Welcome to ©Opti-Mom!

Meet Auntie Laurel!

Laurel was born to teach AND work with Children. Here are some little known facts about Laurel to prove just that:

• Her very first word was “Baby”
• Between the ages of 2 and 4 she carried on conversations with her 2 soldier spirit friends named John and Will
• When she was 5 years old she had a blackboard set up in her bedroom and came home every night to teach her dolls and stuffed animals (they were GREAT students and VERY quiet) what she learned in school
• The WHOLE time she was in public school, she was too shy to talk in class until she was in grade 10
• When she was 9 she was bullied by people she thought were her friends – she walked away never to be bothered again
• When she was in grade 5, she stepped onto a stage by herself and did her first performance and funny enough she didn’t once feel shy, nervous or scared – she LOVED it!!
• She volunteered for an entire summer at a local preschool as a Teacher’s Assistant (where kids pooped and drooled on her – the little ones that is)
• She worked as a Camp Counsellor with the City of Burlington and knows TONS of Camp Songs (just ask her)
• Auntie Laurel has a Bachelor of Arts in Child Studies from Brock University (did you know you can study Kids??)
• She is SO passionate about working with Kids that she gets extremely “cranky” if she doesn’t get to do so at least 5 times per week (just ask her Kids)
• Kids tell her “everything” which is kind of cool
• Her Kiddo Clients call her Auntie Laurel (if they feel like it)
• She has 2 Kiddos that are teenagers who are both really funny
• Auntie Laurel works with Kids that have troubles getting to sleep or staying asleep, anxious Kids (yep, she was one of those), and Kids that feel like “they don’t fit”
• Oh, and she calls EVERYONE Muffin-Cakes, Kitten or Darling (warning, warning)

Questions Kids Frequently Ask Auntie Laurel (and the answers)

1. How old are you? Well, people have told her that she has been around since Egyptian times and that her faithful companion Jasmine (YES the CAT!!!) has traveled with her – how cool is that!! But, she was born in 1963 so you can do the math to figure it out!
2. How many kids do you have, how old are they and what are their names? Laurel has 2 Kids – Alannah is 17 and Aidan is 13.
3. What is your favourite colour? Laurel’s favourite colour is purple, blue and pink – oh that’s 3 – can we have 3 choices??
4. How many pets do you have? Laurel has one pet now, Jasmine BUT at one time before she had kids she had 3 Cockatoos, 1 African Ring-Necked Parakeet, a Budgie and 2 cats, Lydia and Stinky ALL at the same time!
5. What is your favourite food? Laurel LOVES food – all kinds!

Hey Health Care Professionals, Parents and Educators!

Meet Laurel!