With the opening of her new daycare in Malden, Ms. Mamyrah knows finding joy in everything a child does can sometimes seem challenging, but that is how she approaches her role as a caretaker and teacher for young children. Ms. Mamyrah will use that love of being around children as a foundation for the opening of her aptly named daycare, Little Happy Beginners, which is scheduled to open in her Malden home in the coming months.
“I am my cousin’s baby’s godmother, and I have a brother who is much younger than I am. When I was a teenager and young adult, I spent a lot of time taking care of both babies when they were really young and as they grew older,” explains Mamyrah. “Even before I had kids, I was taking care of kids, and that was great because I love being around them. I find so many things that kids do to be funny and joyful. I have always wanted a career that would allow me to teach and care for kids, and now I know that leading my own daycare is how I will accomplish that dream.”
“I also know how hard it can be as a parent to take your kids to daycare,” comments Mamyrah, reflecting on her own experience. “I know what I went through, so I can explain my priorities very clearly: safety is my number one priority, and I also really focus on keeping kids happy.”
In fact, the theme of happiness is so important to Mamyrah that she wrote a song about it. “We are, we are, we are, little happy beginners / And we are gonna stay happy all the time, all the time…” sings Mamyrah, providing a sample of the original sing-a-long tune she plans to use daily with the children in her daycare. In addition to sing-a-longs, music, and dance, Little Happy Beginners will include circle time, storytime, arts and crafts, quiet time, and lots of indoor and outdoor play. “My son likes all kinds of books,” says Mamyrah, referring to another one of her favorite activities to do with kids. “My favorite books are the ones that I can immediately sense kids enjoying as I read to them.”
As a NeighborSchools Provider, Mamyrah has a team of childcare and FCC experts helping her secure her license (Family Child Care Providers are licensed through Massachusetts’s Department of Early Education and Care), design her program, market her services, and manage her business systems. That team will continue to support Little Happy Beginners as Mamyrah settles into her new role and welcomes families into the daycare based out of her home in Malden. “I love NeighborSchools,” says Mamyrah of the support she’s receiving as she prepares to open. “I have a lot of experience working with kids, and they’re helping me turn that into professional experience. I was happy to meet with members of the team, and they’ve really helped me by showing me how to do the things I didn’t understand.”
With help from NeighborSchools, Mamyrah is fulfilling her dream of having a career that involves working with kids. And though this represents a new chapter in her many years of caring for children, Mamyrah will remain focused on the perspective she has as a parent. “I want parents to know that their kids will be in good hands,” she states emphatically. “I will take care of them like I take care of my own child. That’s how I see all kids. Being with them is like being with my own. There’s no difference when you are a mother.”
Learn more about Mamyrah’s daycare in Malden here.
