Kids Connection Article – December 21

Hints on Happy Holiday Behavior

It is the most wonderful time of the year – and it is the busiest with parties, performances, and preparations. There is an endless stream of sugar cookies, cocoa, and candy canes. The energy and sugar buzz could send a four- year old to the moon. On top of this we hope for the best behavior.

Keeping this in mind we set ourselves up, and our children, for stressful holidays. Yet there are simple ways to make it enjoyable for all of us. Consider these ideas:

First be realistic about expectations and know your child’s limitations. Can a young child be sweet for three hours when visiting Aunt Agnes, especially when there are tempting glass figurines and no toys?

Begin by explaining to your child where you are going, who will be there, and what will be happening. Also, let them know what expectations you have about their behavior. Talk about what options they have that will make for a fun evening.

Before you go have your child eat something healthy or pack some healthy snacks they can eat before they head for the fudge and gingerbread. Let your child know ahead of time that there may be foods they do not like and how they can politely enjoy the foods they do like. The bag of healthy snacks you pack will come in handy at these moments. Also talk to them about how many cookies or treats are reasonable. You may even guide them to choose between a cookie and a cupcake, but not both. Remember that caffeinated drinks have a powerful effect on kids and are best avoided. The combination of holiday excitement, treats, and sodas make it hard for a child to listen and meet expectations.

As you are packing some healthy snack options, you may want to pack a few toys or games for your child to play. This is especially helpful if you are going someplace where there are no toys.

When you arrive at Aunt Agnes’ house ask if there is an area (away from the glass figurines) where the children can play. If you are attending a party or dinner where there are many children, your child may still need your attention to become familiar with the other kids and the play area, helping them adjust will make them more comfortable and enjoy their time.

During the event let your child know when they are meeting your expectations. Give them a smile, a kind word, or thumbs up to say you appreciate how they are doing. A whispered reminder, when they are not doing well, has a better impact than a loud voice. Explaining why you are requesting a change in activities (someone may get hurt) is more effective than saying “stop that.” Providing alternatives to kids is also a great way to reduce issues. Ask a child to pass out napkins or make nametags.

The holidays are wonderful and you can help make them wonderful by understanding your child’s needs and limitations.

Lezlie Burkley is the marketing coordinator for Chaffee County Early Childhood Council. For more tips on raising young children visit the Council’s website at www.ccecc.org or call Chaffee County Early Childhood Council at 221-5114.

Kids’ Connection – November 9, 2011

Working with your doctor for your child’s health.

How do you know when to speak with a health care professional about your child’s health?
A 100-degree fever? When a nine-month old cannot pick up a piece of cereal to eat? If your two-year old is not forming words?

Each child is different, so it can be challenging to know when he or she is having difficulty and at what point to ask a professional for advice. As parents and caregivers we do not want to over react, yet speaking with someone who can give guidance is reassuring.

The fact is a child benefits from having a parent/caregiver and health care provider working together. The parent provides the day-to-day perspective on behaviors. The health care provider can offer insight and ideas that can help your child succeed. Together this sharing of information sheds light on the progress and the needs of each child.

So how do you create a partnership to support your child’s health and growth?

Scheduling regular Well-child Exams is the best way to monitor how your child is growing and developing. This also allows for providers and parents to ask questions of each other and to work together to understand if a child is making progress or needs a little help.

Well-child exams are good times for parents to ask questions about their child’s behavior. Questions tend to start with “Is it normal when my child…..?” When should my child begin eating food? Is it okay if my one year old is not standing up? Should my two year old be playing with other children?

These are also good times to find out how to contact your health care provider after clinic hours or after an appointment. For example, if your child is pulling at his ear and crying at 3:00 pm on a Saturday, what are the options?

Most Well-child Exams are used to check weight and height. You will also be asked questions about your child’s sleeping and eating habits as well as body movement (rolling over, crawling, and walking) and if they are beginning to make sounds and form words. Your provider will also find out specifics about your child’s behavior; how she interacts with other people. This allows the provider to follow a child’s growth and provide suggestions and assistance, if needed.

Many health care professionals and parents are using a program called Ages & Stages which helps understand what to expect at each age/phase of growth. It also identifies areas of strength and areas that may need more attention. For more information on this program, please contact Chaffee County Early Childhood Council at 221-5114.

The sooner you are aware of any areas where your child needs attention, the better it is for your child to get needed support.

