Childcare and Preschool Guide 2016

2016 Edition

childcare & preschool GUIDE

BostonParentsPaper.com

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FFrom rom Babies to Toddlers to Preschool

Choose the Best School for Your Child

Boston Parent’s Paper published by Parenting, LLC., a division of

©2016 Dominion Enterprises.

All Rights Reserved.

Understanding School Philosophies ✼ The Importance of Play Extracurricular Activities ✼ The Benefits of Museums 5 Things to Know About Challenging Behavior ✼ And More!

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2015 WINNER

WINNER

Family Favorite for Language Immersion

To create a truly significant and lifelong impact on the lives and passions of the children who will shape the future of our society.

Pine Village educates and nurtures each child’s individuality within a culturally diverse, bilingual community, so that every child develops a true passion for learning and an ability to engage in any environment and community.

Pine Village launches children on a path to global citizenship and offers parents of toddlers and preschoolers a modern approach to child development where the seeds of creativity, acceptance, and inclusion are planted and encouraged to grow.

“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world”

Porter Square Brighton South End Kendall Square West Newton Needham Jamaica Plain 2 locations (Centre St. & Revere St.)

Contact us now or visit our website for upcoming events and information!

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Enrollment Coordinator Christine Williams Email: enrollmentpvp@gmail.com Phone (617) 416-7763

PARTNERING WITH FAMILIES FOR OVER 40 YEARS

We Know Child Care We’ve provided high-quality child care and an award-winning curriculum for more than 40 years. Whether you’re looking for a Summer Program, before- or after-school programs, part-time or full-time child care, KinderCare offers fun and learning at an affordable price.

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KinderCare 847 North Street Tewksbury, MA 01876 978-640-0224 Christiana Carideo

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KinderCare 133 Cambridge Street Burlington, MA 01803 781-272-6266 Elizabeth Kolodziej

KinderCare 607 North Avenue Wakefield, MA 01880 781-246-4055 Nicole Sebastian

KinderCare 18 Ray Avenue Burlington, MA 01803 781-273-4727 Barbara Duffy

www.kindercare.com

These programs are accredited by NAEYC – The National Association for the Education of Young Children.

contents

Childcare & Preschool Guide 2016

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639 Granite St., Suite 25 Braintree, MA 02184 boston.parentspaper@bostonparentspaper.com Tel: 617-522-1515 / Fax: 617-522-7121 Visit us online at BostonParentsPaper.com PUBLISHER Jean Greco EDITORIAL Senior Editor: Cheryl Crosby Associate Editor: Kelly Bryant Calendar Editor: Jennifer Sammons Proofreader: Jeanne Washington Intern: Rebecca Schwartz ADVERTISING SALES Senior Account Executive: Lisa Braun Account Executive: Susan Hamilton NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Cate Sanderson 914-381-7474 PRODUCTION Senior Graphic Designer: Angela Rosa Graphic Designer: Staci Stedman-Morris CIRCULATION & EVENTS COORDINATOR Caitlin Dougherty

School Basics 6 Early Childhood Programs

DOMINION PARENTING MEDIA A Division of Dominion Enterprises

12 Help Your Child Make the Most of Daycare and Preschool 16 Let the Kids Play!

Behavior 18 8 Common Mistakes Parents Make with Siblings 22 5 Things to Know About Challenging Behavior

Nutrition & Health 24 Now Hear This!

on the cover

Enrichment 32 Art Advantage 34 Choosing an After-School Activity for Your Child

Directory 10 Montessori Schools 37 Preschool Listings 4

Childcare & Preschool Guide | 2016

Š ISTOCK /WHITNEYLEWISPHOTOGRAPHY

28 Fortified Cereals May Pose Health Risks

Boston Parents Paper (ISSN 1059-1710) is published monthly by Parenting, LLC., a division of Dominion Enterprises. Please note that the advertisements in this magazine are paid for by the advertisers, which allows this magazine to be free to the consumer. Limit of one free copy per reader. Additional copies may be purchased for $5.00 per issue. Call 617-522-1515 to request additional copies. Unless specifically noted, no advertisers, products or services are endorsed by the publisher. All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertising are available on an equal opportunity basis. Editorial submissions are welcome. Boston Parents Paper copyright 2016 by Dominion Enterprises. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS • • • • • • •

Experienced teachers Warm and nurturing environment Hands-on multi-disciplinary curriculum Unique program offerings including Spanish and Building & Engineering Half- and full-day options Extended day available until 6:00PM Generous commitment to financial aid

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A GROWING CHILD. AN EXPANDING WORLD. At Bright HorizonsÂŽ, we provide an exceptional place for children to thrive. Our individualized, flexible curriculum and experienced teachers inspire children at every age and stage.

Highlights ƒ Nurturing children 6 weeks to 6 years old ƒ Flexible scheduling for full- part-time and drop-in care ƒ Prepares children for success in school and life ƒ Supportive and strong parent community

SCHEDULE A VISIT TODAY With over 25 locations in the Boston area, Bright Horizons provides high-quality early education in convenient locations for busy families.

www.brighthorizons.com/BostonParentsBH BostonParentsPaper.com

5

School Basics

EARLY

CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS

Your Guide to Selecting the Best Childcare Facility or Preschool Setting for Your Child

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Childcare & Preschool Guide | 2016

School Basics

W

WHEN YOUR CHILD IS READY FOR DAYCARE OR PRESCHOOL, YOU’LL want to find a place that’s both nurturing and stimulating. Here are some factors to consider when picking the right school for your child, as well as some questions to ask as you prepare for your tour.

Think about your child’s age and developmental stage. Many preschools accept children only when they’re at least 3 years old at the start of the school year, usually in September. Some preschools require children to be potty-trained and ready to “separate” from a parent, while others will work with families on both issues. Many preschools offer different schedules and options, from a two- to five-day week and half- or full-day classes, so that parents can choose which suits their schedule and comfort level.

issue. Childcare facilities and preschools can cost between $5,000 and $24,000 a year. Check with the Massachusetts Department of Education on whether your family is eligible for state funds to help pay for preschool.

Another important consideration is proximity.

Driving across town to drop off your child only to pick him up three to four hours later will get old after a while. For parents who work, finding a school that offers extended-day care, year-round education or lunch programs will be essential.

Factor in Finances & Travel

Tour Several Schools

Ready or Not?

Make a list of priorities in your preschool search. In many situations, price will be a major

Some childcare facilities and preschools will allow you to bring children along on the tour, while others

Important Questions to Ask the School and Yourself When looking at childcare facilities and preschools, ask yourself or the director the following questions:

The Program ✼ Does the program have a clear statement of its goals and philosophy? ✼ Does it consider a child’s social, emotional and physical needs? ✼ Is the atmosphere warm, nurturing and accepting? ✼ Does the curriculum meet your child’s needs? ✼ Is the content culturally diverse and free of bias? ✼ Does the school offer a balance of individual, small-group and largegroup activities? ✼ Do activities encourage self-expression? ✼ Is there a balance between quiet periods and vigorous activities? ✼ Is there a routine to most days? ✼ Are expectations and limits clear?

