Date Night Out

Ok, so it was more of an afternoon out since we caught the matinee, but it was still nice. :)

Last week, the husband decided we needed an afternoon out.  He waited until midweek, when I was feeling a little down from my new friend-baby at work; he was still having a hard time, and I was trying to see what else I could do to help him adjust and settle, and it wasn't working so well.  The husband announced that we were going out, and I was feeling just frustrated with myself enough to not be very agreeable with the plan.

As the week went on, things got better- as I hoped they would.  And the more I thought about going out, and relaxing at the movies, the better the idea sounded.  So he called my momma to hang out with the babes, and I decided what to see.

The day arrived, and I was rushing around, getting the last of my cleaning done so I didn't have to worry about it after we came home.  The kids were so excited that Nana was coming over, they didn't even sleep/rest well for their naps.  I was not thrilled that I hadn't finished all that I wanted, that they hadn't slept, that I was rushing to get ready for the movie so we weren't late. Grr....

But, we got out the door on time, and got some snacks (holy crazy what they want for one drink and nachos at the theater... Not doing that any more!), and settled into our seats.  The previews were pretty good- I saw some movies that I wouldn't mind seeing in the future, and the movie was AWESOME!!  It was even better that I found out it was based on a book, and I now have the trilogy on my Kindle.  (Love that thing.)  And the few hours that I didn't have to think about the cleaning and the kids were great.

We got home to the kiddos trying to talk Nana into a game that she didn't really know (I don't even get that one, but they love playing it with the husband), and we got the rundown of all  that they did while we were gone.  In short, time with Nana was the best.  :)  Spirograph, play dough, dinner, and games were on the list I got when we got home, so they had a great time.

This was a great reminder to me to take the time for myself, my husband, and our relationship, and to encourage my children's relationship with my mom.  The schedule my family keeps gets hectic at times with all our appointments, interests, and friends- but I can't imagine it any other way.  However, this allows for the husband and I to not put ourselves and our relationship where it needs to be sometimes, and this was a great time for us to hang out together.

It is great for the kids to spend time with their grandparents, to know the extended family that loves them and enjoys all their interests as much as we do.  It truly takes a village to raise a child, and allowing them to share what they know and are learning with that group allows them to practice those skills more, and in different ways.

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

Robert Brault

And This Little Munchkin Was .... Stressed

So, I got to make a new friend this week.  He is just the cutest little munchkin.  Unfortunately, he came with a fair amount of justified stress, as we were is first experience away from his momma.  After a year of being the one and only, it started as a shock to his poor little system to become one of the group.  And at around eight months to a year, it is a prime age for separation anxiety to rear it's head in children.

There are some things you can do to help your child through this stage....

First, do your best to introduce your child to a select group of regular caregivers. This could be a sitter you hire for a few hours a week to spend some time with your child while you run some errands that are more easily accomplished without your little in tow (like the grocery store... I know mine like to add stuff to the cart way too much, so it is a much simpler trip without them.)  It could be the opposite parent, if your love has more anxiety with one parent leaving, it could be a family member or trusted friend.  All of these the added benefit of allowing your child to see you leave- and come back.  Their ability to connect your leaving with your return is one key to helping them learn to cope with their anxiety of being separated from you.  If you are in a child care relationship, let your child see you interact, even briefly, in a positive way with their teacher.  If you have negative feelings for your child's caregiver, they will sense that, and it will make their transition to that person that much more difficult.  Something as simple as a quick story about the evening or weekend before, something that you are looking forward to in the upcoming days, and a "Have a great day!" can go a long way for your child.

Second, don't sneak away from your child.  Sure, it may seem easier to slip out of the room when your child wanders away to check out that toy over there, but that just makes it harder for them.  You were there a second ago- WHERE ARE YOU?  It sure is hard to hug and kiss and say good bye to your sweet baby when they are crying and reaching for you, but trust me when I say that having that good bye and letting them see you leave is so much better for them than turning around and expecting you to be there and you aren't.  Having the routine and ritual of your departure will let them know that separating isn't as bad as they currently fear. It will also become the first half of knowing that you will come back.  When you offer the same good bye routine in the morning, they will begin to associate it with time spent with their caregiver, followed by your return.

Third, know that your child will cry for the first couple days at their new setting, especially if they are old enough to know that you are leaving them.  It is normal, and your child's teacher expect it.  Know that your  child will very likely go through some separation anxiety at some point, and will cry for you, even if you have been with the same teacher/provider for months.  Stick with your routine for them, and know that it will  pass.  It is a part of their growing and learning, and as I tell all the parents whose little loves I have the privilege of caring for, it means that their brain is developing the way you want it to.  It's not easy, but it will pass.

Lastly, please don't try to get your child to cry for you.  They will do it enough without prompting.  Please, please, don't knock on the door, call their name, and pull the door mostly closed when they look.  It doesn't help anyone, least of all your child.  Do your best not to come back for encores, especially if your child's teacher has helped them calm and begin to distract themselves from their stress.   One of the best things you can do when this has to be a part of your and your child's life, is to create a routine for initiating the separation, and go with it.  Hold your child while you greet the teacher, pass the child over, have a short conversation about their evening/morning, get your provider the information they may need.  Give a last hug and kiss, say good bye... And head out. It may be the hardest walk of all, but it will be worth it when you hear your child respond to the care that we offer by calming to wait for your return.  It doesn't mean that they miss you less.  It just means that they trust that you will be back.

