The Penguin Pebble
March 2021 Newsletter
Fredericksburg Preschool Programs
Email: wgcnews@cityschools.com
Website: https://wgeclc.fxbgschools.us/
Location: 210 Ferdinand Street Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Phone: 540-372-1065
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fredheadstart
Why Do People Wear Masks? | Jack Hartmann| Face Mask Song
“Why do people wear masks? It's OK to ask. In Jack Hartmann's “Why Do People Wear Masks” video, Jack explains the importance of wearing masks and who wears a mask. Find out that wearing a mask protects you and others too.”
Cooks Corner
Teddy Bear Toast
Ingredients
½ banana
2 slices whole wheat bread
2 tablespoons peanut butter
6 blueberries
Directions
Slice banana into 6 pieces.
Toast the bread, and spread the peanut butter on the bread.
Place 2 banana pieces on the top corners of each toast slice to make the ears.
Place 1 banana piece in the center of the bottom half of each toast slice to make the nose.
Place the blueberries on the toast slices to finish the nose and make the eyes above the nose.
Makes 2 servings
Safety tip: To prevent injuries, an adult should slice ingredients.
Mental Health
Helping a Grieving Child
When a family experiences a loss of a family member, friend, a home, or any other major support, this may be expressed through grief. This can even include a family member moving away or being less available or the loss of time at school or loved ones due to the pandemic. Grief is deeply personal and looks different in different people.
Some children may act out more through defying rules or expectations, crying, refusing typical activities or being angry with or without a noticeable cause. Some children withdraw, are more quiet, will not engage with other children or loved ones and may even regress to behaviors they may have grown out of like temper tantrums or bed wetting.
Grief has no time limit and can change over time. Parents can sometimes feel helpless to support their children through this, but there are many things they can do to help.
1. Answer your child’s questions about the person or event, even if they are hard – this can be difficult for parents, but being open with them and helping them understand facts and feelings normalizes what the child is going through and builds a strong connection between parent and child.
2. Offer the child choices as much as possible – offering choices gives a child a sense of empowerment that may feel taken away by the loss. This can be offering them a choice on what to eat for dinner or how to process their grief such as drawing a picture or talking about the loss.
3. Talk about what or who has been lost – this gives space for the child to talk about what or who they are missing and see that someone else is thinking of that as well. This normalizes the difficult feelings they may be trying to process and gives them space to talk about them.
4. Listen without judgement – This can be difficult when parents are also grieving, but keeping the conversation focused on the child and helping them process is important. There are no wrong feelings and refraining from judgement helps the child feel safe to talk about harder thoughts and feelings.
5. It’s okay to cry – This is true for adults and children alike. Crying is a way the body naturally processes grief or feeling overwhelmed and can help a person feel better in the long run.
6. Find a way to acknowledge the loss – This can be a memorial service, a special family activity, a picture the child draws or family draw together or looking at pictures together.
7. Get distracted – Find something fun to do together to feel happy. It is okay to laugh and have fun, even when grieving and does not mean the lost person is loved any less or is less important.
For more resources to assist with grief, Mary Washington Hospital has support groups for children, teens, adults and families. They can be reached at Grief Support Services | Mary Washington Healthcare or by calling (540) 741-1874.
Family Time: Sesame Street: Healthy Habits with Grover PSA #CaringForEachOther
Lucky Ducks
Special Moments in March
- Art Education Month
- Music In Our Schools Month
- National Nutrition Month
- National Women’s History Month
- School Social Work Month
- (2) Red Across America Day
- (2-6) National School Breakfast Week