Speech at Anaheim, NAFFC Conference, August 2007
Patricia Murray - Ireland
President 2006-2009 International Family Day Care Organisation

I would like to thank California and congratulate you all on such a well-organised and stimulating Conference here in Anaheim and I would especially like to say how I appreciate the opportunity to talk to you a little bit about the International Family Day Care Organisation - IFDCO.

IFDCO is 21 this year - maybe we're old enough to drink a little alcohol to celebrate our 21st birthday and I have been involved since Sacramento in 1996, and am very honoured to have brought the International Presidency and Conference from Orlando 2006 to Cork, Ireland in 2009.

I have a short slot here this morning so I invite you all to read the leaflet explaining IFDCO, its purpose and its aims and objectives.

The Executive committee is truly international and we have members from many countries, USA, Europe, Japan, Israel, all over the world, providers and supporters, Associates and researchers. My work as President is to promote membership and to invite you all to come to the next IFDCO Conference in Ireland from 20th - 25th July 2009. The programme outline is in the little handout and websites which I hope will whet your appetites to come to Ireland. There will be a variety of accommodation within walking distance of the university campus.

The good news I have to give is that due to the courtesy of NAFCC through the years, inviting the International to piggy-back on their wonderful conferences you, the delegates and participants here in Anaheim can join IFDCO for a special deal of $10 flat membership fee. Bernie and I will manage that to the left of the registration desks, between seminars. I would love to tell you all about my wonderful Californian daughter-in-law, Holly, from Fresno and San Francisco and the activities I do with my little grandson but - not now!!

I was a family home provider for 20 years, without any accreditation or proper training and all the minded children have done extraordinarily well in their personal lives as well as academically and I will tell you that the letter "R" in my home was not for Readiness for school - 'R' was for REAL! Real experiences - real dough, not play dough - we made bread and pastries. We did real chores, real gardening, and real shopping. The letter "C" was for CUDDLES - not curriculum. The letter "L" was not for "learning outcomes" or "licensing" - it was for LOVE, LAUGHTER and LANGUAGE ACQUISITION!

Please don't turn your homes into mini schools and mini centres. As far as possible, dump the plastic and bring the children out into the real world with plenty of love, laughter and language. The curriculum will be rich and the learning will happen. Trust me - I'm the family day care President of the World!

I'll end by thanking my great colleague and dear trusted friend, Bernie Griffiths, who manages the Irish National Association at my side and who has been a delightful, good humoured and wise travelling companion to the conference here in Anaheim. We are both here at the expense of the huge USA Corporation, IBM, who we partner in a Family Child Care Project, clustered around its enormous Irish facility.

Thank you all and God Bless you all, your families and the children you care for. Every blessing too on the work and influence of the National Association for Family Child Care!

Patricia Murray.