✼ What is the discipline policy? ✼ Does the program have an up-todate state license? Is it accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs, a division of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAECP)? Accreditation is a voluntary self-study of staff qualifications, physical environment, curriculum, parent questionnaires and observations by the director, staff and a representative of the NAECP.

The Teachers ✼ What are the teachers’ qualifications? ✼ What is the ratio of children to teachers? ✼ Is there frequent staff turnover? ✼ Do teachers encourage and respond to children’s natural interests? ✼ Are they cheerful and patient? ✼ How do the adults interact with the children and with each other?

The Setting ✼ Does it look safe indoors and outdoors? ✼ Can you imagine your child in this setting? ✼ Are the children happy, relaxed, feeling good about themselves and engaged in meaningful play? ✼ Does the setting foster productive interactions between children? ✼ Is there a wide variety of materials?

Are they orderly and easily accessible? ✼ Do equipment and toys encourage individual and group play and improve motor skills? ✼ Are the walls covered with ageappropriate artwork?

Parent Involvement ✼ Is parent involvement welcomed and encouraged? How? ✼ Will school staff refer you to parents whose children have attended the program?

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School Basics

may want your undivided attention and ask you to leave the kids at home.

Once there, trust your first impression of the school.

Is the place clean, well lit and organized? Does the artwork look fun and creative? Many tours will be conducted after school hours, but you’ll get a much better sense of the school if you can visit while children are at play.

By law, infant rooms must offer a teacher-to-student ratio of 1:3, toddler rooms a teacher-to-student ratio of 1:4, and for preschools a teacher-to-student ratio of 1:10 for full day and 1:12 for half day. But that doesn’t mean every student will thrive with that proportion. Consider your child’s personality. Can she assert herself to get the attention she needs, or will she benefit from having more teachers around? ■

Defining Preschool Philosophies

Greater Quincy Child Care Center 859 Willard St., 1 Adams Place, Quincy (1/2 mile North from the So. Shore Plaza)

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• Toddlers: 15 mos. to 2.9 yrs.

• Infants: 8 wks. to 15 mos.

• Full or Part Week • Hot Lunch • Hours: 7:30 am to 6:00 pm Kindergarten Summer Enrichment Program • Developmental Curriculum June 27 through Sept. 2 • Music & Large Motor Programs Call to schedule a tour.

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We are celebrating 31 years of quality care & education.

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Childcare & Preschool Guide | 2016

✼ Nursery schools and preschools can be privately or locally funded, secular or religious, and located in either private facilities or municipal buildings. Some schools operate under specific philosophies: ✼ Child study centers at colleges and universities provide high quality education to children while offering a laboratory learning experience for college and university students. ✼ Cooperative preschools require parent involvement in the classroom. Parents serve as teachers’ aides for a few days per month or share in other routine tasks, such as bookkeeping and maintenance. ✼ Full-day programs (often called “daycare”) are located in an individual provider’s home or in a separate childcare center. ✼ Full-year preschools offer yearlong, full-day programs in some communities with on-going enrollment. ✼ Montessori schools use the approach that young children learn best through direct sensory experiences, such as manipulating blocks or pegboards. Teachers control the environment and the child moves from activity to activity at his own pace. ✼ Reggio Emilia schools emphasize a child’s symbolic language through drawing, dramatic play and writing. Great importance is placed on the partnership between school and home, and the classroom is very child-directed. ✼ Waldorf schools offer plenty of opportunity for dramatic, imitative and creative play, as well as an emphasis on practical activities, such as gardening and cooking. The focus is placed on developing the child’s senses.

BEACON HILL NURSERY SCHOOL Celebrating our 60th year of Excellence in Early Childhood Education!

• Toddler through kindergarten programs • On-site playspaces • State-of-the-art classrooms • Morning, afternoon & extended day programs • Summer camp programs available

Children are natural scientists, full of curiosity and wonder. Applewild Preschool at Devens is a special place where music, nature hikes and time in our art studio are just as valued as learning to become readers, writers, listeners and speakers.

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“I can’t wait to come back tomorrow!”

Another day of learning, creating, exploring, playing, making friends and having fun is what your child will experience at the JCC Early Learning Centers.

JCC Early Learning Center Brookline/Brighton 617-278-2950 brookline-elc@jccgb.org

Gilson JCC Early Learning Center • Sharon (at Temple Sinai) 781-795-4900 sharon-elc@jccgb.org

Bernice B. Godine JCC Early Learning Center • Newton (at the Leventhal-Sidman JCC) 617-558-6420 newton-elc@jccgb.org

JCC Early Learning Center • Hingham (at Congregation Sha’aray Shalom) 781-752-4000 hingham-elc@jccgb.org

bostonjcc.org/earlylearning Limited openings for Fall 2016

Everyone welcome

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JCC BostonParentsPaper.com

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MONTESSORI SCHOOLS

Do. Think.

Care.

toddler through eighth grade

781.862-8571 ext 1101 130 Pleasant Street Lexington, MA 02421 www.lexmontessori.org

Discover Montessori

WELLESLEY Montessori School

Now enrolling for the 2016-2017 school year Ages 2.9 - 6 years

Discover Thacher Toddler - 8th Grade

1425 Blue Hill Avenue | Milton, MA 02186 617-361-2522 | www.thacherschool.org NURTURING BOUNDLESS CURIOSITY

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Childcare & Preschool Guide | 2016

An authentic Montessori environment with certified Montessori Teachers. WMS is an American Montessori Society member school.

Enrichment programs offered include: • Martial Arts • Suzuki Violin • Yoga • Spanish • French Scholarships available.

79 Denton Road, Wellesley, MA 02482 • 781-237-6670

www.wellesleymontessori.org

MONTESSORI SCHOOLS

Adams Montessori School 310 Adams Street Quincy, MA 02169 617.773.8200 www.adamsmontessori.org

Learning For Life

toddler through 6th grade BostonParentsPaper.com

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School Basics

Help Your Child M Ma

Daycare and

By Sandra Gordon

A

ARE YOU READY TO SEND YOUR CHILD TO DAYCARE OR PRESCHOOL? These strategies can help ease your child’s jitters for an easy transition and lead to a successful year of fun times and good friends.

“Both daycares and preschools offer kids experiences they might not get at home, such as exposure to a larger social environment that can help them learn how to get along well with others,” says Cathy Keller, the director of a preschool and infant care center. Who knew that 18-month-olds could have friends? When kids go to daycare and preschool, their schedules tend to fill up with playdates and birthday parties. Developmentally, kids who’ve done at least a year of preschool are more ready to jump into the learning environment of kindergarten, too.

“Preschool is an environment in which kids have the opportunity to use language in many different ways with others who are at the same developmental

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Childcare & Preschool Guide | 2016

age,” says Jennifer Kurumada Chuang, the owner of a child care center and preschool. But, overall, preschool helps young, naturally egocentric kids learn how to exist with others in a classroom. “Preschoolers learn how to take turns, follow directions, pick up after themselves, stand in line, sit in a circle, raise their hand, use their words to express themselves instead of physically acting out and talk when it’s appropriate,” Kurumada Chuang says.

All told, your child’s early learning experiences can set the tone for years to come. To help your child prepare for daycare and preschool and reinforce the lessons he learns there, here’s the homework you can do that can make all the difference.

