Wednesday, September 26, 2012

GREAT FIND- 100 ways to be kind to your child

While browsing Pinterest during naptime, I came across this and I absolutely love it!

Here is the original link- http://creativewithkids.com/100-ways-to-be-kind-to-your-child/

100 ways to be kind to your Child:

Tell to your child:
1. I love you.
2. love you no matter what.
3. I love you even when you are angry at me.
4. I love you even when I am angry with you.
5. I love you when you are far way. My love for you can reach you wherever you are.
6. If I could pick any 4 year old (5 year old, 6 year old…) in the whole wide world, I’d pick you.
7. I love you to the moon and then around the stars and back again.
8. Thank you.
9. I enjoyed playing with you today.
10. My favorite part of the day was when I was with you and we were _______.
Tell them:
11. The story of their birth or adoption.
12. About how you cuddled them when they were a baby.
13. The story of how you chose their name.
14. A story about yourself when you were their age.
15. A story about how their grandparents met.
16. What your favorite color is.
17. That sometimes you struggle too.
18. That when you’re holding hands and you give three squeezes, it’s a secret code that means, “I love you”.
19. What the plan is.
20. What you’re doing right now.
Play:
21. Freeze Tag
22. Uno
23. Crazy 8s
24. Gin Rummy
25. Memory
26. Go Fish
27. I Spy- especially when you’re tired of driving and feel snappish
28. Catch
Pretend:
29. To catch their kiss and put it on your cheek.
30. That their tickle tank is empty and you have to fill it.
31. That their high five is so powerful it nearly knocks you over.
32. That you are super ticklish.
33. That you are explorers in the amazing new world of your backyard.
34. That it’s party day! Decorate for no reason!
Try:
35. To get enough sleep.
36. To drink enough water.
37. To eat decent food.
38. Wearing earrings, or whatever makes you feel pretty.
39. Calling a friend the next time you feel like you are about to lose it with the kids.
40. Giving a gentle touch to show approval, rather than saying something.
41. Dancing in the kitchen.
42. To get your kids to bop to the music with you in the car.
43. Showing your kids that you can do a somersault or handstand or a cartwheel.
44. Keeping that sigh to yourself. Just jump in and help clean up cheerfully.
45. Using a kind voice, even if you have to fake it.
Read:
46. A book of silly poems.
47. A book and then act it out. (Like “I’m going on a Bear Hunt”)
48. Your favorite childhood book to them.
49. When the afternoon is starting to go astray.
50. Outside under a tree.
51. In the library kids corner.
52. The comic book they love that you’re not so hot on.
53. About age appropriate behavior so you can keep your expectations realistic.
Listen:
54. To your child in the car.
55. To that Lego description, and think how important it is to your child.
56. For that question that indicates your child really needs your input.
57. One second longer than you think you have patience for.
58. For the feelings behind your child’s words.
Ask:
59. Why do you think that happens?
60. What do you think would happen if______?
61. How shall we find out?
62. What are you thinking about?
63. What was your favorite part of the day?
64. What do you think this tastes like?
Show:
65. Your child how to do something instead of banning them from it.
66. How to whistle with a blade of grass.
67. How to shuffle cards- make a bridge if you can!
68. How to cut food.
69. How to fold laundry.
70. How to look up information when you don’t know the answer.
71. Affection to your spouse.
72. That taking care of yourself is important.
Take Time:
73. To watch construction sites.
74. To look at the birds.
75. To allow your child to help you dump ingredients in the bowl.
76. To walk places together.
77. To dig in the dirt together.
78. To do a task at your child’s pace.
79. To just sit with you child while they play.
Trust:
80. That your child is capable.
81. That you are the right parent for your child.
82. That you are enough.
83. That you can do what is right for your family.
Delight your child:
84. Clean your child’s room as a surprise.
85. Put chocolate chips in the pancakes.
86. Put a love note in their lunch.
87. Make their snack into a smile face shape.
88. Make sounds effects while you help them do something.
89. Sit on the floor with them to play.
Let Go:
90. Of the guilt.
91. Of how you thought it was going to be.
92. Of your need to be right.
Give:
93. A look with Kind Eyes to your child.
94. A smile when your child walks into the room.
95. A kind touch back when your child touches you.
96. The chance to connect before you correct so that your child can actually hear your words.
97. Your child a chance to work out their frustrations before helping them.
98. A bath when the day feels long.
99. A hug.
100. You get to choose the next one! What is your favorite way to be kind to your child?

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Sept. 24-28

As we finish off the month of September, we welcome Fall and polish off our Friends and Feelings unit!  Instead of sending home an envelope for your kids to mail to a daycare friend, we will be doing it here to make sure everyone's gets out in the mail and no one gets left out!

We have really enjoyed this month's theme and I think it has really been great in teaching us how to be nice to each other and what to do if one of our friends has hurt feelings.  I hope you have noticed your children at home using some of their new "good friend manners!"

