safety zone | march 2017

Is your family taking a trip in the car for Spring Break? 
Keeping children safe (and occupied) on long car rides is a challenge. It’s also important to keep your child safe on short trips, like through the carpool line (hint, hint).

Here’s a creative way to teach your child why staying buckled in the car matters. This is from one of our favorite early childhood specialists and blogger, Amanda Morgan. 

Place a ball or a marble inside a cup.  Tell the children that this is them inside a car.  “Drive the car around on the floor (making the requisite car noises, of course), and then make a sudden stop (and yes, you have to say, “Errrrrch”).  Thanks to Newton’s law about objects in motion staying in motion, the ball will roll out of the car.  Talk about what that could mean for them.  If they’re in a car and the car stops, they will keep moving and could fall over or even out of the car. 

Now ask who buckles up when they take a trip in the car.  Give the ball some buckles by taping it in.  Drive the car around again and make some sudden stops.  As Newton would explain, that object in motion has now been interrupted by an equal and opposite force.  The ball stays safely in the cup.  Talk with your little ones about the importance of wearing seatbelts so that they can stay safe in their cars.
 

p.o.v. | march 2017

Fill in the blank.

________________ is better.

Bigger is better.
Faster is better
More is better.

Earlier is better...or is it?

As parents of preschoolers, you certainly feel the pressure to get your child off to a good start in academics - and maybe even in athletics too. The belief that earlier is better has become so deeply ingrained in our society that we may not even question its validity. 

Is a child who starts reading earlier really ahead (smarter than/more advanced than) a child who reads later? Research shows that usually by third grade, and certainly by middle school, there’s no real difference in reading levels between those who started reading early and those who started reading later. The same can be said for young “superstars” in sports. 

The “earlier is better” philosophy does not mesh with what we know about child development. It’s like taking a financial principle - if you start saving for retirement early, you increase your chances of being able to retire at an earlier age - and trying to transfer it to child development. Earlier is better works for retirement savings, is not necessarily for young children (see more about this here).  Early learning consultant, Rae Pica, writes: “Childhood is not a dress rehearsal for adulthood, nor is it a race. It is a separate, unique, and very special phase of life. And I’m afraid that we’re essentially wiping it out of existence due to a misguided belief that earlier is better.”

What you’re much less likely to hear is the truth about what actually happens to children if prodded to complete tasks before they’re developmentally ready. As noted early childhood expert Jane Healy once told me, “When you start something before the brain is ready, you’ve got trouble.” Among the possibilities for trouble are frustration, discouragement, stress and even depression. 

What should parents do instead?

• Be aware of developmental milestones. Educate yourself about what typical 2, 3, and 4 year olds can do.  Here is a helpful resource to guide you: Developmental Milestones
• Follow your child’s lead. Notice what your child is naturally interested in and encourage their curiosity. Let them explore and have open-ended opportunities to PLAY that are not adult-directed.
• Don’t be afraid to wait on or forgo structured opportunities/classes. Just because it’s offered does not mean it’s necessary or helpful. Keep life simple when children are little. 
   

faith and family | March 2017

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18

My youngest daughter has just started walking and it seems that I have quickly turned from mom to police. I spend a lot of time in my home trying to make peace. I try to create peace between siblings, peace between mom and child, peace during play dates, peace in cleaning up my home. The tasks seem endless. As seen with each of the fruits of the spirit, as we dig deep to conjure up peace or goodness or gentleness or patience, we often find the well running dry. Making peace becomes more tyrannical as we reach the limit of our own energy and self. This is when we must remember that we have access to God, who is the embodiment of peace and patience and goodness. We have the ability to pray for the peace of Christ, which transcends our circumstances, the fights, the mess, the discipline and the daily grind. God is the fullness of peace. He is able to provide peace that seems other-worldly. This peace, as seen in the verse above, is given to us through a relationship with Jesus and accessed through prayer and thankfulness. I pray often for access to that peace (many times a day actually). This peace will guard your hearts and minds against frustration. I would encourage us this month to pray daily for the access to God’s perfect peace. Pray as a family and continue to recite the things you are thankful for each morning and watch how that thankfulness adds peace to your home. 
Grace Brown, Faith and Family Coordinator
 

from the director | March 2017

Even though Father’s Day isn’t until June, we enjoy making a big fuss over WDS dads in March at our annual Daddy and Me Day for our 3 and 4 Day classes. Our Dads deserve the love. WDS Dads are involved and engaged in our school many other days of the year, not just on special occasions. 

This.is.awesome. 

Dads drop off/pick up from school. Dads go on field trips. Dads attend parent-teacher conferences. Dads volunteer for woodworking and have even been known to make a batch of monthly playdough. An engaged and involved father is a tremendous blessing in the life of our school and in the life a child. 

Here’s why... Dads do things differently than moms. They parent differently, play differently, even communicate differently. 

“One major study showed that when speaking to children, mothers will simplify their words and speak on the child's level. Dads are not as inclined to modify their language for the child. The mother's way facilitates immediate communication; the father's way challenges the child to expand her vocabulary and linguistic skills — an important building block of academic success.”  Read more here: The Involved Father

It is important to recognize and appreciate the differences between dads and moms because children blossom with a balance of the two. That’s the beauty of our Creator God’s original plan for family. So here’s to our dads and the children who love them! 

Still need to RSVP to Daddy and Me Day? Here’s the link.

In Him,

safety zone | february 2017

They are cute, but the tiny hands of busy little children are also covered in germs! As simple as it is to do, kids don't always think about or want to take the time to wash their hands. Yet it's the best way to prevent colds and flu. According to research, the simple act of hand washing reduces the risk of getting a stomach bug by as much as 47 percent. 

What Your Child Should Know:

• Which sink handle is for cold water and which is for warm water.
• How to turn the water on and off.
• Some sense of how much soap is needed for one hand-washing session and how to operate a soap dispenser.
• How to rub hands together to wash the germs away.
• How to rinse hands completely.
• How to use one (or two at the most) paper towel for drying hands or how to operate a hand-drying machine.
• How to throw used paper towels in the trash, rather than leaving them on the floor.

How You Can Help:

• Have your child wash her hands along with you so you can model the process. Use a little self-talk (that is, talk out loud to yourself about what you are doing as you go through the process). “First, I need to turn on the water. Then I need to put one pump of soap on my hands…”
• Sing a song such as the ABC's, "Row, Row, Row Your Boat," or "Happy Birthday." The main thing is to choose a 20 second long song. That's the amount of time that you should wash your hands to get all of the germs off. Don't forget your fingernails. Viruses love to live around your fingernails.
• You can do a chart for hand washing. Do it just until they get into the habit so they realize, "Okay, I came home from school. What is the first thing I need to do? Wash my hands." They wash their hands, they get a sticker and then they can have the rewards. Children need to know that you should wash your hands:
• after being outdoors or getting your hands dirty
• after using the bathroom
• after touching animals
• before and after touching food
• after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.

Here is an experiment to try.