Again, communication is key.  Your body language and actions will speak loudly to your child about your confidence that they are safe in the setting you selected for them, that the caregiver will do the best possible to help your child adjust.  Call your provider later in the day for an update; I never mind hearing from parents and having that extra few minutes to let them know what we have been doing.

Trust yourself, trust your child, and know that this stage, too, will pass.

The True Story of the Sick Child Policy

I am kinda bummed that we are getting snow again.  I know that there are people in my life who are glad for it, and should really expect it for living in the part of the country I do, but still.  It's spring, Mother Nature.  Some nice weather and less snow would be nice for me.  :)

So, for me, one of my least favorite parts of my job is to have to make the phone call to parents that their child is sick and needs to be picked up as soon as possible.  I have great parents, but I know first hand how stressful it can be to arrange for time off to care for a sick child.  Unfortunately, I've also worked with more difficult parents who have a harder time understanding why we send children home when they are exhibiting specific symptoms.  They've already exposed everyone, so what's the big deal?

Well, let me tell you, there are several reasons...

1.  The state requires the separation.  The MN Department of Health detailed the list of symptoms that require that a child is removed from the group.  It is not your provider deciding that they do not want to deal with your child, they can get in some serious trouble for not following the rules.

2.  All new families are given a copy of the health policy when they register their child with the center.  The director goes over all the information, and they are asked to sign that they have read and understood that if their child has symptoms meeting the criteria listed in the health policy, they are required by the state to be removed from care until they are symptom free without medication for a minimum of 24 hours.

3.  One of the symptoms/criteria for exclusion from the group is that the child requires more care than the program staff can provide (AAP- Healthy Child Care America).  If I am having to change diarrhea diapers every 30 minutes- 1 hour, if I have a feverish child who is needing extra snuggles and love, if a child is throwing up and needing clean clothing and carpet clean-up, it is taking away from the time that I need to be available to the other children in my care.  In a child care center, infants have one staff to up to four children, toddlers are 1:7, and preschool is 1:10.  If the teacher is alone and trying to deal with this, that is leaving the other children with that much less supervision and interaction, as well as expecting the child who is not feeling well to share you when they need that extra to feel better.  Even if you have enough children to have a second or even third teacher, it still leaves the room short handed and scrambling when one child needs more care due to illness.

4.  Along with some symptoms requiring more work for the teachers, it can pose a sanitation risk- which increases the likelihood of another child becoming ill- for the other children in the room.  If a child vomits, or has a diarrhea leak out, another child could put their hand or foot in the mess before the teacher has time to clean it up.

5.  Exposing staff to illness for longer than the time increases the likelihood that staff will need time off to get better.  One staff who is in a room with an ill child can carry the illness to all of the other rooms (staff and children), and become sick themselves.  I once experienced a situation where an illness took out 3 staff and about 10 children for two days.  It was extremely stressful on those of us left standing.  Even with all the child absences, the loss of two staff/day for those two days was felt by all of us, and this goes back to the quality of care we are able to offer.

Sick children will get better faster if they are kept home, or with an adult who is able to focus solely on them.  (Nurse Grandma is great!)  They can be monitored more closely, they can get more rest without interruptions, their needs can be met more quickly.  There is less risk of reinfection, as their environment can be kept freer of the germs that are bugging them than a child care setting can.  We do the best we can with cleaning and sanitizing, but a smaller setting with fewer toys/equipment and fewer children to get spit/boogers/poo on things the easier it is to keep things clean.

Also, think of this.... When your child is not the sick one, you (rightfully) expect your provider to be able to offer the highest quality of care that they are able to.  When they are having to take care of illness on top of the other children, that takes away from the quality that your child is able to receive.

Communication is so huge!  Let your child's teacher know when they are not feeling well, especially if they are nearing any symptom that will get them sent home.  Ask your provider to call you if they feel that your child is in an in-between--  not feeling great, but not at a point where they are required to be excluded.  This lets you prepare for the potential of a sick child, and keeps that communication flowing.  Follow up with your child's teacher the next day, even if you are keeping your child home.  If they are diagnosed, there are illnesses that need to be posted.  Even if it isn't anything more serious, your child's teacher cares how they are doing- even when they are not in our care.

Prevention is also huge.  All child care settings have policies about preventing illness which include hand washing procedures and cleaning procedures for the toys and environments.  Helping by keeping your sick child home for the required amount of time keeps the spread of illness as small as possible.

Create Your Own Awesome

So, a while back, I learned something important about myself.

I am truly great at having great ideas... and not doing anything about them.  Like wanting to spend time with the wonderful women I work with outside of work, but not setting something up so we could hang out.  Or making more time for my craftiness, and learning new crafting skills, and spending time with people I enjoy- who also would love to make more time for their craftiness.  Or writing about being a parent and caregiver, and inspiring a great conversation for someone who may need a little inspiration in their lives.  Or the million and one other great things that I would love to do and incorporate into my life, but just haven't yet.

