There are so many differences among personality types these days…types who won’t give an inch. It makes the “find” in a kindred spirit really rewarding. Today I was talking to our beloved Miss Dayna. We discussed the differences in childhood ages, and how that works in the whole education package. I maintain…it’s my theory…that three year olds NEED to be around older children, because threes need to see the next step. Most of a three year old’s Read More...

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Do you have a son or daughter growing up so fast you can hardly believe that puberty is on the horizon? If so, I know just how you must feel, because I’ve got a new 11-year-old who is launching right into a state with which I am completely unfamiliar. Never fear, though, because KidsHealth.org is here, and it’s designed to “talk” to kids, teens, and parents in different formats. Just click on the appropriate link, “parents,” for example, then switch over to Read More...

What would you do if your child swore? Punish? Ignore? Film it for Facebook?A recent Modern Family episode had 2-year old "Lily" say the F-word and controversy ensued. It's hard to see a toddler swear, let alone laugh at it. And a couple of years ago we laughed (and squirmed) when Will Ferrell gets cursed out by a toddler in The Landlord, one of the leading viral videos of the year. We see it all the time. Friends post and share their "hilarious" videos of their kids Read More...

What you need to know for this week: This is the Southern Hemisphere week when we will study Africa, South America and Australia. Your child might be interested in the names of different countries on those continents. On Friday, we will be having a pajama day. Children may wear their pjs, a robe, and their regular shoes so that they can go outside. It’s supposed to be warm on Friday. Please make sure your child is covered. There could be dreadful storms tomorrow. We will have a storm Read More...

You simply must get a bean pot! This is the new cookery item. I actually got mine when this cashier broke the one that I wanted. When he dropped it at the check out line, I went back to get the more expensive one, and he charged me the cheaper price, which I was thrilled about…long story now done. My bean pot is an oven clay deal. It’s nondescript, and would make a nice planter, lamp, or catch-all. It’s a nice shade of muddy brown, with two handles on the side and a lid. Read More...

Every parent signs a “Sick Child” agreement when they enroll their child at the Garden School, and most other places that care about children. Most of the time, this agreement is not even read, and I know this because so many parents are surprised when we say a child cannot come to school. We get our list of childhood ailments from the State Department of Health. And for each one of the ailments on the agreement, there is a reason why this particular ailment is not conducive to Read More...

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One of the things that makes my day is walking into three separate classrooms and finding real learning going on. We focus on the five year olds more than the other ages because the fives are giving back what they learned. The fours are learning to learn from the fives and the threes are putting together a learning plan while they do most of the watching. It’s a remarkable group effort and never ceases to amaze me how demonstrative five year old children are and how much the others Read More...

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The New Year brings a lot of changes – and evaluations. I like to clean out my closets. If I haven't worn something in over a year, I donate it. It's also the time our company does performance reviews to talk about strengths and challenges we want to work on in the next year. I've also found that a lot of our members like to evaluate their care plan this time of year. An employee here recently left work a little early on a nice day and popped in on her nanny and son at the Read More...

So this week we will look at another part of the world…the Northern Hemisphere with an emphasis on the Temperate Zone. I have to remember that our focus is on the five year olds. Threes are there to observe learning. The fours are learning to learn and the fives are learning and telling us what they’ve learned. This allows the Threes the freedom to explore but not the obligation of things too hard for them. The fours are filled with curiosity and participate nicely, but they are Read More...

Do your kids do chores? And, if so, to what extent do they put forth effort in helping to maintain the household and prepare themselves for the lives that await them? I ask because my kids (ages 8 and 11) do some tasks — they take down the trash and bring up the cans the next day, they rotate doing dishes (most times), they put away their already-folded-by-mom laundry, one boy cuts up his own apple when he’s hungry (the other boy does not because we fear his interaction with a Read More...

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Having made biscuits for years at home, it’s something we have purchased on and off for the school because of the time element. We make our own refrigerated dough now with whole wheat flour, and now I want to incorporate biscuits into our lunch day. So, because there was a snow delay this a.m., I read this article and am sharing it with you! My daughter Kate sent a recipe to die for…it’s like monkey bread only pizza. Will definitely be making this for the kids next Read More...

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Tweet Tweet January 16, 2012 is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day. This federal holiday commemorates the life and achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., leader of the civil rights movement, and is celebrated every year on the third Monday of January. While young children in a childcare center may or may not be able to grasp the concepts of civil rights, slavery, and racism, preschool teachers and daycare providers can share worksheets and books that teach peace Read More...

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This year I vow to… lose weight, work out more and pay off my debt. Sound familiar? These are typical resolutions we all make for ourselves. But what if our kids made our resolutions for us? What would they say? We recently asked our Care.com employees to ask their kids to make New Year's resolutions for them for 2012 – or to guess what they might be. As you can see, none of these resolutions have to do with weight-loss, keeping our sock drawer organized, or drinking less coffee. Here Read More...

Imagine living in a compliment free zone. Imagine that nothing you do receives a kudo. If you work hard and achieve, it seems to go unnoticed. If you accomplish a positive result after many negative results, there is no one to say, “Congratulations.” If you look great, it’s a mute affair. If you bring home a trophy, a stellar report card, a bonus, a present, a new car, an elephant, it’s all the same…not worth mentioning. This is a compliment free zone, and many Read More...