Posts Tagged ‘Fathering’
Children are fascinated by nature and the simple pleasures of smelling flowers, picking vegetables and studying insects. Gardening provides family fun, teaches patience and responsibility and builds self-esteem.
Pique your child’s curiosity:
- Plant things your children like to eat – such as veggies they like on a pizza or in a salad or create your own salsa using tomatoes you’ve grown.
- Make a scarecrow to deter pests or plant daisies and petunias to attract butterflies.
Be sure to plan special time for gardening, but keep sessions brief. Frequent activity changes, such as planting, watering, mulching, weeding and harvesting will help keep children engaged. Allow plenty of time for catching toads, gathering bouquets of dandelions and planting the seeds from yesterday’s snack of fresh watermelon.
To learn more about The Goddard School, click here.
Tags: 28277, 5 Star Child Care Centers, 5-star Preschools, Child Care Centers Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Charlotte, Choosing a Preschool, Controlling Worrying in children, Fathering, Fun in the Sun, Goddard School, Phonics, Preventing Biting, Sleeping, Staying Cool, The Goddard School
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Children and Pets
Pets enrich the lives of many children and families. While children raised with pets show many benefits, safety concerns should always be a determining factor when deciding to get or keep a pet in a family with young children.
Choose wisely from breeds or species that are a good fit for your family, your home and your lifestyle. Behavior, temperament, excitability, patience and size are important characteristics to consider in a child-friendly pet that your little one can help care for. Pets should be free of disease and regularly checked by a veterinarian. Family allergies should also be taken into account. Young children should always be supervised during their interactions with pets. Animals can be easily harmed or provoked to attack if hit, poked or grabbed by young children. Children must be taught to play gently with pets and to keep their distance when an animal is eating, sleeping or caring for their young.
Involved parents, planning and open discussion are necessary in order for a family pet to be a positive experience. Young children can help with pet care, but can’t be completely responsible. They may only be able to help you with a few small tasks when feeding, cleaning or grooming your pet. For example, your child can join you when walking the dog, but certainly shouldn’t walk the dog alone. Allow your child to help care for the family pet in small, safe ways and always under adult supervision.
There are many benefits to children raised with pets. Positive relationships with pets can encourage children to love and trust others. Bonding with a pet can also help young children develop non-verbal communication, compassion and empathy. Caring for pets teaches children responsibility and respect. Both children and animals need exercise and pets are great playmates and a fun way to add physical activity into a child’s day. A pet’s life span can also provide parents the opportunity to teach life lessons about reproduction, birth, illness, loss and death.
To learn more about The Goddard School click here.
Tags: 28277, 5 Star Child Care Centers, 5 star Preschools in Charlotte, 5-star Preschools, Add new tag, Back To School, Biting, boredom, car, Charlotte Preschools, Child Care Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Charlotte, Child Care Centers in Ballantyne, Child Care Centers in Charlotte, Child Care Charlotte, Child Development, Child Vacations, Choosing a Preschool, Controlling Worrying in children, Fathering, Fun in the Sun, Goddard School, The Goddard School, The Goddard School-Ballantyne, The Goddard Schoolol, Thumbsucking, Traveling Children, water Play, Worrying in Children
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Wednesday, April 7th, 2010
Children and Pets
Pets enrich the lives of many children and families. While children raised with pets show many benefits, safety concerns should always be a determining factor when deciding to get or keep a pet in a family with young children.
Choose wisely from breeds or species that are a good fit for your family, your home and your lifestyle. Behavior, temperament, excitability, patience and size are important characteristics to consider in a child-friendly pet that your little one can help care for. Pets should be free of disease and regularly checked by a veterinarian. Family allergies should also be taken into account. Young children should always be supervised during their interactions with pets. Animals can be easily harmed or provoked to attack if hit, poked or grabbed by young children. Children must be taught to play gently with pets and to keep their distance when an animal is eating, sleeping or caring for their young.
Involved parents, planning and open discussion are necessary in order for a family pet to be a positive experience. Young children can help with pet care, but can’t be completely responsible. They may only be able to help you with a few small tasks when feeding, cleaning or grooming your pet. For example, your child can join you when walking the dog, but certainly shouldn’t walk the dog alone. Allow your child to help care for the family pet in small, safe ways and always under adult supervision.
There are many benefits to children raised with pets. Positive relationships with pets can encourage children to love and trust others. Bonding with a pet can also help young children develop non-verbal communication, compassion and empathy. Caring for pets teaches children responsibility and respect. Both children and animals need exercise and pets are great playmates and a fun way to add physical activity into a child’s day. A pet’s life span can also provide parents the opportunity to teach life lessons about reproduction, birth, illness, loss and death.