Health care providers are available to help and want to help. The information you have to share with them is as important as what they share with you. Together you can both make a difference for your child’s healthy future.

Lezlie Burkley is the marketing coordinator for Chaffee County Early Childhood Council. For more tips on raising young children visit the Council’s website at www.ccecc.org or call Chaffee County Early Childhood Council at 221-5114.

Chaffee County Family and Youth Initiatives – November 2011 Newsletter.

Happy November! We had a wonderful turn out at our Halloween dance over 150 people came dressed up and ready to have fun! Boy did we have fun. The haunted house was a hit with a line to enter for over two hours. The dancing was amazing! If you missed out this year remember next year I am sure it will be just as much fun if not more. Great job Natalie for put- ting this great event on.

The holidays will be here soon. We will be out decorating our trees in BV and Holiday Park. Make sure you go by to see our wonderful decorations. Download and read the full newsletter.

Here is to a great upcoming year!
Monica Haskell, FYI Manager

Kids Connection Article

September 21, 2011
Chaffee County Early Childhood Council

There is so much for children to learn: counting, the alphabet, colors. Sometimes we do not realize they also need help learning how to be with people; getting along with others, making friends, understanding emotions and how to express them. In the short term, these skills help them prepare for playtime with other children and help them to be successful in school. Of course these are the skills that will help them in life. Teaching children good social skills can be easy and fun. Here are some ideas in basic areas.

How to answer the phone:
First decide how you want your child to answer the phone, for example, “Hello Smith’s.” Consider helping them come up with a simple introduction so that if they do answer the phone, the person calling will not have to ask a lot of questions that may overwhelm your child.

Begin practicing by pretending to answer the phone in this way when you and your child are playing. Let them hear how you say it and be prepared to do it many times so they begin to get used how it sounds. Once they try, they will need practice saying it and may want to include their toys. Pretend that the teddy bear, doll, or truck is calling and you take turns practicing how to answer.

After some practice, arrange for someone such as an aunt or grandpa to call so that your child is practicing with someone they know. Consider that they will need to know what to do when the caller asks for Mommy or Daddy? Children need to know what to expect and what the response should be at each step. Their understanding is not automatic.

How to meet and greet people:
Begin with knowing what you expect when a child meets someone; remember to keep it simple. Children may need time to practice the right words. Each child, each personality is different in being ready to practice this skill. If you want your child to be able to say hello to someone and, maybe, eventually learn to shake hands, begin practicing with a doll or action figure before practicing with parents, aunts/uncles, and friends. This skill may take time and develops slowly for children between four and eight. As your child becomes more comfortable, next steps may include letting your child know some of the questions that may be asked of them and how they may respond, “How are you? How old are you?”

As you practice these skills with your child, it may create important conversations about how they’re feeling (excited, nervous, or scared). Depending on your child, you can support them by helping them understand their feelings, reassuring them that it is normal, helping them with ideas of how to approach new situations and practicing so that when the time comes they are ready and on their way to feeling successful.

Lezlie Burkley is the marketing coordinator for Chaffee County Early Childhood Council. For more tips on raising young children visit the Council’s website at www.ccecc.org or call 530-5374.

Kids Connection Article

Nurturing Young Children Is Key

In the mid 1800’s, social reformer Fredrick Douglass said: “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” Those words of wisdom are as true today as they were almost 200 years ago. Today, local, state and federal governments and social service organizations must grapple with budgetary realities in a slow economy. How will we prioritize our needs and spend our limited resources?

Last year, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for a Competitive Workforce completed a study that showed that the nurturing and education of young children yields high results, including less remediation in education, fewer school dropouts, less need for welfare, greater productivity later in life, and improved social behavior as adults. Additional research shows that, for every $1 invested in quality early learning programs, over $11 in benefits are returned by reduction in crime and increases in earnings for participants.

But the focus on dollars alone does not tell the whole story. Results of recent brain research are very clear. Positive environment and experiences in the first five years of life are the most influential in the development of a child’s brain. Skills children learn early in life create patterns for continued learning and success in school and throughout their lives.

The Chaffee County Early Childhood Council (CCECC) is a group of over 30 local parents, professionals and organizations working together to pool resources and fill gaps to improve the quality of life for children, prenatal though age 8, and their families.