School Basics

Make the Most of

nd Preschool

Ace the Drop-Off Pick the right daycare or preschool.

“Separating from mom and dad can be tough for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, though some kids display it more aggressively than others,” says Keller. To make drop-off easier, choose a daycare or preschool you feel good about. “Parents telegraph their comfort and confidence about the school in so many ways to their kids,” says Keller. If you’re happy with your choice of school and know that your child is in a good learning situation, your child will pick up on your confidence and be OK with it, too, even if he initially doesn’t seem to like going there. And keep in mind that separation anxiety is often more painful for you than your child. “Children are amazingly adaptable,” Keller says.

Manage morning madness. To help make drop-off at daycare or preschool smoother, take the

hassle out of your morning. Try doing what you can the night before, when you have more time to think the next day through. For example, fill out permission slips, write any notes to the teacher and checks for daycare or preschool, and put them in your child’s backpack or lunchbox. You can even set the table for breakfast and take out the breakfast cereal, if you want to. You could also check the weather forecast and let your preschooler set out the next day’s outfit, and give choices: “Do you want to wear the striped shirt or the orange one? Your blue jeans or sweatpants?”

As soon as you can, “Get your kids invested in the process with age-appropriate tasks,” says Mary Robbins, a licensed clinical social worker. To encourage your preschooler to begin to do these things on her own, praise her for a job well done, such as: “Wow! You picked your outfit by yourself? You’re getting to be such a big girl!” As your child masters BostonParentsPaper.com

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School Basics

one task, add another. Eventually, she can help you preschooler for 20 minutes every night at bedtime.

While you’re at it, stop every so often and ask your pack her snack and her lunch the night before. child a question about the story before turning the Stick to a routine. Whether your child is in page, such as: “Gosh, why do you think she was sad?” daycare or preschool, establish a morning routine or “What do you think is going to happen next?” and stick to it. It might be: wake up, get dressed, eat Making reading more interactive makes it more fun breakfast, have a short playtime together, doubleand helps build your child’s comprehension skills. check the backpack or lunchbox and leave the house.

Help your child learn to follow directions.

“Structured routines give children a sense of control.

To help your preschooler get the hang of following When they know what’s coming next, they’re less likely to procrastinate or become anxious about going directions, practice at home by giving simple commands, such as “Please help me pick up your to daycare or preschool,” Keller says. toys and put them in the toy box.” Then, encourage Make a morning-routine poster for your family and your child to follow through by offering an incentive put it in a common area, such as on your fridge. The poster should outline the order of tasks such as dressing, to do whatever it is you’re asking. Tell your child that he can play outside once eating breakfast, putting on he’s finished putting his toys shoes and socks and brushing Structured routines away. An incentive helps him hair and teeth. Use pictures to understand that following convey the message. give children a sense makes other fun If your child dawdles even of control. When they directions activities possible. If he with a set routine, move up know what’s coming doesn’t follow your directions his bedtime and his wake-up and, for example, put his toys by 15 minutes instead of next, they’re less away, calmly explain that he trying to get him to conform likely to procrastinate won’t be able to play with to your schedule. Also, make or become anxious those toys for the rest of the sure he gets to bed early day or go to the park. Keep it enough so he’s more apt about going to positive by focusing on how to be up-and-at-’em in the daycare or preschool. clean the playroom will look morning. Keep in mind that – Cathy Keller when you’re done. Then praise infants 3 to 11 months need him when he’s successful. nine to 12 hours of sleep at “You followed my directions night and a 30-minute to four-hour nap one to three times a day. Toddlers need so well. Thank you for helping me put your toys in the toy box like I asked you to! That was so helpful.”

12 to 14 hours of sleep in 24 hours and preschoolers Help your child master sharing and turn need 11 to 13 hours of shut-eye at night. taking. From ages 3 to 5, children tend to hoard Don’t dawdle. At daycare or preschool, say coveted toys and objects. They’re not really ready to goodbye to your child calmly, give your child a kiss grasp the concept of sharing yet. But you can help and hug and tell her when you’ll be back to pick her your youngster practice by having her “take turns” up, such as after lunch or her nap. Then walk out the with toys and praising her when she shares on her door and let the teacher give your child some lovies own. To help her develop the empathy that true so you can make a quick exit. At the end of the day, sharing requires, state what she did and how it makes make sure you’re there to collect your child when others feel, such as: “Thank you for sharing. It makes you say you will be. “Kids that young can’t tell time, your sister feel good when you share the ball.” Your but they will know that if you always pick up after child should be able to “own” special or new toys, their nap and you’re not there until 5 p.m., that’s a big difference,” Keller says. Try to pick up at the same though, so keep them out of sight on playdates or in her room away from siblings. time every day, if possible.

By kindergarten, children are capable of sharing School Success Rx well and taking turns. If your child isn’t there yet, Read, read, read to your child. “Being help her get the hang of it by inviting a friend over for read to is the single most consistent and reliable a cooperative task such as baking cookies. If things predictor of academic success later in life,” says aren’t going well, calmly ask her to sit out. Pretty Kurumada Chuang. She recommends reading to your soon, she’ll get the idea and want to join in on the fun

“

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Childcare & Preschool Guide | 2016

”

Be There at Pick-Up Focus on your child. When it’s time to collect

your child, be really glad to see him. Make sure you’re not on your cell phone or otherwise distracted. “Pick-up should be all about your child,” Keller says. “Your child wants to know you’re super glad to see him and that you’ve been looking forward to it all day.” ■ Sandra Gordon is an author and freelance writer.

Hills and Falls Community Nursery School A cooperative nursery school where play is the work of our 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old students.

Our guiding principles are to: • Foster a love of learning.

• Understand that each child is unique.

• Observe and gain insight into each child’s individual strengths, and provide the tools needed for individual growth.

• Help children understand and appreciate the diversity of people and perspectives in our society by integrating exposure to differences of race, ethnicity, class, gender, family structure, and ability in our curriculum.

Let us create a truly special experience for your child and family.

Director: Amy Peltz • amylpetz@gmail.com 258 Concord Street, Newton Lower Falls, MA 02462 617-964-2086 • www.hillsandfalls.com

Infant (1 month) through PreK Open Year Round Mon–Fri • 7am-5:30pm We offer a pleasant mix of fun & education to develop young minds!

• Breakfast, lunch & snack prepared on site • Two age appropriate playgrounds & large indoor play space • Individual classrooms with well-rounded curriculum including: fieldtrips, computers & music class

The Village Pre-School 25 Cummins Highway, Roslindale

617-323-5141 BostonParentsPaper.com

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School Basics

again. You can also read your child books about sharing and discuss them. In the classic tale Stone Soup, retold

by Heather Forest, for example, two hungry travelers make soup from ingredients that everyone in the town contributes. What makes it extra delicious is the sharing it took to make it.

Help your child make friends. If you get the sense your toddler or preschooler needs a little help in the social department, try hosting playdates with others your child likes or with whom he has common interests.

Playdates offer an opportunity to break away from the group and foster individual friendships. You might begin by asking your preschooler, for example: “How about a playdate with Bobby? I notice that he likes to draw, too.”