But, here's the thing.  Having these great ideas is a good thing; my lack of action on them was not.  I kept thinking how great it would be to spend more time socializing with people I like and respect, but didn't take the next step into doing something about it.  Same with the rest of it.  Until one day, it hit me... Why not be the change I wanted to see and experience?  Why couldn't I set up a get-together for my friends and co-workers?  What was stopping me?  NOTHING!  Just myself, not taking the time to utilize the Facebook event setting to set up meeting with my friends.  And so I did... And it was great!  We had a wonderful time, with so many laughs, ending with several of us standing in the parking lot of the restaurant we met at, extending the talking and laughter a little later.

I finally started this blog, after seeing/reading the one posted by my brother in law, Hiker Adventures, and another child care mom, Country Acres Momma.  I enjoy reading their adventures and advice, and thought, "Why not!?"  You just gotta dive in sometimes.

These two things are kinda the brackets on my taking action revelation and effort.  I did begin to truly intentionally make these efforts and changes with setting up time with friends from work.  It is great when we can all get there, but still fun when it is just a couple of us.  There is always fun and laughter, and the opportunity to connect with someone that I may not see on a day to day basis is great for me.

I am loving sharing my experiences as a mom and child care provider.  I truly hope that I am giving people something to think about, to help make their experience with their child and their child's village of family and caregivers that much richer.

I am truly enjoying myself and my life so much more, now that I have that many fewer "I wish I would have..."s going on.  Not that I am getting to everything, but one thing at a time.  :)

So, tonight or tomorrow, pick one thing that you want.  Make it happen!  There are classes and shops and opportunities everywhere.  Make your life what you want to see.  :)

Well, I'm off to check on the craft night I am setting up... Good luck!

Mommy Time

The alarm goes off at 4:28 am, and she rolls out of bed.  

Just kidding... She snoozes twice, so it's 4:46 am and she rolls out of bed.  She shuffles through the dark, using some sixth sense to avoid the cats and the random small toys on the floor on the way to the shower.  30 minutes later, she is showered and dressed, and ready for the day.  

She begins the process of waking the sleeping munchkins, a process that can take anywhere from five minutes to 20 minutes, depending on how the loves slept the night before.  After a round of bathrooming, clothing, and a breakfast snack, it is time to wrangle boots, coats, hats, and back packs.  Luckily, their gloves are attached to their coats; one less thing to find each day.  

By 6:00, she's out the door, brood in tow, and off to work.

Fast forward nine hours, she's headed off to pick up the kindergartner, and head home.  If she's lucky, there will be 20 minutes to sit with a book.  But not usually, because the loves need a snack, and their Legos, and games, and help with the dress up clothes, and their crayons....  And then it's time to start supper.  Post supper, luckily the husband does the dishes... But there's baths, and jammies, and homework, and stories to be read.  Then comes the routine of bed time, and the inevitable frustrations of the children if things aren't exactly as they are expected...  Aah... Quiet.  Nope- false alarm.  There's the super baby needing to be put back to bed.  And the doll baby needing to go potty one more time.  And having to evacuate the toy that little man snuck into bed with him...  

There's the quiet.  But, she's either too tired to do something for herself or there's too much to do to prepare for tomorrow....


Sound familiar?  There are just not enough hours in the day some days.  But it is so very important to make time to think of the mommy in you as a person.  To do something that spoils yourself just a little bit.

I've heard of getting up a little early, to take some morning time for yourself when the children are still sleeping.  Not happening around here- I have to get up early enough just to get going for the day.

I've heard of taking some time at the end of the day, after the munchkins are tucked in for the night.  But tucked in sure doesn't equal sleeping around here, and any time I start something too soon, they seem to take longer to fall asleep.  And if I wait until they are sleeping just to get started, there is so little time before I have to go to sleep too, to get up an start again the next day.

What I have learned in these last few years of being a mommy and professional caregiver of young children is that you have to make the time.  You have to say that at this time, on this day (or these days), it is MY time to think of myself first.  This was a hard realization for me.  My idea of being a good mom was to be there.  I felt like it fell to me to make sure the kids and the house and the pets and the husband and the bills and the cars and just everything was my responsibility to get taken care of.  There was no time to think of the things I might want to do, because the house needed to be cleaned.  The kids needed to be taken care of.  This appointment.  That meeting.  There was no one to take the children.  And I didn't feel right asking for a sitter just so I could do something... for me.

It was so hard to learn to say that this time was for myself.  I started small- a yoga class, one hour a week, through my local community education program.  It was heaven!  Mommy dates with the most wonderful friend I could ask for.  It was support!  Who knew that I wasn't the only one dealing with "Mommy Must Handle Everything" syndrome?  Family who would come spend time with my darlings, so the husband and I could have the (very) occasional date or night out.  It was wonderful.  And it was still hard.

It is still a struggle for me to ask for help, to make my needs known and let things go.  But I have learned how important it is.  Not only for me, but for my husband, my family, and my friends.  I am able to give better when I take for myself as well.

