Events & Updates - Young Scholars Academy

What is Mindful Parenting and 5 Ways You Can Practice it

August 24, 2020 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Parenting may not be rocket science, but oftentimes, we may get caught off guard when we encounter challenging moments. This can cause us to give in to our emotions, the outcome of which may be ugly and unhealthy. That’s where the concept of “Mindful Parenting” comes to play. Mindful parenting is when parents give conscious attention to their children’s actions as well as their own actions towards their children. It is important to remember that you are the parent, and the number one rule for mindful parenting is to never engage in an incident when your child is exhibiting behavior that might cause you to react emotionally. Parents need to take a firm stand on things, especially when making a point. No matter the circumstance, it’s best to “Respond, not react.”

A child’s upbringing is crucial to their psychological development. If there’s one thing a child craves during these pivotal early stages of development, it’s attention. This plays a significant role in discussions about mindful parenting. For many children, gaining attention from a parent is bliss. It can feel like their favorite candy bar or ice cream. They crave it. They have to have it. Have you ever noticed how young children may act stubborn and misbehave at times? It may be their way of trying to get your attention. As the saying goes, “You can’t give what you don’t have.” It’s exactly the same with mindful parenting. Be attentive, so you can give attention.

Parenting is multi-faceted. And just like any other responsibilities, parenting comes with its own set of challenges and processes. Emotional management plays a big role in effective mindful parenting. For example, you yourself need to be regulated first before imposing regulation on others. Effective parenting can’t be delivered if you as the parent are unstable, stressed, or simply not your best self. Remember, the energy you give out to your child is the same energy (or less) you will receive.

Also, bear in mind that attention is “currency” when it comes to establishing a nurturing relationship with children. Mindful parenting isn’t as complicated as it seems. Some may relate this kind of parenting as Authoritative Parenting. This is said to be the most effective among the 4 types of parenting styles. It’s been claimed to have positive effects on the child’s social-emotional wellbeing, academic progress, and behavior. Try to remember that there is a fine line between being too strict and being too lax.

When parents who “spoil” their children, this is often misconstrued as bad parenting, or it could be the other way around. Some parents tend to spoil their children because they think it’s a good way of being present. The key is finding the right balance between love and discipline. It is a tricky process, yes. Quite challenging, too! But here are five good strategies that may help you become more effective in mindful parenting:

Be present for your children. Always, all ways

Being present means, again, giving your child as much attention as you can. Receiving attending is a fundamental need for little ones, and it is essential for their emotional development and growth. Their constant need for attention is also their unconscious way of asking for love. So if your child surprises you with whining or with an attitude, this could be a signal for you.

Find the right balance between love, respect, understanding, and discipline

This might be the trickiest part! This involves the delicate process of setting boundaries and expectations. Just be careful not to overdo it! Find ways to give your child credit for making positive choices, and try not to be overly critical of their mistakes. Remember that it’s also essential for their self-esteem and self-confidence as children learn to receive both criticism and praise equally with grace. Too much of either can make them, or break them.

Keep your cool

Anger is actually a healthy emotion when used sparingly. Our brain has a natural response to a certain emotion, especially when it is triggered. Try to notice and get a hold of your thoughts, especially when they are negative ones. These are the types that may amplify your feelings in a certain way. Try your hardest to do away with over-generalizing, “mind-reading”, and especially blaming.

The longer the patience, the lesser the drama

As the saying goes, “Patience is a virtue.” In this equation, patience really is gold. It is one of the core elements of parenting. Exhibiting patience requires a lot of understanding and self-control. Of course, children need their parents’ utmost understanding, especially at a time when they still have a lot to learn.

Embrace the imperfection

Nobody’s perfect. Human as we are, we all have flaws, and we all make mistakes. There’s also no such thing as perfect parenting. Children have a lot to learn from their parents, and parents also have a lot to learn from their children. A parent-child relationship is a give and take thing but either way, it can be a win-win situation. Like all things in this world, everything is a process. Everything takes time, and nothing is perfect.

Parenting in general is really quite a challenge, especially when it comes to figuring out what kind of approach best works for you and your children. Whichever method you choose, these mindful parenting strategies are surefire ways to improve your approach to parenting.