If you’re not sure who to invite over first, ask your child’s preschool teacher if there’s anyone in the classroom who might be a good match for your child. Then, feel free to go from there and make the rounds so that your child gets the chance to know several children better.

To help your child play host, let him pick the snack and ask him beforehand what games and activities he and his friend might like to do. On the playdate, feel free to play along and stay close by to make sure everyone stays safe. But give your child and his friend the chance to play on their own, too. To help things go smoothly, keep playdates to two hours; children start to get tired after that. And keep it simple by inviting just one child over at a time.

Hone your child’s listening skills. At the dinner table and during car rides, help your preschooler hone her listening skills by asking her to wait to speak until her brother has finished his sentence. When it’s her turn, remind her, “Now it’s your turn to talk. Thank you for being patient and for being such a good listener while your brother was talking.” Explain that being a good listener shows respect for the speaker, whether it’s her brother or her teacher and the other students at school who are trying to hear what the teacher has to say.

Mention that it’s a two-way street: When she’s a good listener, she’s showing the same kind of respect that she gets when others listen to her. If she continues to interrupt, keep reminding her that she’ll get the chance to talk. Becoming a good listener, like many things, can take lots of practice.

School Basics Schoo

Let the

Kids Play!

A Look at W What’s Best for Preschoolers Preschool Today

A

By Robert Schiappacasse

AS CONTROVERSY TROVERSY A AND DEBATE

continue over the C Common Core, parents can underst understandably find themselves about what is best es torn abou for their children. Wh While many decry tough state and federal fede standards, learning to read at the age of 5 can easily seem like an important advantage – especia especially in a system where academic academics now often begin in preschool.

Sand tables and dress-up clothes seem quaint and outdated. If kids don’t get used to homework in kindergarten, how are they going to buckle down in third grade, never mind get into college? How are they going to get ahead in a competitive global economy if we don’t start pushing them when they’re young? If we want the best for our kids, isn’t this essentially required, like it or not?

A new, well-researched book packed with insights and a dose of common sense suggests otherwise.

In The Importance of Being Little: What Preschoolers Really Need from Grownups (Viking, 2016), teacher and researcher Erika Christakis of Yale University tells us that young children do not need high-pressure instruction. Nor do they need insipid craft projects 16

Childcare & Preschool Guide | 2016

or classroom walls jammed with vocabular vocabulary lists, job charts, ready-made posters and seasonal kitsch.

“Preschool classrooms are needlessly noisy, overstimulating and aesthetically unappealing with rapid pacing and jam-packed schedules,” she says. “There is too much teacher-directed talk on banal topics and insufficient uninterrupted stretches of time to play.”

What little kids need is simple: freedom to play and be creative, and strong relationships with caring adults who provide a stimulating, structured, yet flexible learning environment.

The social dimension of learning is crucial, Christakis says, but one that is often ignored in favor of academic goals. She describes one mother and father who marched into a parent-teacher conference

Robert Schiappacasse is the school director at the Waldorf School of Lexington in Lexington.

School Basics

irate that their kindergartener wasn’t being taught critical thinking skills – only to find that the veteran teacher had a surprisingly in-depth understanding of their daughter.

The parents, focused on “academic readiness,” hadn’t anticipated how much this connection would mean.

After the conference, the parents had no doubt that this teacher “contained the key ingredient to unlock Stella’s learning potential: she knew and loved her students.”

Creative free play is also essential to a child’s healthy growth and development. Christakis takes aim at that archetypal, mind-numbing craft project: the Thanksgiving hand-shaped turkey, precut by teachers and adorned by children with store-bought colored feathers. Such “counterfeit crafts” deprive children of the chance to explore their environment, execute original ideas, and connect and communicate with each other.

“Studies show that we’re unlikely to hear, during turkey time, the kind of really rich, expressive language that emerges when children are engaged in creative work, building a fort or playing house,” she writes.

Free play and other creative endeavors are being marked as low-value and thus expendable. Explaining why the annual kindergarten class play had been cancelled, one principal wrote to parents, “We’re responsible for preparing children for college and career with valuable lifelong skills and know that we can best do that by having them become strong readers, writers, coworkers and problem solvers.”

Really? College and career prep for 5-year-olds?

Fortunately that’s a pack of pablum – though unfortunately, one that many educators and parents are buying. “The benefits of play are so thoroughgoing,” Christakis writes, citing a raft of research studies, “that the only remaining question is how so many sensible adults sat by and allowed the building blocks of development to become so diminished.”

“A playful childhood,” she continues, “is worth more than the accumulation of every conceivable [academic] standard. Even if we rounded them up and assigned them an amassed value, that value x wouldn’t come close to the infinite value of play to a young child’s development.”

So when you’re searching for the right preschool for your child, look for a warm, uncluttered environment, with caring teachers who are “versed in sound developmental principles and have the time and opportunity to get to know children in their natural habitat, which is to say in a play-based, language-rich setting involving relationships with adults who cherish them.”

As Christakis emphasizes, children are born ready to play, connect and learn. We just need to let them. ■

Our mission is to create an early childhood program that fulfills the cognitive, emotional, social and physical needs of what is known to be the most significant period of human development.

Friends Childcare offers an exciting, creative curriculum, as well as fun and stimulating learning activities for all age groups. Tailor-made schedule 7AM-6PM, 5 days a week.

Regular in-house enrichment programs, such as nature exploration, music, gross motor program, and baby massage are included in the tuition.

• Infants (Birth to 15 Months)

• Toddlers (15 Months to 33 Months)

• Preschool/ Pre-Kindergarten (33 Months to 5 Years)

Brookline • 617-731-1008 • 617-739-0854 Call or email us to schedule a tour • friendschildcare.brookline@gmail.com www.friendschildcare.net

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17

Behavior

8

Common Mistakes Parents Make with Siblings

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By Laura Markham

THE ONLY THING HARDER THAN PARENTING A CHILD IS PARENTING more than one at the same time. But raising siblings gets easier if we avoid a few common pitfalls that many parents make.

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Childcare & Preschool Guide | 2016

Behavior

1 tss

We think that we’re supposed to fix the problem. Most

5

We don’t set limits on behavior. Acknowledging our

parents feel pressure to figure out who is right and who is wrong, so we can fix the problem. But our job isn’t to solve the problem; it’s to coach our kids so they can solve their problem. That’s how they learn the skills to work things out with each other, and with other people. Isn’t that liberating?

Effective sibling coaching means stating the problem without blaming either child, helping the kids with their feelings by empathizing and listening to each child, and coaching kids to voice their needs without attacking each other. Once you’ve done this, your children will feel better and will be able, with your support, to compromise on a solution that works for both of them.

children’s feelings doesn’t mean that we allow all behavior. Every family needs rules about treating each other with kindness. It’s the parent’s job to step in physically when children are fighting, and to intervene to stop teasing or mean words, which can cause emotional damage: “Jasmine, the rule is no name calling. You can tell your brother you’re mad without hurtful language.”

6

2

We take sides. When you side with one child against the other – even when you’re 100% certain that child is in the right – you create more sibling rivalry. That’s because even if they can’t articulate it, both children interpret your action as symbolically taking your love from one child and giving it to the other.

