Events & Updates - Young Scholars Academy

“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)

Good Nutrition Made Simple: What to Remember During National Nutrition Month

March 3, 2017 by Admin Leave a Comment

If you feel like you’ve fallen off the healthy habit bandwagon, you’re in luck. March is National Nutrition Month, so it is the perfect time to tackle that health commitment you made at the beginning of the year with renewed energy.

You may be wondering why we celebrate nutrition month and how it can help you get back on track. It’s simple really. Nutrition Month is a time set aside to focus on the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthy eating and exercise habits.

This year the National Nutrition Month theme is “Put Your Best Fork Forward.” So instead of feeling like you have to change everything at once, you can start small, with just one fork at a time. Whether your eating habits involve preparing meals at home or making choices while eating out, it’s important to develop a way of eating that is sustainable.

Are you ready to join the movement? Then here are a few effective ways you can start putting your best fork forward.

Eat a balanced, varied diet.

Eating a variety of nutrient dense foods across all of the food groups reduces your risk of many preventable and primarily lifestyle-based chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. Work to incorporate a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats into your daily diet.
Choose lighter options while dining out.

Finding healthy options at restaurants is now easier than it ever has been. Most restaurant chains offer lighter, healthier choices. As you peruse the menu, look for options that are steamed or roasted. Likewise, ask for sauces, dressing, and cheese on the side, and control your own portions by asking for a to-go box and putting half of your meal in the box.
Set a good example for children.

If you have children, you know how quickly they pick up on things. That is why it is especially important to model good eating habits for children. This modeling begins in the kitchen. Inviting your child into the kitchen to participate in age-appropriate cooking tasks is a fun way to get young ones involved. Serving balanced meals and making the time to enjoy dinner together is also important to help your family build healthy, mindful eating habits.

Eat breakfast every day.

Breakfast is one of the most frequently skipped meals by everyone, but it’s also one of the most important. Breakfast helps get your metabolism going and sets the tone for your eating all day long. If you really don’t have time for breakfast, then at least grab a piece of fruit and a handful of nuts to give you a good mix of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats.

Drink more water.

Water is another essential to a healthy lifestyle. Your body uses water for nearly ever metabolic process it completes. If you have a hard time drinking enough water, try keeping a water bottle with you all day, using a simple tracking system, or flavoring your water with a few pieces of fresh fruit. Try to drink at least half your weight in ounces of water each day.

Adopt the “one more” mentality.

It can be tough to completely overhaul the way you eat all at once. Instead of trying to do it that way, focus on getting in just “one more” healthy food choice each day. If you struggle with veggies the most, work on fitting in one more serving each day. Then once you have that mastered, move on to another healthy habit. Doing a little at a time will make the process much easier and help you stick with it.

If you really want to make your celebration of this month fun, then consider getting involved or organizing some nutrition month activities, such as

A cooking demonstration or nutrition event
A presentation at your local park or senior center
A food donation campaign for your local food pantry or shelter
A commitment to try one new healthy recipe as a family each week
A visit to a local farmers market or farm
A “lunch and learn” on healthy eating
A scavenger hunt for healthy foods or recipe ingredients

National Nutrition Month is the perfect time to refocus on the healthy habits you started in January or to invite others to join you in your efforts. Use these tips and remember that it’s about starting small and making simple changes every day that you can stick to long term.

Good Nutrition Made Simple: What to Remember During National Nutrition Month

March 3, 2017 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Are you ready to join the movement? Then here are a few effective ways you can start putting your best fork forward.

Eat a balanced, varied diet.

Eating a variety of nutrient dense foods across all of the food groups reduces your risk of many preventable and primarily lifestyle-based chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. Work to incorporate a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats into your daily diet.
Choose lighter options while dining out.

Finding healthy options at restaurants is now easier than it ever has been. Most restaurant chains offer lighter, healthier choices. As you peruse the menu, look for options that are steamed or roasted. Likewise, ask for sauces, dressing, and cheese on the side, and control your own portions by asking for a to-go box and putting half of your meal in the box.
Set a good example for children.

Eat breakfast every day.

Drink more water.

Adopt the “one more” mentality.

If you really want to make your celebration of this month fun, then consider getting involved or organizing some nutrition month activities, such as

A cooking demonstration or nutrition event
A presentation at your local park or senior center
A food donation campaign for your local food pantry or shelter
A commitment to try one new healthy recipe as a family each week
A visit to a local farmers market or farm
A “lunch and learn” on healthy eating
A scavenger hunt for healthy foods or recipe ingredients

7 Sensational Ways Sign Language Classes Benefit Your Child

January 17, 2017 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

There are many ways to teach your child. Whether they are visual or auditory learners, you have to mold the way you teach to their required learning ability. One of the best ways to teach your child is sign language classes. Not only is it a noble language to learn, but it can help if your child is primarily a visual learner.

