Cultivate Mankato: July News 2020

VOL. 03 JULY 2020

This Month's News

Parent Resources

Modern Family Story

Snack Packs, Covid-Policies, Online Store, New Foods from River Rock,

Playing, Exploring & Discovering with Chores at Home

Stories Shared by Local Families

NURTURE. GROW. EMPOWER

July News Infants enjoying the new grass and lawn chairs

Message from Candice School-agers playing in the new sand boxes

When Cultivate Mankato was founded two years ago, it started to sprout values that were critical to the environment that we were wanting to create for children, families, and staff. From several brainstorming sessions and conversations, we landed on the values of Love, Authenticity, Relationships, and Community as the Core Four. While there are other values that define the culture and organization we continue to shape, these four core values are fundamental in ensuring that our vision for early childhood education and experiences flourish. While these values surface on a daily basis through decision making,

Toddlers trying out the new trikes

conversations, and reflection, we can sometimes go about our day without being intentionally rooted in the values. So, it's important for us to have the ability to reflect on who we are, what we are doing and why we are doing it. During our staff training day a few weeks back, the teachers gathered in teams and created their own artistic version of the Cultivate Mankato values. We have them posted in the school-age room windows next to the community space. We encourage you to take a look and learn more about the values that drive our organization. Have a fabulous July!

Water activities with the Toddlers and Preschoolers

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CANDICE DEAL-BARTELL Executive Director www.cultivatemankato.com

Business Membership Do you own a business? Or would your employer be interested in our Cultivating Connections Program?

Covid-19 Policies Review and download our COVID-19 Policy and Procedures

Click Here

The Cultivating Connections Program is a low-risk membership program that provides tremendous value to employees and employers. By becoming a member of the Cultivating Connections Program, will get the following: Discounted weekly child care rates for employees Tax write-off for employers

New Preschool Room You may have noticed that we have opened another preschool room! Our Preschool 2 room is led by Abbie Johnson who was a co-lead teacher in our Toddler 2 classroom.

Families, if you own a business or believe the company you work for would be interested in our business membership, please direct them to our

Business Membership Contact Form." website to fill out the "

Cultivating Connection Program www.cultivatemankato.com/cultivatingconnections

Online Store Did you know we have an online store?

Shirts for all ages, hats and adult sweatshirts. Order your Cultivate apparel today!

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www.cultivatemankato.com/shop

www.cultivatemankato.com

Meet our Teachers If you are interested in learning more about all of our lead teachers here at Cultivate, teacher bios can be found on our website at:

www.cultivatemankato.com/get-toknow-us

The most amazing team EVER! They worked so hard making sure to deep clean, disinfect and sanitize! We also rearranged rooms and did a little team building.

Now Offering Snack Packs We are offering these snack packs for sale at $6.50 each. It’s a great grab and go lunch to take to work that you can pick up at drop off! Let me know if you’re interested. Snack pack consists of Colby jack cheese, ham, organic multigrain crackers, and dark chocolate!

New Bread from River Rock We've added Focaccia bread with a Greek Goddess dip to our menu from River Rock Cafe. Many of our children love it!

To place an order: Email

us at

info@cultivatemankato.com or send us a message in ProCare!

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We have a new sign and a new mural! www.cultivatemankato.com

New Team Members Please Welcome our newest team member!

Hi, this is Bill Naas!

He is a graduate from Gustavus with a BA in History. He wanted to work at Cultivate because he has an outgoing personality and high energy. He has worked at multiple summers camps and has a passion for youth work.

Hello this is Latha Gram!

I got to school at MNSU, I am graduating in December with a Psychology Major and a Corrections minor. I have been babysitting since I was 11 years old and was excited to work with more kids and help kids grow and experience life in the best way possible. I love movies, books, outdoors and photography. My favorite part of working with kids is playing together and snuggles.

Hi, my name is Grace Rydeen.

I go to Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial High School, I have worked at the local DQ there and I have also nannied the last two summers! I wanted to work at Cultivate because of the welcoming staff and the ages of the children in the facility. I am so excited to work here and can’t wait to see what Cultivate has in store for me!

Hi, my name is Caitie Lawin.

I am currently going to Rasmussen for my business degree, I wanted to work at cultivate to work with kids and help care for them!

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Tera Van Keulen.

I am originally from St. Clair. Now I live in Mankato with my husband, Doug and our 5 mo. old son Logan. I previously taught in a child care center and taught the last 3 years in an elementary school. I am eager to my bring my passion for teaching and love of learning to the Cultivate team!

Hi, my name is Isabelle Wilkie.