Instead, describe the problem you see, without blame or judgment: “I hear loud voices … sounds like maybe you two have a problem?”

“Is everyone having fun with this game? I see Kevin crying.”

3 4

We forget that we’re the role model. Naturally you get

We force siblings to apologize to each other before they’re ready. Research shows that apologies given before the apologizer has gotten past his anger don’t help the relationship, because they aren’t perceived as sincere by the receiver and they’re resented by the giver. Instead, set an expectation that in your house, when something hurtful has been said or done, the participants “repair” the damage they’ve done to that relationship, once they’ve both calmed down and feel better. This might mean an apology, a hug, drawing a picture, helping rebuild the train track that was wrecked or running to get a cold washcloth for a sibling’s injury. Kids won’t resist this if you help them work through their angry feelings before they’re expected to “make up” with their sibling.

7 8

upset when your children are fighting. But when we yell, we’re training our children to yell. So before you intervene with your kids, take a breath to calm yourself first. It also helps to say a little mantra to shift your perspective, like “It’s not an emergency.”

We don’t allow feelings. When your son says “I hate her!

Why did you ever have to get a baby?!” it can feel scary. But if you shut down his expression of those emotions, he doesn’t stop feeling them. He just stops expressing them. He might even stop admitting he has them, even to himself, which means he shuts the feelings out of his conscious awareness. But the emotions are still there, beyond conscious control, causing him to tease or pinch the baby, or to be obstinate with us. It’s far better to empathize: “It’s hard sometimes, having a baby in the house. I guess it makes you very angry sometimes to have to share me, and to have to be quiet so she can sleep, and to have to wait your turn ... it can be very hard, can’t it? You can always tell me when it’s hard, and I will always understand, and help you.”

We punish instead of empowering kids to repair. Punishing a child who has wronged her sibling won’t make her want to act better next time, it will just harden her heart and make her more resentful. Instead, help the child with the emotions that drove the bad behavior, and insist that she find a way to “repair” the relationship.

We expect children to know how to work things out with each other – without our teaching them! Children aren’t born

knowing how to express their needs without attacking the other person, or find a win/win solution that works for both people. So if we want them to stop fighting and use their words constructively, we have to teach them.

Most parents make these mistakes, just because they’ve never thought about how children actually learn. But if you can retrain yourself, you’ll see your kids fighting less and enjoying each other more. You’ll be on the way to raising children who will be friends for life. ■ Dr. Laura Markham is the author of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting and Peaceful Parent, Happy Siblings: How to Stop the Fighting and Raise Friends for Life.

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Childcare & Preschool Guide | 2016

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21

Behavior

5

Things to Know About Challenging Behavior

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By Emily Potts Callejas and Mary Watson Avery

WHETHER IT IS A TANTRUM IN THE SUPERMARKET OR A REFUSAL TO PARTICIPATE in circle time, responding to challenging behavior in young children can be one of the most common and, yet, toughest parts of being a parent or an early childhood educator. The fact that challenging behaviors are a healthy part of early childhood development can be of little solace when a child’s repeated actions are frustrating, upsetting or just plain confusing.

1 All behavior – even challenging behavior – is communication. Sometimes when

children “act out” we want to ignore it and think it’s just a phase. However, “acting out” is a child’s way of communicating. Acknowledging a child’s feelings – even when those feelings might be expressed through a tantrum – is an important step in connecting to a child and helping her manage her own feelings.

T. Berry Brazelton states in his book Touchpoints Birth to Three: Your Child’s Emotional and Behavioral Development (Da Capo Press, 2002) that, “When you can, find a way for time-out or a hug in a rocking chair to break the cycle of [aggressive] buildup. It will help you as well. As you stop [the child], say, ‘I’m sorry. I love you, but not what you are doing.’”

Acknowledging a child’s frustration or angry feelings helps the child understand that you see that she is communicating something to you, the adult. Taking time out to discuss challenging behavior is one way both the child and adult will better understand each other and have improved communication.

2 Challenging behavior is more than just annoying – it’s a demonstration of skill.

When a young child displays challenging behaviors, such as pinching or screaming, it is often because he does not know how to describe what he is feeling by using his words. A very young child does not have the language to express their needs and may turn to tantrums to express discomfort or hunger, or biting to express frustration. It is important to understand that while annoying, challenging behavior is also a child’s way of showing us how they are able to express themselves, which gives a starting point in how we can support them.

3 Social skills can and should be taught.

Research shows that when children are taught the key skills they need to understand their emotions and the emotions of others, handle conflicts, problem solve, and develop relationships with peers, their problem behavior decreases and their social skills improve.

Young children must be given the tools to know how to navigate the world around them. Parents and

Behavior

It is helpful to develop a common understanding of challenging behavior that can be shared between early childhood educators and families. Below we have provided useful language, strategies and tips for parents and teachers to help better understand and address common challenging behaviors in children.

educators should be trained – or seek guidance – in helping children to gain these skills.

4 Children do things for attention because they need your attention. When

a child throws yogurt onto the floor, he is doing so to tell you something. When a child cries in the crib, she is trying to get your attention. There are many reasons for challenging behavior, for example: a developmental surge, medical reasons, biological reasons, the social emotional environment, discontinuity between care program and home, lack of skill in communicating and interacting with others, and/or a combination of factors. Understanding the reason behind challenging behavior in young children is empowering for parents and teachers, and helps adults to feel more confident in their parenting and/ or teaching.

5 Building nurturing relationships is one of the most powerful tools in preventing and addressing challenging behavior. The

focus of parents and early childhood educators should be on assisting children in getting their needs met rather than eliminating the challenging behavior.

In order to support this goal, adults must place priority on building relationships with the children who are in their care. The place to start is to establish trust with the young child by getting to know him.

For example, a teacher might incorporate family photos into circle time to elicit stories from children about their families and loved ones. Having a deeper understanding of the child as an individual enables that young child to feel safe, loved, and therefore trusting of the adults in his life. Mutual trust and understanding provides the basis for a relationship where a child can explore all aspects of growing up, including experiencing joy, frustration, fear, curiosity, happiness and love.

Next time you feel tested, confused, or frustrated with a little one, consider taking a deep breath and wondering aloud about what the child is trying to tell you. A tantrum communicates a lot of information.

It’s up to the grown-ups to unlock that meaning and help young children feel understood. ■ Emily Potts Callejas, Ed.M., is the infant/early childhood mental health content manager of Wheelock College’s Connected Beginnings Training Institute. Mary Watson Avery, M.S., is the senior program director of Wheelock College’s Aspire Institute, in addition to leading the Connected Beginnings Training Institute.

BostonParentsPaper.com

23

Nutrition & Health

Now Hear This!

Keep Your Child’s Ear Health in Check

By Kelly Bryant

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WITH SUMMER ALMOST HERE, YOU’VE BEEN BUSY CHECKING OFF ITEMS on your to-do list to make sure you’re ready, such as sunblock, goggles, hats, towels and floaties, plus a lounge chair in a coveted location near the pool.

While we offer you kudos for hauling all of that gear around in style and protecting your family’s skin and eyes, there’s one thing you may have missed on the summer safety checklist – their ears. Often disregarded until it’s too late, proper ear health is especially important during the summer months as kids are swimming up a storm weekly, if not daily.

