There was a disturbing article on MSNBC called Tutoring Tots? Kids Prep for Kindergarten. Why on earth are four and five year olds being tutored? Preschool should be setting them up for the academic learning that should begin in kindergarten. Preschool is a time for nurturing personal, social, and emotional development as well as communication, creative, and physical skills. Allowing children to dsicover and freely explore within these areas is the foundation for developmental learning. It is sad that kindergarten classrooms are more structured strictly for academics with materials such as blocks, water tables, and dramatic play areas slowly disappearing. Even preschoolers as young as two are being evaluated for what they can and cannot do!
Why are children being hurried along so? An excellent book on this subject is called the Hurried Child by David Elkind. It gives a good review of child development and discusses how children are now being hurried along by parents, schools and the media. As the parent you need to make an informed decision when picking a preschool facility. Is it based on a nurturing approach with developmentally appropriate activities or are they stressing academics? Which is right for your child?
You have to decide for yourself, but we ask……………what’s the hurry?
- Jackie & Jo-Jo
Turns out our parents demands of “get out and play!” were not only wise, but good for us too!
In an article in the Washington Post, it talks about how millions of children are lacking Vitamin D which causes an increase in health risks such as heart disease, diabetes and bone problems. This isn’t surprising considering sun exposure is the best source of this vitamin. Children are increasingly engaged in indoor activities and can be found in front of t.v. and computer screens. And let’s not forget the popularity of the Wii! Then there are the companies making a fortune off of sunscreen who have us all believing that if we don’t slather that lotion on constantly we’ll end up with skin cancer! Note, of course you should protect your child against prolonged time in the sun.
The whole point is, if you have a child enrolled in daycare, outside time should be part of the daily program. Outside time, it does a body good!
- Jackie & Jo-Jo
Hey Parents! Here’s a tip from our book.
Parents can get frustrated when asking their children what they did that day and all they get is a shoulder shrug and “I don’t know.” To you, it’s a simple question, but to your child it’s too broad a question and they don’t know how to answer. So many things happen that they find it hard to narrow it down to just one thing!
In order to get your child to talk about his/her day, you have to be more of a detective. Come in a few minutes earlier to have a quick chat with the teacher and be sure to look at the bulletin board to see what the planned activities for the day were. You will then be armed with information to help the child recall his/her day. Then later , after you’ve greeted your child and let them unwind, you can ask more specific questions such as “I heard you played pirates, did you find a treasure?” or “Your teacher told me you liked the book she read today, it was about sharks, right?”
By asking more direct questions, you are helping them focus on one aspect of their day and encouraging conversation.
- Jackie & Jo-Jo
Much attention has been directed at the story of Alexander Draper, the 14 year old weighing in at 555 pounds (see the article). Because of this, his mom is being investigated on claims of child neglect. This brings up the point - should obesity be considered a form of child abuse? It’s up for debate.
Unfortunately, some parents tend to just “give up” when it comes to nutrition. Before a child even tries something it is assumed that he or she won’t like it because it’s healthy! While it’s common for children to be fussy, new foods need to be introduced. A nutritionist at a children’s hospital stated the importance of presenting foods over and over even if the child did not initially care for it. They may eventually try it again and it could become a favorite.
It is a fact that children will eat what is visually appealing. On a recent episode of The View a woman named Susie Cover was sharing recipes for healthy and appealing meals for children. You can check out her website at www.susiessupperclub.com
So the next time your ready to head out for the fast food, why not try something new? The cookbook called Deceptively Delicious is full of great recipes children love. Go to www.deceptivelydelicious.com for more information. It may even improve your eating habits too!
- Jackie & Jo-Jo
The one thing you will often hear caregivers moan and groan over is…..the late parent. Now, we’re not picking on the ones who are ocassionally tardy by a few minutes. It’s understood that problems will arise. We’re talking about the parents who habitually arrive 10-20 minutes after closing time.
Please take into consideration that it’s been a full and busy day and the teachers as well as the children are ready to head home! You know it’s bad when the teacher and your child are all packed up and waiting for you near the door or outside. LOL!
To discourage this, many centers charge a late fee. Please acknowledge and admit you’re late and pay without having to be asked. It is appreciated!
- Jackie and Jo- Jo
Parents sometimes comment on changes they are noticing in their five year olds. It’s around this time of year that talk of “going to school” picks up. Many children have grown up in the same daycare environment and may be a bit apprehensive about leaving. While it’s an exciting time, some may be struggling a bit with their feelings and concerns. It’s also worth mentioning that many children breeze right through, looking forward to this new venture!