I will be a junior at Winona State University as a social work major. I also have a child advocacy minor & a women's gender, and sexuality study minor. I wanted to work at Cultivate to work with children & grow in my experiences!

Hi, this is Sarah Dirks!

I go to South Central right now then I plan on going to MSU to become a kindergarten teacher. I’ve been working with kids my whole life starting with my grandma's daycare. I then worked at Aces as a support, assistant and para. I like working at Cultivate because I love the positive energy, staff and of course the kids. I also love the values we use at Cultivate to ensure the best care and work environment!

Hi, this is Morgyn Haugen!

I was born in Missoula, MT but moved to Mankato when I was 8 so it is where I call home. I am a junior at Concordia College in Moorhead and I am studying to be a nurse. During my freshman year I volunteered at the campus daycare to help when they were short staffed. I mostly worked with infants. I am excited to work here because I love the energy that children bring. I am also excited to get to know the staff better and become part of the Cultivate family.

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July Menu

We would like to give families the opportunity to order the bread that River Rock makes for our children. There are two different options to choose from: Sourdough and Midwest Multigrain.

Pick up is at Cultivate. Payment is added to your tuition.

Click the menu to download a pdf

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To place an order: Email us at info@cultivatemankato.com or send us a message in ProCare!

www.cultivatemankato.com

Parent Resource

Watering houseplants:

We have

several floor plants around the house, and my son loves to examine them.

While I water the plants, he watches

Playing, Exploring & Discovering with Chores at Home https://www.naeyc.org/resources/blog/playi

and touches the stream of water pouring from the watering can. With a bit of help, he is able to do some of the pouring himself.

ng-exploring-and-discovering-chores-home

Feel like your child need attention but you have chores to get done...find opportunities to do both, together!

Here are some ideas to get you started.

Weeding the garden: Pulling

I often put away the

day’s clean dishes while my son plays independently in the kitchen. When he was smaller, he would watch me move through the kitchen and name the various dishes I was putting away. But

weeds in

the garden, we have discovered, creates lovely piles of loose, soft soil.

While I weed, my son digs his fingers into the dirt, discovers sticks of all sizes, and pauses to observe and imitate the sounds of backyard birds, squirrels, and neighborhood dogs.

Sweeping the floor:

Washing dishes:

now he can participate, too! He is in charge of the clean plastic storage containers—perfect for stacking, nesting, opening and closing, and putting away, one by one, into their drawer.And, of course, we go out and rake leaves from time to time. Every time I pause in the midst of my chores and invite my son to join, I am reminded

Like any

household with toddlers, we sweep the floor every day. My son has discovered that it feels great to brush his hands along the bristles of the broom, and

of the wealth of sensory, exploratory, and meaningful play experiences that surround us each day. I hope you and your children find some fascinating chores around your home, too.

that the bristles rustle softly when he moves them back and forth. (We make sure to wash our hands after playing with the broom).

Folding laundry:

Laundry is one of my

As always, we are here to support you and your children during these times. If you need guidance or help supporting

least favorite chores. But it offers my

your child at home right now, Ms.

son many ways to play. He adds socks

Laura, our Early Childhood Educator, is

to the sock pile, sees and feels a variety of colors and textures, tosses onesies into the air and watches how they fall, and plays peek-a-boo with clean Tshirts.

available to set up a video/phone conference with any parent who is interested. To set up a time, to connect email Laura at:

laura.walser@cultivatemankato.com

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www.cultivatemankato.com

Modern Family Story

By Rachel Danks, February 2020

Cultivate Mankato had an opportunity to sit down with Rachel Danks in February 2020 and hear her modern family story.

The interview below is from February.

Enjoy!

The day gets away. I feed the baby, I change the baby, I wash bottles and all of a sudden it’s time to feed the baby again.

Then it’s 9 o’clock at night and I’m like, “I didn’t even eat supper yet.” Where does the day go? People ask, “How was your weekend?” And I think, “I don’t know. What day is it? Was it just the weekend? I don’t even know.” My husband and I have a son Jameson who is 4 and we just had a new baby, Kason. Right now I am on maternity leave. Hats off to all the moms who stay home because I could never do it. My husband took 6 weeks off work too and that's been really nice and helpful. We went to the Mall of America a few weeks ago. It

I am a contributor for the Mankato Mom’s

was definitely different traveling with two

Blog and I've been on that team for a few

children. A few people we chatted with at

years now. An entry piece I wrote on

Crayola Experience said, “Oh, you have a 2

postpartum depression was one of the top

week old and you are here?” Yup, I don’t

3 or 5 nationally read. I’ve written about

want to sit at home all day.

losing a parent because I lost my dad a few years ago. I’ve written about dealing with diseases and how to handle them because both my kids and I have a bleeding disorder. I also like to write about how important it is to do things for myself. Even though I’m a mom, I'm not only a mom. That it’s okay to focus on myself too. I’ve also written about staying healthy, taking vacations and the harder topics that a lot of people don’t like to talk about – like postpartum depression.

