Cabin Fever?

This might be a good cure:



It was a community project done by Australia's Polyglot Puppet Theatre.

Mr. G Memorial

We are sad to announce that our Oak Valley location's Music Consultant, Mr. G (Loren Greenwalt), passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, December 19. He was 54. The Ann Arbor News obituary can be found here. Funeral Services will be held Saturday, December 27, at 1 p.m. at the Greenwood United Methodist Church, 1001 Green Rd., in Ann Arbor. Memorial contributions may be made to the Michigan Theater. Our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all those who enjoyed his music and company.

Ann Arbor Centers Closed, Friday December 19, 2008

Due to the continuing snow and increasingly hazardous conditions, All Gretchen's House Ann Arbor Centers will be closed today.

Please drive carefully if you must drive. Our local roads survey showed nothing has yet been plowed. We recommend a day at home baking cookies, sledding, or playing games!

- Hope

Inclement Weather

The Ann Arbor Public Schools (and many surrounding districts) are closed today due to the winter storm, so Gretchen's House will at least have a delayed opening. During the delay, Gretchen's House administrative staff will survey local roads and look at the forecast for the rest of the day. By 9 a.m., we make a decision whether to remain closed for the day or open at 10, and will post that update here.

Little Oaks will close if the Oakland County Government Offices close; Little Huskies follows the Michigan Tech decision.

You can read more about our Inclement Weather Policy on the policies page of our website.

-- Admin

Online Health Resource

Integrated Health Associates of Ann Arbor has updated their website with lots of useful resources. One tool that families may find especially useful is the Pediatric SelfCareNavigator. It's a handy checklist of symptoms, organized anatomically, that can help parents decide whether childhood illnesses and injuries require immediate medical attention and/or how to relieve minor symptoms.

As we enter the colds and flu season, it's a good idea for GH parents to review our Health Policies. When GH Staff send a child home due to illness, we use two main criteria to make that decision: the sick child's comfort and well-being, and the well-being of other children and staff in the program. Sometimes an easily communicable illness can affect some children and adults more seriously than others. Other times, a child with a relatively mild illness can feel miserable. And occasionally, children with colds or low-grade fevers may feel perfectly fine in a group setting. In all cases, we need to do what's best for all the children.

-- Admin

Toyland, Take 2

So an astute reader of this blog posed the question: What about all that junk that is marketed to kids? How can parents deal with that?

Some suggestions:

1. TURN OFF THE TV. Okay, that may be a little extreme. I grew up watching unlimited TV and it didn't stunt my brain, stifle my imagination, or turn me into a zombie. So here's a more moderate suggestion: WATCH TV WITH YOUR KIDS! Gifts aside, you should do this anyway so you'll know what they're watching and be able to discuss it.

2. Talk about the stuff you see: print ads, commercials, other children playing with toys. When your child expresses toylust, help him or her figure out what is attractive about that particular item. This will help your child think harder about their wishlist. Ask questions like, "Is that a sharing toy or an alone toy?" or, "Is that like any other toys you know?" or, "What other ways could you play with that toy?" Model critical thinking: "Do you think that toy is really as good/fast/fun as the commercial makes it look?" Your questions can be leading but should not be judgmental.

3a. Make the object lesson concrete. One of the best ways to teach children about the limits of junk toys is to have them spend their own money. Ten or fifteen dollars is enough to buy a great toy or a piece of junk. Help your child plan ahead -- make a list of ideas. Once you're at the store, ask questions like the ones above to help your child narrow the choices to one or two items. It is okay if they finally opt for the junky toy. It is their money, and it will be their consequence. When the toy breaks or is quickly discarded, say to your child, "Next time, should I remind you not to spend your money on toys that might break (or whatever the downfall was)?" This should be done in the tone of a good friend, not a condescending grown-up.

3b. Have your child pay for his or her own impulse buys. Give a small allowance -- for example, one dollar per year of age, starting at age 3 or 4 depending on your kid's development. When your child begs for a cookie at the grocery store or a trinket at the toy store, insist that s/he pay for it. Some kids are born savers, and this instinct will extinguish the gimmies. Other kids enjoy the thrill of the hunt and the rush of a purchase. Having a limited budget will teach spenders how to prioritize. Explain the advantages of resisting impulse buys. "If we buy this pack of cards here, it will be $3. But if we wait until the next time we are at the dollar store, you will still have $2 left." Older preschoolers are perfectly poised to begin learning about budgets. They have a natural desire to manipulate numbers and are beginning to exercise impulse control.

4. When your child makes a wishlist, help him or her make it reasonable. Survey the toys you already have to figure out what s/he enjoys most, what is missing, and what doesn't get much use. Give your kindergarten or older child a budget: "Choose the three (or so) things that you want the most." This forces kids to prioritize.

5. Don't go overboard. Every parent I know has stories about how their child only paid attention to one toy out of ten or how the things they begged for weren't satisfying at all. Keep it simple. Three modest toys is a bounty: something special, something useful, something surprising. Kids become overwhelmed by too many presents and are usually happiest with the non-present elements of most celebrations: good food, great company, fun games, special memories.

