Luminaries: May
Our seventh luminary is May!
I have had the honour of knowing May for several years now. May was co-nominated by myself and my friend Aislin, in recognition of her leadership, compassion, kindness, patience, and the inspiring way that she lives and works. May and her colleagues have cared for all four of our children intermittently since 2018 and we are so grateful for her. To see May is to smile. She just radiates joy and I’m delighted to celebrate her as part of this project.
The Luminaries Project is a personal creative project that celebrates women over 40 who are lighting the way for others in their communities. I am still accepting nominations, so if you know someone special, please read more and nominate them.
May with four of the children in her care, all of whom adore her: Felix, Beatrix, Sterling and Aoibhín.
Name: May Razalan Reyes
Age: 47
Current occupation: Early Childhood Educator Supervisor
Past occupations: Kindergarten teacher (Phillippines), grade one teacher (Phillippines), educational assistant (Edmonton Catholic School Division)
Why I chose to work in childcare: This is the closest or most related to my past occupation. Ever since I was young I enjoyed working with children. I love watching them grow and develop into confident, self-sufficient learners. Every day I learn new things and grow with every learning phase. I like working with families, fulfilling each child’s needs and supporting their growth. Working in childcare is a fantastic experience. Children are truly amazing, and it is a joy to see them grow, play and achieve their milestones. It is difficult but the rewards are enormous.
To describe myself in five words: I am cheerful, loving, loud, flexible and passionate about my work.
In my free time, I love gardening. I love watching my plants grow. I love to see flowers bloom.
A book I'm currently reading: “The Queen, her life.” I am a fan of the royals, especially Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana.
I love to listen to: love songs and sometimes rock songs, depending on the mood.
My morning routine: I wake up at 5am, do a quick 20 minute Zumba. I love to dance. Prepare breakfast for my family, prepare my packed lunch, shower and then go to work.
The biggest adventure of my life was when my family migrated here to Canada. We had to leave everything back home. Few friends, no close relatives, just us. Our start was rough. I had to adjust to the culture, to the weather, to the food. I could not work because I got pregnant, and I was left alone at home. I would cry every day. My mom lives in the US and would call me but after the phone call I was sad again. I almost gave up, but my husband and parents kept encouraging me tot hold on.
After giving birth, I applied at [the daycare where I now work], and I was hired. The best thing was I could bring my baby to work. From then on, I worked harder every day. I came to work inspired and happy. There are times that I would leave the Centre, but I keep on coming back, because this place is where my son and I grew up. I grew up maturely and I became a better person in this place.
Life is easier now because I embraced the people and the culture, the climate of this country which I call a home away from home.
What I love about my current age: I can say I am more mature because I have learned not to expect too much from people. I have learned to go with the flow of life. I am calmer now than before.
I try to foster these traits in the children I work with: I want to foster joy in the children for them to always see the bright side. By making the child feel that I am there to listen and care about their feelings is fostering empathy.
I hope every child who attends our daycare learns how to share, how to be patient. I want them to learn how to communicate. I want them to learn the colours, alphabet, numbers. I want them to develop their thinking skills by playing and exploring the world through their imagination and curiosity.
When I mentor people who are beginning their careers, I try to help them learn how to interact with children. I teach them to listen and acknowledge children’s feelings. I teach them to encourage each child to play and explore.
I feel proud when I see people close to me overcome their challenges. I feel proud when I see my children achieve something like finishing college.
People who inspire me: my mom. She is a retired teacher; my dad, for he inspired me to work harder; my husband because of the hardships we have gone through and how we overcame them. And we would say, “we have come this far; we have been through lots; this will come to pass” and always with a prayer.
What I am looking forward to right now is to retire one day and travel the world.
Advice for those thinking of pursuing a career in early childhood education: [this career] offers endless opportunities to explore and keep learning. Every child is unique and will teach you something new about the field. But seeing the world through a child’s eye, all that possibility, positivity, and excitement for life is worth it. When you do your job well, you will be forever appreciated by parents, families and the little ones you work with . You will know how much your work matters and feel a sense of fulfillment each day. If you love being with children and are creative and energetic, this is your dream job. There are days that will test your patience, but no matter what happens, when you see those smiling faces everyt day you will say that you have the best job in the world.
