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Caring for the Earth

May 6, 2020 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

I’m an Air Force brat. I spent most of my formative years in The Netherlands and Germany and we had this channel called AFN (Armed Forces Network) where they featured these cool PSA commercials. One in particular has stuck with me to this day. It shows a child turning on the water and starting to brush his teeth and pans out showing a fish in a pond near the house. The water in the pond is slowly going down the longer the water faucet is on. The fish grabs a phone and calls the child, asking him to turn off the water, right before the fish runs out of water. Simple right? The lesson is easy; turn off the water while brushing your teeth and you’ll save water and help the fish. I’m 32 years old and that PSA is burned into my brain.

This is really how easy it can be to teach children about conservation, sustainability, and even recycling. It couldn’t be more important now, with everyone being stuck at home and worrying about necessities such as toilet paper, disinfectant wipes, and paper towels. I had so much planned for April because Earth Day is this month, but had to get crafty and focus inward on how we can start at home. Bring your kiddos in on a plan to help the planet. Clean up trash outside, try to reduce waste within your household, and make decisions that will help the earth, not hurt.

One thing I feel like I have to remind my boys about a lot is turning off the lights. They’re 3 and 6 so it’s not a top priority when they leave a room. Coming up with fun rhymes or sayings like, “it’s alright, turn off the light” are super simple and easy for young children to remember. It can be difficult to explain to a young child why we need to even worry about it, so making the Earth into a being rather than an object can be helpful. For example, we need to turn off the lights so we don’t use up all of the Earth’s energy and make her tired.

Teaching sustainability can be really fun if you go at it the right way. Our 6 year old had been using so much toilet paper that he was clogging the toilet. I mean, this is a problem at any time, but even more so now with the toilet paper shortage! We had to put a stop to that. Putting lines of tape under the toilet paper roll to let them know where to stop for a #1 and #2 puts them in control. They’re given the boundary and it’s easy to follow. (Plus, they’re counting and measuring!) Even further than that, your child can help find ways to ditch disposable products and find ones you can reuse. Some examples of this we have in my house are cloth diapers, cloth wipes, reusable sandwich bags, stainless steel straws, “unpaper” towels, and reusable shopping bags. Not every option will work for every family, but you’d be surprised what children can come up with if you ask them.

Teaching recycling is probably my favorite. It’s so much more than that because it makes it into a sorting game, there’s patterning, matching, and a massive creative side. The fun activity in our house lately is making Minecraft objects. Our 6 year old draws and colors on graph paper, we glue it to cardboard from the inevitable Amazon box we have, and he has a cool new toy to play with. It puts that cardboard back to use instead of right back in the trash. So many things in your house can be used that way. An empty disinfectant wipes bottle and some ball pit balls create and awesome fine motor activity for infants and toddlers. A paper towel roll taped to the wall creates a cool tunnel for a matchbox car or even straws. Cut a slit in the lid of just about any plastic container to drop playing cards in. Kids even love taking full size grocery items and using them in the play kitchens. You name it, macaroni and cheese boxes, empty spice bottles, plastic condiment bottles.

The point is, there is so much we can do by modeling and teaching our children to love and care for the Earth. Earth Day is April 22nd, so I challenge you to find something new to do as a family, no matter how small or crazy, to give back to the Earth even beyond Earth Day.

-Ms. Amy
Infant Nursery Supervisor
Parent Connection Coordinator

Filed Under: Activities

May 6, 2020 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

During stressful times it can cause your preschooler to act out or not be themselves. When we feel stress as parents our babies can feel that and most of the time will not understand or have a hard time finding words for emotions they feel. During this time at home I had my preschooler journal almost daily. I made the prompts very simple for him, explained different emotions as we went on, and made other fun activities to practice fine motor skills within his journal. This is a super easy thing to implement in your home, it can be fun for them and many great conversations can come from having your preschooler journal.

Start by getting a notebook, markers, pencils, stickers, bingo dotters, and any other fun writing items you may have at home. Having your kiddo decorate and write their name on the cover is a great way for them to take ownership and feel connected to their journal. One of the daily prompts I gave him was to draw something that made him sad and happy. It was really interesting to see what was on his mind daily. We were able to have good conversations about things that were bothering him and things that excited him. Depending on the age of your child, you could have them write along with their drawings, even if they are not getting the words all correct. This is also a wonderful way to include additional writing practice which will help them become more advanced in their writing abilities and gain stronger fine motor skills. I also introduced more advanced feelings of worried, excited, scared, and silly. I would also share my feelings of the emotions we were discussing in order for him to see that mom feels these things too. Take the time to really listen during this part of journaling, make it meaningful and fun!