6. Figure out what your child really wants from that junk toy: to feel powerful? To feel fancy? To have company? Find a better way to scratch that itch.

For everyday cases of the gimmes, one basic concept: Ask your child: is this something you need, or something you want? Explain that it's important to think for a while -- several days, a week or two, maybe longer -- about things we merely want. Often, we'll outgrow the desire before the deadlines's up.

-- H.V.

2009 Calendar

FYI -- we've posted the 2009 calendar on our website. The only dates not included are PAG meetings after February's and AAPS days fall days off. We'll update the file as soon as those dates are available.

Toyland

It's that time of the year when parents are bombarded with flyers and commercials for the latest, greatest, must-have toys. Two things we recommend parents keep in mind when toy-shopping, all year-round:
- The most engaging and rewarding toys have more than one purpose.
- Just because a toy is for sale in the US doesn't mean it is safe for children.

Often simpler, open-ended toys become children's favorites, with good reason: they require imagination. Cardboard box, anyone?! We recommend these classics, which will last many seasons as your child grows and figures out new ways to use them:

1. Lego bricks. Duplos for babies and toddlers, Legos for preschoolers who no longer put things in their mouths and who have the fine-motor control to snap the bricks together. Many children use Duplos well into elementary school. Look for basic pieces: bricks of all shapes and sizes, wheels, windows & doors, and planks to build on. All the other accessories are gravy. Try www.shop.lego.com
2. Wooden blocks. Choose a size that is appropriate for your child's age (in general, the smaller the block, the older the child, except for infants who need medium sized-blocks that are neither too heavy nor choking hazards). Unpainted blocks are less likely to contain led paint. Children use these to build, sort, seriate, and for imaginative play. We love Haba blocks.
3. Dress-up clothing and props. Secondhand clothing, washed and repaired, is usually sturdier and more interesting than pre-packaged costumes. Children use dress up play to practice social skills, fine and large motor skills, imaginative play, and spatial awareness.
4. Cars, trucks, and trains. Do not shortchange your daughters -- all kids like things that move. Be careful about loose parts and choking hazards with younger children.
5. Books. Take time to select books with beautiful art and fun language. It's a gift that keeps on giving! Your local independent bookseller will have great specific suggestions for the children in your life.
6. Balls. Choose a ball that is an appropriate size and material for your child. Even tennis balls are a great toy for kids of all ages.

As for safety: the Ann Arbor Ecology Center recently released its second annual guide to toxic chemicals in toys. You can see their recommendations at www.HealthyToys.org
Check for toy and equipment recall information at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commision's website.

Developmental Concerns?

One of the tidbits we came across at the NAEYC conference last week was information about a new initiative called Act Early, which is sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services.

They've compiled a list of milestones to help parents gauge their young children's development. The video below is a good overview of the program.



If you have any trouble viewing the video, the original version is here. If you are on a slower internet connection, you can read a transcript of the video here.

It's important to remember that children develop skills at different rates, but developmental checklists such as these are handy tools for parents who want to learn more about "normal" development. Early intervention has a big impact for children with developmental delays.

There are many more resources on the Centers for Disease Control Act Early page.

-- Admin

Thanksgiving & Winter Breaks

Just a reminder that we will be closed, Thursday and Friday, November 27th & 28th, for Thanksgiving.

(UPDATED!) Looking ahead, we are also closed December 24th through 31st for Winter Break, and January 1st and 2nd for New Year's Day.

The Ann Arbor Public Schools are closed Dec. 22nd-January 2nd. If your school-aged child needs care on the days the schools are closed but we are open (i.e., Dec. 22nd & 23rd, Dec. 29th & 30th), please contact your center ASAP to reserve a spot.

Address Change

Our Administrative Center has moved! We're now at 4531 Concourse Drive, south of Ellsworth of State Street across from the Ann Arbor airport. Our admin phone number has also been updated: 734.761.2576. The fax number's the same. All this info is on our website but we wanted to call attention to it.

Michigan Theater Family Events

This Saturday, November 22, Ann Arbor gem the Michigan Theater is showing the beautifully restored Wizard of Oz at 1:30 p.m.

Next weekend, November 28th, they're showing the classic version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, also at 1:30 p.m. Admission is free for kids twelve and under! What's more, for every $5 you spend at neighboring shop and movie sponsor Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, you will receive one free adult ticket to Willy Wonka!

The Michigan Theater is a beautiful local landmark that offers a genuine, old-time movies experience. For more family-friendly events, please click here.

-- Admin

Courtesy

We are revamping the Gretchens's House website to make resource sections for staff and parents. Fun project! Please e-mail us any requests or suggestions for things/info/links that you'd find useful.

During the information-gathering process, I came across one of our newer Purple Pages*, the one on Courtesy. The subject of courtesy is particularly relevant as we head into the holiday season--a time filled with family meals, parties, and gift exchanges...and stressful situations. Courtesy is a wide range of civilized bevahiors that children learn over time as they observe us interact with friends, families, and strangers every single day. Remember: our kids mind our manners even when we don't! Check the newsletter out and let us know what you think.

-- H.V.

