Updates from the Director
April 22, 2020
How Do BLOCKS Staff Care For Our Earth?
Dear Families and Children,
Happy Earth Day! We hope you enjoy the pictures of the BLOCKS preschool staff showing you the many ways to Reuse, Reduce and Recycle when we are at home. Please encourage your preschooler to do their part in helping take care of our earth.
Be well and stay safe at home!
Regards,
Rosario Alvarez
Coping with the Coronavirus
We’re all anxious because of the coronavirus. Our daily lives have been disrupted, we aren’t sure what tomorrow may bring, and for many of us the nonstop news and social media coverage isn’t helping. This is hard on both us and our kids.
In this newsletter we will offer some suggestions on how we can try and be positive during
these difficult times and help our kids feel more secure:
- We may not realize it, but some of the anxiety our kids are experiencing may be passed on by our own anxiety. These are difficult times, and we are constantly hearing worrisome things that are going on around us. If we try our best to stay focused on the present and try to be positive, we can then be role models and help our kids develop healthy ways of coping.
- There are some things we can do to keep a positive outlook on life. We can a put a limit on the negative information our children are hearing or seeing on television or the computer about the corona virus. Also, we can help them understand what is going on, answer their questions, and reassure them that they are safe.
- Let’s try to stay focused on some of the good things we can do every day as a family. Let’s set some structure and routine so that we have some goals of things we can do each day. Setting goals can keep us focused in the present and remind us that life is still continuing. Let’s support each other, and praise each other’s efforts, as we as a family are practicing healthy habits, like washing our hands and social distancing.
- Young children have difficulty verbally expressing how they feel. When they get worried, they may get headaches, a stomach ache, or may have trouble sleeping. A place to start is to help them identify how they are feeling; using a feeling chart (see on-line )with faces expressing the different emotions in various colors. This can be a good way to help them express those inner emotions. When they seem worried, do some calming activities together (breathing, coloring activities, a game, or a quiet walk in the woods), always reassuring them that things will be OK.
Take care and be safe,
The Support Staff at BLOCKS:
Michael Biundo, psychologist, mbiundo@framingham.k12.ma.us
Montana Byrne, social worker mbyrne@framingham.k12.ma.us,
Jennifer Raymond, nurse jraymond@framingham.k12.ma.us
Lisa Larsen, nurse elarsen@framingham.k12.ma.us
B.L.O.C.K.S. Preschool
Email: kromine@framingham.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.framingham.k12.ma.us/blocks
Location: 29 Upper Joclyn Avenue, Framingham, MA, USA
Twitter: @blocksschool