“Our ears serve an important role and if they’re not healthy, that can lead to conditions that have a significant impact on our lives,” says Jocelyn Joseph, M.D., M.P.H., chief of pediatrics at MIT Medical, Cambridge. “For example, fluid in our ears can cause

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Childcare & Preschool Guide | 2016

hearing loss and, as a result, a child’s speech and language development may be delayed. Also, if fluid is persistent, it may lead to chronic ear infections and continued need for antibiotics.”

What Is Swimmer’s Ear? No one wants to be sidelined at camp because of swimmer’s ear, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that 2.4 million health care visits are attributed to the infection annually in the United States, resulting in almost half a billion dollars in health care costs.

Mother’s Helpers Swimmer’s ear (or otitis externa if you want to get fancy), specifically, is an infection of the outer ear canal and rears its ugly head when water stays in the ear canal for an extended period of time, offering germs a play area to grow and infect the skin. Common in children who love to swim, symptoms can include itchiness inside the ear, redness and swelling, pain when the ear is tugged and puss drainage. The moral of the story? You want to avoid this at all costs.

Joseph advises parents to prevent swimmer’s ear by having children wear a swimming cap or ear plugs, but if your little one simply isn’t having it, drying the ears as best you can after swimming is helpful.

“Use a towel, washcloth or even a blow dryer on the lowest setting,” she says. “Hold the blow dryer about a foot away from the ear.”

Another option, Joseph says, is to use a 1:1 mixture of white vinegar and rubbing alcohol before and after swimming. Pour a teaspoon of the mixture in each ear and let it drain out if, and only if, the eardrum is not ruptured.

In the event your child starts to complain of ear pain, Michael Cohen, M.D., a pediatric otolaryngologist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, encourages parents to visit an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor as soon as possible.

“Swimmer’s ear is treated with ear drops; usually antibiotic or a combination of antibiotic and steroid drops are used,” he explains. “Sometimes the swelling can be so severe that drops cannot get into the ear canal, in which case an ENT doctor can put a small sponge, called a wick, into the canal to help the drops get in further. Several ear cleanings may be necessary to remove infected debris and to facilitate healing.”

Is Your Child Prone to Ear Infections?

If your child swims regularly, particularly in water with high bacterial counts at recreational water venues, chances are he is at increased risk for developing an outer ear infection, but there are other factors to consider as well.

Joseph cites children with small ear canals as an example of kids who are more susceptible to this kind of illness, as well as those who use hearing aids or wear headphones. Even irritants like hairsprays can put a child at increased risk for infection.

When possible, ask pool operators if disinfectant and pH levels are checked twice a day. If the levels are within a normal range (which is 7.0 – 7.6 for pH), the water is less likely to spread germs.

Middle ear infections (otitis media with effusion is the technical term) is when fluid builds up in the middle ear and doesn’t offer any signs of acute infection

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like pain, pus or fever. According to the CDC, these infections can be caused by viral upper respiratory infections, allergies or exposure to irritants such as cigarette smoke.

“Due to [children’s] anatomy, they may have more dysfunction of their Eustachian tube,” says Joseph as to why children may be more susceptible to middle ear infections. “As they grow, this tube changes its position and allows for better drainage of the fluid that naturally collects into the ear tube to drain into the nose.”

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Childcare & Preschool Guide | 2016

Those cotton swabs sure do look inviting to little ones, so first and foremost, keep them out of their reach.

The only person who should be in charge of cleaning ears is a grown-up, and even then it should be done gently and not as often as you might think.

“The ears are generally self-cleaning,” says Cohen.

“Wax produced within the ear canal is normal and serves a protective purpose as it has both moisturizing and antimicrobial properties. Wax gradually comes out on its own as the skin of the ear canal grows outward.”

So how can you safely and effectively clean a child’s ears? With great care and caution.

“Any visible wax can be gently wiped away with a washcloth, but parents should not try to clean within the ear canal using cotton swabs or other implements as this often pushes wax in further and can damage the delicate skin of the ear canal,” he explains.

Joseph concurs, encouraging parents to avoid sticking anything into the ear, even those seemingly innocent cotton swabs. It’s easy to mistakenly dive too far into the ear, which is delicate and may cause the rupture of the tympanic membrane (the eardrum). And don’t even think about trying to get creative. It should go without saying that pen caps, hair pins and the like shouldn’t go anywhere near the ears.

“Avoid cleaning the ear canal,” she says. “If a parent suspects it needs to be cleaned, please call and make arrangements for your child’s ear to be cleaned at their provider’s office.”

If your child is complaining of ear discomfort or pain, Joseph advises not to ignore it. Also, take note if they are speaking loudly or listening to the TV or radio louder than what you think is normal. These can be signs that their ears should be checked by an ENT. So as you pack up for the pool this summer and round up all of that gear to keep your children safe for the duration of the season, don’t forget about the ears. Ear plugs and swim caps may not be the most glamorous of accessories, but your kids (and their ears) will thank you. ■ Kelly Bryant is associate editor of Boston Parents Paper.

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27

Nutrition & Health

Fortified Cereals May Pose

Health Risks

By Mary Alice Cookson

C

CEREAL IS THE ULTIMATE QUICK meal fix. Whether it’s your classic bowl for breakfast or a midday snack, it can be the saving grace of your pantry – always there when you need a fast bite. Packed with vitamins and partnered with milk, it feels like a no-brainer for an easy, healthy option, right? Not so fast.

As with so many things in the world today, there’s now speculation cereal may offer too much of a good thing when eaten in large quantities or several times a day. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) published a report saying kids might be getting too many nutrients from this kitchen staple, particularly if it’s a variety fortified with vitamins and minerals.

Should parents and caregivers be concerned?

First we worry about whether our kids are getting enough nutrients and now we’re fretting about them getting too many! Local nutrition experts say that yes, there is cause for concern, but as with 28

Childcare & Preschool Guide | 2016

everything, it’s best to keep the issue in perspective and to strive for moderation.

Vitamin Overdose The EWG, a nonprofit organization that focuses on human health and the environment, warns that consuming too much zinc, vitamin A and niacin is toxic and can, over time, be potentially harmful. This is especially true for kids under the age of 8, pregnant women and older adults. The EWG cites recent studies that indicate kids are being overexposed to these nutrients and, in fact,

Nutrition & Health

e

s

going above the Tolerable Upper Intake Level recommended by the Institute of Medicine.

Too much vitamin A (which is fat-soluble so a person doesn’t pee out the excess) can lead to liver damage over time, as can excessive niacin. Too much zinc can result in impaired immune function.

Short-term effects of too many nutrients may include symptoms like nausea, vomiting and rashes.

The EWG took a look at the labels of 1,500 breakfast cereals and found that 114 of the cereals – about 7 percent of them – contained a large percentage of the recommended Daily Values of vitamin A, zinc and/or niacin per serving. Those values are based on what’s good for adults, not young children, and many of the values are outdated since they were set back in 1968. That means that if kids eat more than one serving (with a serving size defined as about three quarters of a cup), they can meet or exceed their Daily Value.

