Welcome to your November Educator Newsletter. I wanted to bring your attention to some necessary reminders.

INTERVIEWS

Interviewing new parents is an essential aspect of running your day home business. The interview process is for both you and the parents to find out if you are the right fit for the child’s needs. It is also a time to introduce your own fee schedule (if you have one), discuss your holiday policy (if you have one) and set appropriate and reasonable boundaries.

Your role as a businessperson is to conduct professional conversations with potential new parents. It is important that you are truthful, clear, and consistent in you messaging. If your day home closes at 6 pm and a parent wants their child to be picked up at 7 pm, ask yourself, is this something that is sustainable for me as a day home educator? Don’t always feel pressurized to give an answer to a potential new parent immediately. You have the right to say, “I don’t know, and I need 24 hours to consider this”. It is easy to say yes in the moment but is it easy for you to follow through with the commitment you have just agreed to?

Parents looking for childcare need to know that their educator is wanting to give care to their child on a long-term basis. Transitions for both parents and children are hard, and if you do not think that you are the right fit for a family, be honest with them from the outset.

TRANSITIONS

So you’ve registered a new child in your day home…now what? The next step in your role is to work hard to create as smooth a transition time for all involved. Remember, it’s not just the child who is transitioning. Parents/families are too. It can sometimes be harder for the parent than the child. You are also transitioning – give yourself time to get used to having a new child in your day home. Finally, your current day home children will now be transitioning and adjusting to a new child – this can often change the dynamic and flow of your day, and your existing children will be transitioning to these changes too.

Transitioning takes time! For everyone involved. A child may take more than two weeks to get used to their new routine. If you are struggling with a new transition, reach out to your consultant. They are there to support you, listen, and offer different strategies that may help.

As per the agency’s Transition Policy, here are some techniques you should use:

· Give the child time to adjust to the new environment with the parent close by and the caregiver farther away for the first few minutes.

· Initially, indirect contact between a caregiver and a child tends to put the child more at ease than direct contact. Experienced caregivers will use a buffer such as a toy, book, or activity to interest the child and draw the child over. After a series of activities and interactions with the caregiver and the other children, the child will soon learn to trust the caregiver and the new environment. Expect the bonding to happen over time

· Most children feel comfortable having the parent help them remove their coat, boots as well as put them on at the end of the day.

· Invite the parent to call when they get to work for reassurance that the child is settled.

· Most children are comfortable after a few days. Some take as long as two weeks and infants can take up to a month to be comfortable in the day home. Part-time care often need's a longer adjustment period. If, however, the child still seems uncomfortable after a period of time and you are concerned, talk to the. Parent and your consultant.

· Caregivers should plan an appropriate "wind-down" activity to help the child prepare for pick-up time

RECORDING HOLIDAYS/DAYS OFF/PNA DAYS – A REMINDER

If you have a Holiday Policy which states that you are to be paid for a vacation, please record this on your attendance sheet with the letter “H”. When sending in your time sheet, add a reminder in your email to your consultant that you are expecting to be paid.

It is important to remember - when you close your day home, those days can only be classified as either a PNA or Holiday – it cannot be both – this is an unethical business principle and has the potential to cause issues with parents. If your day home is closed, it is closed to all parents.

HOLIDAY PAY/TOP UP

As you may be aware, the government issued a recent announcement regarding changes to supports for ECE’s. Once I have more clarification as to how this may effect day home ECE’s I will be sending out a letter to everyone.

Thank you for your continued hard work.

Emma

Coordinator

National Child Day is celebrated on November 20 and reaffirms our country’s commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC.) The UNCRC outlines our responsibility in keeping our children safe, healthy and engaged. By celebrating National Child Day you’re helping raise awareness of the rights of children in Alberta, and contributing to a healthy environment where children can thrive.

This year’s theme is the right to participate. A child’s right to participate is a main pillar to achieving self-actualization. Children have the right to participate in activities such as play, family, culture, and learning. They also have the right to participate when decisions are made about them. Empowering young people from all backgrounds to participate in decision-making and activities helps grow their voice and confidence.Please visit nationalchildday.ca to learn more about National Child Day, access planning resources and find events happening in the community.

What happened in the Story?

A was playing in the play kitchen area.She took a pot and rotated the switch of stove and put the pot on the stove .Then she opened the cupboard to get one glass and put under the tap to get some water .She pretended to fill the pot with water .Then she got one wooden spoon and added something into water and started stirring .After some stirring ,she took one tea kettle and pretended to pour her her recipe from pot to teapot ..When the other child joined in her play ,she said ,”Tea “. She walked to table with teapot and placed on the table .Then she again went to kitchen and brought one white cup and blue plate and put on the table .She started pouring the tea into cup .She hold the cup and pretended to drink .She looked at me and said ,’yummy ‘I smiled and said ,It smells so good . The other child came up to A and said ,’Can I have some.A gave a cup to him to try .She went in the kitchen and opened the door of microwave and put the bread in plate inside the microwave and closed the door and pretend to turn it on .She opened the door again and took out the plate and served the other child .She repeated this process several times in cooking different vegetables and food in microwave .

