The Penguin Pebble
February 2022
FCPS Preschool Programs
Email: wgcnews@cityschools.com
Website: https://wgeclc.fxbgschools.us/
Location: 210 Ferdinand Street, Fredericksburg, VA, USA
Phone: 5403721065
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FCPSpreschoolprograms
Twitter: @FCPSPreschool
Important Dates
- February 4: FCPS Head Start & KG Head Start: Center Visit Day, no school for students.
- February 7: KING GEORGE HEAD START - No school/ Teacher Workday
- February 9: FCPS PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS - Early Dismissal
- February 16: Dr. Yum - Tangy Broccoli Salad
- February 17: Policy Council
- February 21: NO SCHOOL - President's Day Holiday
Peace
Celebrating MLK Jr. Day
"I Am Brave: A Little Book about Martin Luther King Jr."
Happy Heart Month!
Log onto the website emailed from your child's teacher to get moving with fun activities and learn about keeping their hearts and brains healthy.
Health Corner
Please make sure you are completing your child's dental appointment every 6 months and the yearly physical.
Family Engagement
Getting help around the house - Children & Chores
Chores are a great way to teach responsibility, life skills and let everyone help get everything done for the family. There are many ways that children can help out and help them grow into self- sufficient adults and they can start at a young age. Here are some tips and age-appropriate chores to help give your helpers knowledge on how to take care of their home and family.
- Have an answer to the dreaded “why?” question – the question “why do I have to do this” may be the bane of a parent’s existence but being able to give a concrete answer to the importance of chores and show that you know why they matter, makes a huge difference. Tell a child “When our home is clean, we can have more time to play/it’s easier to find our things when we want them/we feel good about having company." Helping them see the value of keeping things clean motivates a child more than the consequences of not keeping things tidy. Keep calm and give a reason that a child understands
- Model how you think about chores – think about how you would like your child to think about chores and show them what you want to see. For example, laundry can feel never ending, but make a point to make a comment about how nice clean clothes feel or how nice fresh sheets smell. Praise them when they complete a chore and say how it is helpful that they did it.
- Problem solve with your child – when a child is not keeping up with their chores, talk about it. What about that chore is hard or daunting? This can be an opportunity to let the child express their feelings and be heard and to help them problem solve to be able to get things done.
- Make chores part of the routine – Expect that everyone over age 3 helps with some part of taking care of the house and the things in it. Keep a routine and make a visual schedule of what everyone needs to do.
- Make sure chores are age appropriate – Children ages 2-3 can help with picking up their toys, putting laundry in the laundry basket, putting trash in trash can, and wiping surfaces. Children ages 4-6 can help take care or pets or plants, set and clear the table, match socks, empty the trash and sweep a small room. Children ages 7-11 can help with folding laundry, sweeping, vacuuming, taking trash out, washing mirrors and windows, some meal prep, weeding gardens, cleaning out the car, cleaning their rooms, organizing toys and getting the mail. Children 12 and older can help with mowing the lawn, ironing, washing car, laundry, cooking simple meals, mopping and cleaning the bathroom.