Change is hard! Whether road construction takes you another route or you've ordered regular and received decaf; dealing with change is frustrating. As adults, we can rationalize and adapt to change but for children who have not yet developed these coping mechanisms, change can cause them to struggle and to act out in socially unacceptable ways. Tantrums, physical aggression, screaming and noncompliance are just a few challenging behaviors that young children display when they are asked to change; or transition, from one activity to another. Moving from home to school, from bathtime to bedtime and from the park to home are all examples of transitions that children face in their daily lives.
As educators of young children, we think about transitions and their effects on the children in our classrooms. There are many strategies that we use to support children during transitions that can be implemented universally. These tried and true strategies will help you support your child throughout the day as well:
1. First and foremost, know your child. Tired and/or hungry children have an especially hard time with transitions. Read their cues and set them up to be successful.
2. Have realistic and developmentally appropriate expectations for your child. You wouldn't expect your toddler to pick up a book and start reading, so don't expect a toddler to know how to deal with change without practicing and developing the social emotional skills first. You can set your child up to transition positively by teaching them the skills needed to be successful. Putting on their socks and shoes, hoping into a carseat and washing hands are all examples of independent skills that encourage children to transition from one activity to another smoothly.
3. Give your child the language necessary to communicate their feelings. When your child begins to look upset when it is time to transition from the park to home, label the emotion that they are feeling. "You look upset that it is time to go home. We have to start dinner, but we can come back another day." In this example you have labeled the big feeling that your child is experiencing while telling your child that you understand the reason behind the emotion.
4. Rely on when/then phrases to communicate your expectation while letting your child know what comes next. When you go down the slide three more times then we are going home. This when-then strategy respectfully sets limits and prepares your child for the transition that is about to take place.
5. Ask a teacher! Partnering will help you to individualize your transition strategies to support your child's developing skills. Messages that are conveyed consistently support children in understanding and making connections. Inquire about what works in the classroom. Using the same strategies help to make the learning connections between home and school. Collaboration benefits everyone involved; particularly children as they navigate through daily transitions.
For strategies that address specific transitions, please visit the following links from the Backpack Connection Series from ChallengingBehavior.org :
How to Help Your Child Have a Successful Morning
https://challengingbehavior.cbcs.usf.edu/docs/backpack/BackpackConnection_routines_morning.pdf
How to Help Your Child Have a Successful Bedtime
https://challengingbehavior.cbcs.usf.edu/docs/backpack/BackpackConnection_routines_bedtime.pdf
How to Help Your Child Transition Smoothly Between Places and Activities
https://challengingbehavior.cbcs.usf.edu/docs/backpack/BackpackConnection_routines_transitions.pdf
Friday, March 1, 2019
Sunday, February 10, 2019
Making the Most of Your Parent-Teacher Conference
Parent-teacher conferences are coming up. The title of this meeting puts the parent first because the parent is the child's first and most important teacher. This time to sit down and discuss your child's development is also an opportunity to begin building a partnership. This partnership will positively influence your child's growth by connecting learning between school and home. It will support the consistency that encourages meeting goals that have been collaboratively decided upon.
As you prepare for your parent teacher conference, there are some tips to make the most of your time together:
1. Make a list of questions and concerns. Prioritize the list to ensure that you have time to listen to your teachers thoughts.
2. Have examples of how your child plays and learns at home.
3. Tell your teacher about your family. Sharing special characteristics and circumstances will provide your teacher with opportunities to make learning meaningful for your child.
4. Share changes that may impact your child. Moving further away from school means your child will have to wake up earlier to get to school on time. This information will provide a context for your child's behaviors and allow for your teacher to put proactive plans in place to support your child during this transition.
5. Ask questions! Learn about the intentional activities that are planned to encourage growth and about the activities that you can implement at home to extend that learning.
Conferences are formal meetings but they aren't the only opportunity to discuss your concerns or to ask questions. There are many ways to communicate with your child's teacher throughout the school year. Schedule a time to meet, email your teacher or schedule a time to talk via telephone. Partnerships between parents and teachers positively correlate to children learning and growing.
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
What is Your New Year's Resolution?
