KAHRI GETS IN ON THE ACT! by Georgianne Vecellio

KAHRI GETS IN ON THE ACT!

Metropolished is a family business; Susi and Val have made that clear from the start. But did you know that Kahri contributes as well? Once a week, Kahri hosts Toddler Time, an informal “class” for—you guessed it—toddlers.

Susi does most of the work: she starts off by reading a book and engaging the kids in the story. The current favorite is Brown Bear, chosen because of its repetition and predictability. That may sound boring to adults, but according to Susi, a former teacher, that’s the first step toward getting the kiddos to read.

Next is song and dance, with all kinds of props like drums and stars, not to mention all kinds of dancing around. But again, it’s all informal, and the kids aren’t pushed into participating. So, if a child grabs the stars during book time, then wants to read during song and dance time, that’s ok. It’s also fine if the little ones get distracted by their reflections in the full-length mirror. In fact, after a class, there is usually a collection of little hand prints on the mirror.

For the guests, it is all fun and games, but for Kahri, there’s work to be done. She greets everyone as they come in and tells them goodbye when class is over. She likes to give tours of the office and has even handed out Metropolished promotional materials.

All of this effort is paying off; my daughter, Anna, leaves Toddler Time exhausted (thank you!!!) and I have heard her asking for Kahri and her other friends at Metropolished.