I also included other fine motor and writing activities in his journal to keep him busy and have fun. Some other ways to practice these skills are having your child practice writing numbers and letters on their own or tracing. We would pretend he was taking my order; I would call out numbers, he would practice writing as if he were making a ticket. It was a fun way to make a game out of his journal writing. If your child is not ready to write on their own, find a highlighter or marker to trace out the numbers/letters for them.

Another fun activity we did was a sticker map. I made a wavy line for him to peel and place stickers on the line. We added a dot for the start and an X for the finish. Along the way we drew in small pictures to make it more like a map. He really loved this idea and had a lot of fun placing the stickers on the line. We usually give him small packs of stickers on holidays, such as in his stocking or with his Easter basket. I store them all in a pencil pouch which is handy to have and is easy to find and store.

Having a journal for your kiddo to have a space of their own to express their feeling is something I really recommend at least trying! We also do journals like this at YSA once they reach the preschool level. So having an even deeper connection from school to home will be beneficial! I love saving them for him when he gets older too. It is an amazing way to connect and see progress in your child in such a fun way!

-Ms. Whitney
Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Curriculum Coordinator

https://youngscholarsacademycolorado.com/5135-2/

Filed Under: Family Tips

7 Tips to Protect Your Family from Hospital Acquired Infections

April 22, 2020 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

When you or any of your family members is injured or becomes seriously ill, you go to the hospital. A hospital is a place where people go to get healed and saved. The last thing you would expect is how a hospital can also be a reason for your sickness.

Hospitals are a breeding ground for infections and many of these infections are becoming resistant to antibiotics. This is true even in good hospitals. This is why you should never be complacent. You have to be alert when you bring your kids and family to the hospital.

Learn how to keep yourself and your family protected from hospital-acquired infections by following these tips.

Take time to do some research about the hospital

Emergencies are inevitable and when they happen, people usually don’t have the luxury to select the hospital they prefer. They’d proceed to whichever is the nearest. 

However, if time permits, it’s best to be familiar with the hospitals that have excellent practices in terms of cleanliness and sanitation. Use the internet to check nearby hospitals’ track records and hospital ratings.

If there’s a need to be admitted, check if your insurance policy will cover the cost for a private room. This will help reduce the risk of acquiring infections from other patients. 

Follow regular and proper handwashing

Frequent hand washing remains one of the best ways to reduce the risk of infection. This is a very simple step and yet it is also often overlooked. Make it a habit to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Rub them thoroughly with soap and rinse well to get rid of germs and sickness-causing bacteria. Make your child and the rest of the family do the same. 

Keep your hands off of your face

Hospitals do their best to maintain cleanliness and sanitation. However, germs and viruses are still present everywhere. From simple flu to chronic ones like pneumonia and other communicable diseases, patients come in and out of the hospital to get treatment for various illnesses. Some of those germs will inevitably be spread so be mindful of the surfaces you touch. 

Keep your surroundings clean

In cases when you or any of your family members need to be confined in the hospital for treatment, be sure to keep your room and your surroundings clean. Disinfect the doorknobs, bed rails, and other things that may harbor bacteria. Also, don’t hesitate to request for room cleaning services if you feel the need for it. 

Keep wounds covered

Open wounds are prone to bacterial exposure that could further result in infections. Therefore, make sure that wounds are properly covered to avoid infection and decrease exposure to germs. 

Some hospitals have also adopted new techniques in keeping wounds covered for weeks without the need to open it. Waterproof dressings as well as skin glue are being used, instead of the traditional staples so that cover can stay on for one to three weeks.

Take antibiotics as prescribed and needed

If your doctor prescribes antibiotics, be sure to take them according to the prescription. Stick to your doctor’s instructions in terms of dosage and schedule. Don’t take more than is required or stop simply because you feel better. Otherwise, it will increase your resistance to other infections.

Be mindful of the objects and surfaces you touch

Whether you’re getting treatment in the hospital for yourself or a family member, always be mindful of the surfaces and objects you lay your hands on. If there’s anything that says don’t touch, then don’t touch. A lot of areas and spots around the hospital harbor bacteria and viruses which you can easily acquire if you’re not careful.

Make sure your child and the rest of your family follow the same precaution. Don’t take a chance on catching other illnesses because you keep touching stuff.

People get sick. It’s a reality of life. However, there are things we can do to reduce the risk of sickness and infections. Follow these tips and take the necessary precautions to keep yourself and your loved ones protected against hospital acquired infections.

 

For more helpful parenting resources or if you’re looking for a good quality early childhood education, please feel free to visit Young Scholars Academy.

 

Filed Under: Holidays

It’s OK to tell your kids you’re scared.

April 6, 2020 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

It’s OK to tell your kids you’re scared.

Whether you’re internally or externally scared there’s probably not a person right now who isn’t scared. Talk to them.