To learn more about The Goddard School click here.
Tags: 28277, 5 Star Child Care Centers, 5 star Preschools in Charlotte, 5-star Preschools, Add new tag, Back To School, Biting, boredom, car, Charlotte Preschools, Child Care Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Charlotte, Child Care Centers in Ballantyne, Child Care Centers in Charlotte, Child Development, Child Vacations, Choosing a Preschool, Controlling Worrying in children, Fathering, Fun in the Sun, Goddard School, Preventing Biting, Role of Fathers, Staying Cool, The Goddard School, The Goddard School-Ballantyne, The Goddard Schoolol, Traveling Children, Worrying in Children
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Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
Goddard Schools Nationwide Kicks Off the “Get Active” Initiative to Keep Youngsters Moving
Michelle Obama recently announced “Let’s Move,” a national campaign to combat childhood obesity through fitness and nutrition programs. Every day inside and outside the classroom, 360- plus Goddard Schools nationwide take great strides to get preschoolers, toddlers and infants up and moving.
Placing children on the right path to living and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential, and that is why Goddard, the country’s leading childcare franchise company, initiated its “Get Active” campaign. From yoga to dance, dramatic play to music and movement, Goddard has been at the forefront of promoting children’s health by encouraging kids to get active throughout the day.
“It’s important that children learn, at an early age, how to lead a healthy lifestyle,” said Joseph Schumacher, Chief Executive Officer at Goddard Systems, Inc. “Our proactive approach and innovative early childhood programs are ideal for promoting physical activity in young children and for laying the foundation for gross motor development.”
To encourage children to “Get Active,” education experts at Goddard offer some simple and helpful ideas that you can do at home with your young child:
1. Take It Outside – Limit “screen time” and encourage your child to go outside and PLAY. Have a relay race, set up an obstacle course or bring back one of your favorite childhood pastimes like hopscotch or jump rope.
2. It’s In Your Nature – Take your child on a nature walk. Use this great opportunity to talk to your child about plants and animals you see while getting fresh air and exercise.
3. Get Dramatic – When you’re transitioning a child from one activity to another – like play time to dinner time – ask them to move like their favorite animal. Hop like a kangaroo, slither like a snake or waddle like a duck.
4. Be a Good Sport – Preschool age children love to learn the basic rules of popular sports and games. Take this opportunity to talk about sportsmanship.
5. Be Free – Remember free play? Let go of some structure, and encourage your children to use their imaginations in their indoor and outdoor play.
6. Stretch It Out – Preschoolers love basic yoga moves. Take a few minutes each day to stretch with your little one.
7. Put Some Movement In Your Music – When you sing songs or listen to music with young children, encourage them to dance with scarves, make up movements to go with the lyrics or just DANCE and move their bodies to the music.
To learn more about The Goddard School click here.
Tags: 28277, 5 Star Child Care Centers, 5 star Preschools in Charlotte, 5-star Preschools, Add new tag, Back To School, Biting, boredom, car, Charlotte Preschools, Child Care Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Charlotte, Child Care Centers in Ballantyne, Child Care Centers in Charlotte, Child Care Charlotte, Child Development, Choosing a Preschool, Controlling Worrying in children, Fathering, Fun in the Sun, Goddard School, Learning through Play, New School, Pacifier, Phonics, Preventing Biting, Role of Fathers, Saving Money, Sleeping, Staying Cool, Summer Games, The Goddard School, The Goddard School-Ballantyne, Thumbsucking, Traveling Children, Worrying in Children
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Friday, February 5th, 2010
All Sorts of Sports
Students at The Goddard School® Ballantyne located in Charlotte, NC benefit from our organized sports program provided for children ages Infant to Pre K.
Children develop teamwork skills as they engage in organized sports including soccer, baseball and basketball in the Sports Mix program, developed by Trampoline™. The most important aspect of this program is to teach children why we play sports – to have fun!
Age-appropriate team activities help children develop cooperation, sharing and teamwork skills.
- Children acquire physical skills while learning the appropriate terminology and rules of organized team sports.
Physical activity has been associated with the development of basic motor skills including spatial awareness, rhythm and creative expression.
To learn more about The Goddard School click here.
Tags: 28277, 5 Star Child Care Centers, 5 star Preschools in Charlotte, 5-star Preschools, Add new tag, Back To School, boredom, car, Charlotte Preschools, Child Care Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Charlotte, Child Care Charlotte, Child Development, Choosing a Preschool, Controlling Worrying in children, Fathering, Fun in the Sun, Goddard School, Preventing Biting, The Goddard School, The Goddard Schoolol, Transitions, water Play, Worrying in Children
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Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010
BENEFITS OF A HIGH-QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAM
An estimated five million children are in preschool programs, and the number is growing. According to the Families and Work Institute, children benefit from quality programs with competent staff and good ratios. They suffer fewer behavioral troubles, have larger expressive vocabularies, feel close to their teachers, and enjoy more complex, less aggressive play with peers.