For more helpful and effective parenting tips, feel free to visit Young Scholars Academy.

CANVAS DRILL ART

July 28, 2020 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Don’t go into this project thinking you’re going to come out clean, wear clothes you have no emotional attachment to at all. Your kids are going to have as much fun with this project as ours did, so let’s get messy!

Supplies:

Canvas (any size you want)
Acrylic paint (colors are up to you)
Drill & drill bit Scrap piece of wood (long enough to fit two ends of your canvas)
Two small screws

First,you’ll take your scrap piece of wood screw it into the wood frame edge of the canvas. Then in the middle you will make a hole. This is how the drill will spin the canvas and create a splatter effect later. For reference on what it should look like, look at this!

You will have to set up your area and keep an eye on the wind. We recommend a tarp or cut up garbage bag to attempt to keep paint off your driveway or sidewalk. (Notice the word attempt there!)

Once you do this, now it is really time to have some fun.

We let each of our kids pick whatever color they would like for their canvas. We also let them squeeze and open the bottles themselves. These kinds of movements are great for fine motor skills. It additionally requires patience and hard work as the easy thing to do is to just do it for them. Not the case here, we wanted the kids to do this project pretty much by themselves, well expect the drill of course

So once everyone had their turn, and anyone who wanted to go again could, it was time for the drill!

Using the premade hole, you did at the beginning, you’ll insert the drill into that hole again and spin away! In this instance we did not let the kids do it just because their clothes get dirty enough without acrylic paint. However, if you are going to do this at home, why not let them try? Just tell the in-laws the kids need clothes for Christmas…

Here is the final masterpiece!

Didn’t it turn out amazing?

After our project we talked with the kids about wind, force and what made the colors move. Of course, everyone had to try out the drill later and there definitely were some attempts at trying to touch the paint.

Overall it was a great art project and we can’t wait for you guys to try this at home!

The School Decision

July 28, 2020 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

I have never been an anxious person, but wow has COVID-19 played a leading role in my lack of a carefree life. I was skimming random articles on the internet when one titled “COVID stole My Motherhood Joy.” That headline stopped me in my random scrolling and I read it. It made me think how much parent guilt, worry and questions have been on my mind these past couple of months. It was good to know that someone else was feeling like it did, but didn’t really make me feel any better.
As the summer comes to an end, the school year is staring at us again.

One of the hardest decisions you will have to make in 2020 is the choice to do e-learning, in person, or home school your child(ren). There is no wrong decision here, but the anxiety and guilt of wanting to do right by your child is ever present. There are several factors that will play a part in what is best for your child(ren) and family, and no it doesn’t get any easier.

I am sure a lot of you have seen the three options parents have regarding the magical question of what to do with their children and their learning for the 2020-2021 school year. The thing is there is no right or wrong answer. Family dynamics, the necessity of work for the parents, and the learning style of the child all play into attempting to figure out what is best for each individual family. There have been three factors that I focused on to help me decide what is the best fit for my family regarding the children returning to care/school. Hopefully this can help you wonder and help guide your decision as well.

Social emotional and mental health of my children.
I have two boys and they are very opposite of one another. One thrives in group play and making friends wherever he goes. Another is very content to have alone time for most of the day but never turns down a good playgroup session. Social emotional health will differ from child to child and their need for those social interactions will vary as well. Home school or e-learning may have an impact on your child if they thrive being around other children.
Health of my children and the immediate family surrounding the children.
My children rarely get sick and our household is healthy overall, so we have a little bit more liberty and wiggle room with the risk to others in our household. Anytime family wants to come visit or anything like that we do let them know our children are in school. That way they can be informed and decide on that information as well. However, this decision may have to take more consideration if there is a family member who is high risk or has a susceptible immune system in the immediate household. Everyone wants their children to be protected from any kind of virus or bacteria. Understand that whatever you decide, it was the right decision for your family.
Not letting guilt or others bully me into making me paranoid about my decision.
Like previously stated this is not a decision that has a wrong answer to it. What works for one family might not work for the next. This is not a one size fits all solution. So we need to give ourselves some grace and know and our heart of hearts that we made the best decision that we could for our child(ren). Do what you can by feeding them an unnecessary amount of chicken nuggets (if it calls for it) and go face mask shopping if you need to. Take a breath and just try your best.

