We found this great quote on the wall in a preschool classroom and just had to share:
One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The cirriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.
- Carl Jung
Carl Jung was a Swedish psychologist who had a keen eye for observation of the human character. His words ring so true and it’s worth thinking about with the way modern society is going. He cautioned that there should be balance and harmony in our lives and that the modern world relies too much on science and logic.
Sadly, this is becoming true of some parents as they look into daycare. They are becoming more concerned about the academics rather than the nurturing. Think about your early school years, you will have fond memories of the teacher who took the time to make you feel good about yourself whether it was through a kind word, a warm smile, a sympathetic ear, a nod of approval, a compliment, or even a simple recognition of how you were feeling. The simplest positive act could have a major impact on who you turn out to be. Please keep this in mind as you choose the right facility for your child. It is so important that he/she be in a nurturing environment as opposed to one that is proud that they read Shakespeare to two year olds. Don’t laugh, there is a place that does this! Oh Please!!
Especially in the preschool years, children certainly benefit from the warm, loving, and patient guidance necessary to learn. It is from this kind of teacher that the soul of the child and their minds can grow succesfully.
~ Jackie & Jo-Jo
How many times have you heard someone, as well as yourself, say, “I need a vacation!” It’s funny, but adults don’t see that children need a break from their everyday routine too! Though they may not be able to express that feeling verbally, preschoolers will show it in other ways by being cranky, tired, irritable, uncooperative, etc….
Think about it, they have to get dragged out of bed and go to school where they face their own daily stresses. They have to follow a routine and have conflicts with other children, and may even have to deal with a caregiver that they are not especially fond of. It kind of sounds like your work environment, doesn’t it?
You know how you look forward to those days where you can linger in bed a little longer and do what you want? In fact, we know you’re relaxing more as you’re reading this and visualizing those precious moments. We realize that going on a trip can be too expensive and time consuming. That’s fine! There are plenty of things you can do for free. You can search free things to do in your area and there will be websites with events and free activities that are available to you and your children. Thanks to our resourceful buddy Liz for pointing that out.
So take a minute and think when was the last time your child had a break? A little time off to refuel is good for EVERYONE!!
Have fun!
~ Jackie & Jo-Jo
As the weather changes, so does our fashion, including footwear. Now before we begin here, let’s just state that we have nothing against those cute little crocs or flip flops which are fine for the more sedentary activities. However, when it comes to running and climbing out on a playground or walking for any length of time, they simply are not appropriate! We have seen so many children get injured while wearing these things during outdoor play. And let’s not forget those nasty blisters. They are just not safe. So why not avoid injury and send your child to school in sneakers or some other appropriate closed-toed shoe.
Gone are the days when parents took their children to the local shoe store to ensure the proper fit. ( Ohhhhh are we aging ourselves with that ..LOL ! Does anyone remember Buster Brown? ) But truly, the right fit in a good shoe is definitely a good investment for your child’s well being.
~ Jackie & Jo-Jo
Hi All!
We now have a promotional video for our book, Dear Daycare Parent. You are welcome to view it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGCK9q8RevE . Please be sure to leave any comments you may have, it would be appreciated!. We continue to be passionate about our book and feel it would be a wonderful resource for parents involved in the world of daycare. Our hope is that this video will catch the attention of a publisher who can appreciate the value of this subject.
We’d also like to send out a big ” THANK YOU ” to the producer of this video, Mike Lombardi of Big L Pictures, along with the actresses . You all did a great job!
~ Jackie & Jo- Jo
We are pleased to have a special guest blogger offering her thoughts on the struggles of working parents. Martha Wylie is the director of Knight Hall School in West Hartford, CT. She has held this position for the last 20 years. She earned a double degree, one in Early Childhood Education and the other in Special Education. She is a single mom who works full time and still manages to spend quality time with her child.