A high-quality preschool curriculum sets specific goals and uses learning and developmental standards that are age-appropriate. The curriculum builds on each child’s interests and natural curiosity and also allows them the opportunity to direct their own learning. Whole-class and small group activities as well as opportunities for individual interactions with the teacher are encouraged.
Preschool benefits children, their families and their communities. Children in quality preschool programs show improvements in the development of social skills and are more proficient in areas such as following directions, waiting turns, problem-solving, joining in activities and relating to teachers and parents. These advanced skills improve efficiency in classroom settings which allow teachers to spend more time working directly with children and less time on classroom management.
Studies have shown children that have attended preschool are more likely to do better on standardized tests, graduate high school and earn higher wages as an adult than their peers who did not attend preschool. They are also less likely to repeat a grade, to be arrested for a violent crime or to become teen parents.
At The Goddard School®, children are encouraged to explore learning centers including art, math, science and computers; to ask questions; and to take time making friends and socializing. The school focuses on building a strong and balanced foundation for each child and encourages them to develop at their own pace while supported by a team of dedicated teachers.
The Goddard School FLEX Learning Program™, based on the latest research in how children learn and designed with the assistance of experts, provides the optimal environment for the development of young children. The program’s foundation is the learning continuum that encompasses developmental guidelines with formative assessments, child-focused lesson plans, a creative and fun environment and a personalized child-centered approach that meets each child’s needs.
To learn mo9re about The Goddard School click here.
Tags: 28277, 5 Star Child Care Centers, 5 star Preschools in Charlotte, 5-star Preschools, Back To School, Biting, boredom, Charlotte Preschools, Child Care Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Charlotte, Child Care Centers in Ballantyne, Child Care Centers in Charlotte, Child Development, Controlling Worrying in children, Fathering, Fun in the Sun, Goddard School, Learning through Play, New Place, New School, The Goddard School, The Goddard School-Ballantyne, Thumbsucking, Transitions, Traveling Children, Worrying in Children
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Monday, February 1st, 2010
Playing With Your Child
Excerpt from Me, Myself and I
By Dr. Kyle Pruett
The best way to know what your child thinks about his world before he can tell you directly in words is through playing with him. It is right there, in their play sequences and manipulations that we see and hear what they understand and think about the world we share.
Remember, however, that this is his play, not yours. You are a partner and a facilitator, occasionally a “go-fer,” but you are not playwright, producer or director.
When you play make-believe with your child using simple dress-up (hats alone are great), narrate her play: “And now you get on your hat.” Describe what you think she is feeling: “Don’t you feel fancy (snazzy, cool…)?” And listen for when you are not quite on track: “So, then what?” Children often love to have you with them in these imaginary explorations of role and role-play and usually will do their best to keep you from getting lost along the way.
- Use reflecting surfaces (mirrors, windows) as you play peek-a-boo with your child’s image and then yours, or add a little face paint or make-up as he explores what happens to his face as he, or you, add a dot here or a line there. It helps him define who he is by enjoying the reflection of his face and feelings back and forth between you. Doing this together just feels different and better and usually more important.
- Sit together in the dark with a flashlight and give your child a sense that he has some control over what appears, reappears, and disappears into the darkness. Narrate the experience with him, and match his level of emotional interest, as you share the job of turning the flashlight on and off together. Sara, at 22 months, loved this game and called it the “good-bye light game.” She seemed to be sorting out the comings and goings of important things and people as the lights went off and on.
There are countless other ideas available from books and magazines. Borrow, invent, and reinvent games just for the two of you.
To learn more about The Goddard School click here.
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Thursday, January 28th, 2010
How Do They Measure Up?
At The Goddard School®Ballantyne, located in Charlotte, NC, we understand that selecting your child’s preschool may be one of your most important decisions. That is why we have developed a helpful checklist. Although you can’t measure everything in ten simple questions, we think you’ll agree that Goddard is raising the standard.
- Children are treated with respect in an atmosphere that nurtures their independence and self confidence.
- Fitness, foreign language, music appreciation, nutrition, sign language, and/or manners are incorporated into the program.
- An Education Director and School Owner are on-site to provide dependable staff management and open communication with parents.
- A Daily Activity Report is prepared for each child and sent home with parents every day.
- Each classroom offers a multi-cultural and developmentally appropriate environment.