Ann Manzi, a registered dietician at the North Shore Medical Center in Salem, says it’s true kids may be consuming more cereal than they should. “They might have cereal for breakfast and then come home from school and have another big bowl of cereal. It tastes good and it’s easy and they grab it,” she says.

“Sometimes the parents aren’t even aware of this if they aren’t home after school. Kids with limited variety in their diets might be eating many bowls per day every day.”

Variety Is Best Parents and caregivers should keep an eye out and make sure that kids aren’t having a lot of the same food – or the same cereal – day after day, says Manzi. Instead, encourage kids to eat a variety of different foods.

However, to put vitamin overdosing in perspective, Manzi conducted her own study by looking at the labels of eight boxes of cereal she had in her home. She observes, “Most of the ‘healthy’ ones had about 25 percent of the Daily Value for most nutrients. Only the iron was higher in many (50 percent), which shouldn’t be a problem in kids, especially older kids.”

Younger children eat less and tend to “selfregulate” their food intake, which shields them somewhat from going over the limit, she explains.

“If kids eat one large serving of cereal every day with fruit and milk, that’s fine,” she reasons, but again stresses that they do need variety. “It is up to the parents to work on planning meals and snacks with their kids to be sure the goals of good nutrition are

met most of the time and that cereal is not a regular occurrence,” she says.

The EWG advises using caution when feeding children foods with more than 25 percent of the adult Daily Value and monitoring their intake of all foods to make sure they’re not getting excessive nutrients, especially if the child is also taking a multivitamin or supplements.

Julienne Seed, a registered dietician who practices at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates’ Somerville, Copley and Watertown practices, agrees with the EWG’s advice. “Twenty-five percent of the adult recommended Daily Value provides an adequate safety measure for children who may consume the product, but I would not recommend going over this,” she says.

Other Foods to Watch “Not only are cereals fortified with vitamins and minerals, but so are many other foods and beverages commonly consumed by children, such as fruit juices, instant breakfast drinks and ‘fruit snacks’ gummy candies,” says Seed. “That means that when all of these are added up, kids will easily surpass their nutrient needs.” Snack bars fortified with vitamins and minerals are another leading culprit, according to the EWG. The bottom line is that while companies use the term vitamin-fortified in their advertising campaigns to boost a product’s appeal and make it sound healthy, in actuality, it is just another example of a case where “too much of a good thing” is not good for us.

Seed cautions parents and caregivers to read Nutrition Facts panels carefully because she says the labels can confuse consumers who may not realize that the Daily Values are based on what’s good for a 25-year-old male. “They may not realize that the product is providing possibly as much as three times of that recommended for a child,” she notes. “Children consuming a single serving of the 100-percent-fortified breakfast cereal will reach their UL [Tolerable Upper Intake Level] and having other foods and vegetables puts them over their limit.”

Good Cereal vs. Bad Cereal A good rule of thumb in choosing a cereal, according to Manzi, is to aim for (in one serving) “one cup or more in volume, not more than a teaspoon (4 grams) of sugar, at least 3 grams of fiber and the first ingredient should be whole grain.” To cut down on the amount of sugar kids consume, she says it’s helpful to mix a sweetened cereal with a plain cereal (such as Cheerios). Plain or multigrain BostonParentsPaper.com

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Cheerios, Kix, most Chex cereals and oatmeal are good choices.

“Try adding fresh fruit like blueberries or raspberries to the whole grain cereal for natural sweetness,” says Seed. Bad cereal choices, in her opinion, include those high in sugar, those made from refined grains, such as rice or corn, and especially those fortified with 100 percent of the Daily Value for vitamins and minerals.

To take a break from always reaching for the cereal, the two dieticians suggest: ✼ natural peanut butter on 100 percent whole grain bread or toast with all-natural fruit spread (without added sugar) or with shredded vegetables; ✼ a boiled egg, or a scrambled egg made in a stick-free pan a couple of times per week (omelets will get the veggies in); and ✼ lowfat or nonfat plain yogurt with fresh fruit.

“Give the kids two to three choices that you feel meet the criteria and ask them to decide,” says Manzi. “Be sure to involve children in planning and preparing meals according to your standards, but give them options.

Keep in mind that variety with food is always best.” ■ Mary Alice Cookson is the former associate editor of Boston Parents Paper.

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Childcare & Preschool Guide | 2016

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31

Enrichment

Art Advant The benefits of taking young children to museums.

By Anna Housley Juster

T

TODDLERS AND PRESCHOOLERS are very curious about everything around them and excited to experience it with their whole bodies, ready to learn new things and have fun.

An inquisitive girl takes a closer look at Boston Children’s Museum.

At art museums or the art galleries of children’s museums, both kids and adults can feel just like the girl in the picture book The Museum by Susan Verde (Abrams, 2013). These “field trips,” whether it’s with a class or just your family, ignite something fun and exciting that also benefits a child’s development. And often it’s not just about the act of looking; toddlers and preschoolers enjoy participating in art activities and exploring colors, textures and materials in art studios like the one at Boston Children’s Museum, for example.

Inspired by professional artists, children recreate and/or represent art. This process enhances their imagination, creativity and problem-solving skills.

Particularly at children’s museums, kids benefit in many ways through self-directed play. It may seem simple to an adult, but play contributes to brain development.

According to Fraser Brown, author of Play & Playwork: 32

Childcare & Preschool Guide | 2016

101 Stories of Children Playing (Open University Press, 2014), when children choose what to play and create their own rules, they maximize their whole development.

The benefits of play for children include cognitive/ academic, physical and social-emotional practice, as well as creative, literacy, STEM and problem-solving skills development, says Rachel E. White, who wrote The Power of Play: A Research Summary on Play and Learning for Minnesota Children’s Museum in 2013.

As children’s museums are committed to promote early learning through play, museum staff intentionally create exhibits and develop programs with professional play facilitators who interact with children in the exhibit.

Particularly with toddlers and preschoolers, children’s museums’ work is based on the latest brain development research. For example, when children are collecting as many golf balls as they can carry and putting them all

in In of Th ca on em la A D M

ntage

PHOTO: PAUL SPECHT

“NOW ENROLLING” ST. MARY OF THE ASSUMPTION SCHOOL 2.9 NURSERY TO GRADE 8 Long history of academic excellence. Small class size, experienced staff and partnership with Boston College. Music, band, art, PE, new computer lab and Happy Feet - Indoor Soccer at all levels. Extended day programs until 6:00pm.

into the tracks, they physically walk/run and chase balls.

Inside their brains, children are recognizing the causality of balls and constantly constructing theories of gravity.

They might interact and collaborate with other children or caregivers to collect balls and put as many balls as they can on the tracks. This process involves negotiation, socialemotional development, and communication skills and language development. ■ Anna Housley Juster, Ph.D., is the senior director of Child Development & Community Engagement for Boston Children’s Museum.

The Top 5 Museums in Massachusetts, according to last year’s Boston Parents Paper’s Family Favorite Awards: ✼ Boston Children’s Museum – Boston ✼ Discovery Museums – Acton ✼ Museum of Fine Arts, Boston – Boston ✼ Museum of Science – Boston ✼ The Harvard Museum of Natural History – Cambridge

Flexible full- and half-day preschool programs for 2.9 - 5 year olds.

