Family Tips Archives - Page 29 of 38 -

“OH NO. My child’s a biter.”

March 7, 2017 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Omg! My toddler was bitten.

As a parent, I have been there. The 300 emotions go through my head. Who did it? Why was no one watching? How could this happen? I have also been on the receiving end of my little minion being the biter. You go through the 300 emotions there too except you are more self-blaming at that time.

As a teacher, it can happen in a blink of an eye. No one is to blame- biting is a developmentally appropriate stage for infants through toddlers. So, let’s put the blame game aside and focus on what we can do to help the child through this natural stage.

Biting usually becomes an “issue” in late infancy through toddlerhood. There is a red flag or trigger that causes the child to turn to biting as their response.

As a parent, I had to put aside the emotions and figure out why and what I could do to help. The little guy learned biting and thought it was a great source of defense. Then he learned oh it makes my mouth feel good when I bite. (yah teething) With knowing what was enabling or letting the child think it was okay to bite I now needed to redirect those strong toddler feelings into another safe response or action. Usually it is a security object that can take the biting or frustration. The child then learns to direct those emotions to the security object.

The cool thing about going through this with my own child is it has also given me further skills to improve my teaching world. We have all been in a room where there are bitters. We have all had to deal with both (biter and bitten) parent reactions as educators. This is where we must come together and be a team for the benefit of our children and students.

As an educator, we can sometimes get bogged down with the emotions of the problems at hand and miss the triggers. As one of my mentors says “take the emotions out of it and focus on the facts”. Is it happening during transitions? Is it when the child’s personal space is threatened? Is the child’s security object being tampered with from others? Has the child’s security item been reduced or weaned from them? All these things can cause an emotional reaction for a child. If we can find a pattern, we can find the trigger which will lead towards a solution.

Remember infants and toddlers are just learning speech. This can cause further frustrations with the child. Model and empower the child by using feeling words- i.e. Are you feeling frustrated right now? Are you mad that they were in your space? We must model and give the tools for success.
Thank you to the toddler rooms for allowing me to be a part of your world and help work towards solutions for an “issue” at hand as a team. As child advocate for YSA I want us to come together and empower our children to be successful. This includes infants all the way to school age children.

Here are a few links that I used to help identify triggers and possible solutions. Each child is different and so is each parents’ response to the situation.

I am always available to discuss any challenges or behaviors that you might want an outside look in on.

Empower today’s children for our future
Child Success Advocate of Young Scholars Academy
~ Ms. Michaela (Mic)

What is the Difference Between Preschool and Daycare?

December 20, 2016 by Admin 1 Comment

If you want to start your child’s education early, you may need a preschool. If you need child care in a positive environment, you may need a day care. The process of evaluating each can be confusing. It can also be hard to tell the difference between preschool and day care. There are distinct differences between them which may sway your decision in either direction.

How Preschools and Day Cares are Similar

When looking for a good Colorado Springs child care facility, you will want to check the details of each. Both preschool and day care centers should have licensed and accredited teachers and caretakers. Both preschool and day care centers should have a structured curriculum. This structure will give your kids a proper pre-kindergarten or supplemental education.

The cost is about the same for your child with either choice in Colorado Springs. Don’t think that preschool should to be more expensive. If you find that preschools are more expensive, it might be a better idea to save money and enroll your child into day care. Either choice should provide a great education for your child.

How Preschool and Day Care Differ

Both preschools and day cares can give your kids the education they need to excel in kindergarten. The first big distinction between preschool and day care are the age limit differences. Preschools are designed for children ages three to five. They lay the foundation for kindergarten. Day cares accept a wide range of ages. They care for children in households where both parents work.

Because of the limited age range, preschools tend to have a specific curriculum aimed at pre-kindegarten children. But is a preschool considered a preschool only if there is a focused curriculum? The short answer is no. While day care centers are often seen as babysitting solutions. Many also have focused and structured curriculums. These are usually geared for children of different ages. These centers can tend be larger to accommodate different age groups.

One important thing to consider is that you may need to be more involved with your preschool. For example, if your child gets sick, you would need to come in to take care of the problem. Some preschools also require your child to be properly potty trained. Preschools also have stricter rules then day care centers. A day care centers’ emphasis is on caring for your children while you are working.

Another consideration will be their hours of operation. Preschools tend to have shorter hours and often operate on the regular school calendar. Day cares are generally more flexible. They have hours to focus on caring for children with working parents. Day care is the preferred option for households with working parents as they need to pick up their children after work.

Other Things to Look For

There are other things to consider when looking for a Colorado Springs child care center. For example, some centers will have music and art programs to help your kids develop their creative brains. Other centers may have language classes to get your kids started on a second language at an early age. While these programs are nice, not all Colorado Springs preschools offer these programs. Try to focus on what is most important to you and your child when deciding on a Colorado Springs day care or preschool.

You may want to avoid child care centers that have an accelerated education curriculum unless your child has already started kindergarten. Understanding that child care centers provide a foundation for education is helpful. Toddlers may not be able to comprehend or keep up with the details of accelerated education. These centers charge more than average preschools because of the advanced education level.

