Sarah had been in preschool since the age of 2, and was an enthusiastic and very energetic little girl.  She was very excited that she would be going to kindergarten next year and could not wait to ride the bus with the other children.

Early in the school year, Sarah’s teachers observed that she as struggling to gain pre-reading skills such as rhyming and remembering the names and sounds of the letters in her name.  The teachers knew it was Sarah’s dream to go to kindergarten and they were determined to make her as ready as possible.

The teachers implemented a plan to help Sarah learn her letters and sounds.  They used her love of music and movement and included activities that included letters and sounds.  She particularly learned to love rhyming and the teachers introduced her to come simple jump rope rhymes which she would sing in the gym while jump roping.

The teachers kept careful observations of Sarah’s progress and shared her successes with her parents.  Sarah’s parents helping by playing games in the car on the way to school with her siblings.

Sarah was recently assessed on her early reading skills – she quickly completed the picture naming section and was able to name every single rhyme for the pictures in the assessment.  Sarah met all the targets for her literacy skills.  The teachers are still working with Sarah on her letters and sounds but they are confident she is ready for kindergarten.  Now the question is, will kindergarten be ready for Sarah?

Find out more about Children, Inc.’s Ninth District Montessori classroom

Reactions to starting child care are hard to predict.  Some children welcome the adventure of “going to school” like their older brothers and sisters.  Others are terrified at the thought of being away from mom.  Separation anxiety is a normal response to starting child care.  Children are comforted by familiar routines and familiar environments.  And most of all they are comforted by the presence of their primary caregiver.  When they first enter child care, they are asked to adapt to new routines and environments, and to do so without the reassuring  presence of mom or dad.   That’s a daunting task.  The challenge for parents and teachers is to orchestrate the experience that letting go of contact is not letting go of love.

Dr. Ron Lally has introduced a wonderful concept of “being held in the mind of another.”  About seven to nine months of age an important awareness emerges in the young infant.  Up until this time if her mother pointed to something, Alicia would fixedly stare at her mother’s hand.  Now if her mother points, she looks in the direction of the object mom is pointing at.  She has discovered that her mother has a mind.  She can begin to understand the intention of another’s actions. This is a precursor to the emergence of “theory of mind. (T.O.M.)”  Dr. Lally’s concept of being held in the mind of another is an important part of T.O.M.  When the child has this she can sense her mother’s presence and love even when she is absent.  Parents and teachers can provide small but important cues of being held in the parent’s mind.  Some of these cues include:

1. Talk about the separation in positive terms, i.e. the fun things that will happen at “school”; reassurance about the parent’s return, etc.
2. Allowing the child to bring transition objects such as a favorite stuffed animal or blanket that is a proxy for the parent’s presence.
3. Stay with the child for a short time the first couple of days so that the child learns that this place is a safe haven and that nothing bad happens here.
4. Model a warm welcoming relationship to the child’s primary teacher.
5. Keep a picture of mom in the cubby so the child can “check in” periodically when she needs assurance.
6. Ask the child to imagine mommy’s workplace and picture mom thinking about what the child is doing at school
7. Use music and stories to indicate how children can cope effectively with separation.

One such tool is David Kisor’s song, “I Keep a Kiss in My Pocket”.  It’s a take off on the familiar children’s book The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn.  In the song the parent and child establish a separating ritual that provides the child with a reminder of being held in the mother’s mind.  This is just one example of how children’s music can serve the social and emotional needs of young children.

Children, Inc. has taken a proactive stance with communicating some tips for flu season with our parents. We also utilize our Well Child Policy to guide parents and staff on a day-to-day basis about keeping children and their environment healthy. This document reminds parents and staff of the guidelines for when a child should be sent home and what symptoms to look out for this flu season.

Some basic tips for parents to remember during flu season:

• Wash hands when entering the program and after being outside
• Wash hands before and after eating and after bathroom visits
• Wash hands before and after sensory tables
• Wash your hands and the child’s hands after diaper changes
• Wash hands after using a kleenex or wiping a child’s runny nose
• Use disposable towels to turn off water and open bathroom doors
• Use hand sanitizer in-between hand washing
• Cough into your elbow and teach children how to do this
• Disinfect surfaces and toys every day
• Know and observe our well-child policy and exclusion for illness
• Get proper rest and eat healthy foods
• See your doctor if you think you have the flu
• Report any illness to your director
• Remember infected people are most contagious while they have a fever

If we can all keep these tips in mind we will have a safe and healthy few months ahead of us. Also remember that the H1N1 virus has the exact same symptoms as the normal seasonal flu and if you are having flu like symptoms to call your doctor. As we’ve been told by the Department of Health, vaccines should be available in early October and we are highly recommending that our families and staff get their flu shot. If you have any further questions or need more information feel free to ask your director or visit www.flu.gov