*Purple Pages* are coffee-break-sized newsletters on developmental topics, family living issues, and group care concerns. We have a large library of topics available in hard copies at our centers. Parents of currently enrolled children have online access to printable versions of the entire collection. Visitors can preview a few of the subjects here (the highlighted titles on that page are links to actual Purple Pages).

NAEYC Handouts

If you attended a presentation given by Gretchen's House Staff at the 2008 NAEYC conference in Dallas, you can find the handouts by clicking this link.

Thanks for attending our sessions. We hope you found them useful!

-- Admin

Strategy: Halloween Candy

There are two basic approaches for dealing with the piles of Halloween candy that trick-or-treaters collect: disciplined and undisciplined.

"Disciplined" folks believe that setting limits is the best way to ensure kids don't go overboard. These parents may set a daily limit of two or three pieces, may surreptitiously make much of the candy disappear, or might say flat-out: " "x" number of pieces is enough. The rest goes in the garbage." The benefit to this approach is that kids don't eat too much; the danger is that by imposing external limits, parents may make the forbidden candy seem more enticing and may not help kids learn to set reasonable limits for themselves.

"Undisciplined" folks take the opposite approach and impose no limits. They let kids eat what they will and experience the consequences. The children might eat ten or twelve pieces before they hit their limit, but once they do, biology kicks in and they'll almost always be sickened (hopefully just to the point of mild stomach upset). Subsequent snacks, if any, will be increasingly smaller. Of course, some kids will eat a horrifying amount of candy before they get sick of it. It's not the end of the world. At the same time, for kids who are already struggling with food issues, it doesn't make sense to give them a pile of it and say, Dig in.

And then there are people who find a happy medium between the two extremes. Reduce the pile of available candy so that potential binges are smaller, for example. Or give kids an allowance for the week and let them decide how many pieces they'll eat at once. (Sidebar: did you know that the ability to delay gratification is often an important factor when measuring success in endeavors from schoolwork to budgeting to sports?!) Whenever you're adding calories to your daily intake, it's always a good idea to increase activity. Take a walk. Play tag. Dance. Just get up and move. Try pairing healthy foods with treats: an apple and a bite-sized candy bar is a perfectly reasonable snack, and more satisfying than several pieces of candy. Always remember that out-of-sight is out-of-mind for kids and adult, so storing the candy somewhere that you're not likely to lay eyes on it frequently will help limit overindulgences, too.

And now there's this tip from dentists: eating several pieces at once is better for your teeth than doling it out several times during the day. In fact, candy may not be any worse for a child's teeth than potato chips, for example. What matters is what dentists describe as the stickiness of food -- how long the food particles maintain contact with the tooth's enamel. The longer it sticks, the more time the accompanying acid will work on the enamel. So a chocolate bar that melts off teeth is better for them than a starburst or potato chip which may stick around for a long while.

Happy haunting!

--Admin

A Bumper (Sticker) Crop

With the election drawing near, your kids are bound to be aware that something big is going on. Maybe you have a candidate or proposition sign on your lawn. Maybe you're having earnest conversations around the dinner table. And maybe you have the TV or radio turned on more than usual, tuned to election coverage. There's a bumper crop of presidential picture books that will help kids of all ages start making sense of all the election buzz.



Grace For President, by Kelly DiPucchio and LeYuen Pham, tells the story of a young girl who notices there are no women on the poster of presidents hanging at her school, which inspires her to run for class president. This book has a great explanation of the Electoral College built right into the text, plus an author's note to clarify. Suitable for kids 5 years old and up.

My Teacher for President, by Kay Winters and Denise Brunkus, heralds a different candidate. Second grader Oliver is inspired by all the campaign ads he sees to nominate his teacher as a candidate, and lays out all the reasons he thinks she'd be a good one. (This book will have parents wishing a teacher really would run for president!) Suitable for kids 5 and up.

So You Want To Be President? is by Judith St. George and David Small. Maybe your child (or your spouse!) finds all the campaigning so inspiring, he or she wants to be president. The job is not as easy as it looks, and presidents through the ages have coped with the challenges in all kinds of interesting ways. This Caldecott winning classic is a must-read for school-age kids.

Lives of the Presidents (Fame, Shame, and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt is a collection of brief biographies of all the presidents. Pithy, interesting, and packed with lesser-known facts, this book is a great way to put presidents in perspective with their historical eras. Suitable for kids in grades 3 and up.



Kenneth C. Davis' Don't Know Much books are a staple for history buffs of all ages. His Don't Know Much About the Presidents is another fantastic installment in this classic series. Suitable for kids in 3rd grade and up.

Happy reading! And don't forget to vote!

--H.V.

PS: For adult reading recommendations, local bookseller Nicola's Books has started a blog.

Back to School

Okay, we admit it: back to school season threw some of us for a loop this year. Yes, we are trained professionals. Yes, we give (good!) advice to other parents and families navigating this transition each year. And yes--sometimes it's still hard.

But we re-grouped! We are rolling with the punches! And we have a few reminders that may help your family iron out some of the wrinkles, too. None of our tips are rocket science, but even for highly trained professionals like ourselves (wink), an occasional review can really help.

Getting enough quality sleep is critical for parents and kids.

