Prevent Bullying

The month of October is full of areas to observe, learn about, participate in, and be aware of. One of the topics I think is really important to touch on is the National Bullying Prevention Month for October. As child care providers, we often see children resolving their differences with little guidance by their teachers. On occasion, we might have to intervene to offer positive resolution in the conflict. There are moments when we might not realize that bullying could be happening to one or more children. 

As a child care center, we do NOT tolerate any form of bullying by the children, staff, or families. We value everyone as a unique individual. Our value and self-worth is primarily developed by the actions and words of our peers. When bullying occurs, the value and self-worth of a child lowers and can create problems for the child.

                Please take a few minutes to visit the following links on how to recognize, address, and do your part in the prevention of child bullying.

http://www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/

http://www.facebook.com/PACERsNationalBullyingPreventionMonth

http://www.nctsn.org/resources/public-awareness/bullying-prevention-awareness-month

                                                                                                                                                                                               

Reading and Books

One of the most important parts of our curriculum at Cox Children's Center is through reading books. Children enjoy learning through books and seeing pictures of things they want to learn about. While at the center, our teachers spend time reading books and looking at books with your children about the current project or other topics of the day. 

Looking at books and reading stories is something you can do at home with your child too. Reading can reduce some of the "busy" moments children have and encourage a calm time instead. You may want to read a book before bedtime, after a lot of gross motor time to transition to calmer/quieter activities, or if your child is interested in something you could find books about the subject to extend their play/interest. 

Another way to link school to home would be to reread the book(s) read in the classroom or to find books with similar subject matter. Our center participates in  monthly Scholastic book orders and book fairs. If your library at home is rather small in size, consider ordering from Scholastic this month. Book orders are due September 20th and order forms have been sent home today.

Five Fun Things to do with Your Kids

There are times, as parents, when we run out of ideas on what to do with our children. We can only do some much playing outside, watching a movie or coloring at the table. Sometimes some of the best things to do is learning how to make homemade items and then getting to play with them. These are great activities for rainy days or days you want to spend indoors. My top five favorite homemade recipes are for the following: sidewalk chalk, pizza, paints, play dough, and bubbles. Check out these cool recipes and "how to" videos to see if your family would enjoy one of these activities! 

• Homemade Sidewalk Chalk- 
  http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/craftsupplies/ht/SidewalkChalk.htm

•  Homemade bubbles- 
  http://babyparenting.about.com/cs/activities/a/bubbles.htm

• Homemade play dough-  http://www.kiddinaround.com/pages/3-Easy-Recipes-for-Making-Homemade-Play-Dough.html  

• Homemade Pizza-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wme_RCxUE4o

• Homemade paints-  
  http://lajollamom.com/2010/12/home-made-finger-paint-recipes-kids-crafts/ 

Transitions for Childcare and/or Kindergarten

Transitions between home and childcare/school can be a very exciting experience. Whether your child has never been in care outside of the home or if they are attending kindergarten for the first time, both parent and child will have mixed emotions about the transitioning period. Here are a few tips to help prepare for the new experiences:

·         Tour the school and make yourself comfortable with the environment. A transition will flow smoother when you know which door to enter, what classroom is your child’s, and who your child’s teacher will be. If there are children present during the tour, try to remember one or two of their names so you can talk about them after the tour to link the classroom children to your child.

·         Ask about materials needed ahead of time. If you are equipped with the school or child care supplies ahead of time, you won’t have to worry about forgetting something that might be necessary for your child’s first day.

·         Talk about the transition before it actually happens. Recall the tour and remember by name the teacher and if you met any of the children. Talk about the new school/environment at the dinner table, before bedtime, or during down times when your child isn’t distracted with other activities. Create a positive approach when discussing the time away from home because if your child is looking forward to their new experience, you won’t feel as nervous about the new transition.

·         Stay informed- check in on your child during their first few weeks. Email their teacher or call to ask how your child is doing and ask for ways to help make the transition a pleasant experience for you and for your child. Ask your child when they get home how things are going and have them list some of their favorite activities.

