Our family has lived in Vermont for over 13 years, and this place is very generous with seasons. January brings intense cold and some snow. With the returning light around Candlemas, the bitter weather abates and the season of snow really begins. On the first day of spring, we might have snow, but from mid-March to the end of April, you can feel nature speeding up. In fact, when our children were small, I found it very easy to make … Read More...
“Fine motor skills” refers to the small movements we do with our hands; they are the combined efforts of our thumbs and fingers as well as the coordination of the hands with one another. You might even think of the ability engendered by the term “fine motor skill” to be one of our most human traits, facilitated by our very mobile digits and our bipedalism. Children begin developing these skills very early; we’ve all seen ultrasound images of babies sucking … Read More...
In the hubbub of a busy morning, not many food choices will seem easy enough to bother with. The idea of making a sandwich can be insurmountable when you already know your child won’t eat the bread or can’t take peanut butter or only eats ham every third Tuesday when the moon is full. All your ideas of healthy food choices suddenly seem less important than just knowing your child will at least consume a few calories between breakfast and … Read More...
As you head into summer with your school-age children, you might be trying to find ways to support the academic advances they’ve made during the school year without making summer feel like an endless extension of school. Summer and other breaks are important for letting learning sink in, giving young minds time to mull over what they’ve covered in their school time and having plenty of free time to explore other interests. Still, there is evidence that shows that longer … Read More...
As parents, we all want the very best for our children. We want our kids to be safe, nurtured, and eager to learn about the world around them. The early years for learning are critical to making sure our kids develop and acquire skills that help them grow into happy, healthy, social individuals who will succeed in both life and school. As we entrust our little one’s future development to early childhood educators, what should parents look for in a … Read More...
As children begin to get anxious, excited or enthused to start the new school year, you’re likely mulling over how to make this year calmer or more joyful. You might think about the rhythms of the morning routine or your child’s mood when he or she returns home. Maybe you would like homework to get done with fewer hiccups or for bedtime to be a more tranquil end to hectic school days. The thing about starting school again is that … Read More...
