Money Math in 3 Easy Steps

Understanding the concept of money is sometimes difficult for kids. Scholastic.com offers 3 great tips to help your kids understand money and set them on the path to independence. Click here to read the article





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Grocery Shopping with the Kids

Parents often find it difficult to grocery shop with kids in tow. But a little planning can help turn grocery shopping into a well oiled machine. Here are some simple tips to planning a better trip to the grocery store.


The Time of Day Matters – you're just adding fuel to the fire if your choose to market with a passel of kids during prime marketing hours. Avoid weekends unless you are going early. Otherwise go when the crowds are working, during the week or find a good, low traffic time that fits into your schedule.


Be Prepared – it’s not just the Boy Scout motto, you need to be prepared to deal with your child’s needs, moods and short attention span. Come prepared with snacks and drinks, toys without small pieces, and maybe even a video game or two.


Plan Meals – this can be good for a variety of reasons. If you can plan out a majority of your meals, you will know exactly which aisle you need to visit. This can reduce the amount of “I want” requests you get from your kids during a typical trip. This will also reduce the time it takes to browse the aisles for meal ideas; getting you to your car more quickly.


Make a List & Check it Twice – the power of the list is well documented. List all the ingredients and household items you’ll need from the market. If you really want to take this to the extreme, you can order the items on your list to correspond to the aisles you will travel in the market. Many grocery stores have online maps showing you what’s in each aisle.

Become a Coupon Diva – since you already have your meals planned and your list of purchases, check your newspaper circular or look online for the latest coupons. Using coupons doesn’t take any more time in the market but it can really have an impact on the family budget.

Separation anxiety

Babycenter.com gives some great advice and background on separation anxiety and you little ones.  They offer tips and advice on when you may see separation anxiety, how to prepare for separation issues, and how to make it easier on your little one.  Click here to read the article.

Potty Training

Yes, that's right, June is National Potty Training Awareness Month, as if we need more incentive to potty train our children. So in honor of the momentous occasion, we are going to talk about potty training and give some advice for success.

First, it’s important to recognize that there is no magic solution for potty training. It’s a trial and error process. The second fact to remember is that it’s not fashionable for teenagers to walk around in diapers so chances are you’ll be successful.

That said, there are proven potty training strategies that have worked for parents over the years.

1. It’s important for you to wait until your child’s ready for potty training. Parents sometimes rush into potty training because the idea of no diapers is appealing to your budget. Your child must be mentally and physically prepared to learn to use a bathroom, otherwise the process will be frustrating for both of you.

Here are some signs that your child is ready to begin:

* Curiosity about the toilet
* Recognition - a child tells you just made or have to pee.
• Keep a diaper dry for two hours or more
• Physically sitting on and then get off the potty
• Pulling down diapers, or throwing away training pants or underpants
• Curiosity about wearing underpants

2. Make sure you have the proper training aids.

• A small portable potty – maybe even keep one in the car for emergencies.
• Floating objects can be placed in the toilet to peak your child’s interest.
• Pullup diapers

3. Buy clothing that’s easy to put on and take off. There is nothing more frustrating than a child wetting their pants because they took too long to get their clothes off. Slip on pants are the easiest and, of course, skirts and dresses make it easy for girls.

Each child learns differently it’s true in school and it’s just as true with potty training. Be patient, be positive and be prepared! Next week we will offer some tips to help with potty training.

Bubble Fun

Who doesn’t like bubbles, they make you laugh, they float without effort and they can keep you clean. But if you’re looking for a summer activity, bubbles might be what you’re looking for. They are great way to play and learn with your child. Try a science experiment with kids who are little older by make predictions on what you think the bubbles will do once in mid-flight. Let younger kids experiment with art and movement by dancing while blowing bubbles and trying to recognize shapes and sizes in bubbles. This bubbles encourages curiosity and reinforces the skill of observation.

What You'll Need:

* Bubble solution that you purchase from the store or make your own with 10 parts water to one part dish washing soap
* Straws
* Plate
* Bubble wands
* Pipe cleaners

Here are some observations you can have your kids make:

* Are your bubbles bigger when you blow slowly or quickly?

* Are your bubbles bigger when you dip the wand in slowly or slosh it around?

* Use pipe cleaners to make homemade bubble wands. Can you make a square bubble?

* What household items can you use to make bubbles? A slotted spoon? A flyswatter?

* Pour bubble solution onto a plate or cereal bowl and use a straw to blow bubbles at the base. How tall can you blow your bubble tower?

* Add food coloring or tempera paint to your bubble solution and try blowing colored bubbles. Try to catch them; let your bubbles land on a piece of card stock paper to make bubble art.