Find something you enjoy.  Know that there are people who are just a conversation away from being willing and able to support you in making time to yourself, to allow you to be the best parent you can be.  Take the time for yourself- and know that you are not just doing it for yourself, but that it will allow you to be a better parent to your child.  I love my yoga class- and I am able to share it not only with my children at home, but the children at the center when I am at work.  I make the time for something I love, and I am able to give back with it, to be a better parent and teacher.  If I were taking an art class, I could share that.  If I were a hiker, I could use that, to teach the children about my love for nature, and all the wonderful places I get to see.   Your hobbies are such a great place to spend time with your child, after your needs are met.  They will be interested because you are- and you will have the chance to share such a special moment with your child.

Making the time for yourself is one of the best gifts you can give yourself, your child(ren), and your spouse.  Make it mandatory, schedule a class, do something!  You are so worth it!

Techno Babies

After we got home from school and work and day care today, my older kids asked for their InnoTabs to play with.  After about 20 minutes, they were finished and moved on to Lego's and Barbecue Party.  I'm always glad to see them using their own imagination to entertain themselves (and each other, since my baby doll was helping the super baby play Barbecue Party).  I have seen so many children who don't know how to entertain themselves without a battery operated toy/computer/tablet/television, and it breaks my heart to know that they have become so dependent on something that really isn't giving them the benefits that are advertised.

Some years ago, when the little man was still a baby, I saw an ad for an infant video game system in one of the magazines I subscribed to at the time.  The Husband was all about the video games at the time and thought we should get one for little man.  His side:  It teaches shapes, colors, and numbers. My side:  It teaches him how to push a button.  Our finances didn't allow for us to do more than discuss it, but it really demonstrated the different ends of the technology spectrum to me.

I grew up in a household that had one TV for the longest time.  We finally got a little one in the kitchen, but it was mainly used when we would "sneak" downstairs on Saturday mornings for cartoons.  (The kitchen was further from the parent's bedroom, the light and sound didn't reach in there... Home free, right?)  My brothers got game systems, but not until they were working and able to purchase them for themselves.  And, you know, that was okay.  We played with dolls and blocks and our imaginations.  We had the run of the woods behind the house, and we built the most amazing villages out there where we could bring the dogs and ponies that were around for us to enjoy.  We rode our bikes in the yard and on the driveway.  We read books, and drew, and had a great time together.  At the time, every now and again, we would be bummed that we didn't have what 'everyone' else had.  But looking back on it, maybe we had it better.

Fast forward about 15 years, and here I am with my own little ones.  Reading and hearing about all the research about how too much screen time is not good for little ones.  Being frustrated at all the advertisements that touted the newest product to teach your infant to read or speak or learn best from using that product.  When did it become a business to replace that precious time with parents?  To teach your child to read from watching TV instead of snuggling up with books?  To teach your child shapes and colors on the screen instead of busting out the paper and crayons?

Having all this thrown at me made me want to do it differently.  To not take what felt, to me, like the easy way out.  So, here I am, with a cabinet full of books to rival the library available at the center where I work, with another cabinet full of art and sensory supplies, to SPEND TIME with my children, learning with and from them.  And, you know what?  That 20 minutes, a couple times a week with the InnoTab, plus the 2-3 times they watch a show or movie is just enough screen time for us.  We have so much more time to create and hang out playing games, and the husband and I get to feel the pride in their learning.

This isn't to say that any amount of screen time is terrible for children.  We are just looking to encourage depending on it less, and looking for alternatives to spending so much time glued to the screen.

Last spring, I broached the subject of cancelling our cable subscription with the husband.  As there was quite the list of DVR'd shows always available on the box, it wasn't the easiest sell.  But we gave it a shot, and switched to Netflix and Hulu.  It definitely cuts down on the TV watching the kids and I do, because I don't usually feel like waiting to fire up the TV and Wii to get to the shows.  (And I sure liked the cost difference- that extra $50 not going out for cable isn't bothering me a bit.)

So, what does one do instead of fixating on the screen?  Well, I'm so glad you asked!

Art-  Keep a bin of crayons, markers, pencils, pads of paper, stickers, ink pads and stamps, paints and brushes, scissors, and glue handy.  Haul it out and  create away.

Playdough- Sensory, only slightly messy, fun.  Need I say more?

Sensory bins- Beans, rice, sand, pasta, water, cloud dough (2 parts flour to 1 part oil), easter grass and small plastic toys, snow, ice, aquarium rocks, water beads, marbles... Go wild!  (Just make sure that your young ones are closely supervised... Guess that means you get to play too!)

Have a dance party- Put on some music and be silly.  Just think of all the endorphins you can give yourself!

READ!  Reading to your child is one of the absolute best ways to teach your child.  Reading stories gives you snuggle up time, it encourages conversations you may not have had otherwise, it brings up vocabulary that you wouldn't usually use.

Cook-  Involve your child in making your meals.  Have them pull up a chair or stool, and wash the fruits and veggies at the sink, or measure out the pasta into a bowl, or spread bread with butter or jam.  Encourage them to set out silverware and napkins, or choose the fruit that will be served.

Go outside.  This, by far, has to be one of my favorite alternatives to do with my children.  I was lucky enough to be able to spend so much of my childhood outside, and I need to make up for not having the kind of backyard that I wanted for them the first few years of the older two's lives.  We are gonna be spending every spare minute out there (as soon as it is warm enough), and make all the memories we can.

