Our May transportation theme taught the children all about traveling by land, sea, and air. A trip to space was also one of the highlights of the month.

The summer is just around the corner and Carelot is ready! Our staff has many exciting activities planned to make your child’s summer one to remember! Volunteers are encouraged to help out in our classrooms whenever possible! Drop off 5 minutes early and read a story to the class or make arrangements with the classroom teachers to help out with a project.

Please notify the office of any summer schedule changes. Remember if you withdraw your child for the summer, we, unfortunately, cannot guarantee that we will have space in the fall, but we will try our best to meet your needs!

We are very excited to welcome our campers for the summer! They certainly will be very busy for the summer! Many of our College students are back to help out for the summer! Welcome back!

Fall enrollment is beginning: EARN an instant $25 for any families you refer and enroll at Carelot or the Clubhouse programs.

Conferences: Time to set up a short conference with your child’s teacher! Please set a time to go over your child’s development and assessment information in the weeks of June 1st-11th! We can’t wait to share all of their milestones and accomplishments!

Check out the upcoming events happening at each program! Keep up to date by checking out our website calendar or joining our Facebook page. Each month we add new pictures and updates!

We are always looking for parent/family volunteers. Come and share a favorite story, make a snack or craft with the children, or just come and spend time in your child’s classroom!

As we come to the end of another school year, we would like to thank you all for entrusting your children with us! We know the past year was challenging but we made it through!!! We have enjoyed having them and loved all the giggles! We look forward to seeing all of you in the Fall 2021!

We provide a before and after-school learning environment for children in Waterford Public Schools and our programs in Griswold and New London are pending for the fall.

Our Clubhouse program also runs for children at The Friendship School in WTFD! Our Program at The Friendship school cares for children who attend the Friendship School before and after school.

Our Clubhouse programs are actively enrolling for the school year. Please plan accordingly and register early!

Summer Camp is just around the corner. Please be sure to submit your registration form. The kids have been loving the warmer weather and outside playtime. Thank you to all the moms who came to our Mother’s day tea! We enjoyed visiting with you! Have a wonderful summer and see you all in August! Ms. Heather & Ms. Lorraine

SUMMER CAMP 2021! SIGN UP NOW! ONLY A FEW SPACES LEFT!

Congratulations to Gianni's Mom - Danielle DiRaimo for submitting an answer to last month's question. You will receive a $25 tuition credit!!!!

• Waterplay:We will keep you updated on Waterplay as the summer weather approaches. We will be using only sprinklers for the children on our playgrounds or single use sensory buckets.

• Playground Safety: please have your child wear closed toe shoes— the playground terrain can be harsh on little toes!
• Confidentiality: It is contrary to the interest of the Centers and those we serve to give out information regarding children and their families. Carelot maintains confidentiality and respects the family’s right to privacy, refraining from disclosure of information and intrusion into family life. However, when we have reason to believe that a child’s welfare is at risk, Carelot will share confidential information with agencies as well as with individuals who have legal responsibility for intervening in the child's best interest. Disclosure of children’s records beyond the family member, program personnel and consultants having an obligation of confidentiality shall require familial consent (except in cases of child abuse or neglect ) Should you request that we speak with outside sources for any reason, please complete a release of information form. Staff will work together and information will be discussed only when it will benefit the care we offer the children and/or their parents. All children’s files and assessments are also kept confidential.
• Labeling Snacks and Lunches: Please be sure to label items in your child’s lunchbox!!! Thank for you cooperation!
• Contagious diseases: Information sheets are sent home to programs if a child has a contagious disease which includes information on symptoms, procedures and prevention. (illnesses such as, Covide-19, coxsackie, strep, pink eye, etc) This is to keep you abreast on illnesses your child may be exposed. At this time we will continue assessing each individual as they enter our building.

As discussed over the past couple of years, we have communicated with our families about the major changes that have occurred in our state affecting our industry. From changing regulations to increased wages and the need for higher education professionals.