I wish nothing but the best for every parent who had to make this decision this year.

Ms. Michaela
Lead Preschool Teacher
Social Emotional Coordinator

Catching Our Breath

July 23, 2020 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

It’s the middle of March, the sun is out past 4 o’clock and you’re most likely rushing to go pick up the kids from preschool. You check your Facebook at the red light and can’t help but see articles about COVID-19 popping up here and there. Another couple seconds of scrolling and you slowly forget about that headline and continue on with your busy night. Your brain is focusing on dinner, hockey practice, getting the kids bathed. You may have even considered washing your hair but then laugh at that cute thought and continue to drive.

Boom. A global pandemic is now suddenly at your front door and you’re unemployed, a home school teacher, and chef on top of all your other duties you had before you had to be with your family for 24 hours straight. You’re worried for the health and safety of your children even more than you already were.

Can we share with you how the shut down looked like for us?

We had a staff meeting in the middle of March like we do quarterly. We did our housekeeping as usual and the topic of COVID-19 was brought up. We all really weren’t too concerned with it. We told our team, “Keep up with your hand washing, sanitize everything and just keep doing what you know how to do.” Little did we know just days after our world would turn upside down.

Our phone was flooded with concerned parents. Emails came pouring in with parents seeking answers we didn’t have. There is no “How To Handle A Pandemic” pamphlet for business owners, though we bet someone is working on one now. Then as more fear set in, we started getting notices for our babies. We get it, but it hurt so bad. No job means no money for preschool tuition and you all didn’t have a choice.

Babies that we’ve had since they were babies were leaving us. It wasn’t supposed to “end” like that. We’re all suppose to cry together at graduation wondering how the past 5 years flew by so fast! The kids were suppose to happily leave with their tassels in hand, eager to head off to Kindergarten. It’s never easy to say goodbye, but usually we’re able to say goodbye…

Slowly but surely, our classrooms became quieter and quieter. When the Stay At Home Order was issued, the decision to temporarily close was made. So many tears were shed when our administration broke the news to the entire team. If you’ve had the opportunity to know our team for more than 5 minutes, you’d know that we’re a family. How could we handle being away from each other? We’ve never done such a thing before. We’re a bunch of aunts to each other kids, therapists when life calls for it, and each other’s biggest cheerleaders. So not only do we not get to see our kids, we don’t get to see each other either. This was not how we had planned our year.

The next four weeks our team would brainstorm ways to connect with each other and our families. Many teachers were doing video lessons, bedtime stories and recording videos saying hi for their classrooms. We didn’t see many other businesses, let alone preschools doing this, so again another moment when we were so proud of our team.

Then finally, we were able to open, and regardless of the crazy world that was still outside of us, we were all so thankful to just be around our kids and each other again. The first couple weeks were chaos as expected. Our kids didn’t understand why mommy couldn’t walk them to class anymore and a lot of tears were shed.

It’s almost August now and our little preschool is adjusting well to the “new normal.” Our kids have become accustomed to the new drop off and pick ups, and the team is working extremely hard to communicate with their families since really we all have zero face to face interactions with them. We’ve been voted “Best of the Springs” 6 years in a row now, but we feel like it’s in times like these that “The Best” really show up. It would be easy to just keep the tiny humans alive and use a sanitizer bottle here and there. That’s just not who we are. Our curriculum now is even more aimed at building up our kids’ brains and social emotional health. Young Scholars Academy is meant to be a safe place for children, a place where a kid can know what it’s like to be a kid. That’s our job.

In a sense we like to think of ourselves as a little snow globe for the kids where they can be protected from the chaos of the outside world. The kids are looking to us for the answers. We still don’t have them, but were doing our absolute best.

So this is us catching our breath. The days are long and it’s exhausting.

Our hands are cracked from excessive hand washing.

We’re dying in our face masks as we chase the kids on the playground.

You know what though?

We’re so thankful to be able to do a pandemic with all of you.

Stay safe and healthy, thanks for reading.