• Timing is Everything. Determine out an ideal bedtime for each of your children (it may not be the same for all of them!) and work backwards to figure out the rest of your schedule: dinner, homework for schoolage kids, baths, etc. Schedule your mornings similarly.
• Routines Are Important. Routines give children security and help parents stay on task and accomplish all the important things on our lengthy to-do lists. Once you determine a functional routine, stick with it. Give it a good two weeks to become a habit. Post reminders (checklists for backpacks and bedtime promote independence) and plan ahead. Pack bags, make lunches, and select clothes the night before to make mornings less stressful.
• Most Adults Need 6-8 Hours of Sleep Each Night. We're talking to you, yes you. Your sleep routine should be as sacred as the one you have for you kids. After all, you're the captain of the ship!

Eating well helps people be more efficient, focused, and manage stress.

• Breakfast is Essential. For people (young and old) who don't feel hungry in the morning, a small meal such as a yogurt or glass of milk with Carnation added plus a piece of fruit is a great start to the day. For those who like breakfast, make sure it is nutritious -- whole grains and protein last longer; sugar-y, processed foods like poptarts usually lead to a serious slump mid-morning.
• Snacks Make a Difference. Many kids are crabby at pick-up time because they've used up their fuel for the day and have to wait another hour or two until dinner. If you can't shift dinner earlier on weeknights, have a small snack ready: cheese, fruit, yogurt, or whole-grain crackers provide a nutritional boost that can prevent dinner-hour meltdowns.

A positive attitude is contagious:

• Model, model, model. Children are like family barometers: they pick up on our tiredness, frustration, and negativity. We need to model a coping, capable attitude for them if we want them to exhibit these traits. It's okay to acknowledge that things are hard, as long as we also emphasize good coping skills: don't sweat the small stuff, we can always start over, and we can make things better if we try are all positive, can-do messages for kids having trouble with transitions.

--Admin

Calendar Note

Please remember that all Ann Arbor Gretchen's House centers will be closed for staff work days August 27th, 28th, and 29th. This is an annual event. Staff attend in-service trainings, do team-building activities, and get their classroom spaces and record-keeping updated for fall.

ALL Gretchen's House centers will also be closed Monday, September 1st for Labor Day.

August is already upon us! Enjoy these last weeks of summer.

-- Admin

New Booster Seat Law

Have you heard about Michigan's new car safety law, effective July 1, 2008?

Children must be in a booster seat until they are 8 years old or 4’9” tall.

Children must be in a seat until they reach the age requirement or the height requirement, whichever comes first. For example:

• If your child is 8 years or older, but under 4'9" tall, the law does not apply.


• If your child is under 8 years old, but over 4'9" tall, the law does not apply.

Remember: Although it is not required by law, in both of these cases your child may be safer in a booster seat.

A bulletin from Michigan Safe Kids has more details about appropriate types of boosters for various vehicle set-ups.

For information on safely seating children of any age in your vehicle, please click here.

--Admin

"What is Your Job?"

Depending on the context, this question can elicit a variety of responses. My job at Gretchen’s House has a long list of responsibilities, but the list is longer for my job as mom. Which job is more important? It’s a rhetorical question, of course. All of us have jobs to do that wouldn’t make the cut on a resume, but we recognize their value nonetheless. But do we appreciate the value of a child’s job? What exactly is “a child’s job?”

In Child Care Information Exchange, March/April 2007, author-educator Jim Greenman presents “the child’s job” concept as a reminder for adults. “Their job is to live their lives, learn about the world, and develop into the very best people that they can be.”

How do we support our children with this important job? Greenman notes that early childhood programs are under scrutiny by “a growing national anxiety attack and obsession with school readiness… The irony is that many of these children may live to be 100 years old. Drawing from a popular expression, they will experience '40 as the new 30, 60 as the new 50.' So why does four have to be the new six? In reality the focus of good care is much broader and deeper because our programs provide the foundations for lives that extend far beyond the kindergarten year.”

The child’s job includes full development, including sensory development, communication, and discovering their bodily powers. Children have a natural desire to understand how everything works, and a need for deep connections with other people.

As adults, our job is to provide children with ample opportunities to explore the world, interact with other people, use their bodies in a variety of ways, and develop strong emotional bonds with others.

At Gretchen’s House, teachers work hard to intentionally provide an environment and activities that support children’s innate desire to make sense of the world. When a child writes on a pad of paper in the house area and tells her friend that it’s a grocery list, it doesn’t matter whether the words are distinguishable to an adult. That child is making literacy connections that lead to reading and writing later on. A boy in the block area who chooses just the right blocks to make each side of the building match is classifying and comparing attributes. Those explorations with size and shape are the foundation of math and science.

The adult-child interactions I see on the playground and in classrooms may be the most important ground work of all. Studies show that when children experience positive relationships with peers and adults in early childhood, they form positive expectations for school later on. Labeling feelings, exploring options for solving conflicts, and making connections between plans and actions are all necessary for healthy emotional development. Getting children ready for kindergarten? No, we’re not doing that. We’re getting them ready for life! And that means letting them do their jobs right now.

- H.M.

Happy 4th of July!

All Gretchen's House Centers will be closed Friday, July 4th 2008
in observance of Independence Day.