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www.cultivatemankato.com

I had pretty severe postpartum depression with Jameson. I still struggle with depression and anxiety. Sometimes we think the grass is greener on the other side and I think everyone is guilty of doing this. I might look at your family and think, “wow they must have it really easy.” And people have said to me, “Oh you guys do a lot of fun things, you have a perfect family,” and it’s actually a struggle.

I was super overwhelmed with Jameson and didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t feel a connection with him right away and it made being a mom hard. I felt more connected with my Kason right away, and having that connection right away has made it a lot easier.

People don’t like to talk about postpartum

We all just need to give ourselves some

depression. They say some people have it

grace and give everyone else some grace. If

with all of their kids, some don’t have it at all,

you look at somebody and think, “Oh my god

and some don’t have it until their 5th kid.

they have it so easy.” They might not. They

When I submitted a piece for the Mom’s

might struggle too. I know someone who has

Blog, my friends were like, “You had

5 kids under the age of 5. On the outside

postpartum? We didn’t even notice.” Yeah

looking in, she just seems like this rockstar

because I put on a happy face because that

mom; she has her kids in activities, she goes

is what you are supposed to do when you

to church, she breastfed all of them, and it

have a new baby. It’s supposed to be great.

looks like she has it all together. But maybe

But it wasn’t great. It might have looked like

she doesn’t. She might struggle too. She

we were doing great and that it was super

might have days where she cries all day. I

easy but it wasn’t. It was hard.

don’t know. We need to remember that we are all in this together. And everyone is different and all kids are different.

Everybody's life is different.

My biggest challenge as a mom is patience.

I have always been an impatient person. So I really try taking a step back. Kids don’t come with a manual and every kid is different; trying to figure them out, what they need and what they want. I’ve always wanted kids but being a mom is really hard. It’s a lot to learn and a lot to remember. I saw a meme

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www.cultivatemankato.com

a couple months ago and it said, “Parenting has always been hard, we’re just now finally admitting it.” You have to give up all your freedom, and it’s not all about you anymore.

You have to still get up and go to work everyday and now you have to get kids ready in the morning too. And still be on time.

My husband and I both work full-time. I work in accounting at All-Tech which is a couple blocks away from Cultivate. My husband is a mailman and he has worked there for almost 15 years. When we are not working, I like to be on the go. We are always trying to find new and fun things to do. We go to the cities often, we go to parks, we go out to

myself. Self care is a big focus of mine. And

eat – things like that.

I know a lot of mom’s don’t do that. They

I just like to be busy. I’ve always been on the

don’t have time.

go, and when I’m at home I’m always

Right now I am just enjoying this time while

thinking about what we can do right now.

the baby is still little. It’s already been a

I’m just not a very big homebody type

month and it went so fast. So I’m trying to

person. I’ve always been that way. But we

slow down and enjoy the little things.

do try and make time for down time too. I love Saturday and Sunday mornings, sitting at home drinking coffee.

A Little More About Rachel

I like to really focus on making time for

Rachel has been a contributor for the

myself. Me and my husband made an

Mankato Mom’s Blog for a couple of years. An

agreement that one day a week, we each get to do whatever we want to do, by ourselves. He usually spends time with his brother playing a video game. I pole dance.

I’ve been pole dancing for 5 years now so

entry piece she wrote on postpartum depression was one of the top 3 or 5 nationally read. She has written about losing a parent, staying healthy, postpartum depression, taking vacations and dealing with diseases and how to handle them because

that’s my “me time.” Which isn’t necessarily

me and both my kids have a bleeding

viewed as a mom activity but it’s something

disorder. She also likes to write about how

that I enjoy doing and that makes me feel

important it is to do things for yourself. Even

better. Moving and dancing is such a

though she is a mom, she is not only a mom –

confidence booster. And you use muscles

it’s okay to focus on yourself too.

you never knew you even had. I think all

She works as an accountant at All-Tech

mom’s should do it. I also try to make time

which is a couple blocks away from Cultivate.

for myself. I like to have girl time with my

Her husband has worked as a mailman for

friends or go somewhere by myself or do

almost 15 years. He walks 9-10 miles everyday.

something for myself. This way I can still be

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www.cultivatemankato.com