~ Jackie & Jo-Jo
Being a working parent is a very difficult road to navigate, heck being a parent is a difficult road to navigate. For the past 24 years I have been working with young children and their families. I have spent many; many hours helping parents understand the development of their children. Helping parents navigate the unknown paths of development and parenting is a favorite part of my job!
If there is just one message I would love to yell from the roof tops it’s “STOP PARENTING OUT OF GUILT!” When you parent out of guilt you make some very bad mistakes, mistakes that will last a life time. The most common mistake is not setting firm limits for your children. This results in unruly children. If children don’t understand what their boundaries are, if they don’t know the limits, they are wild, fresh, angry and very unhappy children. Children feel safe when they know that their parent is in charge and in control. Children don’t like to be in control, it’s a scary place for them. Imagine thinking at the age of 2, 3, 4, that you were in charge, you were the one who made all of the decision. Can you imagine?
The reason I bring this up is to address a situation that is becoming increasingly popular among working parents. That situation is bringing your child to school when you don’t have to work. Often a parent will arrive at school saying, “Susie really wants to come to school today” as they are gently pushing them into the classroom. As the parent leaves they whisper, “I am having a me day today so call my cell if you need me”. Or a parent will say, “My office is closed today, but Johnny is much happier at school” Don’t get me wrong, we love to see your children and we are delighted that your child loves to come to school, however please don’t think for a moment your child is unaware that you don’t want to be with them. Harsh? Perhaps, true, yes!
If you are parenting out of guilt there is a very good chance that your child doesn’t behave very well. There is a good chance that you don’t enjoy spending long periods of time with your child. There is a chance that you then feel really guilty about all of that, so the easiest thing to do is to send them to school, after all they really like school, right?!
That’s really an unhealthy road to take. Children need to feel wanted, they need to know that you really like being with them. The best way to show this is first, set limits and truly parent your child. They don’t need a friend, they need a parent. Next, spend as much time as possible with your child, get to know them. Laugh with them, read with them cook and clean with them, just spend time with them.
As a working parent your time is limited with your child, take full advantage of the time you do have. Spending time with your child does not mean let them do whatever they want. It doesn’t mean you don’t have to set limits, it means spend time with your child. You are their role model; they learn how to behave from you. Remember, you are raising an adult not a child.
Childhood goes very quickly. It feels like forever when you’re in it, but trust me they are truly the most amazing years of your child’s life. The early years are setting the foundation for your entire relationship with your child. Remember the old Harry Chapin song Cat’s in the Cradle? There is a lot of truth to that song! If you don’t put a lot of effort into your relationship with your child when they are young, they won’t be there when they are older; they have learned to live their life without you.
As you navigate this path with your children, think about the type of relationship you want to have. Think about the adult you want your child to grow into and then take a good long look at your parenting style. If you believe you are doing the best by your child, that you are spending enjoyable time with your child, give yourself a pat on the back, job well done! If you don’t feel that way, make some changes; take advantage of the resources all around you to make the changes.
At the end of the day your child loves you. At the end of the day there is no better hug and truer sense of love than that from your child. Give them the respect and the time that they deserve!
Well, here we go talking yet again about cell phone use. Yes, sad to say we must address the fact that they are becoming an issue in daycare. “Sigh!” We’ve been noticing that some parents are now talking on their cells as they drop off and pick up their children. Just a reminder here to please save the call for later as it would be greatly appreciated. Caregivers should not feel they are imposing on your conversation as they are trying to speak with you. More importantly, your child shouldn’t feel that he/she is being a bother at that point either as they try to say hello or goodbye.
There have also been incidents where a parent arrives through the door after closing time because they are engrossed in conversation out in their car. Now THAT certainly doesn’t go over well. The big plus for cell phones is that you can call the center in case you’re stuck in traffic or an emergency came up. Be sure you have the daycare’s number stored on your phone.
On the other side, a parent should not walk in and find the teachers texting and talking on their phones either! If you notice this happening on a consistent basis, you have every right to inform the director.
