The Sunday Traveler ~ Casa de Los Angeles in San Miguel de Allende

 

The Sunday Traveler spent the month of March this year in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico to volunteer at Casa de Los Angeles. Casa is a free day care center for single working moms (and a couple of single dads). The children, that range in age from about 3 months to 4 years of age, are in classrooms according to age; some classrooms are headed by a certified teacher, and those teachers in other classrooms not certified are overseen by the certified ones. There are lesson plans and teaching that fills the day at every age level, even for the babies with songs and music, tactile stimulation and colors.

The teachers are assisted by volunteers who do whatever is needed, from changing diapers (lots of diapers), to helping with potty training for the toddlers, to helping the older kids with art work, and outdoor free play at recess. Oh, and there is helping with meal times

The children are served breakfast and lunch, with their day beginning at 8:30, and going home time around 3:30 or so.

For everyone at Casa de Los Angeles, the day is busy with a lot of activities, and before the day’s close, all of the kids are changed into a clean set of clothes, and washed up to be squeaky clean for their trip home, most by bus. It’s a matter of pride for these moms to be seen with their children looking top notch.

The moms “pay” back Casa by providing one hour of work at the center for every day their child is there. Needless to say, the center is also squeaky clean all the time with the moms putting in their time throughout the week. While I was there, there were about 80 children in attendance, and the capacity is at about 100.

I’ll just go into a collage of photos from here to let you enjoy some of these cuties I had the honor of knowing and helping. And, just an fyi because I know some may wonder, there is a waiver the moms sign, and photos of the kids are allowed.

My weekdays were full helping here, and I fell in love with each child…and with the work done by Casa de Los Angeles. I’ll leave a link here to their website where you can learn a little more about it, and please note there is a donation button to make donations if you can help; this is how Casa is funded. I highly recommend this center as a wonderful place doing so much for some of the low income families in San Miguel. If you have any questions, please e-mail me (e-mail on my profile page).