There is so much to do and experience!  Go do it!  It'll be the best daymaking experience your child can have....

When Baby Talk Isn't the Best Talk

Thank goodness for another Friday.  Don't get me wrong- I love what I do, and can't imagine spending my days doing anything else.  But I so look forward to each and every weekend to spend time with my own little munchkins.  This is the weekend that my baby doll goes in for her Early Childhood Screening.  She is really excited about it, and I think that she will do well.  Hopefully, she doesn't go shy as soon as we get there.

Recently, I completed a class for work that discussed assessment strategies and how we as teachers use these tools to help us plan for the children we care for.  Many may think that there is little to assess when the children are the young infants that I spend my days with,  but there is so much more than even I realized before I began working exclusively with infants.  People, there is A LOT!  Children learn so much in the first five years of life.  And if you think of a child going from a helpless newborn to a walking, talking, doing 12 month old in just that 12 months....  It boggles the mind.

One area in particular that I have been putting some thought into is the development of speech in infants.  I am a huge fan of Infant Sign Language, and don't know where teachers were before the connection to teach hearing children signing was made.  Incidentally, ISL provides an unintended benefit in giving children a visual cue to go with a spoken word- allowing them to connect the word with meaning much sooner.  :)  While I was in college, I took a class in Speech and Language Phonology and Audiology.  To make that mouthful simpler, it was basically a look at how speech is acquired, and the physical structures of our vocal folds that allow for speech.  I had a great professor for this class, and several things that he mentioned still stick with  me now.

\According to this professor (and, unfortunately, I am unable to recall his name), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the International Children's Education Department there are patterns to how children learn language in the first several years of their lives.  The DHHS site has a list of common speech and communication milestones, while iCHED outlines the patterns in which phonemes (the smallest sounds in speech) are acquired.  Most of these have goals for fluency in the toddler years, with several moving into the preschool and early elementary years.  Also, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has some good information here and a speech development milestone chart here (linked to ldonline.org).  There are steps that children go through to learn language, and teaching them to hear or respond to the incorrect sounds can set them up for future difficulties.

As an infant teacher, this information motivates me to encourage and insist that the staff with me enunciate to our infants as clearly as possible.  Infancy is one of the building blocks for future learning, and not offering words children will need to know for future learning correctly only creates frustration for those children who hear incorrect speech so often that they don't understand when they hear correctly articulated speech.

I knew a child who wouldn't look around for us (the caregivers) unless we deliberately mispronounced her name, because she heard the mispronunciation more than her actual name.  I know that there are children out there whose parents use a nickname more than their child's given name, but when the name is one that the child will need to know as they grow, it really isn't doing them any favors to hear their name wrong all the time.  It also doesn't encourage children to learn correct enunciation of language if what they are hearing is consistently incorrect.

That said, there are many things that you can do to help your child learn speech.  Begin by looking at your child and responding to their coos.  Read, read, read!  You can never read too much to your child.  Begin with things that interest you to be reading.  Your newborn won't care if you are reading the stock market report, they just want to hear your voice.  As they grow older, you can offer choices and they can choose books they enjoy. Point out speech and words in the environment and community around you.  Street signs, bill boards, advertisements tacked up at the grocery store.  All of these is an opportunity to talk to your child and encourage their understanding of words and their uses.

Speak clearly to your child.  They will hear the sounds of speech they need to learn to be able to speak for themselves better if they are hearing you enunciate clearly.  Don't mush up your sounds or encourage baby talk (NOT the same thing as babbling with your child)  Again, this encourages your child to distinguish mispronunciations as the correct speech to learn.  Do encourage and participate in babbling with your child.  When they can make sounds like, "mamama", "dododo", "bebebe"- talk back to them.  This gives them practice with that sound, even as it shows them that they are able to carry on a conversation with you.

It all begins with you.  What your child hears from you, they are going to want to imitate.  You are your child's first and best teacher.  :)

You are What You Eat...

I am so loving that the temperatures are now climbing enough to melt some of this snow that we have stashed... everywhere around here.  It gives me more hope that spring is right around the corner, and we won't have to layer on boots and coats and hats and mittens every time we want to go outside for a while.

It also makes me think about gardening.  I have several tubs of plants started, and I can't wait to get them outside, in their summer homes so we can get the produce from them.  Gardening is one of my favorite things to do, and I am lucky enough that my kids also get enthusiastic about it... for now.  I plan to work hard so they keep that wonder and interest in plants and fresh food, but I guess we will see!  :)

One of the big reasons I love my garden is knowing where what we are eating comes from.  I never was one to really stress about organics and where our food came from, but since I have the space, I sure want to make use of it.  And after looking in to how to set up my gardens, I have learned that I should have more care about our food.

I grew up on garden food- I'm sure my mom knew much more than we thought about the pilfered veggies that we would use as groceries for our outdoor games.  But it was hard to resist the peas, beans, carrots, and tomatoes that were right there just begging to be picked and eaten.  When we were part of a community garden, Little Man had a hard time keeping his fingers out of my garden neighbor's cherry tomatoes...  It's a 'problem' I'm hoping to have one day.  :)  My kids are great veggie eaters, and I hope that they learn to appreciate garden fresh picks.

