Summertime is ending and it’s time to think about going back to school, which can cause a lot of mixed emotions. The stress and anxiety people feel at this time can happen for a variety of reasons. Teachers and childcare workers may worry about setting classroom expectations and dealing with a new classroom dynamic. Parents may worry about scheduling and transportation. Children worry about doing homework, getting lost, being separated from their parents, and not knowing the other kids in their class. Regardless, going back to school is a change, and with change comes uncertainty. Here are some tips for […]
Tag: education
Boosting Communication Between Childcare Workers and Parents
For many families childcare services play a large and essential part of their daily routine. It’s not unusual for children with two working parents to spend 35 plus hours a week with a childcare provider. Meaning some children spend half, if not more, of their awake time on weekdays outside of the home. For this very reason, it is essential that childcare workers and parents work together and foster good communication in order to make sure that their children are receiving the best standard of care. Families and childcare workers have always communicated when necessary, for example if a child […]
Fostering Creativity in the New Year
Winter vacation, just like any vacation, tends to start perfectly and then slowly devolve into a “when does school start again?” kind of mood. It’s not that we don’t enjoy the break, but after the holiday festivities and that strange time of Twixmas, it can be challenging to keep everyone happy and entertained. Although the new year brings lots of excitement, it can also be daunting as you try to figure out how to make the upcoming year better for both yourself and your kids. However, this time of year is the perfect time to start developing creativity practices that can […]
Making Perfect Attendance a Reality and Not a Dream
There are a lot of mixed feelings at the beginning of the school year. Some kids are excited and love going to school to see their friends and meet their new teachers. However, more anxious and socially reserved kids would much rather stay in the safety of their homes. Most kids will fall somewhere in the middle of this range of extremes, but regardless going back to school is an adjustment that takes time. However, it’s not just our kids who can feel stressed at this time of year. Teachers and childcare workers have new classroom dynamics to work […]
Getting Your Little Ones Ready to Write
February always makes me think of Valentine’s day. Valentine’s Day is often associated with lots of hearts and chocolates, but when I think of the holiday I recall spending hours writing up my Valentines to deliver to my classmates’ special, heart-shaped boxes. At younger ages, this was an arduous task with lots of erasing and struggling to spell names correctly. However, as the years progressed it became more enjoyable and is one of my treasured memories. Every year this holiday tradition continues, and kids of all ages like to participate in sending out their Valentines. But what age is appropriate […]
5 Ways to Help Kids Be Good Friends
“ The only way to have a friend is to be one.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson August 7th was Friendship Day, an international holiday for celebrating friendship and recognizing the importance of global bonding. In addition, August, for many families, marks the beginning of back-to-school season. As excited as parents and kids are for school, there tends to be some concern about how children will adjust to their new classroom. In short, will they get along with the other kids and be able to make friends? Although we send kids to school for academic learning, their social learning is a huge […]
Stopping the Summer Learning Slump!
Summer learning doesn’t have to be torturous. In fact, it should be the exact opposite. Here are some ways to make learning fun, so that your child will be begging for more educational opportunities all summer long. […]
Hip Hip Hooray for Career Day!
What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s a question we’ve all heard, and even as adults, it’s a question many of us still think about. Who do we want to be, what impact are we hoping to make with our lives, what career will bring us purpose, and what legacy will we leave behind. Take Your Child To Work Day was originally founded by the Ms. Foundation as Take Your Daughters to Work Day in 1993 to inspire young women to think about their futures. However, as of 2003, in order to reflect the fact that […]
Sleep is Important for Overall Health and Happiness
In the last year, due to the pandemic, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about hygiene. We know the importance of washing our hands, disinfecting high-touch surfaces, and staying socially distanced to lower the spread of germs. But, one topic that hasn’t been discussed quite as much is the importance of good sleep hygiene. Sleep hygiene, or the habits and practices that help us get a good night’s sleep, is an essential part of promoting good health. Yet, despite knowing the importance of sleep, 70% of American adults and nearly 50% of children don’t get enough sleep. Signs of Sleep Disruption According to […]
Bringing Children into Women’s History Month
Perhaps you are a parent who has been juggling virtual learning while working from home. Or you’re a child care provider who has not yet streamlined your communication process with ChildWatch. Either way a year has passed since the first COVID-19 lock downs and children’s education seems to only have gotten more complicated. It has been a challenging year all around for parents and childcare providers alike. Many children have gotten more screen time than anyone would have hoped or planned. If you are taking care of a child or children, it is completely understandable to feel that you are […]