As a new year approaches, many of us begin to think about making positive habits to improve our lives. No, this isn't about the latest diet fad or the best way to work exercise into your busy day. Instead I have decided to provoke your thinking about screen time in hopes that this resolution will be added to your list. Screen time; the amount of and the content included, has been a hot topic of debate for educators and parents alike. There are many assumptions that research debunks. You will be both surprised and motivated by the information shared.
The first assumption by well intentioned parents is that content that is labeled educational is good for young children. If you switch the channels of the television you will be inundated by children's programming claiming to be such. If the program teaches something it must be fine; right? Not necessarily. The educational value of the program depends on two things:
1. Is the information presented in a manner that is developmentally appropriate for your child?
2. Does your child have the ability to comprehend the information in order to learn from it?
Children learn through repetition. They also make connections when the learning is in a meaningful context. Watching a show about friendship and what it means to be a friend doesn't result in kind interactions between peers. This result comes from repeated interactions along with the support from adults who can guide their play. Children learn the concept of friendship in the context of interactions and they will connect positive behaviors and friendly words when they see and hear them repeatedly. You will know that they've learned when you observe them apply the ideas of friendship in a new situation.
The next assumption is that the television is just background noise and that it doesn't affect children. A study by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst looked at how children interacted with toys; both with and without the television playing in the room. The results were that the noise and the picture flashes of the T.V. acted as a distraction for children; causing them to lose focus and move from one toy to another. The study also found that while the television is on, the amount of time that parents spent interacting with their children decreased 21%. As a parent to adult children who grew up before the blink of my eye I can tell you to turn off the T. V.!
Finally, the last assumption is that scary T. V. shows or movies just go above the children's heads. Content made for adults won't be understood by young children and therefore there is nothing to worry about...
Pediatrics reported research that found exposure to violent television programming resulted in sleep problems for young children. At their stage of development, sleep is critical; impacting growth and cognitive development. A program implemented to remove the viewing of violent content by young children positively correlated to a decrease in sleep problems.
This concern recently became real in a classroom filled with young viewers of The Walking Dead. As we observed the children acting out zombie scenes, we knew that this disturbing play was the result of children trying to make sense of the violent content that they were both too immature and too inexperienced to watch. Exposure to violent T. V.; beit The Walking Dead or a newscast reporting on violence, can affect the social-emotional growth and regulation of young children in addition to reducing their well needed sleep.
Less screen time is a win-win. This results in more quality time together learning in meaningful contexts and learning from you. When you do decide to flip on the television, sit with your child and view together. Talk about what is happening, the way it makes you feel, what you have learned and relate the content to real-life experiences to help connections between what they are seeing and what they already know. They grow up so fast; enjoy every minute...
By the way, my resolution is to use less cliches.
Happy New Year!
The first assumption by well intentioned parents is that content that is labeled educational is good for young children. If you switch the channels of the television you will be inundated by children's programming claiming to be such. If the program teaches something it must be fine; right? Not necessarily. The educational value of the program depends on two things:
1. Is the information presented in a manner that is developmentally appropriate for your child?
2. Does your child have the ability to comprehend the information in order to learn from it?
Children learn through repetition. They also make connections when the learning is in a meaningful context. Watching a show about friendship and what it means to be a friend doesn't result in kind interactions between peers. This result comes from repeated interactions along with the support from adults who can guide their play. Children learn the concept of friendship in the context of interactions and they will connect positive behaviors and friendly words when they see and hear them repeatedly. You will know that they've learned when you observe them apply the ideas of friendship in a new situation.
The next assumption is that the television is just background noise and that it doesn't affect children. A study by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst looked at how children interacted with toys; both with and without the television playing in the room. The results were that the noise and the picture flashes of the T.V. acted as a distraction for children; causing them to lose focus and move from one toy to another. The study also found that while the television is on, the amount of time that parents spent interacting with their children decreased 21%. As a parent to adult children who grew up before the blink of my eye I can tell you to turn off the T. V.!
Finally, the last assumption is that scary T. V. shows or movies just go above the children's heads. Content made for adults won't be understood by young children and therefore there is nothing to worry about...
