Dear Angie,

Welcome to “I Love to Read” month! Each week the children will learn all about various, all time favorite, authors and illustrators. We would love for your child to share their favorite book with their class in the weeks to come, so keep an eye on the calendar as we have lots of fun activities and celebrations throughout the month! 

CENTER HAPPENINGS

We are so very excited to be partnering with Play, Tap and Go, an interactive musical program. Twice a month, the toddlers and preschoolers will interact with music and various games that help to develop a solid set of music fundamentals that will last a lifetime. 

In March we also will be celebrating the First Day of Spring (Hallelujah!), National Waffle Day, National compliment day and St. Patrick’s Day. It looks like it will be another busy but exciting month! 

FAMILY REMINDERS

Older Preschool parents, please remember to send your child’s backpack and library card if they are going to the library on Wednesdays.

Spring is just around the corner! Hopefully we will be able to send home all winter gear as the season comes to an end. Please check your child’s cubby for items to take home. All children should have socks and tennis shoes to wear when going outside, so please keep that in mind as you take home winter boots. Also, please remember to check your parent folders as well as your child’s classroom art folders at least once a week. 

BUILDING RESILIENCE IN CHILDREN THROUGH CONNECTION

My family of four has gotten hooked on the game Code Names, and we try to get in a few sessions of play each week. Our daughters are 8 and 11, so I recognize that the days of them piling onto our bed to play a game may be short-lived; I am not taking this ritual for granted. The game itself is a fun mental challenge, but I also believe that the time together, away from work, homework, sports and, of course, screens, provides all of us with a sense of connection that forms the foundation of our family. And, importantly, this connection is a tool for building resilience in our children as they grow. 

Connection is one the seven “C”s of resilience, as developed by pediatrician Kenneth Ginsburg, M.D., MS Ed, FAAP:

Connection

Developing close ties to family and community creates a solid sense of security that helps lead to strong values and prevents alternative destructive paths to love and attention. You can help your child connect with others by:

• Building a sense of physical safety and emotional security within your home 
• Allowing the expression of all emotions, so that kids will feel comfortable reaching out during difficult times 
• Addressing conflict openly in the family to resolve problems
• Creating a common area where the family can share time (not necessarily TV time)
• Fostering healthy relationships that will reinforce positive messages

Last night as we played, there was a disagreement about the rules that created some feelings of tension and frustration. Given the low stakes of the outcome, it was a good opportunity to practice allowing our daughter to express her emotions while working to calmly resolve the conflict. The space of connection allowed for a healthy response to the minor disagreement, and hopefully helped build skills for emotional expression and conflict resolution in the future.

Learn more about the 7Cs of resilience here:

https://www.fosteringresilience.com/7cs_parents.php

Especially for Children - Circle Pines

2 H South Pine Dr.

Circle Pines, MN 55014

(763) 786-9410

efc12@especiallyforchildren.com

Center Directors

Linda Kottke and Bridget Doyle