Posts Tagged ‘The Goddard School’
Tuesday, January 24th, 2012
Snowball Hunt
The Goddard School® located in Charlotte, NC recommends trying new activities with your child!
Bring the ‘snow’ and fun indoors.
Let your children work on their fine motor skills!
Materials
12 cotton balls per child
1 marker
1 egg carton per child
Instructions
- Label each egg carton cup 1 through 12.
- Hide the cotton balls around the room (12 cotton balls per child).
- Have the children walk around the room, looking for the hidden ‘snowballs’.
- Encourage each child to put the ‘snowballs’ in order when they find them (1 through 12).
Once all the ‘snowballs’ have been found, count them together!
To learn more about The Goddard School, click here.
Tags: 28277, 5 Star Child Care Centers, 5 star Preschools in Charlotte, Charlotte Preschools, Child Care Ballantyne, Choosing a Preschool, Fun activities, Learning through Play, The Goddard School
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Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011
by Kyle D. Pruett, M.D.
Mothers and fathers care for their children in very unique ways. Children can recognize the differences between mother and father care, which actually enhances their development. This article focuses on the critical role fathers play in a child’s development.
Newborns can differentiate between mom’s voice and touch and dad’s voice and touch. Although mom may have gotten a head start on the bonding process with the baby, dads have their chance, too. By six weeks old an infant can distinguish a father’s voice from a mother’s, and while a quiet baby may pay more attention to mom’s voice, an upset baby will calm more readily to his father’s handling. Mothers usually are very consistent in the way that they handle their children, often picking them up in the same manner, saying the same thing before they handle them, for example, at bath or bedtime. Dads rarely approach the baby with such consistency. Each time they pick up the baby, they usually do so in a different manner than before, but this helps the baby recognize that it is dad who is holding him.
Time with dad is typically less structured and more play-oriented than with mom. Most of mother’s time with her children is dedicated to care-giving tasks or educational play, while dad’s time is less structured and full of impromptu play. Where mom uses toys, dad tends to use his body. Dads are typically more physical with the kids and they love it. Physical play helps to stimulate both physical and brain development. Dads also have a tendency to make any situation educational, even if they don’t realize it themselves, so that a father’s tasks around the house might be an adventure for the child.
Fathers challenge their children to learn. Obviously, both mom and dad want to help their child learn in any way they can, but they do this differently also. For example, when teaching a frustrated child, a mother tends to assist her in finding the answer; whereas, a father is more likely to guide the child through the frustration and challenge her longer to find the answer on her own. Fathers also encourage more exploration and boundary pushing than moms do. A father’s way of teaching his child persistence in the face of adversity results in positive academic and social performance in the long run. Certainly, one style is not better than the other, and children absolutely benefit from both.
THE ROLE OF FATHERS
Recent research about the role of fathers and their approach to parenting include the following:
- Fathers tend stylistically to encourage problem-solving skills by letting their kids struggle with frustration a little longer before stepping in to help. (Of course, there is a huge personal variation here, as there is in mothers.)
- Fathers permit a little more emotional autonomy during learning sequences with their young children, supporting and encouraging but without the same emphasis on intimacy that is more typical among mothers.
- Fathers tend to mix play with learning a little more successfully, from the child’s point of view, allowing longer work periods.
- Fathers’ more functional (‘do it because it needs to be done,’ rather than ‘do it because it will go better between us if you do’) approach to academic work builds in the child a larger range of problem-solving skills over time that probably contributes to more lasting self-esteem.
Kyle D. Pruett, M.D., is an advisor forTheGoddardSchool®. 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 atYaleUniversity’sChildStudyCenter.
To learn more about The Goddard School in Charlotte, NC click here
Tags: 5 Star Child Care Centers, 5-star Preschools, Child Care Centers Ballantyne, Child Development, Choosing a Preschool, The Goddard School
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Sunday, October 16th, 2011
Part 2 Integrating Emotion & Learning in Everyday Moments
By Dr. Kyle Pruett
Excerpt from Me, Myself and I
Your own ideas about how to integrating emotion and learning in everyday moments with your child are probably better than anything I could advise for you personally. But here are some ideas and suggestions that might help you customize those ideas.