Pediatrics reported research that found exposure to violent television programming resulted in sleep problems for young children. At their stage of development, sleep is critical; impacting growth and cognitive development. A program implemented to remove the viewing of violent content by young children positively correlated to a decrease in sleep problems.
This concern recently became real in a classroom filled with young viewers of The Walking Dead. As we observed the children acting out zombie scenes, we knew that this disturbing play was the result of children trying to make sense of the violent content that they were both too immature and too inexperienced to watch. Exposure to violent T. V.; beit The Walking Dead or a newscast reporting on violence, can affect the social-emotional growth and regulation of young children in addition to reducing their well needed sleep.
Less screen time is a win-win. This results in more quality time together learning in meaningful contexts and learning from you. When you do decide to flip on the television, sit with your child and view together. Talk about what is happening, the way it makes you feel, what you have learned and relate the content to real-life experiences to help connections between what they are seeing and what they already know. They grow up so fast; enjoy every minute...
By the way, my resolution is to use less cliches.
Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 6, 2018
Which Toy? Why?
Tis the season of gift giving! While it sounds like fun, giving gifts comes with a lot of stress; especially when thinking about just the right toy for a child. When my boys were young, I would consider dozens of toys before deciding on the winner. While some of my choices were hits , I have to admit that I've spent my good money on many items that were quickly disregarded and then discarded.
As my boys have grown into men, gift cards are always a sure bet. They are useful but have lost the glitz and glamour of a large colorfully wrapped box. While I do my best to decorate the pieces of plastic to look as special as their recipients, in the end they are lackluster. Despite my children growing up, this time of year always brings toys to mind.
Go into any store at this time of year and you are inundated with toys; big toys, small toys, colorful toys and the like. As a parent who has a hard time making up her mind, this can be overwhelming! Sensory overload is just a piece of the stress, many questions flood my mind as I agonize over choosing just the right toy to gift to a child:
1. Is the toy going to be safe? Are the pieces too small to pose a choking hazard for a toddler? Are there any sharp pieces? Strings that could cause strangulation concerns? Lead paint? Will the toy break easily? Has the toy been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission?
2.Will the toy provide any fun for the child? Does it move, surprise or otherwise entertain?
3. Is it age appropriate? Will the skills needed to interact with the toy correlate to my child's skill set?
4. Is the toy any good? Is it well-designed, easy to manipulate, open-ended and appealing?
5. Will this toy provide my child with opportunities to think, be creative and practice a skill?
6. Does the toy perpetuate any stereotypes or biases? Is it violent? Are there any other negative traits associated with it?
7. Is the toy durable? Can it be thrown without shattering into pieces or at least be washed when needed?
While this list of questions isn't exhaustive it does give me reason to pause and scratch my head! How did my children's toy room end up like it did with all of these questions that needed to be answered before the purchase of a toy?
Lucky for you I've found a solution. Dr. Toy! She is one of the nation's leading experts on toys and she has been generous with her knowledge. To check out Dr. Auerbach's list of awards, please visit the link below:
http://www.drtoy.com/
Happy gift giving season!
As my boys have grown into men, gift cards are always a sure bet. They are useful but have lost the glitz and glamour of a large colorfully wrapped box. While I do my best to decorate the pieces of plastic to look as special as their recipients, in the end they are lackluster. Despite my children growing up, this time of year always brings toys to mind.
Go into any store at this time of year and you are inundated with toys; big toys, small toys, colorful toys and the like. As a parent who has a hard time making up her mind, this can be overwhelming! Sensory overload is just a piece of the stress, many questions flood my mind as I agonize over choosing just the right toy to gift to a child:
1. Is the toy going to be safe? Are the pieces too small to pose a choking hazard for a toddler? Are there any sharp pieces? Strings that could cause strangulation concerns? Lead paint? Will the toy break easily? Has the toy been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission?
2.Will the toy provide any fun for the child? Does it move, surprise or otherwise entertain?
3. Is it age appropriate? Will the skills needed to interact with the toy correlate to my child's skill set?
4. Is the toy any good? Is it well-designed, easy to manipulate, open-ended and appealing?
5. Will this toy provide my child with opportunities to think, be creative and practice a skill?
6. Does the toy perpetuate any stereotypes or biases? Is it violent? Are there any other negative traits associated with it?