We also had farm raised meat a lot of the time, and knowing what wasn't in our meat was something that was mentioned frequently in our house.  Now, I am grateful for the opportunity to have meat from the farm to feed my family- because I know what isn't in it.  And the cost savings are definitely another big plus.

I stumbled across the blog 100 Days of Real Food, and began following her posts on Facebook.  She gives some interesting and doable suggestions for eating more intentionally and healthfully.  While I don't follow every suggestion, using some of the information and strategies provided have allowed me to make some better decisions for my family.  We are eating a lot more whole foods (like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and honey or syrup in place of white sugar) than we used to, and I am definitely putting more thought towards healthier options when I am planning and shopping.

Eating well doesn't have to be an all or nothing endeavor.  You don't have to garden big enough to provide all your own produce- I love the farmers market, and still shop the produce section at my local grocery store.  You don't have to raise your own meat, or even know someone who raises meat animals to get quality meats for your family.  Just being aware of what  you are making available and encouraging a taste for healthful choices sets your whole family on the right track.

Involve the family in making food decisions.  I make a two week menu, then shop for both weeks at once.  Each of the kids gets to pick one meal, and the husband picks a couple as well.  This way, there are a few meals that are family favorites, I pick some new stuff so there is variety and learning about new tastes, and everyone is happy.  Don't be scared to offer your children vegetarian or ethnic cuisine- they may surprise you... Little Man asked for Orange Chicken one week, and gyros have become a favorite of all of us.

Have fun with your food!  Don't stress if your child eats sweets on occasion, or has non-organic fruits and veggies- there are worse things!  And pizza definitely hits several of the food groups, so don't beat yourself up for serving it up.  My biggest lesson in becoming more aware of what we are eating was just that- to be more aware and encourage what I felt was right for my family.

Bon apatite!

Become the Science Kids!

I always took science classes for granted when I was in school myself, and didn't think about it much after I graduated.  It took having children myself, and working with all the wonderful children that I've been able to hang out with for the last several years to really understand the significance of encouraging science exploration for children.

Encouraging science exploration in children is a great way to spark their curiosity, and teach them about learning.  I know it may seem like a silly thing, to have to teach a child about learning.  But it is a process that needs practice for children to become proficient at.  And science is a great way to do so.  :)

Science can be as simple as exploration bottles.  I have several bottles at home for my kiddos, with rice and some small objects for them to find as they roll the bottles.  I took pictures of each of the objects before putting them in the bottles, and putting them on a sheet for them to use as an I  Spy for the bottles.  I make them for the children at work as well.   One has water and a cut up plastic bag that looks like an octopus, another has baby oil and ribbons and sequins in it, and another water with sand and sea shells.  The options are only limited by what you can fit into the bottle.  Pinterest has TONS of great ideas!  (Have I mentioned how much I like Pinterest?)

Plants are another great science tool.  Planting seeds in bags to stick in the window, in cups with children's faces taped to the outside, creating any type of garden that children are encouraged to explore and experience.  I love having my children around our garden. I have started my tomatoes, peppers, and several herbs in pots in the house, and I love watching my kids get excited about watching the plants sprout and grow.  Before we had our house, we joined a community garden so that the kids could have the experience of a garden (and me too!) when we just didn't have the space or ability to have a garden at home.

My kids love to use water to learn and explore.  Measuring, scooping, and pouring are great activities for children to learn.  You can also include snow and ice in water play.  Adding food coloring to spray bottles of water for children to 'paint' the snow.  Freezing small plastic toys in large blocks of ice, and letting children pour warm water on it to get the toys out.

One big thing all of these have in common is that they are activities that require hands on participation by the children.  All of them encourage the children to interact with the materials provided, to have power over what happens.  If you don't shake the sensory bottle, the materials inside just sit there.  They don't shift, move, or mix.   If you don't plant the seeds, they won't grow or develop produce that can be harvested and eaten.  If they don't touch the water, it will just sit there.  And evaporation takes too long for the quantity in a water table to be very interesting for children.  :)

Science is all around us.  Teaching children to notice and enjoy it encourages so many skills that will help them be as successful as possible as they grow.  It can be as simple as asking the right question in the moment or as complex as planning out a long term science project with your child.  The main thing is, again, to be involved yourself.  Anything you are interested in and doing is going to spark your child's interest.  They want to be just like you, to do what you do.  And when you are interested in what they are doing, it makes things so much cooler and more interesting to your child.

Some ideas:
Pinterest Science

Treasure the Small Moments with Family

What a wonderful week it was.  The little man had the week off from school for spring break even though we haven't really moved into spring yet. There's still so much snow, I think it's going to take until June to clear up!  The others had a great time learning about the circus at daycare, and putting on a circus on Friday.
Today, we took the munchkins swimming at one of the local hotels.  There are a couple around here that allow open swim for a reasonable price.  Since it was my momma's birthday a couple days ago, and I love any excuse to hang out with my parents and siblings, the text went out (along with a phone call to my parents who haven't figured out the joys of texting yet), and the date was set up.  We had a wonderful hour and a half or so swimming with about half of my side of the family, followed by a crock pot lunch at our house after.  As we hadn't been able to visit with my mom on her birthday, the munchkin troop and I headed to Target this morning to pick up some birthday decor.