- Young children do not need to be taught how to think. Science is careening ahead pursuing fascinating findings and ideas about how, even whether, children this age actually do think. But our ignorance dominates our knowledge embarrassingly. We are still understanding why they even want to think in the first place. It is like walking or talking, unfolding in due course when the maturational timekeeper tells the mind-body duality, “Johnny: it’s time?”
- The five-second check-in. Since most of us don’t spend our days staring endlessly at our toddlers and preschoolers, it is important that you take a few seconds to assess the mood, or state your child is in before you join in his doings, ask him to do something or simply interrupt him. This is the feeling state that will determine his ability to understand or comply with whatever you might need, no matter how small. If you are not tuned in, he probably won’t hear (i.e. learn).
- Join your child. Follow her lead in activities she is already involved in. Don’t take over – it will turn her off. But if you want her to learn, become a partner in the exploration she has begun. Add a ball to hide in the pots and pans scene, or move close and take her hand if she is wary of a dog on a walk. Don’t instantly rescue (unless safety is an immediate concern) because you will lose one of those interesting moments of tension that could be mastered, leading a child to a wider, more complex understanding of the world.
- If your child balks at a “learning” moment with you, it could mean you didn’t read the five-second check-in right. Back up and let your child know you know what she is feeling first. (“I guess you weren’t quite through,” or “It’s hard to have to stop when you are having fun doing X.”) When the feeling domain feels appreciated, then the learning domain is less burdened.
- If your child needs redirection after you have connected with his mood or feeling, ask softly what he might enjoy doing. If you still have no luck make two suggestions of things he might do and help him choose. He will probably need some pump-priming from you, since you can manage your own mood apart from his. Remember, how you are in such moments, is as important as what you do.
- If it’s important for you to initiate an activity that will bring you pleasure and you know it could be good for your child, like reading or going for a walk, stabilize your own mood first. Only then can you help your child regulate hers. Once done, then she can crawl up on your lap or get out the door and learn. For some kids, it’s the other way around. But for the majority, in the feeling and learning dance, it isn’t always possible to say who is leading.
To learn more about The Goddard School-Ballantyne click here
Tags: 28277, 5 star Preschools in Charlotte, Charlotte Preschools, Child Care Centers in Ballantyne, Child Development, Goddard School, Learning through Play, The Goddard School, The Goddard School-Ballantyne
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Tuesday, September 27th, 2011
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.
For more information on why The Goddard School located in Charlotte is the place for fun and learning, please contact Susan Monbarren at 704-544-1998.
About The Goddard School
The Goddard School (www.goddardschools.com) is a nationwide franchise of Goddard Systems, Inc. headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. With over 330 franchised schools nationwide and 42,000 children enrolled, Goddard is the fastest growing preschool in the United States. Goddard was recently recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as the “#1 Childcare Franchise” for the eighth consecutive year (January 2009) and Franchise Times magazine as one of the Top 200 Franchise Systems (in worldwide sales) for the second consecutive year (October 2008).
To learn more about The Goddard School click here.
Tags: 28277, 5 Star Child Care Centers, 5-star Preschools, Charlotte Preschools, Child Care Ballantyne, Child Care Centers in Ballantyne, Child Development, Learning through Play, Literacy, The Goddard School, The Goddard School-Ballantyne, The Goddard Schoolol
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Thursday, September 8th, 2011
Getting Your Child Back into the Routine of Things
The Goddard School® located in Charlotte gives advice and tips to parents on how to prepare their children for the coming school year
Charlotte, NC – Back-to-school season is here and Charlotte-area children are probably getting excited about shopping for new clothes and being able to see their school friends. And, while education is an essential part of growing up, Susan Monbarren of The Goddard School located in Charlotte, says other factors like waking up earlier in the morning, brushing teeth and packing a school lunch are also important, as it helps develop an organized lifestyle and further a child’s growth.
“It is so important for children to get into the routine of going to sleep at a reasonable time, knowing what daily morning chores they need to accomplish each day and other things of the like,” Monbarren said. “In addition, the school year is great because it allows children to be around their peers more often throughout the day, and this promotes social stability. We encourage parents to get the ball rolling and start implementing these routines – even before the school year begins.”