Tell them how you’re feeling. Think back to your own childhood. Looking back to you remember a lot of Ramen noodle nights? Bills were probably right and let’s face it, Ramen is still one of the cheapest meals out there.

Would you have been more empathetic as a child if you knew? Maybe you wouldn’t have pestered about a Nintendo if you knew it financially wasn’t an option.

Talk to them about what a disease means. Explain how it spreads and if it applies to you, talk about what it means to not have job…

Kids are much more understanding than we give them credit for. Who knows your kid might come and give you that random hug you really needed. Maybe they’ll finally clean their room without a fight. (That might be wishful thinking but it might not.)

A lot of us have become accustomed to not sharing how we feel with our kids. We’re parents right? We’re supposed to have all the answers. Since this generation has never encountered something like this, how are you supposed to have all the answers? If you know someone who does, maybe directing every American their way could be beneficial for all.

Here’s an idea, cry in front of them.

Explain why you’re crying. Showing that we have emotions just like they do makes you that much more relate-able and HUMAN to our kids. 90% of brain development occurs before age five. We’re setting precedence about how kids are “supposed” to feel and react to hard times. When this is all over what do you want your kids to take away?

You’re doing the best you can and your kids don’t always have to be happy. Kids need a present parent, not a perfect one.

Praying for everyone families as this impacts each and every household in America.

Filed Under: Family Tips

5 Simple Rules for Raising Healthy Kids

March 22, 2020 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Good health is just as important for kids as it is for adults. Sadly, a lot of kids today are obese or overweight not only because they develop a bad habit of binging on unhealthy snacks but because they are living a sedentary lifestyle.

Parents should begin teaching their children healthy living and healthy eating habits as early as possible. Not only will this help keep sickness and diseases at bay. It will also ensure their overall wellbeing. 

To create healthy habits early on, follow these simple rules for raising healthy kids!

Teach proper handwashing

One of the reasons why illness-causing germs are so easily passed from one person to another is because we fail to develop the habit of frequent handwashing.

Viruses and germs get into our bodies because we touch our mouth, eyes and nose. Be sure to teach your child how to keep their hands clean by frequent proper handwashing. 

When they wash their hands, emphasize the use of soap and thorough scrubbing. Also, make sure they wash for at least 20 seconds to scrub off dirt.

Instill this habit not only before and after meals but after each time they play outside, play with their toys or handle “germ reservoirs” such as door handles.

Ensure complete, balanced meals

To strengthen your child’s immune system, it’s important that they get the nutrients they need for a strong and healthy body. Make sure your child’s meals include fruits and vegetables so that they have a regular intake of essential vitamins and minerals. 

We know it’s not always easy to feed children with vegetables and fruits. Especially ones that are new and unfamiliar to them. They might reject these foods because of the unfamiliarity.

Try introducing new foods slowly. Even getting them to try only one new thing per week still means more than 50 new foods per year.

Try mixing new foods with familiar favorites or preparing them in ways you already know your kids are bound to like.

Encourage an active lifestyle

The television, video games, and the internet can eat up a huge chunk of the time your child might otherwise spend being active. While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying these simple pleasures, it’s important for parents to pay close attention to how much time their children are spending on the screens. Too much screen time can be detrimental to their growth and development. 

Make it a point to replace screen time with active time. This doesn’t mean they have to do routine exercises. It can be any fun activity that involves physical movement. Some examples include biking, running around the playground, playing hopscotch, taking a walk together around the neighborhood, and a lot more!

Prioritize sleep

The importance of good quality sleep in growing kids cannot be discounted. It’s essential for their growth and development. 

Sleep deprivation can be detrimental to their overall wellbeing as it doesn’t only increase their risk of being obese or overweight but it also impacts their academic performance, mood, appetite, risk of catching illnesses, and more. 

Train your child to follow a consistent bedtime routine starting from as young an age as possible. Set a specific time when they should be in bed. If bedtime is at 8 o’clock, cut off screen time starting about an hour before.

You can help them get in the mood for sleeping by establishing routines such as reading them bedtime stories and other activities that can help them feel more relaxed and calm. 

Teach them to make healthy choices every day

While part of your primary role is to teach your kids what they should and shouldn’t do, it’s also important that you also teach them to make the right choices on their own.

This is especially important when their health and wellbeing are involved. Talk to your little one about the importance of taking good care of themselves and what that entails.

Help them develop the skills to make good and healthy choices each day. Some examples include eating healthy, handwashing, brushing teeth, and more.

Healthy kids are happy kids. Follow these simple tips to help you keep your little one as healthy and happy as they can be!

For more helpful parenting tips and guidelines, please visit Young Scholars Academy. 

 

Filed Under: Holidays

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