Hello Angie,

EFC IS A BEST OF EDINA 2024 FINALIST!

We are excited to share that we have been voted as a Best of Edina finalist in the Best Preschool category. Thank you for your support! Winners will be announced in July. You can see the list of finalists here.

MARCH IS WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH & NATIONAL READING MONTH

At EFC, we want to instill a love for books. From infants through preschoolers, children are read to often and there is also time for independent reading.

We know that reading to children is such an important part of a child’s development. A fantastic way to promote reading at home is to make sure the whole family reads together. This doesn’t mean always reading aloud but reading together can help foster feelings of love and security, increase imagination and vocabulary, and expand future success in reading and writing.

Throughout the month there will be many fun activities to engage the children in the world of books, and with March also being Women’s History Month, we have two great reasons to read about and recognize the accomplishments of women!

Here are a few tips to for an enjoyable reading time:

Choose a book with repetition.
Choose a story that is not too long.
Read with expression.
Allow your child to ask questions.
Ensure books are diverse and provide accurate representation for self-worth and deeper connection, as well as promoting awareness and embracing other cultures’ differences.
Set aside a special reading time, such as right before bedtime.
Read books that your child likes repeatedly.

CENTER HAPPENINGS

PARENT READERS

During March, we invite parent or grandparent readers to come and read a book to your child’s classroom. You can bring in your child’s favorite story or pick one from the classroom library. Please see your child’s classroom sign up to arrange a time if you would like to participate. If you know a community worker (police/wo/man, firefighter, doctor, pilot or other professional) who would donate some of their time, we would love for them to come and read for our children as well. Please speak to Anna or Laura to coordinate.

READ-A-STORY THEATER

Read-A-Story theater will be here on Friday, March 15, to tell stories to our preschoolers, starting at 10 AM. The Read-A-Story theater group consists of senior men & women who dress up & perform children’s stories to groups of young children.

ADVENTURE PEAK

On Tuesday, March 21, the toddlers and preschool classes will plan to play in the gym & Adventure Peak! Please be here by 9 AM so you don’t miss out on the fun!

FAMILY REMINDERS

Mud, slush, and water… oh my. The first day of spring is March 19 and with that—typically--comes the thaw... and then comes lots of puddles and wet snow. The children will get wet all the way through their snow pants and sometimes through boots too! Please make sure your child has at least two changes of clothing at school, including extra socks, and mittens. We want to make sure that the children can play outside every day and still come in and be able to learn and play in comfort. This is also a great time to double check your child’s extra clothes to ensure they have the proper sizes! Thank you!

ESPECIALLY FOR PARENTS

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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