Last year, we marched in the Ann Arbor Jaycee's Parade

to celebrate 25 years of providing
quality child development programs.

We're not marching this year, but the parade is a great family event.

This year's parade starts at 10 a.m. at the corner of State and William,

then travels north on State, west on Liberty,
south on Main, and east on William.

(Complete slideshow of last year's parade photos is here.)

Infant Toddler Care

Community Playthings, manufacturer of many of the beautiful wooden fixtures you'll find at Gretchen's House centers, recently posted an article on what parents should look for as you research care Infant and Toddler center-based care. (We suggest aspiring and current teachers should look for these qualities at centers, too: a classroom and program that takes children's development into account makes it easier to meet children's needs.) The article sums up five key criteria for high-quality care: People, Place, Philosophy, Program, and Parent Involvement. Not to toot our horn, but it's reassuring to find that our program is on board with this esteemed institution's definition of good care.

Read more about it: Choosing a Child Care Facility that Fits: Like Peas in a Pod

CPR & First Aid Classes

State of Michigan child care licensing rules require that at least one staff member at a facility be certified in CPR and First Aid. At Gretchen's House, all our teaching staff have both certifications.

GH offers regular CPR & First Aid certification/renewal classes for staff. Parents or other community members are welcome to sign up. Here's the upcoming class schedule:

• Tuesday, June 3 (Initial)
• Wednesday, June 4 (CPR Renewal only)
• Wednesday, July 9 (Initial)
• Thursday, July 10 (CPR Renewal only)
• Tuesday, Aug. 12 (Initial)
• Wednesday, Aug. 13 (CPR Renewal only)

CPR certification must be renewed every year, while First Aid Certification is good for three years. If you'd like to sign up, please contact Heike Hampel.

--Admin

Top Ten Ways to Get a Teaching Job in a Tough Market

10. Show up on time for your interview, appropriately dressed. (This sounds obvious, I know, but it doesn't always happen).
9. Follow the school’s application instructions precisely.
8. Arrive prepared to answer easy questions: What are you good at? What makes you highly qualified for this job? What do you like about teaching?
7. Arrive prepared to answer tough questions: What is challenging for you? What are your weaknesses?
6. Bring a portfolio with photos or examples of your work with students.
5. Come prepared with a list of questions you have about the company or the job for which you are applying.
4. Be prepared to visit a classroom and interact with children.
3. Network. Do you know someone whose child attends the school? Someone who teaches there? Ask them to put in a good word.
2. Learn as much as you can about the school where you're applying to teach before the interview.

and our number 1 way to get a teaching job in a tough market:

1. Be willing to work as a substitute for several months. While you work, let your positive attitude and good work ethic make you indispensable to the other staff. Subbing isn’t glamorous, but if you’re good at it, you will be first in line for the next open position.

--M.D.

Top Ten Ways to Tank a Teaching Job Interview

10. Show up on the wrong day, late for your appointment time.
9. Have your mom fill out the application.
8. Bring family members or friends to the interview, and ask if they can sit in.
7. Show up coughing, sneezing, and miserably sick.
6. Wear clothing that reveals your sexy tattoos, midriff, underwear, cleavage, or all of the above.
5. Answer your cell phone during the interview, say you have to take the call outside, and never come back.
4. Mention that your top career goal is dolphin training, but since that didn’t work out, you thought teaching would be fun.
3. Discuss your desire for full time employment, but mention the fact that you are only available Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays after 4:00.
2. Repeatedly and cheerfully slap or smack the interviewer and her desk to emphasize your point. Hard.

And the number one strangest way we've seen an interview go south...

1. Tell the interviewer that the reason you quit your last job was because you had to pull your dog from his doggy day care program. The floor was too hard and it hurt his paws!

Up next: A kinder, gentler Top Ten list: Ways to Land A Teaching Job

-- M.D.

Summer Camp Tuition Discount Deadline

The deadline for discounted tuition for our Summer Camp (SCamp) programs is rapidly approaching...May 2nd! Take a few minutes to start mapping out your summer plans and take advantage of this $5 per day or $25 per week savings...a considerable amount of money whether your child plans to attend two weeks or all ten!

Program information and registration paperwork is here.

-- Admin

M.O.Y.C.

We celebrate the Month of the Young Child every April with special events for children, parents, and staff. Activities include serving parents breakfast, displaying children's art at local businesses, and creating crafts and special snacks. Parents often ask how they can participate--we've listed a few options on this printable flyer.

--Admin

Let them eat cake -- at home

An article about a New Zealand school district that banned birthday cake caught my eye for a couple of reasons.

1. It was filed under "Odd News." What's so odd about school districts taking steps to encourage healthful habits?
2. The article doesn't mention another important health-related reason to ban birthday cakes and other outside foods: life-threatening food allergies. Policing food from home is a burden on both parents and teachers in allergy-aware programs. Parents must find and make recipes that fit the specific criteria (i.e., no peanut products, wheat, gluten, eggs, etc.) and document this fact to teachers. Teachers must remind parents of the policies and try to ensure that nothing slips through; if a child has an allergic reaction to food from home, the teachers must sleuth out the source and deal with that crisis.
3. Birthday parties (at home and school) can quickly become a contest of parenting prowess, with families increasingly upping the ante with more extravagant treats or other celebrations at school in addition to whatever they do at home. What about the kids whose parents can't or don't buy into that rigamarole?