* What color is a bubble? Bubble colors come from the light refracting through the soapy water.

So go out and have some bubble fun!

Teaching Preschoolers about Time

Younger children can have difficulty understanding the concept of time. When children ask when they are going to the zoo and you say Friday, they might not completely comprehend that they have to wait 4 days until the trip to the zoo. Education.com offers tips on helping your preschooler understand time. Click here to read the article.

The Benefits of Eating Meals Together

Dining together as a family has become rare in today’s hectic life.  School activities and career demands can make dining together impossible. But, if you can squeeze out time twice a week to sit down together for dinner or any meal, you and your family can benefit in several ways. Eating meals together can help:

• Develop and maintain open lines of communication
• Build stronger relationships
• You share the events of the day and discuss news and ideas
• Reduce teen rates of addiction and lessen teen depression (several studies have shown)
• Show children how they are the priority in their parent’s lives
• You find out more about your children’s likes and dislikes, which can form the basis for meaningful conversation
• Parents to direct their kids toward positive activities and behaviors.
• Children get higher grades on average (several studies have shown)

Sitting down for every family meal simply isn’t possible today, but trying to sit down together a few nights a week can help your children even when you’re not there.

Teaching Healthy Eating

If getting your child to eat vegetables and fruits has become a battle. Get them involved in choosing healthy food by create a collage of nutritious fruits and veggies. This will help them learn about new foods while embracing their inner artist.

What you'll need

* Magazines, preferably cooking and food publications
* Cardboard or poster board
* Scissors
* Glue or a glue stick


How it works

Ask your child what healthy foods they likes to eat, and look through the magazines together to find pictures of those vegetables, fruit, or grains. Encourage them to pick out items that they are less enthusiastic about and explain why those are good to include in their diet as well.

Help your child to cut out the images and glue them on the poster board arranging items by color. Then hang their masterpiece on the fridge as an easy reminder of what foods are best to eat, or head out to your local farmers market and have your child pick out foods they want to try that are on their poster.

Summer Camp at Goddard

I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s that time of year to start to make plans for your child’s summer camps. Make sure you register early so you can reserve you child’s spot in our exciting and fun summer camp here at Goddard.

Beyond summer camp: Goddard’s summer program blends fun, adventure and learning for your child's best summer yet.

The Goddard School®summer program offers a safe and nurturing program.  Each school develops a unique learning experience for the children in their neighborhood.  Teachers provide a stimulating experience for children - full of
age-appropriate activities and oodles of fun based on the Goddard Developmental Guidelines.

The Goddard School® summer calendar includes special visitors and cultural events throughout the summer.  Visitors provide exciting learning opportunities in a safe environment, and include community helpers; performances by storytellers, musicians, and magicians; as well as outreach programs through local museums

Arts & Crafts is a learning element that provides children the opportunity to stretch their creativity and work with their hands to make special summer memories.

Music & Movement may be one of the most exciting features of Goddard’s summer program. Everyone is having fun, and they’re learning rhythm and tempo.

Cooking incorporates a creative ingredient into the learning process.  Children make Bug Sandwiches for a Friendship Picnic, and in the process they learn to measure, make decisions, and work together.

Literature & Language may be the most compatible school year component. Children explore poetry, prose, creative writing, and storytelling

Science & Nature is a natural component of the summer program.  From nature walks to experiments,observations, and investigations, children expand their cognitive skills.

Computers & Technology are part of each child’s everyday schedule.  Goddard’s summer program promotes dexterity and familiarity with this universal tool in a safe environment.

Sports & Games is a vital aspect of Goddard’s commitment to children’s fitness and nutrition. Children participate in Scavenger Hunts, Sprinkler Fun, and Obstacle Courses.

Drama stretches imaginations, plays with role models, and expands each learning opportunity

Click here to see Goddard's Summer Program

Too Sick For School

Parents struggle sometimes to decide when it’s best to keep the kids home from school. Sometimes a child's symptoms make the decision a no-brainer. Other times, not so much. To help take the confusion out of your decision, here are a few examples of when to keep your child home.

•  Colds - colds are part of winter and the decision to keep your child home is not as clear. But, the symptoms are accompanied by a fever or wheezing, it’s best to keep them home and call the pediatrician. 

•  Fever - as a rule of thumb, children should be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school. 

• Diarrhea or Vomiting - 24 hours is also the rule of thumb for a child to return to school after an episode of vomiting or diarrhea. 

•  Sore Throat - generally, if a child has a sore throat combined with fever, headache or abdominal pain, they should be kept home and see a doctor. 