Routine establishes many aspects of healthy living, good habits and good behavior that even the slightest structure can make a huge difference in a child’s day-to-day life, Monbarren said. Monbarren suggests parents, with young children, ask themselves the following questions:
- Do you post a list of nighttime and morning to-dos on your child’s bedroom door or on the kitchen refrigerator as daily guidelines for your children?
- Do you read a bedtime story to your child each night?
- Do you have a designated area in your child’s room or elsewhere in the home for your child to store his or her coat and school book bag?
- Does your child have a bedtime on school nights and on weekends?
- Do you wake up your child in the morning? Or, does your child have an alarm clock in his or her room to wake up on time?
If you have answered “no” to most of these questions, it might be time to implement more routine chores. Monbarren suggests the following ideas that could help parents save time and institute organizational skills for their kids:
- Be sure to discuss the highlights and events that happened at school with your child each day.
- Help your child prepare for school the night before, including assisting your child in selecting clothes to wear for school. After a while, he or she will be able to do this without your assistance.
- Designate a time each night that your child should go to sleep. Children need 9 to 11 hours of sleep each night, depending on their age.
- Choose an area in the home, such as by the front door, to store your child’s school bag and any supplies he or she may need for school (e.g., art projects, thank-you notes/gifts for teachers).
- Have a daily to-do list posted in an area your child will see each day.
“Just like we practice at The Goddard School, regular schedules create a day with structure. The repetition of routines encourages your child’s memory development, and the consistency helps him or her adjust to a regular schedule,” Monbarren said.
The Goddard School located in Charlotte offers a year-round program for children from six weeks to six-years-old. Children are encouraged to develop at their own pace in a warm environment supported by a team of dedicated teachers. The Goddard School FLEX Learning Program™ is based on a unique learning continuum that encompasses developmental guidelines, formative assessments and child-focused lesson plans that are delivered in a creative and fun environment with a child-centered approach to meet each child’s individual needs.
For more information on why The Goddard School located in Charlotte is the place for fun and learning, please contact Susan Monbarren at 704-544-1998.
About The Goddard School
The Goddard School (www.goddardschools.com) is a nationwide franchise of Goddard Systems, Inc. headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. With over 330 franchised schools nationwide and 42,000 children enrolled, Goddard is the fastest growing preschool in the United States. Goddard was recently recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as the “#1 Childcare Franchise” for the eighth consecutive year (January 2009) and Franchise Times magazine as one of the Top 200 Franchise Systems (in worldwide sales) for the second consecutive year (October 2008).
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, Charlotte Preschools, Child Care Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Charlotte, Child Care Centers in Ballantyne, Child Development, Choosing a Preschool, Goddard School, Learning through Play, New School, The Goddard School, The Goddard School-Ballantyne, The Goddard Schoolol
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Wednesday, July 20th, 2011
First Time Parenting
By Dr. Kyle Pruett
Becoming a parent is like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. There are countless surprises in the event itself, even if you are in the minority of parents who were able to thoughtfully plan whether and when this should happen to you. Parenting is an important job we feel must be done well, which makes it all the more uncomfortable to feel so clueless about what’s happening to you, your marriage and your body. Moms are supposed to ’just know’ what to do, and fathers are supposed to ‘just know’ how to help them. Neither of these maxims helps much because they are mostly wrong and arcane. And if you are an adult when you become a parent, you are accustomed to knowing what to do as you work your way through your daily life – it’s probably been a while since you felt this inept, sacrificed this much sleep, effort and confidence and all for what – a few gassy smiles and some drool?
A few noteworthy first timer tips:
- The ‘sensory surprise’ is my phrase for what catches many moms and dads off guard early on; holding the naked baby next to your skin (which is a very good thing to do) is calming and soothing for both you and the baby. Who knew? This touching, smelling, caressing stuff helps us find each other as sensory beings in this way too verbal world. This is especially true for dads who have been in the cheap seats for the physical/sensory aspects of the gestation.
- The ‘vocal surprise’ follows. When was the last time you found yourself singing or humming to anyone who would listen? Babies listen intently and seem to have an appetite for the human voice when it’s playing with sounds as in rhythmic speech, singing or cooing. Don’t hold back. This is the vocal equivalent of skin-to-skin cuddling and is just as enriching for both of you.