Established in 2007, CCECC can be credited with many important accomplishments. In response to parent requests, it created the Raising Children Made Easier brochure that provides realistic information, tips and strategies for parents of young children and includes local resources (available at local libraries and online). CCECC has partnered with family physicians and local agencies to bring Ages and Stages developmental screenings to the county. Ages and Stages helps parents and care givers understand where a child is thriving and where he or she might benefit from extra support.

The Council sponsored free countywide dental and developmental screenings for children, birth to 5. It also partnered with Salida and Buena Vista Recreation Departments to establish winter programs for families with infants and toddlers.

CCECC continues to bring high quality workshops and training opportunities to our county for parents and service providers. It partners with pre-schools, pregnancy centers, churches, childcare centers, service agencies and childcare providers to offer educational materials, programs and support for the parents they serve. Lastly, it provides useful information through its website, newspaper ads and feature articles.

Like Frederick Douglass and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Chaffee County Early Childhood Council recognizes the ongoing need to nurture and support our young children. CCECC’s tagline says it all: “Their Beginning. Our Future.” With everyone’s support, that motto could become a guiding principle for all future community planning in Chaffee County.

The CCECC is funded through private foundation grants and federal child care block grant dollars. For more information about Chaffee County Early Childhood Council and access to parent/provider information and resources, visit its website at www.ccecc.org.

Joan Michaud is a consultant to non-profits in public relations and fundraising. She works extensively with CCECC to help it realize its vision: the children and families of our community are nurtured and thriving.

KIDS’ CONNECTION ARTICLE

Submitted by Lezlie Burkley

Fun and easy ways to teach your child.

Every day your child is learning. Many times they do it without even knowing. Members of the Chaffee County Early Childhood Council (CCECC) recently shared some fun and easy ways to teach children throughout the day. Some of these you may already do, some may be new ideas that you can share with your young child. Consider the following ideas:

HANDWASHING

Karina Madden, director and teacher of Three Cherry Trees Preschool in Salida told the following story, One of her students, a 20 month old, was washing her hands. They drew picture cards showing the “steps” to washing hands. They also have a song which follows those four cards; “Water, soap, bubbles, water.” The student sings this and looks at the cards as she washes her hands. The whole process then means her hands are clean. When she is tall enough (for the sink) then I know she will do it correctly.

Another parent on CCECC shared her experience of teaching her young children to wash their hands while singing the ABC’s. This taught the children to wash their hands with soap for thirty seconds while they sang, ensuring that germs get effectively washed away and the children practice learning their ABCs; a two-in-one learning experience.

COUNTING

When eating snacks or meals, make a game of counting the food. How many orange slices do you have today? Who has more pretzels? How many more do you need so we have the same? This is a fun activity for adult and child or with children of mixed ages as they help each other learn.

When at the grocery store have your child help count the number of apples or bagels you buy.

COLORS

Meal time is also a good time to talk about colors. What is on your plate that is red? What foods are green? This is also a good opportunity to talk about where foods come from. Do they grow on trees or grow in the garden? What countries do foods come from?

Lorraine Redmond, local coordinator of WIC (Women, Infant, and Child) and La Leche League Leader talked about dividing laundry and having her young children help sort by colors while talking about which colors they saw.

SHOPPING GAMES

Grocery shopping is a fun time to learn about colors, numbers, nutrition, and finances. It is also a great way to keep kids attention so you are guiding positive behavior.

Redmond suggested giving older children a task of getting four oranges or choosing three yogurts. A next step might be to talk about nutrition, how to read labels to determine sugar and fat contents. You can begin financial lessons with your child as you look at prices of items. Which loaf of bread is the least or most expensive? Why might that be?

Learning is part of life. It can be fun and be incorporated easily into existing routines.

Kids Connection Article

Creating your own celebration for the Week of the Young Child

April 25, 2012

It’s time to celebrate!  Celebrate the warmth and beauty of spring.  Celebrate the natural warmth and beauty children bring.  Celebrate the important role parents and adults have in raising children.

It’s easy to get caught up in our busy schedules and forget the reason we are working hard.  Take a few minutes or an hour or a day to enjoy the results.  Celebrating gives us time to reflect on the good that we sometimes overlook.

Many across the country are celebrating Week of the Young Child (WOYC) focusing on the idea that “Early years are learning years.”  WOYC is an annual celebration sponsored by National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).  The celebration focuses on public attention of young children, and their families, while recognizing programs and services that meet those needs.  There are many ways to celebrate, including simple celebrations.