Some children may display their fears by:
- Clinging
- Thumb sucking
- Aggressive or irritable behavior
- Tantrums
- Emotional outbursts
Children look to adults for reassurance, comfort, and stability. To make kindergarten a smooth transition, it’s helpful to encourage dramatic play opportunities by providing props such as backpacks, pencils, notebooks, lunchboxes…etc.
Acting out future events leads to feeling more confident. Think of it as a dress rehearsal. There are also many books on the subject of going to kindergarten.
Here are a few recommendations:
- The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wing and Julie Durrell
- Look Out Kindergarten by Nancy Carlson
- Kindergarten Rocks by Katie Davis
- Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate and Ashley Wolff
- Welcome to Kindergarten by Anne Rockwell
- Discover and Explore (Get Set for Kindergarten) by Rosemary Wells
- Jackie & Jo-Jo
Did you ever hear someone say, “I have two left feet” or “I wasn’t born with the musical gene”? This is simply not true; everyone is born with an innate ability towards music. However, it is like learning a foreign language at an early age, the skill has to be honed and nurtured. Some experts believe that children who sing and participate in musical activities early on have an easier time with music.
During a workshop, a music educator, Hugh Hanley commented that as a nation, people are exposing their children to music through DVD’s, the radio or television, but what they are lacking is active participatory songs and nursery rhymes. We can only hope this is not true. By singing simple songs and nursery rhymes, children are exposed to an amazing amount of learning, but two areas of development stand out the most. These are cognitive and physical.
Cognitive development is enhanced when the child:
- Recalls words to song/chant/finger plays
- Follows simple directions
- Makes up words having similar sounds
- Experiments with rhythm.
Physical development is observed when a child:
- Hops on one or both feet
- Walks on tip-toes
- Shows balance in use of large muscles
- Skips or gallops fairly well
- Shows creativity and imagination
Even the youngest listeners can distinguish between different types of music and will respond to it. Put on the Hap Palmer’s song, Sitting in My Highchair and see what happens. The lyrics will make you want to boogie along or at least tap to it.
Some people shy away from singing or from doing musical activities with their little ones, because they feel like they just don’t know what to do or they feel intimidated. If you are one of these people, visit http://www.hughhanley.com/. Hugh has three wonderful CD’s. Each CD is accompanied with a 20 -24 page book of song lyrics and descriptions of activities and movements to accompany each song.
- Jackie & Jo-Jo
One of our readers asked if we would comment on Michael Jackson. So here goes….
Since Michael’s tragic and unexpected death, there is so much speculation about his life. One can’t help but wonder if he would have had more peace and contentment had he been allowed more free time and play as a child. He so quickly became the “property” of the public and golden boy of his family at such an incredibly young age.
Please never underestimate the importance of free play and expression in a child’s development. It is an essential step toward discovering the world and who they are. Michael, sadly, seemed to have missed this step.
We’ll end with a lyric from his song HAVE YOU SEEN MY CHILDHOOD:
“It’s been my fate to compensate for the childhood I’ve never known.”
- Jackie & Jo-Jo
On a recent re-run of Oprah there was a horrifying story of a mom who was so busy and overwhelmed, she forgot to drop her 2 year old off at the babysitter (see story). Instead, she went to work and left the child in the car for nearly 8 hours. Tragically, the child died of heat exhaustion.
It brings up the question of when did it become almost expected of families to constantly be on the run? Parents as well as children need some relaxation time to regroup mentally and physically after long days at work and school. There’s absolutely nothing wrong (and everything right) with staying in sometimes and hanging out. Why not schedule some time out for the whole family? It will reduce stress and may even save a life.
- Jackie & Jo-Jo
A parent commented on how she kept her two kids home one day from daycare because they were healthy. Huh? A little backwards, don’t you think?
She was upset because a flu was going around and children were still attending daycare with symptoms. Now, while it may be an inconvenience, sick children need to stay home! Not only for the fact that they feel miserable and don’t want to be dragged around, but they are exposing others to getting ill. And let’s face it, folks, a childcare setting is a germ’s best friend.
So let’s stop looking at sick days in such a negative manner. It’s a fact, children will get ill and need that time off to get healthy again. It benefits everyone involved in the end.
- Jackie & Jo-Jo