Thank goodness they don’t make cell phones for preschoolers, huh? Don’t give anyone the idea!
~ Jackie & Jo-Jo
We’re sure many of you have heard of “play dates” – a fancy way of saying let’s get the kids together to play for a while. They can be as simple as a casual short meeting with other children in a park to a scheduled time to go to a neighbor’s home. Whatever you feel comfortable with and have time for, just remember a little socialization time can have tremendous benefits for your child.
Socialization skills really start coming into play when a child is around three years old. Prior to this they are egocentric and are only interested in having their needs met. As they grow the play becomes more parallel – meaning they play near, but not actually with, another child.
Socialization begins by simply being able to ask another child to play. This may seem like a daunting task in a daycare setting where all the children are trying to get their own way. But when you let your child get together with one or two children outside of school, they can work on their sharing and cooperation skills in a more casual atmosphere and gain more confidence. This will carry over to the school environment.
So the next time your child is invited to a play date, why not go for a little while? This is especially true of children who stay at home. As a parent or caregiver, you may find a few new friends too!
~ Jackie & Jo-Jo
Hi All!
You must be settling into your normal routines after the holidays. The kids are finally settling down too. Whew! It takes a while for them to come down from the holiday highs for sure.
Anyway, it’s a new year and we are looking forward to providing you with all kinds of new tips, stories, and information regarding daycare. Please be sure to check in every week. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to send them to us. We greatly appreciate the feedback!
So here’s to a happy, healthy and prosperous one!
~ Jackie & Jo-Jo
It’s not unusual to hear a parent express their guilt over placing their child in daycare. As a result, they will honestly admit that they don’t discipline, set limits, and tend to overindulge their children with material things.
In response to this, we would like to bring attention to an informative show Dr. Phil had recently. It was titled Generation Me. It was given this title to represent some of the young people today, because as a group, experts say, they are self absorbed, spoiled, and impatient and feel entitled to have everything without working for it. Dr. Phil said, “Someone once said to me the older generation talks about the younger generation as though they had nothing to do with it.”
He explains, these children were not born like this, it’s been cultivated in them from an early age. He said it happens because parents feel guilty because they have to work, they haven’t spent enough time with their children, or they feel their child has it too hard. Consequently, to help the parent feel better in the moment they give in to their child’s every need and want. By doing this, Dr. Phil explains, as a society we are crippling our children. We are taking away their inner drive and discipline and leaving them with the feeling that everything will be given to them.
Author Jean Twenge who wrote the book Generation Me was a guest on the show. She said it best in her book when she wrote, “Your kids are special to you, but they need to learn that they have to earn being special in the world by their performance and holding themselves accountable.”
Whether you agree or not, a thought provoking show, don’t you think? And keep in mind, a quality daycare will be setting limits and discipline. Without this, it would be total chaos in the building.
~ Jackie & Jo-Jo
Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
And now it’s that time of the year, let the shopping begin! It’s not always easy to find that perfect gift and many parents struggle to figure out an appropriate gift for a teacher. We thought it might help if we gave you a list of some of our all-time favorites.
It’s nice when a parent shares a favorite food and includes the recipe. One parent made a batch of Chex Mix and put it in individual decorative tins for the whole staff. Another was a fresh loaf of specialty bread and jelly from a local bakery. Gift cards to a coffee place, movie theatre or bookstore is a great thought. Personalized stationery, decorative bookmarkers, plants, and key chains are also among our favorites along with an oversized mug with packets of hot chocolate. And of course, just a simple handmade card with a heartfelt thank you can go a long way to making spirits brighter!
One year a group of parents got together and put in a few dollars each to send the staff out to dinner! What a wonderful idea and economical too!
The bottom line is TRULY it’s not the cost of the gift, but the heartfelt thanks behind it! If you’re happy with the care your child is getting, kind words go a long way.
~ Jackie & Jo-Jo