- The next ‘surprise’ for the first timer might be the magical effect of swaddling on a fussy baby. Firmly but tenderly securing the babies arms and legs in the swaddling blanket keeps the baby warm and secure and is an important thing to learn how to do well. It seems to automatically comfort most babies and makes you feel like you know what you’re doing – especially important for first-time dads.
- Two-thirds of his/her early life will be devoted to sleep, lumped into three-or four-hour segments at first. Sleeping through the night will come, but stomach capacities of the newborn aren’t initially adequate to this task. So get yourself informed about what to expect, problem-solving with your nurse/pediatrician ahead of time. Sleep issues are among the thorniest for first timers, so listen to the seasoned pros about whether to sweat or not.
- First time parents are often accompanied by first time grandparents. Here are a few tips for the first time grandparent:
- Ask permission before rattling off advice. Egos are a little raw just now, so make sure you aren’t overstepping family boundaries.
- Support the parents, both of them. Show them your tricks only if asked; this child is theirs, not yours.
- Don’t expect much attention or entertainment when helping out.
- When you help, help them both. Helping your child’s partner is helping your child raise your grandchild.
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, Charlotte Preschools, Child Care Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Charlotte, Child Care Centers in Ballantyne, Child Care Centers in Charlotte, Goddard School, The Goddard School, The Goddard School-Ballantyne, The Goddard Schoolol
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Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011
COOL SUMMER GAMES
Try these water activities with your children and keep them ‘cool’ in the hot July weather!
Water Works
This game is played like Musical Chairs. Play music while children run, skip and jump through a water sprinkler. After a short amount of time, stop the music. The child in the sprinkler when the music stops is in charge of controlling the music in the next round!
Frozen Toes
Fill a wading pool with cool water and ice cubes. Give each child a bucket. Ask the children to transfer as many ice cubes as they can from the pool to their bucket – using their feet! The child with the most ice cubes is the winner!
*Safety First: A parent or guardian should always be present when children are engaged in water play. Parents should use their discretion regarding age-appropriate games for their children.
To learn more about The Goddard School click here
Tags: 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 Development, Child Vacations, Controlling Worrying in children, Goddard School, Goddard Schools, Literacy, The Goddard School, The Goddard School-Ballantyne
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Pack a Healthy Lunch…that your child will enjoy!
Introduce your children to healthy eating by involving them in the lunch preparation. Children have a tendency to eat and try new foods that they helped to prepare. And children who help in the kitchen build their confidence which makes them feel important and proud.
Avoid brown bag boredom and try the following healthy, easy and fun options. Bonus – your children will want to eat these choices!
Turn lunch into an adventure:
Cut sandwiches into playful shapes with cookie cutters. Children are more excited about eating a star- or dinosaur-shaped sandwich because it makes the experience fun! Choose cheese or deli meats to replace breads and cut them into fun shapes, too.
Make lunch fun by including a dip:
Yogurt is a great dip for fruit.
Provide hummus for veggies.
Use a variety of ‘sandwich’ options:
Bagels, pita bread, wheat wraps or crackers.
To learn more 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, Child Vacations, Choosing a Preschool, Controlling Worrying in children, Fathering, Fun in the Sun, Goddard School, Learning through Play, Literacy, Pacifier, Phonics, Saving Money, Summer Games, Sun Protection, The Goddard School, The Goddard School-Ballantyne, Transitions, Traveling Children, water Play, Worrying in Children
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Wednesday, April 20th, 2011
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 more 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 Charlotte, Child Development, Child Vacations, Choosing a Preschool, Controlling Worrying in children, Fathering, Fun in the Sun, Goddard School, Learning through Play, Literacy, New Place, Pacifier, Phonics, Preventing Biting, Role of Fathers, Sleeping, Staying Cool, Summer Games, Sun Protection, The Goddard School, The Goddard School-Ballantyne, The Goddard Schoolol, Thumbsucking, Worrying in Children
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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
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.
To learn more 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, Charlotte Preschools, Child Care Centers Ballantyne, Child Care Centers Charlotte, Child Care Centers in Charlotte, Child Care Charlotte, Child Development, Child Vacations, Fun in the Sun, Goddard School, New School, Pacifier, Phonics, Preventing Biting, Reading, Saving Money, The Goddard School, Thumbsucking, water Play, Worrying in Children
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