If your child encounters a deaf student, communicating will be much easier and will help build social skills. Today, we will go over the 7 ways teaching your child can be fun and beneficial and how Colorado Springs child care is a great learning option for your child.

1. Teaching Sign Language Can Decrease Tantrums

Every child has their bad morning, or night…or days. But you have to think to yourself, why does my child have a tantrum? That question can be easily answered because there is a communication block. Younger children haven’t adapted the entire alphabet and the best way they know to get what they want is to scream and hit things. By adopting sign language, the language barrier is broken and communicating with your child is much easier.

2. Teaching Your Child To Sign Can Increase Their Vocabulary Skills

Young Scholars Academy teaches ASL! — Anyone can learn to sign!

Not only are you teaching your child visual learning skills when teaching them to sign, but auditory as well. With sign language classes, you constantly repeat the word out loud and repeat each letter as you sign it.

This benefits your child because they are learning how to physically sign the words as well as how to pronounce it when talking out loud. Believe it or not, you are teaching little Einstein two vocabularies at the same time.

3. Teaching Sign Language Can Increase Your Child’s IQ

Not that they will be taking a serious IQ test anytime soon, but you are teaching your child two different languages, two different vocabularies. This will not only help them down the road with other disabled students but you are helping sound out the words clearer with visual and auditory learning improving their spelling as well as reading skills.

4. Teaching Your Child to Sign Can Help if They’re A Visual Learner

Most kids today are both auditory and visual learners. By physically shaping the letters in their hand while teaching sign language, it helps visual learners in a massive way. Even with auditory learners, when signing you are also going over the syllable of every letter improving their auditory listening skills. In the end, you are improving both their auditory and visual skills and making it easier to teach if they are a specific type of learner.

5. When Your Child Knows Sign Language, Talking To Deaf Students is Easier

Like we mentioned before, learning sign language can improve social interactions with a deaf student. Not many schools teach sign language, and not knowing the language can present and obvious language barrier separating certain disabled students. Not only will learning to sign make a deaf student more comfortable at school but your child can make some great friends as well.

6. Teaching Your Child Sign Language Can Be A Great Bonding Experience

Interactions make for a great bonding experience. When you are teaching your child to sign you are using your eyes, hands, fingers, and mouths. These numerous interactions with your child help you understand them more which can promote a more strengthened relationship. Not to mention your child will thank you down the road when they can speak a different language which can help build more important skills down the road.

7. It’s Fun to Speak a Different Language!

Sign Language Classes Fort Children | Young Scholars Academy in Colorado Springs — Learning a new language is a great bonding experience!

It can’t get simpler than that! Learning a new language is not only a great bonding experience (as mentioned above) but is extremely fun for you and your child!

There are great activities to do on a day to day basis when you combine sign language with the English language and helps create a quieter and calmer atmosphere. Your kid will also love signing with other students their age if they participate in sign language classes for children.

It doesn’t matter what kind of learner your child is, auditory or visual. Attending sign language classes for children will not only improve either learning skill but will help with other skill sets like reading and writing. The most important are always challenging your child with new activities daily to promote constant growth and teaching to sign is a very important ability.

If you’re ready to start, you can select some rather affordable sign language book on Amazon or check with your local library if not the internet. In case you want more help with sign languages classes for children, check out Colorado springs day care. Colorado Springs preschool also offers excellent classes to improve visual and auditory learners with sign language classes for toddlers.

You can contact our Colorado Springs child care here. I wish you and your child the best of luck. Happy signing!

Holiday Joy to You and Yours!

December 22, 2016 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

We hope you all have had such a great time this holiday season!

One thing we try and foster with the kids in community and the importance of giving. For the 5th year in a row we were able to support the Colorado Springs Christmas Tree project! The CSCTP donates Christmas trees to families not just in Colorado Springs but all over the state to families who are in hardship, just went through crisis or simply just need some help.

We wrangled up a couple different recipes and the kids put on their aprons and went to work! We are more than a little proud to say that our kids collectively made OVER 700 handmade ornaments for these families! To learn more about this for next year visit: The Christmas Tree Project

Merry Christmas from the Young Scholars Academy kids, parents and team!

Eat a balanced, varied diet.

Choose lighter options while dining out.

Set a good example for children.

Eat breakfast every day.

Drink more water.

Adopt the “one more” mentality.