Dear Angie,

Happy Women’s History Month: Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

This month we would like to give a shout out to a few women who have made a great impact on our history, culture, and society.

Happy March Birthday, Ladies!!

*Gladys Spellman: American congresswoman (1st)

*Elizabeth Barrett Browning: Poet (6th)

*Josephine Cochrane: Invented the Dishwasher (8th)

*Margret Murray Washington: African American Educator and Activist (9th)

*Amanda Clemet: Baseball Umpire (20th)

*Pearl Bailey: American Actress and singer (29th)

*Liz Claiborne: Fashion Designer and Businesswoman (31st)

CENTER HAPPENINGS

PARENT READERS

During the last week of March, we would like to offer you an opportunity to 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 speak to your child’s teaching staff to arrange a time if you would like to participate.

FAMILY RESOURCES

NATIONAL READING MONTH

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.

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