Ready to get started? Keep these top tips in mind as you play together this week:

Don’t wait for “sad” (or “silly” or “scared”) to happen: Use the low-stress environment of playtime to talk about what different emotions look and feel like. To keep things light, you can use puppets or doll families to act out and identify situations that may cause stress in real life.

This pad is packed with blank faces for your child to fill! Child therapists tell us they love using this activity to help kids express themselves.

Show feelings: Art-starters like this Create-a-Face drawing pad let kids express their feelings creatively—in this case, by completing each empty face. Help your child explore what emotions look like by requesting portraits of extremes: Can you draw the happiest kid in the world? (You can use the pictures to inspire a game of charades, too!)

Talk solutions: Brainstorm ways to calm emotions when they get out of hand. Try out different ideas (like deep breaths, counting to 10, or finding a quiet place to cool down), and let your child discover the ones that work best.

Listen up: In or out of playtime, listen to your kids when they talk about feelings, especially when they use the vocabulary you’ve practiced with them. Your attention will reinforce the importance of calm(er), clear communication.

Be human: Whether it’s honking at the four-way stop or lapsing into PG-13 when you stub your toe, we all occasionally lose our composure or act in irrational ways. Use it: When you’re calm again, model what it looks like to reflect on emotions:Wow, I felt really mad when those cars wouldn’t go. I guess I need to try to be more patient.

As always, enjoy each other’s company and the discovery of new ideas . . . andhave fun!

No two children are alike (thank goodness!) so this week on the blog,  we talked about ways to nurture individualism and honor our kids’ unique ways of learning. Here’s a round-up of the ideas shared this week.

The “List of Likes” Activity

As a way to encourage your child to explore personality and self-knowledge, ask her to make a list of “likes.”  This can be a craft activity, writing exercise, or simple conversation! Encourage your kids to include favorite books, hobbies, clothing, animals…whatever makes them smile!  You may be surprised at what you discover.

*Grab a roll of the M & D Easel Paper and rooooollll it on out!  Let you child draw, write, or create any way they would like, their “List Of Likes!”

Learn About Your Children Over Dinner!

Dinner is such a cherished time for families, and in this blog post by Ambassador Zina, we uncover 5 ways to have meaningful conversations with your children at meal time. Using the Melissa and Doug, Dinner Box of Questions we share tips on how to set the right foundation of openness and communications for your family so that you can learn more about your child, and each other, night after night.

Teaching your children about responsibility and good behavior is one of the most important lessons they will learn. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to help explore self-awareness; working with your child to create a chore chart that reflects their specific goals, capabilities, and motivational incentives. This blog post shares 5 ways to work with your child to tailor a chore chart that helps her develop in the ways she needs most (while letting her have “skin-in-the-game” to remain engaged throughout the process).

1)      Identify current daily chores. Using a piece of paper, ask your child to either draw or write what she sees as her current chores or responsibilities. After your child is finished, have a discussion explaining which chores she thinks she excels in, and which she feels she could do better. Let your child drive this conversation as a way to encourage self-awareness.

2)      Make a behavior list.  Ask your child to draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper and write two lists of behaviors: with one side being good behavior (i.e. being kind), and the other side a list of not-so-good behaviors (i.e. teasing). Again, this is a very specific and personal conversation between you and your child. Once the list is complete, ask your child to circle which behaviors she feels most challenged with (or wants to improve in), and add those to your chore chart.

3)      Select a few chores to start in the near future. After you have made a list of current chores and behaviors your child will focus on, ask her to identify a few activities that can be goals for the future. For example, your child may currently set the table for dinner, and has added that to her responsibility chart. The logical next step may be to work on a goal that teaches her to do the dishes (or load the dishwasher). One way to reach this goal would be to work on a “chore upgrade” – after a few weeks of solid performance in setting the table, “upgrade” to the next “level” of chore (you may want to consider accompanying this upgrade with a reward).

4)      Choose rewards that mean something special to your child. To make rewards sustainable (both logistically and financially) consider choosing a special activity or privilege that your child can earn by doing her chores. Let her choose the next movie for movie night, activity for game night, or take her on a special “date” to reward a job well done. If she would like to earn a special new toy, use this as an opportunity to teach the value of money, and how to “save up” for larger rewards.