To continue to provide you with the level of care you all expect we will again institute a rate increase within the next month. Based on the new minimum wage requirements we will be forced to increase fees annually in order to meet the needs of our staff and the minimum wage requirements.

Please know that this is not an easy decision and we are working on a rate schedule with our families and staff in mind.

PROVIDER APPRECIATION:

PROVIDER APPRECIATION: Thank you to all the families who sent kind words to our staff. We appreciate all they do and commend them for being essential workers each and every day. Our staff was treated with fun gifts each day, breakfast, and a luncheon. We also wrapped up the week with a fun door prize raffle!

Upcoming events:

Summer Fundraiser: Fun Pasta Fundraising! Stay tuned for more information!

Shop on AMAZON! Father's Day, on June 20, is a major shopping holiday and a great time to increase your AmazonSmile donations. With the below copy and banners, simply remind your supporters to shop at smile.amazon.com to generate donations for Carelot Childrens Center PTO.

We like to occasionally remind families about the importance of nutritious meals for young children. Although packing meals at home for school is time consuming, the types of foods that your child finds in his or her lunch box help to determine the energy that he or she has for participating in school activities. When selecting lunches, please consider those that are low in fat, sodium and sugar. For example, some of the ready-made snacks or lunch meals look appealing, but are low on nutritional value. It may take a few minutes, but it is worth your time to make a peanut butter or cheese sandwich and add a piece of fruit. Yogurt and fresh fruit make nutritious snacks. Please help educate your child about nutritious eating and snacking so that he or she will benefit from these lessons now and in the future!

Check out Pinterest for some great school lunch ideas!

Any old working Ipads, Iphones or tablets for our classrooms!

Outdoor bikes or toys (sandtoys, hula hoops, balls, badmitton, cornhole etc) you are retiring.

Sensory Items: uncooked pasta, beans, rice, shaving cream, birdseed, waterbeads, cornstarch, feed corn, bubble bath, etc..

Small bottles of Bubbles for each child to use.

Tips on establishing a daytime routine -If your child shows interest in using the potty, that's great. You have just cleared a big hurdle. Now it is time to begin the training. The first goal is for the child to stay dry while awake. Here are some tips on establishing a daytime routine.

Make frequent trips to the bathroom. You can't force your child to urinate or produce a bowel movement, but you can encourage him to practice. Have your child sit on the potty for 2 to 4 minutes every hour or so. Schedule these sittings close to times your child usually has a bowel movement or urination, such as just after a meal, snack or nap. Remember that you cannot control when your child urinates or has a bowel movement.

Know when it's time to stop. Don't expect performance at first. If your child can't urinate or produce a bowel movement after 2 to 4 minutes, it's time to try later. If your child protests strongly when you suggest s/he return to the potty, don't insist. Such resistance may mean that it is not the right time to start training.

Let your child learn from you and others. Children are often interested in their family's bathroom activities. It is sometimes helpful to let children watch parents, older brothers and sisters, trusted friends, and even relatives when they go to the bathroom. Seeing these people use the toilet makes children want to do the same.

Involve your child in getting dressed/undressed. Let your child practice lowering and raising their underwear or training pants sometimes, or putting them on and taking them off.

Have boys sit before standing. Have a boy start out sitting to minimize sprays and dribbles on the walls and floors.

Respect your child's feelings and privacy. Potty training focuses on the most personal and private parts of your child's body so proceed in a dignified respectful manner. Some children need privacy and will not go if anyone is looking or is in the bathroom with them. Respect this.

Expect some fooling around. Expect some fooling around by toddlers. For example, when they go through the phase of saying "no" to everything, their "no" does not always really mean "no." In short, if you ask your toddler if s/he needs to go potty and are met with a resounding "no," this response may sometimes have little to do with your question. This is all part of learning to read your child and becoming familiar with all forms of communication.

Accentuate the positive. Be positive. Pour on the praise. Parents should recognize and applaud all the things that kids do right during the potty training process, instead of focusing on things children forget to do or haven't done perfectly. For example, if children wash their hands, but forget to flush, parents should congratulate them on their nice, clean hands.