Kinder Memories

A message from Matty

I wish I could be a ‘fly on the wall’ at my daughter’s kindergarten because there is so much that I miss out on seeing in Kiara’s life while she is there. I often peek through the office window into her classroom without her being aware of my presence. Here I witness her beautiful expressions, the interaction with her teachers and friends and the concentration on her face while doing her artwork…. And then…. I have to drag myself away and go to work. Having spoken to other mums and dads, I know that I am not the only one who would like to see their child in their own little world at kinder. I have now been to several kindergartens and the reaction from the parents who ordered the DVDs has been great. Quite a few parents told me they weren’t exactly sure what to expect, however when they watched it they were completely surprised and delighted with the end result.

Some questions and concerns you may have about Kinder Memories

Our days are busy enough as it is. We haven’t got time to keep track of something like this…

advertising, order forms ect..

Apart from maybe a few words promoting the Kinder Memories film day to be included in the kindergarten newsletter, all of the advertising and paperwork is looked after by Me. Knowing how busy kindergarten teachers are throughout the kinder programme, you are not asked to keep track of any paper work or lists of children or money orders. in fact there is no time taken out of your programme at all. I have had teachers comment on how easy the whole Kinder Memories day was and the lead up to the film day was all taken care of quietly in the background with the occasional phone call from Matt to make sure everything was fine and that there were no questions or concerns. I make sure that the Kinder Memories experience is a memorable one for all involved.

We are concerned that the kindergarten programme will be interrupted by Matt’s filming

This is a concern that some teachers have expressed and rightly so. I have seen the way most kinder programmes run and the days are very busy with the teachers working very hard to ensure that their programme runs smoothly for everyone. This is why I take on the ‘fly on the wall’ approach and do not interrupt the day at all. Some of the teachers from previous centres have commented on how they at times forgot I was even in the room. I make a point of blending in to the day’s activities. I don’t ask the teachers or children to stop and ‘say this’ or ‘do that’.The beauty behind these DVDs is that the children are filmed in the most candid and natural way possible.

We have a parent that does not want their child to appear in any of the filming. What happens in this situation?

I respect each parent’s choice and if this does arise, I do not film the child at all. However if for some reason he or she has been inadvertently filmed, I make sure they are not included in the editing process. Like they say in the movies, left on the cutting room floor! As part of my introductory letter to the parents I state this quite clearly and give each parent the option to sign a form and return to the kindergarten prior to the film day. However out of all the kindergartens I have been to, this issue has not surfaced once.

We would really like to have a chat to a teacher who has experienced Kinder Memories first hand. Is this possible?

This can certainly be arranged. I have a number of teachers from different centres who would be more than happy to have a chat about the Kinder Memories experience. Please contact me anytime and I will organize this.

How can you justify the cost of a Kinder Memories DVD?

I take great pride in producing both the ‘general’ and ‘individual’ DVDs. Being a dad myself I know that if I were to buy a Kinder Memories DVD, I would hope that it was worth the money, of a high standard and that it captured my daughter in a true and typical day at kinder. Well, I can confidently say that these DVDs tick all the boxes. There are no shortcuts taken to rush through the DVDs, only to compromise the end result. I don’t work that way and never will.

Oh, We don’t know…it certainly seems like a nice idea but…maybe another time

There have been a lot of kindergartens who have had this exact thought. Unsure about the whole concept because they haven’t experienced it first hand. I guess the reason why I have pushed on and continued to try and make Kinder Memories grow is the response I have had from teachers and parents after seeing their child’s day captured in such a natural and candid way. Witnessing their children like this is something that the parents (and grandparents) have loved so much.

All I can say is why not give Kinder Memories a go. Then, after experiencing it first hand, you can make a qualified decision on whether or not you think its right for your kindergarten.