If you’re looking for a reputable Colorado Springs child care center, you should consider the Young Scholars Academy. We offer education for a wide age range, have diverse child care programs, and also have before/after school programs for busy parents. Contact us to learn more about how we operate and how we can accommodate to your needs.

Pre-K Program Benefits

September 30, 2016 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Starting Preschool Tips

March 31, 2016 by Young Scholars Academy 1 Comment

For a little one starting preschool, there can be a lot of nerves. In many cases, the first day of preschool is the first time that your little one has been under the supervision of a stranger. This can create separation anxiety.

It can be hard for parents too. Your child’s nerves can induce nerves in you, the parent. You may worry about whether your little one will have separation anxiety, creating a circle of jitters that can be hard to break once started. To help both you and your child deal with the big day, here are some tips for starting preschool.

Get to Know Your Preschool Teacher/Provider

Starting Preschool Tips — Start preschool with smiles, not tears!

Even a little bit of knowledge can help to calm your nerves. This is why it is so important to get to know who is going to be taking care of your children. Make sure you thoroughly research the child care facility your child will be attending. Get to know the staff and ask about their history and training. Most childcare professionals are naturally approachable and would be happy to open up to you. You will be surprised how this can help reduce your concerns.

Now that you are reasonably calm, you can better help your child negotiate any nerves that might come up.

Arrange a Playdate

To help make the first day more familiar for your child, arrange a playdate for your child and another child in the classroom. Even better, enroll your child in a preschool program one of their friends attends.

For children, the playdate exposes them to new children from their class and makes the first day a little more familiar because they already have a buddy –or even a group of buddies- in the class now. This can cut down on the separation anxiety.

Make the whole process fun

Take your child shopping for school supplies and let them pick out a new backpack and their favorite school supplies. While shopping, you can talk to your little one about your first preschool experience and all the fun things they can expect to learn and experience.

Don’t make goodbye too long

This one can be really hard, especially if your little one is upset and bawling as you try to leave on the first day. Your natural instinct is to comfort them. Definitely do this, but don’t drag it out too long. Most children who have fits of tears snap out of it when their parents actually leave. If you stick around too long, you are reinforcing the idea that separation anxiety will only be alleviated by your presence, when the opposite should be the case. And a good childcare provider knows exactly how to get children to calm down by directing their attention to something else.

Starting Preschool at Young Scholars Academy

Young Scholars Academy in Colorado Springs is committed to making the transition for you and your child into preschool life and learning a fun and positive experience. Our professional and caring staff will help your child calm the nerves that can come with such a new experience. Young Scholars Academy encourages parental involvement in all our programs and we welcome you to engage your child’s learning to help ease the anxiety that you both may experience. Come check out our programs and contact us today! We look forward to hearing from you!

Ideas For Busy Parents For Creative And Healthy School Lunches

January 26, 2016 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

There is a wealth of information available about the importance of good nutrition in brain functioning. Growing kids, in particular, need to have a balance of complex carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats and of course, all the vitamins and minerals their little body needs.

The good news is that kids that bring their own lunches and snacks to school don’t have to end up with the same old thing every day. There are a lot of simple, quick, and easy ways to make really interesting, tasty and healthy foods your kids will love.

Go Insulated

One of the best things to invest in is an insulated lunch bag. These will be very helpful in keeping cold foods cool, especially when paired with an ice-pack. By placing the ice-pack in a zip-lock bag, you can prevent any problems with leaks and still keep fresh fruits, vegetables, dips, cheeses and meats at the right temperature.

Healthy Lunches and Snacks

For some healthy yet simple to make lunch options besides traditional sandwiches consider the following:

• Turkey or chicken or cheese wraps using lettuce, thin strips of red or yellow peppers, and a bit of salsa rather than mayonnaise.
• Pasta salad with mixed vegetables, cheese, diced hard boiled eggs or even diced ham. Use an Italian dressing for something different or a ranch dressing for a more traditional taste.
• Whole grain crackers with cheese, meat and your kid’s favorite pickles. Each can be packaged separately, and the child can make his or her own “stackers” for some fun finger food.
• Fresh cut vegetables with a dip made of ranch dressing or plain yogurt with fresh or dried herbs. Try some unique vegetable options such as colored bell peppers, purple or orange cauliflower, fennel and sugar peas for variety.
• Cube up fresh fruit and provide a creamy dip. This can be made with vanilla yogurt or any other flavor your child enjoys. Remember, fruit and vegetables should be paired with a protein for energy.
• Homemade trail mix can include dried fruits, berries and nuts depending on your child’s preferences and what the school allows.
• Mini-pretzels with a side of salsa for dipping are a great snack and healthier that chips or sugary treats.

Be sure to check with the school regarding any issues with children having peanuts or other types of nuts or foods in the school. Providing a good selection of different items for the child in the lunch is always a good option, as is having your child help you in choosing what they would like to have.