Even though the doll baby spilled the beans about the birthday decorations and balloons that we had waiting, my momma was one happy lady when she walked in and saw it.  And the kids sure had a blast having a party for her.  Much fun and relaxing were had by all.

These are the moments that I sure live for.  The moments when  you are surrounded by the ones you love, the ones who just get you and all  your weirdness.  The moments when you can put a smile on someone's face, and make their day just that much brighter.  I love it!  And I sure love how my babies are figuring out how to do the same kinds of things already.  :)

There are two good reasons to become a facilitator of moments like this....

1..  You never know when this day could be your last chance to create memories of or with someone.  I recently was able to be a listener for a coworker, explaining how the 4 year old daughter of a neighbor, a child who had played frequently with her own children, had died in a tragic accident the night before.  Things can happen so fast, so you need to make sure that you are taking each and every opportunity to store up memories of the people you love and enjoy being with.

2.  You also never know when your kindness and the time you offer could mean the world to another person.  I love reading the Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and one particular story that still stands out is of a middle school boy who befriended another, after the second had his stack of books knocked out of his arms.  They became good friends, and it was only at their high school graduation that it came out that the second had planned to commit suicide that weekend.  The actions of the first boy convinced him that there were more reasons to go on and find the help he needed.

I was given the opportunity to read Life as a Daymaker, by David Wagner a couple years ago.  This is truly an amazing book!  The philosophy of creating moments of conscious giving to others is so simple, yet so profound that it can change lives with a single act of thoughtful kindness.  I strive to utilize the ideas that I read in this book to be the best parent, spouse, employee, co-worker, child, and friend that  I can be.  And the rewards that I get are truly priceless.

Life as a Daymaker

I recently purchased the book Bucket Filling from A to Z through the book order program at my younger children's day care.  We haven't had a chance to read it together- yet- but after flipping through it, I am glad that it is now a part of our library.  There are so many ways to give, to make someone else's day, and this will be another way that we teach our children the power of giving back.

Bucket Filling from A to Z

One last bit before I go tonight....

They truly are what matter most.

The Power in Your Speech

What a wonderful week this has been, thus far!  The kidlets, husband, and I got to go out for a walk this afternoon (finally!), and the curtain of snow that has been blocking my windows at work is finally beginning to melt.  Slowly, to be sure, but we got to have more sunshine coming in today than we have had all week.  I sure have missed it!

This article popped up on my Facebook news feed, shared by at least three friends.....  What Really Happens When You Use the R-Word.  It gives a great look at how the use of a specific word as a negative and demeaning insult truly diminishes whole groups of people who, as the article states, just don't have the necessary skills to be able to defend themselves against the attack.

Reading this got me thinking about how the things we say, and the ways we say them, truly affect others in our lives as well as people we have never met.

Looking at the power of our words over others, and especially children, from a this perspective, we truly need to use caution when we are talking to our children.  We need to preview their media- from books and magazines, to television and video games.  Children need to be taught how to use their words nicely.  They aren't born knowing how to build someone up or tear them down with what they say- they are taught by the examples that are in front of them daily.

I have no idea where this particular poem originated, and I would love to be able to give the author credit.  My mom found a copy of it in the newspaper (I think), and cut it out and kept it on the refrigerator for the longest time:

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.

If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.

If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.

If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.

If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.

If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.

If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.

If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.

If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.

If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.

If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.

If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.

If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.

If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.

If children live with fairness, they learn justice.

If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.

If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.

If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live. 

This truly sums up why we need to make sure that our children are hearing and learning the best they can from us- their parents and families and friends and caregivers.... Everything they need to learn to be able to be the best they can be starts with us.

Embrace Your Child's Creativity

I discovered how much I love to make a mess.  Don't get me wrong, I do like to have things organized so that I can find something the next time I need it, but I love play dough.  And sensory tables of beans or rice or pasta.  And paint!  I love to paint!  True, my paintings are much more impressionistic than realistic, but I sure do enjoy the process.  There sure is something to be said for not worrying about the mess in the moment, and enjoying creating something fun and new.

One of the best distractions I have found for these insanely cold days we have been having is to just haul out the art supplies and letting the kids go crazy with it.  They have so much fun, and turn out some really great stuff.  However, if you don't enjoy a mess quite as much as I do, this endeavor could become more than you bargained for.  Here are a few tips and tricks I've learned that let us make the most of  our messes without letting them get out of hand.

We love to build with Legos.  They have to be one of the best toys ever- unless they are hiding in a dark corner waiting to jump out at you in the dark when you have no shoes on.  Then they are the worst invention ever, and what were we thinking?!  :P  But, anyway... The husband... I mean, Santa found the kids play mats that are typically used for collectible card gaming that work wonders for Lego play.  They provide a defined space for each child, have a non-slip benefits (both between the table and mat, and the mat and Legos), and help keep the noise of poured out Legos from getting to an unbearable level.

Play Mat

For play dough, we have a vinyl table cloth with picnic table clips.  The table cloth is a must have for my table- it has a decorative groove about six inches from each edge, and I really don't want to have to dig play dough out of it.  The vinyl is easy to wash, and folds nicely for storage with the play dough supplies.