•  Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis) - if your child’s eye is stuck shut, bright red, and/or oozing yellow or green discharge, these are my symptoms of pinkeye (conjunctivitis) they should be kept home and see a doctor before returning to school. 

 Why 24 Hours? 
 Waiting 24 hours before sending your child back to school reduces the risk of a virus spreading and allows parent’s to make sure your child isn’t dehydrated. Remember these are just guidelines and you know your child best. It’s always best to error on the side of caution and consult your Pediatrician regarding any of the common illnesses above if you have any questions, or concerns about your child’s symptoms, treatments or care.

Learning another Language

December is learn a foreign language month, so now is a perfect time to teach your child a second language. Because the brain of a young child is in language hyper-drive learning mode, they can learn a foreign language much faster and much more effectively than a teen or adult. In fact, by the time your child reaches middle school that part of their brain is developed.

Here are a few steps you can take to introduce a foreign language to your child:

•       Use bilingual books and toys
•       Have them regularly interact with someone who speaks a different language like a babysitter or caregiver
•       Immerse your child in foreign culture through travel or by visiting areas of your city or town where one culture is prevalent
•       Take your child to cultural events like fairs, food markets and restaurants
•       When teaching your child the names of objects and body parts, refer to them in both languages
•       While playing games say the words in both languages
•       Begin to use basic words in the second language
•       Listen to music, or television in other languages
•       Watch your child’s favorite movie in another language

Have fun teaching your child to embrace different cultures and languages.

Learning Rules

Rules are an important life skill. At home, at school and then at work, rules are a fact of life. So starting early to begin to teach and reinforce the importance of your children following rules is a good idea. You might be asking yourself, how early can I start to teach this skill? Well, studies have shown that kids start to understand the difference between right and wrong as early as a year one year old. And, since rules are based on right and wrong you can start with some very basic rules at this age.

 • Young babies need one word reinforcement. Use the words no and yes to reinforce good from bad. As your child gets older, begin to introduce the consequence behind the rule. No, don’t do that, because you will get hurt.

 • Be specific about rules as your baby develops. For example, no don’t color on that picture book. Rules aren’t always black and white; it’s o/k to color in a coloring book but not in a picture book.

 • Like teaching any skill, it is important to be consistent with rules. It may be a pain to always be the enforcer but if kids know rules can be bent or broken they will try to bend them and break them.

 Your child looks to you and other adults to provide structure to their lives. Rules can actually provide comfort, support and boundaries to your child. This can help them become confident teens and well-adjusted adults.

Life-Long Friends

Back when the world was a smaller place, it was common to hear of friends who met the first day of Kindergarten that are still best of friends 25 or 30 years later. These are truly wonderful friendships that should be celebrated. But as the world got bigger, families became less sedentary. Families often move multiple times, sometimes from coast to coast. It’s important that parents remember that making friends is a learned skill that develops over time. It’s also a skill that your child will have to use frequently in today’s mobile society. So, if your child has difficulty making friends, here are some skills and steps to take to get them started off on the right foot.

Skills

• Be a Good Role Model – Children are prone to emulating their Parents. So tell your children about the positive experiences you’ve had making friends.
• Common Interests – children need to recognize others with shared interests. These are kids that play the same sports, like the same activities, read the same books, etc. This gives your child a reason to introduce themselves and a common point of discussion on which to base a friendship.
• Listening – everyone wants a friend who will listen to them. It’s also a great way for kids to find the common interests they have with their new fiend.
• Empathy – this goes hand-in-hand with listening. Helping a friend through a tough day can further strengthen the bonds of their new relationship.

Making friends isn’t easy for children. Be patient, understanding and supportive of your child and friendships should develop naturally. Just remember to give your child the opportunity to meet new friends through placing them in new events and activities.

Does Your Child Have Trouble Sleeping?

Kids go through phases of development. Sometimes they enjoy uninterrupted, deep sleep. They can sleep so peacefully, that parents might envy the restful sleep that their children enjoy. However, some children are not the best sleepers. Your child may wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble falling back to sleep. Waking up in the middle of the night can be normal. But here are some reasons kids have sleepless nights and some steps you can take to reduce them.

Scary Dreams – It’s normal for children to wake up fearful of thunderstorms, or as a result of a bad dream, or monsters under the bed. But if this is a recurring theme with your child, you might want to take steps to reduce their fear. Ask your child why they are so afraid. You might find out that siblings are telling scary stories or that they are watching a scary TV show you were not aware of. You might find out that monsters are living under the bed or in the closet. A night light can be a great defense against imaginary creatures. Try checking under their bed each night at bedtime to let them know that the monsters are gone. Luckily, as kids get older, like their belief in all other myths and fairytales, monsters will also disappear.

