IT IS HOLIDAY SEASON! For many of us this year looks a little different: small gatherings in our homes, not visiting with family, virtual education and jobs. Not only are adults processing these changes but so are our children. Often, they do not know how to express their feelings or process their thoughts. It is the parent’s responsibility to equip our children with the tools needed to be successful in handling their big emotions and concerns. I thought now would be a good time for us to fill our personal tool boxes with tools that can assist us and our children as we navigate the many changes associated with this Holiday season. I, too, am learning. How do I communicate so much information with my children? How do I manage stress? What can my children do while home? I found this article by The Incredible Years to be full of great tools. Keeping Calm and Providing Supportive Parenting During the Coronavirus Mantener la Calma y Ser Un Padre que Da Apoyo Durante el Coronavirus Here are some activities they suggest. Dina's Fabulous and Incredible Activities Las Actividades Increíbles y Fabulosas de Dina Your Parent as Teacher Educator has many wonderful tools to offer you. Tools for play, tools for education, tools for handling emotions, tools for communication and tools for connecting with your child, etc. We are here to equip you, serve you, and support your family! What tools can we offer you today? I recently took a training where the presenter said, “Any product can harm someone if used in the wrong way, in the wrong amount, or by the wrong person.” The wrong person could be a child. Do you know the phone number for Poison Control (1-800-222-1222)? It would be a good idea to put the number into your cell phone in case you need it. Every 8 seconds someone needs a poison center. Could you be next? You can call day or night, 7 days a week, any day of the year. The center can help you in more than 150 languages or if you are hearing impaired. This year there has been an increase in calls made to Poison Control due to COVID. These calls involve disinfectants and hand sanitizers. Some hand sanitizers contain methanol (wood alcohol). Methanol can be toxic when absorbed through the skin and deadly if swallowed. The FDA recalled 75 Brands of hand sanitizers. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/toxic-hand-sanitizer-fda-warning-growing-list-brands/ Many food, candy and drink products look remarkably like some potentially harmful items. Use this brochure to educate your children (and yourself) about knowing the difference. https://missouripoisoncenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/LOOKOUT-for-POISON-Look-Alikes.pdf Lead poisoning is also a concern. Lead can be in house and car keys, stained glass, some fidget spinners, some Mardi Gras beads, some forms of luster dust, imported candy and candy wrappers, imported toys and toy jewelry, some doll house furniture, imported cosmetics, and ceramics and pottery. If you have concerns, you can have your child tested for lead. Talk to your doctor’s office or your local health department. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuooyMIpn1M My name is Marilyn Allen. I am a wife and mother of three sons. My husband, Herb, has two sons and a daughter. We share eleven wonderful grandchildren. Three of them have Autism and one has Cerebral Palsy. They range in age from one year to twenty-four years. My husband and I enjoy spending time with our family. Due to COVID, though, our get-togethers have been less. The holidays will be different this year, as some of our family members will not be attending our usual gatherings. I have been a parent educator for over ten years. I have a degree in Business Education, elementary certification, and a graduate degree in Early Childhood. I also operated a home daycare for twenty years when my boys were growing up. I enjoy working with families and seeing their children grow from newborns to Kindergarteners. I tell parents what my mother used to tell me, “Enjoy every moment of their childhood because before long, they will be grown.” She was right. At the time, I was a single parent just trying to make it. I would give anything to go back and spend one day with my boys when they were little. Does anyone else feel like we went from t-shirts to snow boots overnight? We have lived in the Midwest for ten years and I am still amazed by the inconsistency of the weather patterns here. I’m not going to lie, Midwestern winters are not my favorite. Every October I brace myself for the inevitble: freezing temperatures, power outages, unpassable icy roads, children crammed indoors, and excessively muddy floors. The change of weather also means lots of family celebrations and togetherness as we jump from one holiday to another from now until the new year. Our sense of belonging, connection, structure, and identity are all rooted in our traditions. For many of us, the holidays represent traditions that have lasted a lifetime: Gathering at Grandma’s house for meals, special services, and even decorations. Cities, teams, schools, and families all have some form of traditions they continue year after year. It gives us a real sense of belonging, and as individuals we crave to feel that connection. Traditions help children feel connected to their families and their past. They provide a kind of stability, especially when there is more chaos than usual. In an article I read, https://frfamilytherapy.com/do-traditions-matter-4-reasons-why-traditions-are-important-for-families/, the author gives four reasons why traditions are important to families. 1.Traditions offer consistency to those who participate. 2.Traditions draw families together, helping them to bond and come closer to one another—sometimes even years later. 3.Traditions can be healing during tough times. 4.Traditions are fun. As a family, we have some traditions that represent us. At Thanksgiving we invite people from other cultures and let them bring a native dish. On Christmas Eve, everyone gets an ornament that represents something they did or accomplished that year. Our children draw names and exchange $10 gifts. We pick a movie night and watch Elf again. Yes, we have memorized all the lines by now, but it’s the intentional togetherness and fulfillment of tradition that we love. Traditions are unique to each family, they are part of your family finger print. Maybe you have grown up with strong traditions to pass down to your children, or maybe you are choosing to begin some of your own. Both are great and both are valuable to your family identity. It isn’t necessarily ‘what you do’ as your family tradition that matters, but ‘that you do’ something. Check out this article if you need some fresh ideas for creating family traditions. https://www.parents.com/holiday/christmas/traditions/classic-holiday-traditions-for-your-family/ And, we would love to hear from you...please share your family traditions with us! DATES TO REMEMBER: December 15 from 5:30-7:00pm WINTERFEST @ High Grove Early Childhood Center My name is Tricia Henson. This is my first year with Parents as Teachers in the Grandview School District, but not my first experience with families and children. My husband and I have moved 17 times, including New Zealand, the east coast and now the midwest. We have four children: Olivia, Ezekiel, Canaan and Micah. We have also been home to 27 foster children. My education is in Communications and Early Childhood. My passion is seeing families and children find their success. I have been active in Safe Families KC, Zoe House Adoption Agency, Orphan Justice Center, Missouri Fostercare, Parents as Teachers, and Early Childcare. I am excited to work among this amazing group of educators and serve families in the Grandview area. |
AuthorThe parent educators with Grandview Parents As Teachers have over 100 years of cummulative early childhood and home visiting experience. Archives
September 2023
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