The Gretchen's House Foo0d From Home Policy was developed with input from physicians, teachers, and parents with all of the above concerns in mind. You can read all about it here.

--H.V.

Read All About It!

Please note: this is not a solicitation for book donations.

However, parents occasionally ask us if there are classroom materials they can donate. Books, because they are relatively fragile and get so much use, are something that we often need to replenish. Parents also ask us for book recommendations when they're looking to build home libraries. We've compiled lists of some of our favorites, grouped by approximate age.

There are some perennial favorites not included here: Where The Wild Things Are and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, for example. We figure you'll find those on your own. Our selections include lesser-known award-winning title, books on developmental issues, and some of our personal favorites.

Great Reads:

• Books for Infants and Toddlers (0-3 yrs.)
• Books for Preschoolers (~2.5-5 yrs.)
• Books for 4K Children (4-6 years)

Sometimes parents want kids to stop reading "baby" books (anything younger than their age or technical reading ability) but that shortchanges them. Older kids who continue to read younger picture books practice reading skills by using context, rhythm, and rhyme to scaffold their burgeoning decoding skills. Did you know that older kids benefit tremendously from reading aloud (even if they've memorized the text or are making it up as they go) to younger siblings. Plus, the younger kids eat it up!

Need more suggestions?

Bank Street College recommends 30 Picture Books You Don't Want to Miss

-- Admin

At least it didn't hit the fan...

Did you ever have one of those days when your brain moves faster than your tongue or writing hand or typing fingers? And you find yourself making typos that are just wrong?

Pity the poor harried teacher who sent this note home:



Luckily, the parent who received this note about little Lilly is also a teacher, and she recognized the problem immediately: teacher turbidus, more commonly known as, teacher juggling too many mental balls at once syndrome. Mom asked for clarification and was reassured to learn that the note should have read, "When she stood up, she hit..."

--Admin

We're Hiring!

Know a college student who's good with children and looking for an active, satisfying summer job? We are currently accepting applications for full-time Summer Camp Counselors and full- and part-time Summer Substitute Teachers.

Of course, we're not only interested in college students. Teachers, coaches, and people with a background in early childhood are all good candidates! Interested parties should apply ASAP.

-- M.D.
Human Resources Director

Cheer Up!

We're more than halfway to Friday!



--Admin

Ants in Your Pants?

There numerous media campaigns inciting kids and families to get outside and move. As I’ve been doing some author visits as part of “March is Reading Month” celebrations, my experiences this remind me how important indoor movement is for young learners, too.

As an adult, I get itchy and twitchy when I have to sit still too long in a seminar. Imagine my sympathy for the kids at some of my visits to elementary schools! They often have to sit on hard wood or concrete floors for 45-minutes or so while I talk about the writing life and share my books. I incorporate interesting props and sometimes a song or two to help engage the kids, but what they really need is to stretch their legs.

During my visit to the Perry Child Development Center in Ypsilanti this week, the staff did something that helped the kids get out their wiggles and focus their brains: they had them get up and move.

Mid-way through the sessions and again at the end, physical education teacher Vincent Levigne put on a music & movement CD. It wasn’t disruptive or disorderly. In fact, it was the opposite—what a delight to watch 100 kids paying 100% of their attention to moving their bodies correctly to “the robot dance” or a song called “I read a book!” And what pleasure on their little faces! After a single song, the kids were able to sit back down, completely refreshed and re-focused.

It was a stark contrast to some schools I’ve visited where teachers forcibly removed fidgety kids from the group. I know they are trying to be helpful/polite to me, the speaker. But I don’t think author visits should benefit the author, they should benefit the kids. I don’t want to teach kids how to be a quiet, passive, audience. I want to show them how engaging with the world can lead to an exciting and rewarding pastime or even career. Hats off to Media Specialist Diane Bunge and the staff at Perry who make teaching choices that keep kids their number one priority.

What does this mean for GH parents and teachers?

• Gretchen’s House programs have always encouraged kids to move, indoors and out. Though the sight of kids moving around the room during instruction may look disorganized to outsiders, it actually helps many kids stay engaged.
• If your KG or first grade child is fidgety, make sure s/he get movement breaks when working on homework. Wiggly kids often do better staying on task if they are allowed to stand rather than sit at the desk.
• If your family will be doing an activity that requires sitting still and paying attention for a long stretch (for example movies, weddings, or church), make sure your kids get time to move before, during and after the event. Even a brisk walk down the hall can help.

--H.V.

Play Symposium: March 29, 9 am-1pm

In cooperation with the Rudolph Steiner School and the Alliance for Childhood, Gretchen's House would like to invite parents and community members to participate in an educational symposium on the importance of play. This event focuses on the fact that open-ended, free play is disappearing from our children's lives. We'll show the PBS documentary, "Where Do The Children Play?", followed by a panel and discussion on the barriers to open-ended play. After lunch, we'll conduct a variety of active workshops for adults and adults with kids.