Okay, so you have a dollhouse (or you’re about to after you check out the links below). Now what? Kids are natural inventors with rich imaginations. If you do a good job setting the stage for them, they’ll most likely know what to do. In the event that you need a little extra help, here are a few pointers and dollhouse game ideas:

• Get some furniture and dolls. Keep your eyes open for miniature things in unexpected places: Ebay, Craigslist, Amazon, Museum Shops, Tourist Stops. I found our canoe at a sailing shop by San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf.
• Play games based on real things that happen in your home: cleaning day, birthday party, getting ready for school, packing for a trip, eating breakfast. Children love to recreate their experiences, as it solidifies their learning and understanding of the world around them. To do this, each of you can take a character (or two) and role play with the dolls.
• Make up something fantastic and highly imaginative. For example: Fairy’s first visit to Unicorn Palace, the house becomes a zoo for animals or parking garage for cars.
• Move it around. Our dollhouse has a spot on the floor, and it’s rarely used. I moved it to a low table and my kids acted like it was a new toy. This advice could go for any unloved toy. Move it to a new room or spot and see if it gets new attention.
• Add something new. I added tape lines to the table to suggest roads and parking spaces, which gave my kids something extra to consider and puzzle over. Other ideas: Roll butcher paper underneath/around it and draw streets, gardens, etc. Find a new character (our doll house gets more use with Strawberry Shortcake Dolls), add a new piece of furniture, make a tunnel or slide out of a paper towel tube, add holiday lights, cut old t-shirts to make sheets or rugs.
• Decorate. Give your kids paper and markers and invite them to make miniature art for the walls. Decorate the house for the holidays. Paint wooden furniture or wooden dolls.
• Give it time. My older child was never into small-world play and didn’t take to the doll house until her younger sister took an interest. It may not be for your child, or they may not be ready for it yet. I put ours in the garage until a few months ago, and now it’s getting tons of use.

1. Look down. When you’re visiting a potential site, pay attention to how the staff interacts with the children. Ideally, a caregiver should be on the floor playing with the kids or holding one on her lap. In their early years, babies need close, loving, interactive relationships with adults in order to thrive. That’s why it’s especially important that babies’ first caregivers be warm and responsive, and that even in group care, infants and older babies get a healthy dose of one-on-one time. (Though individual states set their own staffing ratios for child-care facilities, the American Academy of Pediatrics specifically recommends a ratio of one adult for every three babies up to 24 months of age.)

2. Ask for a commitment. Babies need consistent, predictable care. It helps them to form a secure attachment to their caregivers, according to Debra K. Shatoff, a family therapist in private practice in St. Louis. If you’re looking at an in-home caregiver, request that the person you’re considering make a one-year commitment to the job. If you’re considering a center, find out how long the current caregivers have been working there and how much turnover the center usually experiences.

3. Do a policy check. Find out whether you share parenting philosophies on topics such as discipline (Do the caregivers use time-outs, scoldings?); television (Is the TV on all day or used sparingly, if at all?); feeding (What snacks or drinks are provided for older babies?); sleeping (When are naps offered? How are fussy babies put to sleep?); and so forth. Inquire about the sick-child policy (What symptoms prevent a child from attending?). Also ask whether there’s a backup plan should the family day-care provider or in-home caregiver get sick and be unable to work. The more questions you ask early on, the less likely you are to be unpleasantly surprised later.

4. Drop by and spy. While word-of-mouth referrals from other parents or trusted resources are important, you need to look at a place for yourself to assess whether it meets your needs. Of course, any child-care environment should be kept clean, childproofed, and well stocked with sturdy books and toys that are age-appropriate. Other details to consider: When older children share the space, toys with small parts (choking hazards) should be kept away from younger babies. Ideally, infants and babies should have their own area where they won’t get “loved” too much by older toddlers. A room or separate area dedicated solely to swings and bouncers may look appealing at first glance, but keep in mind that growing babies need plenty of floor time to develop and strengthen their muscles. If possible, try to visit the same centers at different times of the day to get a sense of how the staff interacts with the children and what the routine is. You may want to consider popping in unannounced a few times after you’ve enrolled your child, just to see how things are going. Sometimes your visits will confirm that the place is right for you, but sometimes they’ll be a real eye-opener.

5. Keep talking. Until your baby can talk, you will be relying on what the caregiver tells you about your child’s day. Make sure you can communicate comfortably with each other. When you first hand off your child in the morning, you should tell the caregiver how your little one slept the night before, if he is teething, and whether he ate breakfast. At the end of the day you’ll want to know similar information, such as the number of diapers he went through, when he napped, and if he seemed happy overall. It’s always preferable to speak to the caregiver in person. If that’s not possible, ask if there’s a convenient time to phone, perhaps at nap time.

6. Problem-solve pronto. It’s inevitable that you’ll experience conflicts with your caregiver, both large and small. Address problems right away rather than ignoring them until they grow out of proportion. Some issues can be resolved quickly; others may require more discussion. Whatever the conflict, treat the caregiver in a respectful manner, but don’t be afraid to speak up, says Deborah Borchers, MD, a pediatrician in private practice in Cincinnati. When broaching a difficult subject, ask the caregiver’s opinion, and hear her out. As the parent, you have the final word with an in-home caregiver, but you’re more likely to elicit cooperation if the caregiver knows she has been heard. For example, instead of demanding an earlier nap time to make bedtime easier, ask the caregiver if she has ideas about how to adjust your baby’s schedule so he won’t grow so overtired in the evening.

7. Trust your gut. Every parent knows when something doesn’t feel quite right. You may be turned off by a center everyone in town raves about or clash with a highly recommended sitter. If that happens, keep searching. Babies deserve, and thrive under, good, nurturing care. If something just doesn’t feel right about your situation, investigate other options.

