GymbaROO has been Marion Stott’s pride and joy for 40 years but she has made the decision to retire and pass the baton onto a new generation.
At Mooroolbark GymbaROO, Ms Stott said that we have now reached a new era, where, not only are past students attending with their children, but also many grandparents are enjoying the benefits of spending some quality time together with their grandchildren.
Ms Stott has played an essential role in many parent’s and children’s lives through the GymbaROO early learning program which runs out of the Mooroolbark Community Centre, the main aim of GymbaROO is that children are never too little to learn and parents have a vital role to understand the developmental milestones and why specific activities are important stepping stones for the child to reach their full potential.
At GymbaROO, every song sung, every game and activity played, is specifically designed to increase your child’s ability.
“We believe the more information a parent receives and acts upon, the more interesting, exciting and successful parenting will be through the formative years and beyond,” Ms Stott said.
Having been involved in GymbaROO from its inception, Ms Stott has not only helped establish the Mooroolbark Centre but many other centres as well. After 40 years, GymbaROO has also been able to add more available days and sessions, now offering Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday mornings.
“I am hugely proud of our Mooroolbark Centre and that the other GymbaROO Centres I helped establish back in the late 1980’s, are still thriving,” she said.
Now the time has come for new people to take over and although a bittersweet moment for Ms Stott, she is looking forward to her retirement. With the support of her husband Lloyd, she plans to spend time compiling a book on the Mooroolbark Railway station and writing up a wide variety of ‘Our Family History’ books.
“I will still be involved in local history, plus travelling throughout Australia ” she said.
Children learn more in their formative years, birth to five years, than in any other time of their lives. Continual research has confirmed that age-appropriate learning experiences and stimulating activities in these early years does have a positive impact on a child reaching their full potential.
“This period is just not a matter of waiting for children to mature, but a time where experiences will have a profound effect on their lives,” Ms Stott said.
Over this time the biggest change she has observed has been the interesting variety of children’s names.
Watching children’s developmental progress has been fascinating, but for her, it will be the smiling faces she misses most.
“The pure joy of working with the parents and their children, by providing a program that nurtures each natural stage of development, is just so rewarding,” Ms Stott said.
“It has been such a huge privilege when you are doing something you love, it’s not work.”
Ms Stott’s only wish now is that many, many more children benefit from such a successful program and with the new owner Yidan Yeng, Ms Stott should get her wish.
Ms Yeng is already teaching at Mooroolbark GymbaROO with us and her vision is to see the sessions expand into the new days, so the centre’s capabilities may offer more sessions to more children.