·         Remember that your child is in good hands! Take a deep breath and enjoy these new and exciting times ahead!

·         http://www.education.com/topic/preparing-for-kindergarten/

·         http://www.babyzone.com/baby/childcare/prepare-child-for-childcare_68363

Finding a Babysitter

Finding a babysitter for your child can become a difficult task. So many people have trouble trusting someone with their child if they aren’t a relative or a close friend. When considering a babysitter outside of your inner circle consider following these helpful tips in order to feel more comfortable with this transition.

·         Ask your friends or coworkers for referrals on babysitters that they use outside of their circle of family or close friends if you do not know anyone outside of your immediate circle.

·         Invite the prospective sitter over to your house for a short “interview” asking them how they would handle hypothetical situations. Be prepared with questions that would relate to your child’s age, ability, and personality. Some examples would be the following:

1)      What would you do if my child tried to run from you while you were outside playing?

2)      What would you do if my child acted like they weren’t feeling well?

3)      How would you handle a phone call or a knock on the door from someone that sounded suspicious or unfamiliar to my child/family?

Remember to ask for references and ask them why they enjoy babysitting.

·         While the prospective sitter is at your house for the “interview” discuss with them your routines at home, show them where important things are kept such as medicine, insurance information, important phone numbers, etc. Use this time to discuss hourly pay for babysitting and transportation if they are under driving age or do not have their own transportation.

·         Do a trial run. Have the babysitter come over for an hour to spend time with your child while you take a quick trip to the store or pick up carry-out. This short visit establishes a relationship and you will be able to see how your child reacts to having a sitter outside of the usual family member or friend and you will know if the sitter is comfortable caring for your child and would want to come back for a longer time.

·         Before you leave the sitter with your child, remember to have the following prepared for them:

1)      A copy of your insurance card in case of an emergency

2)      A list of your numbers and important numbers if they cannot reach you

3)      A list of anything important relating to your child’s routine, health, or how to handle tough situations such as bedtime or potty training

Every parent needs adult time or time away from the home to refresh and relax. Schedule times in advance to look forward to or for things you aren’t able to do with a busy schedule with work, school and family.  View the following websites for other tips on finding the right fit for your babysitting needs.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_using-a-babysitter_44.bc

http://singleparents.about.com/od/childcare/a/babysitter-interview-questions.htm

http://www.care.com/child-care-babysitter-interview-p1145-q22778.html

Summertime

Now that summer is here there are lots of ways to enjoy the outdoors. From water play, gardening, taking walks, or playing in the back yard, being outside is a healthy way to spend your day. Keep in mind the following tips to ensure a safe and pleasant outdoors experience:

•    Take breaks from the sun and find shade when you are feeling hot

•     Drink water to stay hydrated, especially on days where the temperature rises above 85’ or if the  humidity level is high.

•   Wear light clothing and use a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen to avoid overexposure to the sun

•   Go inside if you feel overheated and sit down

Children are often distracted by the activities outdoors that they do not notice when they are getting too hot or need a drink to stay hydrated. When supervising outdoor play, remind children to take a break or distract them with another activity such as reading in the shade or having a snack to give them the break from the sun and heat.

The following pictures are just a few ways our center enjoys the outdoors.

Getting exercise!

Watering the garden!

Playing in the Water Fountain!

Taking a campus walk!

Water Play

Water play is an important part of sensory learning. Children have the opportunity to explore water with just their hands or entire bodies and different materials can be used to enhance the experience. While at school, water play is explored in water tables both in the classroom and outdoors. We follow several rules to reduce injury, accidental drowning, and the spread of germs. One of the most important things we do is supervising play at ALL times. Water play whether in a pool, a bathtub, or even a small tub of water should always be supervised by an adult at all times. It is important to wash hands before and after water play to reduce the spreading of germs. Also, change the water out often if children are going back and forth from water play to other activities to make sure the water is clean. Now that summer is just around the corner, many people will be planning activities that include water to keep cool. Please take a few minutes to look over some of the following websites about water safety. 

http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/outdoor/water_safety.html

http://www.healthychild.net/SafetyFirst.php?article_id=234