The Children's Learning Center at FSW News

SCHOOL CHOICE

TIPS ON HOW TO TALK TO YOUR CHILD

It's hard to raise a child! Use these tips to help you.

Your child will more likely come to you with his problems or private feelings if you make a point of listening to him or her. Children learn by example. They'll learn to listen if you listen to them.

Look your child in the eyes when you are talking. Bend or sit down. Become your child's size. Then your child won't feel so small and you will feel closer to each other.

Speak to your child in a clam and quiet voice. If he's done something wrong, take him aside and try to correct him with a calm, not tense or mad voice. This works better because your child will be less frightened or angry and listen to you better.

Praise builds a child's confidence and encourages more talking. Ignoring your children or using mean words hurts them and makes them think they aren't good enough.

Respect your child and use a polite tone of voice. Don't talk down to him. Respect that what he talks about is important to him. Show that you care about his interests.

Children are never too old to be told that you love them. Saying "I love you" is important. Write it in a note so your child has a reminder he/she can hold on to. 

Pay close attention when your child wants to talk to you. Don't read, watch TV, or make yourself busy with other tasks.

NEW YEAR'S EVE

Although New Year's Eve is typically considered a holiday for the grown-ups, celebrating with your kids can be a blast! Here are some fun ideas for bringing in the new year with your kids, including party ideas, fun crafts, and ways to celebrate without keeping them up until midnight.

Break out the glitter. Use today to take down your Christmas decorations - if you haven't already - and put up some New Year's Eve decor! Cover plain party hats with glitter by spraying them with spray glue and then letting the kids go to town sprinkling glitter on them (may we suggest doing this in the garage?). Prepare for the big countdown by making paper poppers that can be filled with confetti - use a toilet paper roll and wrap it in a couple sheets of tissue paper, closing the ends with curling ribbon.

Make a time capsule. You don't have to dig a hole in the backyard to create a memorable time capsule with your kids. In fact, this can easily become a fun and special New Year's tradition for your family! Print out a survey that every family member needs to complete, with questions such as these: What's your favorite food right now? What is the best thing you did this year? Include the survey and a photograph of each family member and put them all in a special box. Add to the time capsule each year with the same survey of questions. It will be so fun to read from year to year and even five or 10 years down the road!

Throw a family-friendly bash. Remember all those friends that you used to spend New Year's Eve with, pre-kids? Well, now that you're all in the same parenting boat, there is no reason why you still can't get together to celebrate the new year! Invite them all over with their kids and throw a big, family-friendly New Year's Eve bash, complete with champagne... and juice boxes. tell your friends to bring pajamas for the kids and set up movies, popcorn and sleeping bags for the little ones so that everyone can stay as late as possible.

Get inspired. The simples but also the most memorable thing you can do with your kids on New Year's Eve is to sit down as a family and make a plan for the year to come. Get a big piece of poster board and go crazy brainstorming things you want to do as a family, places you want to travel, projects to conquer and goals to accomplish.

TAXES

We will be filling out W-10 Dependent Care Provider’s Identification and Certificates (child care paid for 2017) upon your request.  Just let Ms. Andrea or Ms. Martha know if you need one for tax purposes.

NUTRITION CORNER

Encourage young children to enjoy and learn about a variety of foods. All foods can fit into a healthy diet over time.

Most toddlers need to eat more often than older children. Give them high energy foods and quick and convenient snacks such as slices of fruit and raw vegetables, whole grain breads, crackers, and cereals, or chunks of cheese.

Serve vegetables as a first course on a colorful, child-oriented plate. Serve the meat or fish as the second course to be eaten after the vegetables are finished.

Make edible art. Use the plate as the background and have your child add applesauce for clouds, shredded lettuce for grass, celery sticks for a stem. Carrot rounds for flowers, orange slices for leaves, raisins for rocks, and any other edible ingredients for natural scenes.

OUR FRIENDLY TEACHERS

Blue Room: Ms. Miranda & Ms. Karina

Coral Room: Ms. Erin

Yellow Room: Ms. Nikki & Ms. Diane

Red Room: Ms. Stephanie, Ms. Cookie

Purple Room: Ms. Jessica & Ms. Julie

Teal Room: Ms. Jenna & Ms. Ally

ARE YOU ON FACEBOOK? SO ARE WE!

Another great way to stay connected is our Facebook page.  If you have a personal Facebook page, find our page…….The Children’s Learning Center at FSW…… and LIKE it. Now you will be able to see activities around the center or perhaps even your child.