Monday, we celebrated Aidan turning 9!  I can't believe it!  I started doing daycare when I became pregnant with him.  It has been such a joy over the last 9 years working with so many great families.  I love seeing the kids I have cared for grow up in the community!  Aidan is now playing football with 2 boys I cared for as babies...so funny to see them all grown up (and smashing each other!!!!)

As we approach cooler temperatures, please be sure to be working with your children on getting their own shoes on and using the flip method to get their jacket on.  This way when we add in the snow pants, hats and mittens, we will be able to get outside to play quicker!  THANKS!

MENU:
Monday- PB & J sandwiches, salad with Ranch, fresh fruit and milk
Tuesday- Beef Stroganoff, peaches, mixed veggies and milk
Wednesday- Cheese Quesadilla, Mandarin Oranges, green beans and milk
Thursday-Fish Sticks, carrots, pears and milk
Friday- Chicken nuggets, corn, apple slices and milk

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Sept. 17-21

LAST OFFICIAL WEEK OF SUMMER!  Such a sad thought!  But it will be back again before we know it!  The kids love jumping in leaves in the fall, playing in the snow in the winter and stomping in puddles in the spring...but if it were up to me, we'd have summer ALL YEAR LONG!

This week we are learning about how to keep friends.  We are discussing ways to play nice, how we should talk to our friends and what other special things we can do to show our friends we like them!

Tuesday we are doing show and tell...bring a picture of a friend you enjoy playing with!  IF YOU FORGOT TODAY...no big deal, feel free to bring a picture on Wednesday instead!

Friday, Ms. Beth will be back for another travel Tots class.  We are planning on doing a science class full of hands on activities about Brazil!

MENU:
Monday- Corn dogs, fruit cocktail, mixed veggies and milk
Tuesday- Spaghetti with meat sauce, bananas, applesauce and milk
Wednesday- Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Apple slices, carrot sticks and milk
Thursday- Homemade Macaroni and cheese, brown beans, pears and milk
Friday- Chicken Patty Sandwiches, pineapple, corn and milk

LOOKING AHEAD-

Next week, Extra clothes bins will be going home to exchange for Fall/winter clothes

I will be sending home a stamped envelope addressed to one of your child's daycare friends. I hope your child will write a letter, color a picture or put something special in it to send to their friend when we are talking about Mailing Friends Letters!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Sept. 10-14

We have a great start to our week!  So far the kids really have enjoyed the Sept. school activities.  We have learned how and where to meet new friends and have started talking about feelings!  We read about Franny the fish and played a Happy vs. sad game!

Last week we also met our new Travel Tots teacher, Ms. Beth.  She was wonderful.  The kids really seemed to like her and I think the feeling was mutual!  We traveled to Brazil and learned about the animals in the rainforest there.  The Carnival parade was way too cute!!!

This week we are focusing on our Feelings!  Help your child identify their feelings at home and learn how to express them using their words!

Friday we have music class in the morning, at 11:00 with Tasha!

Erin will be here for the very end of the day on Thur and Friday, from 4-5!

MENU:
Monday-Sloppy Joes, carrots, pears and milk
Tuesday- Bagel Pizzas, oranges, green beans and milk
Wednesday- Tacos, grapes, corn and milk
Thursday-Turkey and cheese sandwich, fruit cocktail, carrots with ranch and milk
Friday- Tuna hot dish, mixed veggies, bananas and milk

STILL NOT SURE WHY IT IS NOT LETTING ME LOAD PICTURES, I WILL HAVE TO PUT THEM UP ON THE DAYCARE WALL THE OLD FASHIONED WAY FOR NOW!

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

BACK TO SCHOOL! Sept 3-7

The Fair is over...the streets are filled with school buses...must be BACK TO SCHOOL TIME!  Even though this marks the end of summer, the kids are all excited!  Aidan is off to 3rd grade, Logan to 1st (excited to be full day and eat lunch at school!) and we lost Maggie, Jack and Justin to kindergarten!  Good luck everyone!

The rest of us are also BACK TO SCHOOL today!  Our September curriculum is here and we will dive right in today!  I love our school time each day and so do the kids! I will send home my monthly newsletter with info on our theme for the month and what we will be working on either today or tomorrow!  I will also send home a copy of our music for the month.  As always I will be glad to take donations of blank CD's or cases/sleeves to put the music in!

We had a great picnic in the park last week, thanks for sending lunches, the kids all loved them!  We also celebrated Justin's 5th birthday, as well as his and Jack's last day with us!

I got news last week that Ms. Jeanette, our travel Tots teacher got a full time teaching job at St. Johns, so will no longer be with us.  Our new teachers name is Miss Beth.  We will  be meeting her on Friday morning at 9am for our first travel tots class of the month.


MENU:
Monday- LABOR DAY
Tuesday- Ravioli, peaches, bread and milk
Wednesday- Rotisserie Chicken, applesauce, corn and milk
Thursday- Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, pears, mixed veggies and milk
Friday- Chicken Nuggets, green beans, apple slices and milk

FOR SOME REASON IT IS NOT LETTING ME LOAD PICTURES, SO I WILL DO A SEPARATE BLOG POST WITH PICTURES FROM LAST WEEK!