8. Be open to change. You’re not married to a particular person or situation, and if things don’t work out, you can always make a switch. Yes, you want consistency for your baby, but that doesn’t mean you can’t alter arrangements. Babies are resilient; as long as they’re having a positive experience with their new caregiver, they’ll be just fine, points out Dr. Shatoff.

www.parents.com

http://www.parenting.com/recalls?lnk=hp&loc=tools&cid=tgarticle

If you haven’t already heard about it, check out the “MomAgenda” organizer planner that helps moms juggle multiple schedules, keep family medical information, birthday’s, favorite websites, passwords, and plan for future events . . all in one handy place!  The MomAgenda let’s you see your week at a glance all on one page and have plenty of space for the notes you think of to remind yourself throughout the day!  Best yet, it comes in some fabulous colors. . no more boring black, and you can even personalize it!

For the mom that has everything. . check out The MomAgenda for Mother’s Day!

Or check out the MomAgenda App for your iphone or ipad! How cool is that??!!

www.momagenda.com

A Very Special Thanks To  Our Co-Sponsors For Contributing All Of Their Time And Talent To Make This Event So Very Special!

Decor Provided By Allison Geiger of Alilu Studios & Bev Doherty of Interiors By Beverly

Desserts and Cake Design By Juliet Rose Of Divine Cakes

Professional Photo shoot By Images By AmyLynn

Promotional Material and Designs By Mandy Boucek Fine Art Studio B

Silent Auction Items Donated By Jessica.Ann Photography and Studio B Photography

1. Art stimulates both sides of the brain.
2. 33% of kids are visual learners.
3. There are studies that show that kids, who make art, read better and get better grades in science and mathematics.
4. The kids learn by using their senses and art is ideal in this process
5. The kids need a place to express themselves at school.
6. Art promotes self esteem
7. Art encourages kids to give more attention to the physical space that surround them.
8. Art develops hand and eye coordination.
9. Art stimulates perception.
10. Art teaches them to think openly. It represents a culture of questioners more than a culture of responders.
11. Art teaches that there is more than one solution for a problem.
12. Art teaches kids to think creatively to solve problems.
13. Kids can share and reflect on their work of art and learn something about the world they live in.
14. When art is integrated with the other subjects in the curriculum, kids commit more to the learning process.
15. In the process of doing art, the child is exposed to different possibilities, to discover and to freedom, this way they avoid falling into the control and the predictability of the conventional education in the United States of today.
16. Art nourishes the human soul. One feels good doing it.
17. Art brings the cultural resources of the community into the class.
18. Art involves parents and tutors in the school, inviting them to participate as volunteers in diverse activities.
19. Art provides a common ground across racial stereotypes, barriers and prejudices.
20. Art is valuable all by itself.

https://american.redcross.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=gc11_index&s_src=RSS11100E006&s_subsrc=Catalog5VOL

1. Work Gratitude Into Daily Conversations-At dinner time or even at bed time, talk with your children about the different things they were THANKFUL for that day!

2. Have Kids Help-Even at age 2 there are little things they can do to start helping around the house such as putting things away, taking their plate to the sink, or even stirring the cake batter.  Having them help in small activities around the house will help them learn to appreciate all of the things you do for them!

3. Find a Goodwill Project-Now the article even states that this doesn’t mean dragging your 3 year old to the soup kitchen every weekend, but they give a good example of making cupcakes for a sick neighbor and how that will make them feel by doing something nice for them!

4. Encourage Generosity-We all know what our houses look like after spring cleaning!  Encourage your children to find clothes or toys they no longer use and bring them somewhere that a child less fortunate might be able to use it!

5. Make Thank-You Notes A Must-Christmas & Birthday Gifts are two big occasions to make sure your child sits down and writes a thank you note for the gifts they received. . even if it’s just a bunch of scribbles!

One thing I  know for sure, we are sincerely grateful for our wonderful customers at Gracie Margaret’s!  We couldn’t do it without you!

WHAT:  2nd Annual HOLIDAY HAZZIDAZZLE ON THE HILL

WHEN:  SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17th, 2011

TIME:  4:00-7:00 p.m.

WHERE:  Hosted By Brenda and Ron Cuchna, Friends of Habitat For Humanity  103 240th Avenue NE, New London, MN

Join Us For:

**Christmas Carolers

**HAY RIDES

**Sledding (permitting we have snow!!!)

**Cookies, Candy Canes, & Cider

**Photos With Santa (provided by charlie.b.photos)

8X10 prints are $10.00

4X6 or 5X7 prints are $5.00

TOUR OF LIGHTS-maps provided! Lights will be turned on at dusk!

DIRECTIONS: Take 71 North (form Willmar 14 miles)

Turn left on 240th Avenue and proceed 1.5 miles

Habitat Hazzidazzle will be on your left, follow the signs