Bathroom Breaks – Many children have underdeveloped bladders that simply won’t allow them to sleep through the night. Waking up is a much better outcome than the alternative, which is wetting the bed. If you haven’t already, install a night light in your bathroom. This can avoid the shock of bright lights, which can further awaken your child. Also, don’t talk to you child if you are assisting them with the bathroom. Stimulating your child’s senses can prevent them from falling back to sleep.

Too Much Energy – your child could be waking up because they have too much pent up energy. This could be due to lack of exercise or problems with their diet. If you find that your child has boundless energy at bedtime and they have trouble winding down, this could be the cause. Try getting your child involved with a sport or exercise program. You can also try cutting out desert and reducing sugary snacks in your child’s diet.

If you are concerned those sleepless nights are a result of a medical issue, or if you need help with your child’s diet and nutrition contact your pediatrician.

Recognizing Good Behavior

It’s common for all parents to recognize bad behavior more than good. At the point when your child is misbehaving is when you’ll reprimand them. Good behavior often goes unnoticed because it can be as simple as sitting quietly or doing chores. These are things parents are likely to miss and thus miss the opportunity to praise and reinforce the good. Here are some ways you can remember to reinforce good behavior.

Systematize Praise – Set up some time in your weekly calendar to reflect on what your child did well this week. If needed, list out the good behavior and when it occurred. Then, when you have the opportunity, let your child know what you noticed they did well during the week. If your child needs a little more work on behavior, set up a chart in your kitchen to track good behavior. Give them stickers for when they are good. After a week of good behavior, reward them with something they like.

Stay On The Positive Side – Instead of telling your child what you don’t want them to do, tell them what behavior you want. For example: You didn’t clean up your room or you didn’t take out the trash. Try telling them why you need them to take out the trash. Explain that this gives you time to get other things done around the house. Let them know that by pitching in they are benefiting the whole family and vice versa.

Be Specific With Your Praise – Don’t just tell your child good boy or girl. Tell them know exactly what they did that was good. For example, cleaning up your room today really helped me out and allowed me to help your sister/brother with their homework. The more specific the praise the more your child will respond to the positive encouragement.

Water Safety

Summer is also about water. Pools can be a lot of fun but you need to follow the rules to stay safe. Here are some helpful water safety rules from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

• Never leave children alone in or near the pool or spa, even for a moment.
• Install a fence at least 4 feet high around all four sides of the pool. The fence should not have openings or protrusions that a young child could use to get over, under, or through.
• Make sure pool gates open out from the pool, and self-close and self-latch at a height children can't reach.
• If the house serves as the fourth side of a fence surrounding a pool, install an alarm on the exit door to the yard and the pool.
• Keep rescue equipment (a shepherd's hook - a long pole with a hook on the end - and life preserver) and a portable telephone near the pool. Choose a shepherd’s hook and other rescue equipment made of fiberglass or other materials that do not conduct electricity.
• Avoid inflatable swimming aids such as “floaties.” They are not a substitute for approved life vests and can give children and parents a false sense of security.
• Children ages 1 to 4 may be at a lower risk of drowning if they have had some formal swimming instruction. However, there is no evidence that swimming lessons or water survival skills courses can prevent drowning in babies younger than 1 year of age.
• The decision to enroll a 1- to 4-year-old child in swimming lessons should be made by the parent and based on the child’s developmental readiness, but swim programs should never be seen as “drown proofing” a child of any age.
• Whenever infants or toddlers are in or around water, an adult – preferably one who knows how to swim and perform CPR – should be within arm’s length, providing “touch supervision.”
• Avoid entrapment: Suction from pool and spa drains can trap a swimmer underwater. Do not use a pool or spa if there are broken or missing drain covers. Ask your pool operator if your pool or spa’s drains are compliant with the Pool and Spa Safety Act. If you have a swimming pool or spa, ask your pool service representative to update your drains and other suction fitting with anti-entrapment drain covers and other devices or systems. See PoolSafely.gov for more information on the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act.
• Large inflatable above-ground pools have become increasingly popular for backyard use. Children may fall in if they lean against the soft side of an inflatable pool. Although such pools are often exempt from local pool fencing requirements, it is essential that they be surrounded by an appropriate fence just as a permanent pool would be so that children cannot gain unsupervised access.

Source: http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/summertips.cfm

Summer Learning

Summer is fun, but often your child starts to forget what they learned in school. You can help exercise your child’s brain by taking time out of your summer schedule for some skill building.