Read more information by clicking this link: Play Symposium Details

You may register by completing this form and mailing it to the Rudolph Steiner school at the address on the form. Please note that we cannot guarantee childcare or lunch for people who register the day of the event. More detailed menu information will be available following registration.

Further reading/listening on the importance of play:

• Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills: an NPR piece by Alex Spiegel
• Taking Play Seriously: an article in the New York Times Magazine by Robin Marantz Henig (you may need to register to read this one)

We hope to see you there!

-- Admin

Summer Camp Registration

For over 22 years, Gretchen's House SCamp has provided 5-11 year-olds with opportunities to explore a variety of interests and activities, at their home base and in the local community. Simming, crafts, games, and group projects are just a few of the fun, stimulating activities that Summer Campers do every week.

We are currently accepting registrations for school-age Summer Camp (SCamp) at four of our Ann Arbor locations: Mt. Vernon, Traver, Oak Valley, and Dhu Varren. Families who register before May 2, 2008, receive a discount on tuition. For more information, download the complete brochure and enrollment materials here. Returning SCamp-ers can download the enrollment paperwork here.

--Admin

Children's Chairs for Sale

We have changed out some of our furnishings and are offering used children's chairs for sale to parents and other care providers. These chairs are mostly manufactured by Community Playthings and retail for $50-70 new; we are asking only $5 per chair. They are sturdy wood, easy to clean and refinish, if desired. Most are stackable for compact storage.

The 10-inch tall chair is pictured above, more pictures are below. We haven't figured out how to caption photos on this blog, but the descriptions are as follows, in order top to bottom: 6.5" chair, 5" chair, stool, 12.5" chair, and booster chair.

Please contact Administrative Assistant Shauna Dillard if you are interested or need more information.

-- Admin

PAG Meeeting Location Change

The Parent Advisory Group meeting on March 4th will be at GH-Mt. Pleasant, not W.I.S.D. as listed below. Please make a note of it.

Welcome!

To those of you who are here as a result of the flyer we sent home, thanks for stopping by. Please note that the navigational bar at right lists archived posts by subject. We'd love to hear your feedback about this new tool, and we're open to suggestions for future posts. E-mail us or leave a comment. Thanks!

-- G.H.

Family Game Night

With the super cold temps keeping us indoors more than usual, it's easy to get a little stir crazy. Why not pass the time with family game nights? Set aside one night or time every night -- to play together.

You may be thinking, "I don't have any extra time in my schedule. Here are some ways to squeeze half an hour of fun into the day:

• Don't do everything yourself. Do a five or ten minute pick-up where everyone cleans as much as they can, then let the rest wait. When your kids are grown, which will they remember and appreciate more: a clean house, or fun times?
• Play while dinner cooks. Most casseroles bake half an hour.
• Play in between loads of laundry.
• Turn off the television and video games.

Besides the camraderie, playing games has important developmental benefits.

• Kids who play games with supportive adults play better with their peers.
• Many games encourage cognitive, language, and/or fine-motor skills. They also help teach important social and problem-solving skills: taking tuns, compromising, strategizing, and dealing with disappointment.
• Game-playing is a great way to help siblings learn to get along better. Big sibs can help younger sibs. Younger sibs enjoy a shift in power when games of chance let them win over big sibs. Both can witness the fact that it's sometimes hard for game players of all ages to lose, and see how other people handle disappointment (effectively or not so much, as the case may be).

I once babysat for a family who insisted I let the kids win every time we played games in order for the kid to develop healthy self-esteem. Bad idea! Kids are smart. They know when they're being soft-soaped. Instead of building self-esteem, letting kids win destroys it because it sends the message that kids can't win on their own. A better plan is to play with kids as though you were their age. Which is to say, don't play no-holds barred Monopoly with a five-year old. Allow yourself to be distracted or single-minded, in the way that kids are. Talk about the way you play to help your child develop strategies, and offer to coach if they want it. Then again, back off if they don't.

You can play lots of luck-based games with a deck of cards: crazy-eights, spit, go fish, old maid, war, etc. Start out with cards face-up until they get the hang of it.

Some other games grouped by age:

2-3: Memory, 25-50 piece jigsaw puzzles, who stole the cookie from the cookie jar

3-4: Connect Four, pick-up sticks, checkers, Boggle Junior, Guess Who, dominos

4-6: Monopoly Junior, Clue, Yahtzee Junior, Othello, Pictionary

6-10: Chess, Yahtzee, Boggle, Battleship, Trouble, Scrabble

(These age ranges aren't absolute, but based on the manageable frustration level for average kids. Older kids can play any of the younger games.)

If your favorite game is missing critical parts, many manufacturers make it easy to order replacements: Hasbro, Milton Bradley & Parker Brothers. For older games, try secondhand stores or ebay.

--H.V.

Ready for Kindergarten?

Maybe you're sure that your child is ready for kindergarten, you just need to decide where.

Maybe you're not sure if your child with a fall birthdate will be ready for kindergarten by September.

Maybe you're not even sure what "ready for kindergarten" means.

We're here to help!