Take an extra hour this week to be with your child.  Make their favorite breakfast or dinner and tell them why they are a special kid.  Take them to story time at the library (each Wednesday at 10:00 am).  Go swimming at Tot Parent Swim at the Salida Hot Springs Pool each day, Monday through Saturday, from 10:00 am to noon.  Pool prices are reduced for this activity.

While you are celebrating, remember to honor your role as a parent, caregiver, or special adult in a child’s life.  Parenting is hard work and it is a critical job.  Take time to pat yourself on the back.  Make a mental or handwritten list of the things you have done well for your child.  Reading a book every day.  Giving them your full attention when they tell you a story.  Preparing healthy snacks.  Going for a walk.

Chaffee County is fortunate to have many experienced professionals that support parents with young children including many licensed day care providers, experienced preschools, agencies that support families with nutritional and health care programs and resources about healthy physical and emotional growth.  We have many beneficial county resources that deserve recognition.

The Chaffee County Early Childhood Council brings these professionals and agencies together in a network that helps identify needs and work together for the benefit of families.  Their work provides realistic and useful tips, resources, the Raising Children Made Easier brochure (available in print at local libraries and on their website www.CCECC.org).  They are also working to support families and ensure children arrive at kindergarten ready to learn and begin their journey to adulthood successfully.  One of their programs is an Ages & Stages workshop for service care providers – preschool employees, day care and nursery workers, and others who support families.  Ages & Stages helps parents and service providers identify where a child excels and where they might need some extra practice or support.  This workshop will be Saturday, May 5 from 9 am to 1 pm at the Valley Fellowship Church (608 South San Juan in Buena Vista).  Register by calling 221-5114.

It takes all of us to learn from each other, support each other, and celebrate together.

January 20, 2012
Submitted by Lezlie Burkley

Our children’s world: experience it without spending a dime.

We are surrounded by technology – cell phones, IPods, TVs, Wii, and laptops.  Whew!   It is a new world that is exciting, sometimes over stimulating, and expensive.  This is the world, the future, of our children. It is important to remember that children need to understand technology and be comfortable with it.  It is also important that they see the non-technological world around them.  Imagination.  Nature.  Relationships. The time to share or explore these areas are free, while technology costs.

What can you do to explore non-technological worlds?

Consider a technology free time during your day or week when cell phones are turned off and computers are shut down.  Try it and see what happens.  Read books together.  In warmer weather take a bucket of crayons and paper outside and draw what you see.  Have dinner together (without answering the phone) and talk about the best part of your day.   Make cookies.  Hammer nails in an old board.  Take a walk and listen to the crunch of autumn leaves or new fallen snow.  Play at the park.  Throw rocks in the river.  Listen to the birds.  Plant sunflower seeds and watch them each week to see when they sprout.  Go fishing.  Play hide and seek.

Show your child that technology does not have to be a part of every moment and that time together is valuable.  Let them see and touch the beauty of the world around them.  Research shows that time outdoors and away from computers and TVs can reduce your child’s stress while increasing their creativity and curiosity.  Your child can also benefit by improving coordination and decreasing the likelihood of obesity.   There are some who say a break from computer screens may make kids less likely to need glasses.

So, turn off the cell phone, the TV, the computer for a brief time.  Explore another world with your child. Enjoy the world that is at their fingertips, beyond keyboards and screens.  It is free and it will make their lives richer.

Lezlie Burkley is the marketing coordinator for Chaffee County Early Childhood Council.  For more tips on raising young children visit the Council’s website at www.ccecc.org or call Chaffee County Early Childhood Council at 221-5114.

Read the Kids Connection Articles from 2011.

Ongoing

Buena Vista Playgroup – Thursdays from 9:00 – 10:00 AM

Ages newborn to age four.
Enjoy a chance for kids and parents to make friends.
Thursdays from 9:00 – 10:00 AM
At the Buena Vista Community Center in the Pinon Room
$1/ per family each week

Nurturing Parent Classes – Tuesday nights from 5:30 – 8:00 pm

- Do you wish your young child came with better instructions?
- Do you need more discipline ideas and support in parenting?
Beginning February 1 ($100 cash for graduation from the 16-week course)
Tuesday nights from 5:30 – 8:00 pm

Salida Early Childhood Center
Dinner and childcare provided
Call Jane Whitmer at 530-2579 for more information or to register.

April 2012

May 2012