Kate’s Corner: Sibling Power
Posted by: edukidsinc on: February 8, 2010
Kate Dust, EduKids Education Director
“There’s nothing quite as strong as the relationships of siblings. There’s nothing quite as fragile as the relationships of siblings.” -M. Marone
Family dynamics are really something! They range from calm, cool and collected to drama, drama, drama. When there are two or more children in a family, it is amazing how relationships are built and bonds are established. Parents and extended family clearly play the major role in establishing sibling relationships, right from the beginning.
We can encourage Sibling Power with dedicated understanding that each child is an individual with their very own unique personalities, talents and abilities.
Set limits and boundaries. Young children try many different ways to establish ownership and territory. While we always want our children to cooperate and play with each other, it is important to remember that not everything and every place belongs to everyone. Favorite toys and games can “belong” to one child with invitations for others to join. A personal “lovie” is just that – personal. Say “no” to older siblings purposely taking things away from younger ones and help older siblings keep their things safe from little ones by establishing specific spaces for special toys and personal items. Most family spaces and places are for everyone but children will feel empowered with respected ownership in some and this will create harmony in the others.
Respect development. Encourage each age older to be a helper to each age younger. If infants enter a family, even a young toddler should be actively engaged in their care and comfort supported holding for bottles and rest for babies, talking, singing to and sitting with each day. Preschoolers can make pictures and decorations for babies; talk to them, get diapers, pick out their clothes and sing them to sleep. School agers can hold and feed babies under supervision, get spaces ready, make lists, push the stroller and read special books. No matter what the ages, each brother or sister can find ways to be part of each aspect of the other’s life.
Create visible and clear connections. Family pictures, projects and art proudly displayed, fun games and activities that everyone joins in, simple invitations to “go with” for errands, visits & appointments, lots of talking to and about each one to the other(s) in positive and supportive language. High, clear praise for each child and visible, clear pride for all is so important in avoiding sibling rivalries.
Set an example of sibling power. As adults, we understand there are many relationships that have developed over the years for many reasons. Children don’t understand this. They are working on building connections from the ground up. Set a positive model in a respectful way.
I look at very young children holding hands with their brothers and sisters. I hear little voices singing sweet lullabies to their new babies. I smile at scuffles getting into car seats followed by the sharing of pretzel snacks.
This is – Sibling Power!
-Kate Dust, EduKids Education Director
Kate’s Corner: Numbers and Counting and Learning…Oh My!
Posted by: edukidsinc on: February 1, 2010
Kate Dust, EduKids Education Director
We understand that learning to say and recognize numbers is a basic necessity to success. Even the youngest children come to understand basic concepts of counting, ordering, sequencing and correspondence. We teach our children about numbers in so many ways we don’t even realize. Children are learning constantly! They listen, watch and respond to you each day a million different ways.
You teach about numbers when…
- You count “piggies” changing a baby’s diapers.
- You have a toddler find 2 shoes for 2 feet then tie them up 1 at a time with you.
- You serve pancakes to your preschooler who is delighted to ask for 4 pancakes because that is how old he is and that matches.
- Your school ager sorts clothes for the day, follows a sequence to dress, checks the wall calendar in her room and reads the month, day and year with understanding of order.
- You talk through providing a bowl, a cup and a spoon for each breakfast eater – ask older children to list who will eat and then tell you how many of each is needed for the table.
- You color, write, play with, sing about, glue, cut, trace, read about, manipulate and organize numbers.
- You talk about and show children coupons for groceries and take them shopping where numbers are literally everywhere.
- You collect and count pennies with kids.
- You recall in a game at the end of the day “what we did first, then second, then next….”
Never miss an opportunity to help children organize, categorize, print, label, read, talk about and print number symbols (4) and number words (four). Be a good model and recognize when you teach about numbers in your daily routines. Teaching your child is so important, but loving your children always comes first!
-Kate Dust, EduKids Education Director
Kate’s Corner: Fun Indoor Activities
Posted by: edukidsinc on: January 26, 2010
Kate Dust, EduKids Education Director
When the weather forecast calls for unbearably cold temperatures, wind chills in the negatives and blustery snow, children are all too often forced to be cooped up inside – antsy, unhappy and bored.