7. Is the toy durable? Can it be thrown without shattering into pieces or at least be washed when needed?
While this list of questions isn't exhaustive it does give me reason to pause and scratch my head! How did my children's toy room end up like it did with all of these questions that needed to be answered before the purchase of a toy?
Lucky for you I've found a solution. Dr. Toy! She is one of the nation's leading experts on toys and she has been generous with her knowledge. To check out Dr. Auerbach's list of awards, please visit the link below:
http://www.drtoy.com/
Happy gift giving season!
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Learning is a Big Job!
Engaging your child during the hustle and bustle of the holidays is as easy as asking them to help you with a big job. Many hands make light work; asking your children to help you to complete a big job will help you to break a big job into smaller parts and will benefit your child in the following ways:
Learning to work with others:
Breaking a big job into smaller pieces means that everyone collaborates to get the job done. Working alongside of other family members gives your child opportunities to observe ideas in action. Was it the same idea? Was it different ? Was the idea successful? What should've been done differently?
Working with others allows you to hear a variety of opinions, to learn the value of other's thoughts and to compromise to reach a goal. Give and take; both in the discussion and in the delegation of duties, can be learned in the midst of a big job.
Problem solving:
Compromising is just one aspect of problem solving. While working with materials, a variety of problems can arise. How do I fit the cans in the cupboard when unpacking groceries? How do I fold a towel when helping with laundry? Finally, how do I stir the batter without spilling it? All of these big jobs require thought as children figure out a successful strategy. While your child is acting on their ideas, the bonuses of patience and persistence are achieved.
Contributing to the team:
Every family is a household team and must collaborate to get the job done. Big jobs teach children responsibility and service towards others. Completion of a big job provides young children with the opportunity of feeling pride in a job well done.
Big Jobs include:
Raking the leaves
Folding the laundry
Delivering the laundry to each family member
Cooking dinner
Caring for pets
Cleaning the house: emptying waste baskets, dusting, loading the dishwasher
Don't forget to set your child up for success. Provide child sized tools and show them how to use it safely. Another important tip is to HAVE FUN. Talk with your child about whatever they want while doing the job and keep it enjoyable; that is the secret to more help in the future.
Learning to work with others:
Breaking a big job into smaller pieces means that everyone collaborates to get the job done. Working alongside of other family members gives your child opportunities to observe ideas in action. Was it the same idea? Was it different ? Was the idea successful? What should've been done differently?
Working with others allows you to hear a variety of opinions, to learn the value of other's thoughts and to compromise to reach a goal. Give and take; both in the discussion and in the delegation of duties, can be learned in the midst of a big job.
Problem solving:
Compromising is just one aspect of problem solving. While working with materials, a variety of problems can arise. How do I fit the cans in the cupboard when unpacking groceries? How do I fold a towel when helping with laundry? Finally, how do I stir the batter without spilling it? All of these big jobs require thought as children figure out a successful strategy. While your child is acting on their ideas, the bonuses of patience and persistence are achieved.
Contributing to the team:
Every family is a household team and must collaborate to get the job done. Big jobs teach children responsibility and service towards others. Completion of a big job provides young children with the opportunity of feeling pride in a job well done.
Big Jobs include:
Raking the leaves
Folding the laundry
Delivering the laundry to each family member
Cooking dinner
Caring for pets
Cleaning the house: emptying waste baskets, dusting, loading the dishwasher
Don't forget to set your child up for success. Provide child sized tools and show them how to use it safely. Another important tip is to HAVE FUN. Talk with your child about whatever they want while doing the job and keep it enjoyable; that is the secret to more help in the future.
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Back To School
Back to school is the season we are all anxiously awaiting. As parents are getting prepared, I'd like to offer some suggestions to help ease the transition from home to school:
1. Establish a bedtime routine well in advance to help your child adjust to new bedtimes and a new "school wake-up" schedule.
2. Arrange to attend Parent Orientation and Meet the Teacher opportunities. These will inform you on policies and procedures that support school success.