Several Ann Arbor Gretchen's House locations offer high-quality kindergarten programs and afternoon enrichment programs (with transportation) for children enrolled in public school kindergarten. We have certified teachers, small group sizes, and low student-to-teacher ratios. We're hosting open houses this month to help parents grappling with the questions above. Participants will learn about our curriculum and philosophy, get answers to technical questions, and get an idea of what kind of a setting will work best for their child's personal development.

Join us:

February 20th: 2340 Oak Valley Drive, 6-7:30 p.m.
February 27th: 2625 Traver Blvd., 5:45-7:00 p.m.
Date t.b.a.: 1580 Dhu Varren Rd. (being rescheduled due to inclement weather.)

Feel free to e-mail the center directors individually using the links above if you have further questions. Driving directions can be found at each center's web page. If you're unable to make it to your first-choice location, you can attend one of the others and set up an appointment to tour the most convenient facility for your family at a later date.

-- Admin

Hello, Snow!

Due to the ongoing snowstorm, all Gretchen's House childcare centers in the Ann Arbor area will be closed today, February 1st, 2008.

(Gretchen's House at Little Oaks in Pontiac remains open as long as the Oakland County government stays open.)

--Admin

Sleep Solutions

Feeling tired and grumpy? You're not alone. Sleep issues are one of the most popular searches in online parenting forums.

At our centers, we have had so many conversations about sleep with new and experienced parents alike that we made a summary of our sleep suggestions. You can download a printable copy of our purple page on the topic here. Purple Pages are our coffee break-sized newsletters about various developmental and family challenges. We're up to more than forty different topics by now! Parents and visitors can pick up hard copies at any of the centers. Parents of currently enrolled children can download printable pdf files of all the purple pages plus other original material from our website, on the Child Development tab.

We recently received a mailing from parent educator Elizabeth Pantley introducing her No-Cry books and website. You can download her helpful suggestions at the links below:

• Newborn Babies and Sleep
• 8 Sleep Tips for Every Child
• Moving from Crib to Bed
• Solving Naptime Problems

Ms. Pantley is holding two sleep-related contests on her website. The deadline is Feb. 29th; four inners will have their choice of an autographed No-Cry book.

My own contribution to better bedtimes is a picture book called Hillside Lullaby. It's a story about a "wild little child" lulled to sleep by the sounds of the animals outside her window. You can download a free MP3 file of the song that goes with the book from my website.

Sleep tight!

-- H.V.

Winter Parent Workshops

Child development expert and GH Director of Curriculum Beth MeLampy is conducting a series of parenting workshops for Gretchen's House this winter. Parents need to sign up in advance with LoisAnn Arnold.

Topics include:

• January 30th: Encouraging Cooperation
• February 13: Alternatives to Punishment and Problem Solving
• March 5: Encouraging Autonomy

Spaces are filling fast, so if you're interested in participating, don't delay!

-- Admin

Gretchen's House All Centers 2008 Calendar

Please note that days the centers are closed are in bold. Center specific information can be found in the GH newsletter, classroom news, and classroom bulletin boards.

January

• January 1st: all centers closed for New Year's Day

February

• Kindergarten meetings, various: check at each center
• 25-29: Ann Arbor Public Schools winter break, sign up for school-age care at your center

March

• Parent Advisory Group meeting at GH-Mt.Pleasant, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
• 27-29 MiAEYC Annual Conference in Grand Rapids

April

• Month of the Young Child Events: check newsletter insert for details
• 7-11 Ann Arbor Public Schools Spring Break: sign up for schoolage care at your center

May

• Parent-Teacher conferences: schedule with your child's teacher
• May 26th: all centers closed for Memorial Day
• Saturday center workdays, varied. Check with your center.
• Potlucks, varied. Check with your center.

June

• 3rd: Parent Advisory Group Meeting at GH-Dhu Varren
• 12th: Last full day of school for the Ann Arbor District
• 16th: First day of SCAMP
• Saturday center workdays, varied. Check with your center.
• Potlucks, varied. Check with your center.

July

• 4th: all centers closed for Independence Day

August

• 27th-29th: all centers closed for staff work days

September

• 1st: all centers closed for Labor Day

October

• Curriculum Night, various: check your child's class bulletin board

November

• 4th - 7th: National Association for the Education of Young Children Conference in Dallas
• 27th and 28th: all centers closed for Thanksgiving

December

• Holiday parties, varied: check with your center
• 24th-31st: all centers closed for winter break

--Admin

Congratulations!

GH-Traver has been reaccredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children!

NAEYC's official stamp of approval is reserved for providers of high quality childcare. Gretchen's House centers have all been accredited for many years, but NAEYC recently changed their accreditation requirements. The new guidelines require much more concrete documentation than in the past, so director Lea Augustine and company had their hands full making sure all the i's were dotted and the t's crossed. And apparently, they were!

Going through the reaccreditation process, though a lot of work, is a great opportunity to ensure our standards remain high and to stay current with the latest research and recommendations about what's best for young children. Although we've been in business for more than twenty years, it's always nice to get an "honor roll" report card from an outside source. During the first year of the new standards, six centers in the state of Michigan achieved accreditation or were reaccredited. We look forward to our other programs marking this milestone over the next year or two.

You can read more about the extensive accreditation process here.

--H.V.