The Young Scholars Academy Family

Summer Safety Tips for Kids

July 21, 2020 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Summer is the time when your kids are up and about and wanting to take part in the activities going on around them. Kids love this time of year because it marks the end of the school term and the beginning of long, fun summer days. With hot days ahead, kids love to spend most of their time outside doing water sports, riding bikes, going to family gatherings, camping, or going to the beach.

While this time of year is one of the most memorable and enjoyable times, the best way to ensure your kids get the most satisfying experience this summer is to follow the summer safety tips for kids checklist below.

Preventing Heat Exhaustion

When your kids are playing and interacting with their friends, they may be unaware of how dehydrated and exhausted they are. The increased temperature during summer months makes heat exhaustion more of a concern.

Your kids can become thirsty and fatigued when they do not drink enough water to hydrate their bodies. Furthermore, vomiting, dizziness and the possibility of fainting can occur if your kids do not consume enough water throughout the day.

This summer safety tip for your kids is of utmost importance because it is not always apparent that your kids need to hydrate when they are having fun. Soda and other sugary drinks can sometimes make the problem worse by forcing the body to divert water, energy, and other resources to processing such drinks.

Just remember kids are more prone to become dehydrated than adults and are even more at risk as the temperature rises. Make it a fun game where every 20-30 minutes your kids are taking a sip of water and misting themselves with water to cool down.

Sunscreen is a Must

While the excitement of relaxing under the hot summer sun can get the best of us, remember to apply sunscreen when you will be outdoors. This should be a habit throughout the summer, even on cloudy days.

Ensure that a generous amount of sunscreen is applied at least 30 minutes before going outdoors. This can help protect kids from overexposure to the sun that causes painful sunburns and skin damage. Avoid staying in direct sunshine for long periods throughout the day. Seek out shaded areas and stay within these areas as much as possible.

Dress your kids in appropriate, breathable outdoor clothing, hats, sunglasses and comfortable shoes. If adequate shade is not available, apply enough sunscreen. Especially to parts of the body that will be exposed.

If nothing else on this list is implemented, this recommendation should be strongly considered. Applying sunscreen is one of the most important takeaways from this summer safety tip for kids’ checklist.

Why deal with the aftermath of treating sunburn when you can simply talk to your kids about the importance of sunscreen? A daily application can protect their skin from UV rays that can seriously hurt them.

Protecting your Kids Against Bug Bites

During this time of year, the warm weather attracts bugs to come out to feast and play. Therefore, this summer safety tip for kids will be helpful in preventing your kids from bug bites and limiting the annoyance of itching all day.

To prevent bug bites, apply a substantial amount of child-friendly insect repellent before your kids go exploring the outdoors.

While taking the proper precautions to prevent your kids from bug bites, keep in mind that they are prone to getting bug bites and treating these bites can also be a great option.

Here are three ways to treat bug bites:

If your child happens to get a bite, apply ice to the area right away to prevent itching and swelling.
Apply calamine lotion to further reduce itching at the site of bug bites.
Avoid scratching. Explain to your child that scratching will break the skin, which will make the bug bite worse. Cutting your kids’ fingernails will help in combating this issue.

Watch your Kids Closely

Take the time to ensure you have an eye on your kids. Whether it is at the beach, playing in the driveway, or simply playing in the backyard.

Kids have a tendency to wander off and get caught up doing their own thing. They do not grasp the concept of staying in sight where a parent can see and speak to them if danger is near.

Safeguard the environment they are playing in by checking that is free from hazards and is kid-friendly.

Ensure your kids are supervised at all times while in any body of water. It is critical that you have plenty of safety measures in place for your kids during this time.

Be Safe and Make the Best of This Summer!!

This summer is going to be a blast, these summer safety tips for kids can make your summer one that is relaxing and enjoyable for your kids. Remember to keep them hydrated, slather on the sunscreen, use child-friendly insect repellent, and watch them at all times.

You will be more prepared and knowledgeable about the right safety measures in making this summer one to remember.

These summer safety tips for kids’ checklists are here for you to use and implement this summer. This checklist is a guide to remind and inform parents about a few of the many ways to protect and safeguard kids during the summer months.

Young Scholars Academy is here to inform you that you can put into action things to prevent an unsafe summer. To learn more about Young Scholars Academy and what the center has to offer, call us or visit our website at youngscholarsacademy.com