FOR GROWNUPS
What is most important to you as a parent, grandparent, family member or caregiver? Every family brings new meaning to a community as well as unique needs.
Within confidential focus groups, local mothers told us how they spend their time, how they deal with the isolation of long New York winters, and what they feel is missing from this area. They expressed a desire for more places to go in the winter, with age appropriate play spaces. Many also expressed a deep desire to foster global awareness in their children. All valued local support and play groups. It was even suggested that we have more "focus groups" just for fun--so moms can actually talk while their kids play!
In a similar focus group, local grandmothers shared their thoughts about the needs of this community. We found that grandparents are doing everything under the sun with their grandchildren, including play doh, cooking, sewing, baking, painting, gardening, tea parties, dress up, and in the words of one enthusiastic grandparent "doing a lot of clapping!" Some even mentioned making snow-angels and ski-jumping on the wii. They expressed concern about the intense schedules children keep these days, while noting a lack of activities for children too young for kindergarten. They expressed a desire for more kid-friendly cultural events in the area and more opportunities for kids to make cross-cultural connections. They all wished for a clean, safe place to have playdates outside of private homes and not associated with fast food.
The goal of Oneonta World of Learning is to be, first and foremost, a local resource, a place for children and their caregivers to reconnect within a larger community.