At EduKids Early Childhood Education Centers, we deal with nasty weather conditions on a daily basis and have come up with fun indoor activities for your children to enjoy. Here is an example of a child-favorite sure to create lots of laughs and memories for the entire family.
What you need:
- Paper
- Pen
- Tape
- 2+ people
How to play:
- Write a type of animal on each piece of paper (you can also draw pictures of the animal if your youngest child does not yet know how to read). Place the papers in a bowl, then have each person pick one and tape it to another player’s forehead without showing that player what it says (you might want to cover mirrors to prevent peeking).
- Each person will ask the others yes-or-no questions (“Do I have fur?” “Do I have horns?”) in an effort to figure out his animal. Keep playing until everyone guesses his identity.
You can make your own variations to this game as you see fit. Try other themes such as cartoon characters, food, colors, or articles of clothing. Make certain to choose characters or items that everyone will recognize (Grandma might not know who Shrek is).
Take advantage of being snowed in this winter and enjoy quality time with your family!
-Kate Dust, EduKids Education Director
Kate’s Corner: Get Out!
Posted by: edukidsinc on: January 19, 2010
Kate Dust, EduKids Education Director
Get outside – now! Seize the moment. Children love the outdoors. They have this magical quality that allows them to ignore the snow caked in their mittens and the fact that they can no longer maneuver in snow drifts as big as they are! Hearing squeals and squawking under full faced superhero masks makes me laugh and watching preschoolers “swim” down snow hills make me shiver.
Oh, Western New York… Are you prepared to Get Out?!
Some Simple Steps:
- Organize full winter gear to play outside in cold weather: boots, heavy socks, warm pants, snow pants, sweatshirts, snow jackets, a hat that stays on, gloves or mittens that stay on and a scarf that can be tucked into a jacket. This is for both of you.
- Take your snow bunny to the potty! (But take notice: just because you have spent time in the potty is no guarantee that as soon as you step foot outside in the full gear above, your favorite winter playmate won’t tell you they need to “go” again – right now).
- Bundle up! It is so important to keep your child as warm as possible and protected from the elements.
- Go out! Catch snowflakes on your tongue, run into snow drifts! Smile and nod “ok!” when your child tells you they have to go potty.
- Repeat Step 2
- Repeat Step 3
- Go out! Throw snowballs at trees, chase each other up and down snow piles! When your child tell s you they have to go potty don’t say anything — just smile and lead her inside.
- Repeat Step 2
- Repeat Step3
- Go out! Throw snowballs at trees, chase each other up and down snow piles!
- Repeat step 2
- Repeat step 3
- Go out! Make a snowman, sing “Frosty the Snowman”, slide on a saucer! Bring out some dump trucks and/or buckets to play with. Keep smiling when your child tells you they have to go to the potty.
- Repeat Step 2
- Repeat Step3
- Stay In! Check on your snow angels and Frosty from the window with hot chocolate and marshmallows. Get cozy in your pajamas and settle in your nice warm home. You will both need a nap after playing in the snow!
Have fun this winter – indoors and out!
-Kate Dust, EduKids Education Director
Kate’s Corner: Flu Season is Still Among Us
Posted by: edukidsinc on: January 13, 2010
Kate Dust, EduKids Education Director
Although the holidays gave us a temporary relief from the worries of flu season, it is still among us and a force to be reckoned with. Flu season arrives annually and spans from the month of November to April; causing sniffles, fevers, aches and pains to little ones and parents alike. This year with the outbreak of H1N1 (or “Swine Flu”), it is extremely important to continue preventative measures to keep germs away.
Here are some tips for you to try at home that you may not already know.
- Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don’t trust salt). H1N1 takes 2 to 3 days after initial infection in the throat and nasal cavity to show symptoms. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual as Theraflu has on an infected one.
- Clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. Not everyone may be good at using a neti pot, but blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton swabs dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.
- Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.
- Drink as many warm liquids as you can. Drinking warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc.) has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive or do any harm.
*Source: Dr. Vinay Goyal, MBBS, DRM, DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist having clinical experience of over 20 years)
As a reminder, if you or your child experience flu-like systems, the best thing you can do is stay away from others.
May your family enjoy a healthy, flu-free start to 2010!
-Kate Dust, EduKids Education Director
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