Pretty much anything else, I will allow directly on the table surface.  When we collage, I use a pan scraper to scrape the glue off the table and then wash like usual.  I got one from Pampered Chef a while ago when I ordered something, and it works great for my table.  I don't even know if it gets used for what it was intended any more...  Oh, well... I will definitely hit them up for more when this one dies.  :)

from: Pampered Chef

Between a vinegar and dish soap mix, baking soda, hand sanitizer, and the Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, pretty much everything else just washes off.  Be aware, I never put all of these on the table at the same time.   I start with the dish soap mix, and if that doesn't work, rinse and then try the baking soda.  No go? Rinse and repeat with the hand sanitizer.  And so on.  Definitely be careful of mixing chemicals.  :)

Last tip:  For organization, I love bins/tubs, vinyl or plastic zippered pencil pouches, and gallon size zipper bags.  They are easy to label, and you can choose which will work best due to what you need to store and where it will be kept.  We use bins for Legos and some of the play dough accessories (and a lot of the other small toys), and bags for the sensory table fillers and some of the play dough accessories that don't sit down in the tubs that we have as well.  The pencil pouches are great for crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc., and then I stand them up in a tub that is just longer than the pouches are.  Makes for much easier finding the must-have medium of the moment.  Figure out what works for you and go with it.

Have fun making messes with your little ones!  Creativity is one of the best boredom busters, and having the supplies on hand will cut down on all the "There's nothing to do!"s you will hear.  And, again, seeing you enjoying the materials with them will increase the fun that your child has exploring what you have provided for them.  The opportunities are endless, for both of you.

Well, the play dough is calling....

How to Speak Baby

Well, February was not as productive here as I had hoped, but on to March, and hopefully some increased productivity!

In the course of my work, we are taking a lot of new classes, and learning a lot of new and really cool things.  One of the classes talked about looking more in depth on how we teach more, and making sure to plan activities and opportunities to cover a broader range of developmental areas.

Before I go into all the ins and outs, and ups and downs, of child development and get way to technical for everyone, I want to mention how taking some of these classes made me remember one of the first child care teacher classes I got to take.  The topic was Infant Sign Language- and from that class, I was hooked.  I mean, a way to talk to babies so they can reciprocate?  How cool is that!?

There are numerous studies that show that an infant develops their receptive language months ahead of their expressive language.  They can smile and coo, they can understand that they are hungry or need a diaper, but their vocal chords are just not developed enough to tell you that they need milk or a change.  All they can do is fuss and cry, and hope that you are able to figure out the cue and respond to what they are asking for.

And here is where Infant Sign Language (ISL) comes in so very handy.  Around 6-10 months, children learn to connect a gesture with meaning.  When you play peek a boo, or pat a cake, or even "So Big!", your child is learning to associate those gestures with specific meanings.  And when they learn to clap when you say "Yay!" or wave when you say "Bye bye!", they are taking that a step further by connecting the gestures with specific responses on your part.  This is the ideal time to really focus on teaching some basic signs to your child.  You can use the American (or whatever your local signing dialect is) Sign Language, or you can make up your own.  If you use your own signs, just make sure that all the other care giving adults in your child's life are able to recognize the signs as well.  It helps your provider and family encourage your efforts, and just makes things easier for your child.

The first six signs that I teach at the Center are eat, more, all done, milk, please, and diaper.  To me, these are the most important things for an infant to be able to communicate to their caregivers.

All Done

We use all done mostly when the children are eating.  If they seem like they are finished, we ask them if they are all done, while doing the sign.  If they don't continue to eat, we will gently take their hands and help them approximate the sign, then begin to clean them up.

Diaper

The sign for diaper is a great cue for diaper changes.  I tell the child "Time for a diaper change." while making the sign, then follow through with the change.

Eat

I think that eat is one of the quickest signs learned.  You can use it any time that you are going to offer food or drink, though I do teach milk as well, to let the children differentiate when they are getting a bottle or solid foods.

Milk

Milk is a great one for infants who are only getting bottles of breast milk or formula, but also for children who are getting whole milk (or an alternative) out of a cup.  Like eat, it is a great way for them to let you know what they need without having to get all the way to upset and crying.

More

More is definitely another favorite.  I love to teach it for the children who develop the habit of hitting or kicking a tray to demand their next bite of a meal.  It's just much easier on the chair. :)  We also will use it if we are playing with the children, to help them let us know when they want more interaction, another book or song, or just more time with someone or something.

Please

I know that please is kind of an abstract concept at the infant stage, but I feel that it is important for children to get a foundation of knowing that there is a better way to ask for something than simply demanding what they want without learning that politeness.

There are so many resources out there if you are looking for support in getting started with ISL.  A couple that I like are:  Baby Signs and Sign 2 Me.  Both have a lot of prompts, flash cards, and information to get you started.  But you really don't need much.  Just an idea of what signs you want to teach, a source to learn those (images.bing.com is great!), and a baby to work with.  :)  Patience, persistence, and consistency are the main keys.  Before you know it, you will be fluently speaking "Baby" with your little one!