What she learned through her play?

A learned independence in her work ,responsiveness ,self help skills,developed fine motor control ,hand eye coordination and caring for others .

According to Alberta Flight curriculum ,

-A developed a strong sense of identity .

-She connected and contributed to her world by role playing .

-She showed confidence and was involved with another child .

-She communicated using vocabulary .She practiced learning through play.

What's next for A?

As I found A interest in cooking and pouring ,I will enhance her interest by providing different ingredients for mixing ,set up some baking activities like cookie dough making ,play dough preparing ,mixing food coloring in water and pouring in small spray bottles,providing water with different kitchen utensils and cups and bowls for pouring .

Parent comments:

Have you noticed that all babies and young children tend to ‘want to do things by themselves?’ This tendency is the beginning of independence and, as a parent/educator, it is important for you to encourage this. Here’s why.

Independence is important because…

1. It promotes confidence and self-esteem as well as motivation and perseverance in school.
2. It fosters self-reliance, allowing your child to feel they have control over their life.
3. It gives your child a sense of importance and belonging which is essential for building social relationships and for contributing to the world.
4. It develops their levels of self-awareness and sensitivity towards others which teaches them to help those around them.
5. It teaches them self-motivation as they have the freedom to find their own reasons to achieve.
6. It provides them with the belief that they are competent and capable of taking care of themselves which makes them resilient to external challenges.
7. It allows them to become good decision-makers as they have the freedom to consider various options before choosing the one they feel is best.
8. It develops other vital qualities such as patience, concentration, self-help, cooperation, self-discipline, and self-trust.
9. It gives them the freedom to experience life fully and learn its many important lessons.
10. It makes them happy and healthy as they feel a great sense of achievement and success as a direct result of their own actions.

How to Promote Independence in Children

1. Provide opportunities for your child to be independent. Children can carry their own lunch boxes, put toys away, put their shoes by the door, and help with chores like putting away toys.

2. Give your child time to do simple tasks on his own. When planning your family's schedule, add extra time for things like putting on shoes, walking to the car, emptying a backpack, and feeding the dog. It’s worth it to make them feel capable and independent. Also remember to provide plenty of time to transition from one activity to another; toddlers can’t immediately switch gears like adults can.

3. Offer your child choices. Let her pick out pajamas, healthy snacks, and favorite play activities. Rather than setting up a power struggle between you and your child, empower her to make her own choices.

4. Choose your words wisely. When giving your child a choice, ask a question: “Would you like to put your coat on in the bedroom or in the kitchen?” If something is not a choice, make a statement: “You need to put your coat on before we go outside.” Being as clear as possible about what he can and can’t decide for himself as you support your child’s growth and independence will reduce frustrations for both of you.

5. Avoid engaging in daily power struggles with toddlers and twos. Developing independence can mean children do or say the opposite of what an adult asks, just to show their power. If there’s a behavior that’s particularly important to you, be consistent each time a struggle begins, and make your expectations clear.

6. Engage and interact with your child. Set him up at the kitchen counter to tear lettuce or break uncooked pasta. Give him a bowl and spoon as you make breakfast.

7. Be joyful. The experience of delight these children bring should not be overlooked. Smile, dance, laugh, and show her you love her. Play outside in the snow.

8. Create a routine. While you don't need to set exact times for activities, children like to know what’s going to happen next. Always read two books before bed, for example. Always wave out the window at child care drop-off. Having a predictable routine fosters children’s independence because they know what’s happening next, which helps avoid surprises, struggles, and tantrums.

9. Respect your child as a person. Tell him what’s going to happen today: “I’m picking you up right after nap today.” Let him know what's happening next: “After breakfast, we’ll get you dressed.” Give cues: “We’ll start putting the blocks away in a few minutes.” And give him the opportunity to do it for himself: “Do you want to put your socks on by yourself?” Respect your child as an individual.

10. Children are learning all the time. They learn through their play, so be sure to give your child lots of time for both indoor and outdoor play experiences. Blocks, animal figures, dress-up clothes, cardboard boxes, bubbles, sticks, leaves, balls, and interesting kitchen utensils (pots and pans, empty spice containers)—these can all be exciting tools for learning through play

The last thing we want for children is for them to feel insecure and be vulnerable to external hazards, so start to encourage independence now. This will help them to develop into strong, competent, and capable adults ready to take on the world and its challenges.

https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/growing-independence

November 2nd 6.30 – 8.30 Documentation

December 7th 6.30 – 8.30 Outdoor and Risky Play