• Reading – 30 minutes a day of reading will keep your child’s mind sharp and their reading skills even sharper. Relax the reading rules and let them read something fun and out of the normal. Let them stretch their skills by reading up a level or let them read down if they just want to get through reading time and back outside to play. Just keep them in the habit of reading so it’s not a shock to their system when school starts.
• Indoors and Air Conditioning on Hot Summer Days – the museums are air conditioned and not so crowded during the summer. It makes summer a great time to visit. Avoid the crowds, keep cool and exercise your child’s brain.
• Pick a Number/Any Number – to practice math skills establish a number of the day and do activities around the number. If the number is five let them have five pieces of candy for the day. Challenge them to jump rope five times or throw an imaginary tea party for five guests. You get the picture and so will they with this number and counting reinforcing activity.
• Study Nature – it’s summer time and being outdoors is what summer is all about. Take a nature hike. Let your children spot animals and look them up on the computer when you get home to find out all about them. Let them pick flowers or capture butterflies or fireflies. Get a book from the library that tells all about the animals or plants you saw on your hike.

Wetting the Bed – Normal or Not?

Even the best potty trained child can have a nighttime accident. Nearly half of all children still wet the bed at age 3. Even at age 5 doctors consider bed wetting normal, as one on five kids still wet the bed. (Source: WebMD). So when is the right time to be concerned about bed wetting? Generally, if your child still can’t stay dry overnight by age 6, it might be time to consult your pediatrician.

Reasons

There are many causes of bed wetting. Generally, bed wetting is caused by a child's normal, under-developed bladder. It can also be caused by your child simply lacking the trigger to wake from sleep to empty their bladder.

Sometimes kids can regress during or after potty training due to stress such as a new sibling, a death of a close family member, a change in school or other event. It could also be a call out for attention, particularly during stressful times.

A Few Quick Tips To Help

· Limit liquids before bed

· Have your child visit the potty several times before bedtime

· Don’t punish your child for the accident

· Have them participate in cleaning up but not as a punishment

· Use positive encouragement and rewards for staying dry at night

If you suspect that your child has a urinary tract infection, diabetes, or some other medical problem, take them to your pediatrician.

Moving with Kids

Moving is stressful on everyone in the family. As parents you’re trying to find the best home, select the best schools, possibly transition into a new job and generally reorganize your whole life. For kids, moving can be even more traumatic. Leaving all they have known in their life, friends, surroundings and all they find comfort in. In addition, it is easy for kids to feel left out. Here are some tips to help manage this change for your children.

Talk, Talk, Talk
• Break the news of the move gently. Be prepared for tears from young ones. Be understanding and avoiding justifying or debating the decision with your children. Give them time to cope with the decision.
• Talk to your children about what to expect the day of the move and once you arrive at your new home.

Involve Them in the Move
• Let them pack their items and watch them go into the moving truck. Let them unpack so they know the items important to them have not been left behind.
• Let them pick out their room and personalize it to make their own (paint, new furnishings, arrangement of furnishings). This will create excitement and give them ownership of their new surroundings. But remember to make their new room familiar. Hang up their pictures and personal items as soon as possible.
• Visit the new neighborhood with your children ahead of the move. Point out the benefits of your new surroundings (lots of kids, close to the playground).
• If possible, tour your new home with your children. This will make move in day a little less scary.

Keep Your Routine
A routine is very important to young children. Keep sleep and wake-up times consistent. Try to keep your schedule as similar as possible. Reinforce to your children that life is the same, just in a new place.
If your child seems to be taking longer to adjust, seek out professional help through your pediatrician.

Fourth of July Fun With Kids

Fourth of July will be here this weekend and you want to make it a fun event for the whole family. Below are a few tips on making it an exciting time for the kids.

1. Head to your local library and pick out some books to read to the kids about Independence Day.

2. Teach the kids some patriotic songs like "Yankee Doodle Dandy," "America the Beautiful" and "The Star-Spangled Banner."

3. Crafts are always a great hit. Have them make an American flag or a paper chain of red, white and blue construction paper. Make fireworks on black construction paper.

4. Everyone loves a Fourth of July Parade. If you don’t have a parade in your town let your children decorate their bikes and make their own parade. Even better, get kids from the neighborhood involved. You just might start a tradition.

5. Everyone loves dessert. With some whipped topping, strawberries and blue berries they can create a sweet treat everyone can enjoy.

6. When the sun goes down attend a fireworks display or, have them look for fireworks off in the distance. End the night with a fun game of flashlight tag.

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!