3. Read books about going to school and about saying goodbye. An unhurried time to read and to discuss these ideas will give you common language to refer to when the moment arrives. Some of my favorites are:
1. Establish a bedtime routine well in advance to help your child adjust to new bedtimes and a new "school wake-up" schedule.
2. Arrange to attend Parent Orientation and Meet the Teacher opportunities. These will inform you on policies and procedures that support school success.
3. Read books about going to school and about saying goodbye. An unhurried time to read and to discuss these ideas will give you common language to refer to when the moment arrives. Some of my favorites are:
- The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
- First Day of School by Anne Rockwell
- A Pocketful of Kisses by Audrey Penn
- David Goes to School by David Shannon
4. Select a special lunchbox or backpack for school. This gives children a reason to be excited about the first day of school.
5. Remember that separation is a process that takes time. You and your child will need time to feel comfortable with the new routines. Build some extra time in at drop off at the beginning of the school year. Feeling unhurried will help you to support your little one and to establish a goodbye routine that teaches your child what to expect next.
The teachers at the ECEC have had many experiences with the first day of school. They all have the patience and the strategies to help the transition to be a successful one. A quick nod from you and they will step in to support your child on separating from you and moving on to something fun and engaging. Before you know it, your child will be running ahead of you to the classroom door and waving goodbye as they go exploring.
Thursday, July 12, 2018
Nature's Brain Boost
The benefits of nature are endless. The first thing that comes to my mind is relaxation. For most of us, planning a vacation evokes sunshine, sandy beaches and clear blue water. The sun warms our skin, provides us with well-needed Vitamin D and revitalizes our brain.
Research has found that enjoying time outdoors results in more than relaxation. The wonders found in nature capture our attention in unexpected ways. This "involuntary attention" caused by spending time outdoors has shown benefits to our brains. "Involuntary attention" happens when our focus is shifted to something to which we don't purposefully pay attention. Close your eyes and imagine the gentle breeze off of the water, the smell of flowers in the spring or the feeling of wet sand on your feet. These are examples of nature's gift of "involuntary attention".
When our brains spend time in "involuntary attention", it is giving our voluntary attention a well deserved rest. Voluntary attention is needed to focus on activities such as thinking about a math problem or writing the letters of the alphabet; important concepts that are practiced during school hours. This rest provided by outdoor play has proved beneficial to indoor learning too.
While this research isn't new, it's implications become more important as learning expectations continue to be pushed down into earlier grades. Developmentally inappropriate expectations result in less time spent on the "non-academic" or "non-essential" parts of the day. Keeping the research in mind, we have provided for daily routines which include:
Research has found that enjoying time outdoors results in more than relaxation. The wonders found in nature capture our attention in unexpected ways. This "involuntary attention" caused by spending time outdoors has shown benefits to our brains. "Involuntary attention" happens when our focus is shifted to something to which we don't purposefully pay attention. Close your eyes and imagine the gentle breeze off of the water, the smell of flowers in the spring or the feeling of wet sand on your feet. These are examples of nature's gift of "involuntary attention".
When our brains spend time in "involuntary attention", it is giving our voluntary attention a well deserved rest. Voluntary attention is needed to focus on activities such as thinking about a math problem or writing the letters of the alphabet; important concepts that are practiced during school hours. This rest provided by outdoor play has proved beneficial to indoor learning too.
While this research isn't new, it's implications become more important as learning expectations continue to be pushed down into earlier grades. Developmentally inappropriate expectations result in less time spent on the "non-academic" or "non-essential" parts of the day. Keeping the research in mind, we have provided for daily routines which include:
- Outdoor periods of the routine consisting of at least 30 minutes that happen twice throughout a full day. Children are free to make choices how they spend time outdoors and often initiate their own play.
- Integrating the outdoors into our explorations. We consider the outdoors an extension of our classrooms and provide children with opportunities to learn in nature.
- Long-term projects that focus on nature. Following the interests of children often lead us outdoors to explore and experiment. We take advantage of their interests to embed curriculum and to venture into nature.
The benefits of nature extend to brains of all ages. I'll meet you outside!
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