- Goddard teachers have access to professional development and continuing education credit authorized by IACET.
- Teachers are CPR and First Aid certified.
- Detailed Corporate Quality Assurance Reviews are conducted semi-annually in addition to state license inspection.
- Corporate Developmental Guidelines provide the foundation for individualized lesson plans which are brought to life in fun and imaginative ways.
- Programs are developed in coordination with child development specialist, Kyle D. Pruett, M.D. Dr. Pruett is an authority on child development and has been practicing child and family psychiatry for over 25 years. He is a clinical professor at Yale University’s Child Study Center.
To learn more about The Goddard School click here.
Tags: 28277, 5 Star Child Care Centers, 5 star Preschools in Charlotte, 5-star Preschools, Add new tag, Back To School, Biting, boredom, car, Charlotte Preschools, Child Care Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Charlotte, Child Care Centers in Ballantyne, Child Care Centers in Charlotte, Child Care Charlotte, Child Development, Child Vacations, Controlling Worrying in children, Fathering, Goddard School, Learning through Play, Literacy, New Place, New School, Pacifier, Phonics, Preventing Biting, Reading, Role of Fathers, Saving Money, Sleeping, Staying Cool, Summer Games, Sun Protection, The Goddard School, The Goddard School-Ballantyne, The Goddard Schoolol, Thumbsucking, Transitions, water Play, Worrying in Children
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Friday, January 22nd, 2010
TV Time
by Kyle D. Pruett, M.D
Are you surprised that the American Academy of Pediatrics says no television before age two? This standard alerts parents of infants, toddlers and preschoolers that their children are strongly affected by the talking tube and that they need to consider the way their children are exposed to its powerful influences.
If you chose to allow your children to view television, consider limiting the amount of “watching time” in their first three years to 30-90 minutes per day. This is more than enough for their young brains and eyes. Children prefer, and benefit from, interacting with people far more.
- The programming you chose should be specifically directed at the age of your child. Most good parenting magazines regularly publish guidelines that tend to be more objective and reliable than an advertiser’s suggestions.
- Commercial-free is far better for eyes, ears, and minds. Fewer interruptions and a generally higher level of intellectual and emotional content are the benefits.
- A child’s room does not need a television. Television may inhibit a child’s desire to read and play imaginatively for years.
- When your children watch television, watch with them. They may need your help to decipher the barrage of messages, and only you know when they have had enough. Occasional babysitting by means of television so you can get something done is understandable, but may be a waste of your child’s time and mind.
These guidelines should be discussed regularly by all adults in your household. The evening news may matter to the grown-ups, but it is frequently incomprehensible and somewhat frightening to your little ones. Media-literate parents are great blessings to their children.
Suggested resource: Coalition for Quality Children’s Media www.cqcm.org
To learn more about The Goddard School click here.
Kyle D. Pruett, M.D. is an advisor for The Goddard School®. Dr. Pruett is an authority on child development who has been practicing child and family psychiatry for over twenty-five years. He is a clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale University’s Child Study Center.
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Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
READ TO ME!
It is generally agreed among educators that one of the best things adults can do for their children is to read to them.
Parent Tips:
- During early infancy, reading helps babies build neural pathways that will eventually provide language development and acquisition.
- Reading aloud to children encourages association with happiness, love and enjoyment. All of this can lead to children’s greater interest in reading and can result in larger vocabularies and better literary skills.
- Choose a childcare environment that encourages storytime as an important aspect of the school’s routine.
- Reading aloud to children also helps them with pronunciation and phonetics. Some children are able to recognize letters and numbers before they can speak, but if they are left to this without guidance their weaknesses can lie in pronunciation and sounding out words.
- When children speak incorrectly they should be gently corrected so that they are encouraged to use proper grammar and pronunciation. Reading books can help children learn the proper format of sentences which they often mistake in late toddlerhood.
- Children who are read to regularly, are more likely to continue reading throughout their lives.
- Children who read are more likely to have better writing skills and be placed in higher level classes.
To learn more about The Goddard School click here.
Tags: 28277, 5 Star Child Care Centers, 5 star Preschools in Charlotte, 5-star Preschools, Add new tag, Back To School, Biting, boredom, Charlotte Preschools, Child Care Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Charlotte, Child Care Centers in Ballantyne, Child Care Centers in Charlotte, Child Care Charlotte, Child Development, Child Vacations, Choosing a Preschool, Controlling Worrying in children, Fathering, Fun in the Sun, Goddard School, Learning through Play, Literacy, New School, Pacifier, Phonics, Preventing Biting, The Goddard School, The Goddard School-Ballantyne, Thumbsucking, Traveling Children, Worrying in Children
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