ensure the children are safe and that families feel comfortable sending their children there.

For many children, daycare is a home away from home. And Marion, Harri and Annika don’t want a rumour to potentially ruin a family’s experience, especially to the detriment of a child.

“I encourage people to come and meet us. Talk to us, have a conversation and have a look at the centre,” Annika said. “We will do whatever we need to do to keep the children safe, first and foremost, and the children’s happiness is our main priority.”

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