Call us for a tour or apply online at www.stmarys-brookline.org 67 Harvard Street • Brookline 617-566-7184 BostonParentsPaper.com

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Childcare & Preschool Guide | 2016

COURTESY PHOTO

Enrichment 34

Students learn the basics of ballet at Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston.

Enrichment

Choosing an

After-School Activity for Your Child

C

By Cheryl Crosby and Denise Yearian

CHILDREN’S INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES ARE AS DIVERSE AS THE CHILDREN

COURTESY PHOTO

themselves. Just as the right activity can build a child’s self-esteem and provide hours of enjoyment, the wrong one can do just the opposite. So how do you find the right sport, club or music program for your child?

This was the dilemma Susan Benzel faced with her young children. “My kids weren’t gregarious about asking to participate in an activity,” says Benzel. “We exposed them to a variety of things I thought would be developmentally good for them, hoping they would find something they enjoyed.”

Jeanne Ruckert Lovy, assistant vice president of young children and their families at the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston, thinks variety is a good idea, particularly for the younger set.

“Classes are a great way for children to try new things,” she says. “Preschool children love to develop and demonstrate mastery and competence, and activities involving new skills, such as sculpture building, ballet, soccer or LEGO robotics, are great ways to help children feel confident and proud.

“If your child is interested and flexible, it’s fine to try many activities, but it can also be meaningful to stick with one or two and let your child grow through them with a group of friends or a favorite instructor,” Lovy continues. “Either can be beneficial.

If something is going well, don’t feel you have to abandon it because you feel children need variety.

Alternately, if something is not going well, don’t force your child to repeat it; find something new.”

Lovy also recommends that you start by thinking about your child’s strengths and learning style before signing up for an activity. “Consider your child’s temperament and the ways he or she best approaches new situations,” she says. “For example, the open gym class that worked well for your neighbor’s child might feel overwhelming to a child who is sensitive to noise. Start with a smaller classsize or a targeted instruction class like yoga, martial arts or dance, and then work up to a larger group.

Alternatively, if your child is very active and requires a lot of support in a group setting, an intense sitdown class like computers or watercolors might not be the best fit.”

This is the reason Betty Calvetti signed up her son for soccer when he was 5 years old. “Angelo has always had such a high energy level that we thought moving BostonParentsPaper.com

35

Enrichment

Where to Go Cooking ✼ Create a Cook, createacook.com ✼ Heirloom Kitchen; heirloomkitchen.com ✼ Eurostoves; eurostoves.com

Dance & Gymnastics ✼ All That Jazz Dance Studio; allthatjazznewton.com ✼ Exxcel Gymnastics and Climbing; exxcel.net ✼ Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre; ballettheatre.org ✼ Massachusetts Gymnastics Center; massgymnastics.com ✼ Paulette’s Ballet Studio; paulettesballetstudio.com ✼ Tony Williams Dance Center; tonywilliamsdancecenter.com

Music ✼ All Newton Music School; allnewtonmusicschool.com ✼ Brookline Music School; bmsmusic.org

✼ Children’s Music Center of Jamaica Plain; jamaicaplainmusic.com ✼ Community Music Center of Boston; cmcb.org ✼ Keys for Kids; keys-for-kids.com ✼ Longy School of Music; longy.edu ✼ Music Together; musictogetherma.com ✼ New School of Music; newschoolofmusic.org ✼ Piano Playtime; pianoplaytime.com ✼ Sprouting Melodies; sproutingmelodies.com ✼ Yamaha Music School of Boston; ymsboston.com

Sports ✼ Alpha Martial Arts Academy; alphatkd.com ✼ Appalachian Mountain Club; outdoors.org ✼ Boston Rock Gym; bostonrockgym.com

✼ Guard Up! Family Swordsmanship; guardup.com ✼ My Gym; mygym.com

STEM ✼ Center for the Advancement of STEM Education at Bridgewater State University; bridgew.edu ✼ Einstein’s Workshop; einsteinsworkshop.com ✼ LEtGO Your Mind; letgoyourmind.com ✼ Russian School of Mathematics; russianschool.com ✼ The Math Club; themathclub.com ✼ The Science Works!; thescienceworks.com

Various Programs Available ✼ Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston; bostonjcc.org ✼ LINX; linxclasses.com ✼ The Boston Conservatory; bostonconservatory.edu

Helpful Tips & Advice up and down the soccer field would be a good fit,” says Calvetti. “We had considered baseball but, at the time, thought the game moved too slowly for him.”

Another consideration is your child’s personality.

Is he more suited to group or individual activities?

“Try both group and individual activities to see what feels best for your child,” Lovy recommends.

“Determine your goals before making a selection. If your goal is to help your child in social settings, seek out a group experience with an experienced and kind instructor. Individual activities are great for building a skill or competency, like swimming, but less effective for group interaction. They can also be good for a child transitioning to his or her first class experience.”

Carol Scott, a 4-H youth program director, agrees.

“In groups, kids learn to be cooperative players and are responsible for one another,” she explains. “In an individual setting, they can move at their own pace and feel a sense of personal accomplishment at what they have achieved.”

Benzel found this to be true with her son Brock.

“He always loved music and rhythm but had never had piano lessons,” she recalls. “One day, his friend came over and started playing our piano. Brock said, ‘I can do even better.’ I started him in lessons and within months, he had surpassed his friend’s skills.

I never have to ask him to practice. Lessons are the highlight of his week.”

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Childcare & Preschool Guide | 2016

✼ Consider time commitments. How much family time is committed now? How much will this activity entail? Will personal practice time be expected? ✼ Add up the cost. Think about uniforms, trips and other expenses not covered in the initial fee. ✼ Stop by for a visit if the program has ongoing instruction. Sit in on a session and observe it in progress. Does the instructor interact with the students? Does she use positive reinforcement? Are the students listening and attentive? Do they seem happy? Is the program geared for the skill and developmental level of the children? ✼ Ask about introductory classes. Many ongoing programs offer introductory classes with no commitment. This allows your child to become familiar with the program and serves as a screening process to see if the instructor is running the program at the children’s level. ✼ If your child has taken up an athletic activity,

such as soccer, but didn’t like it, try a different sport. If he played the saxophone

and didn’t tune in, try a new instrument.

Or choose something completely different.

The point is, give your child a variety of experiences to find one he truly enjoys.

PRESCHOOLS THE CHILDREN’S MEETINGHOUSE, INC. AT MIDDLESEX SCHOOL But Benzel admits lessons, practices and commutes whittle away time, which is why she always considers time commitments before enrolling her children in activities.

“My life is one big jigsaw puzzle with work and family responsibilities,” she says. “I have to carefully place on the calendar where everyone is going and have an A and B plan in case my husband can’t help out.”

While having your child participate in a variety of activities is great, Lovy warns about filling up your family’s schedule with too many activities. “Even though choices can be difficult, it’s sometimes better to choose just a few things to focus on, rather than have your child scheduled every afternoon with a different activity,” she says. “Downtime and family time are important, too.”

Also important is finding an organization that matches your goals and objectives with regard to student-teacher ratios, instructors’ experience, teaching philosophies and student expectations.

“Before enrolling your child in an activity, explain the commitment to him so he knows what is expected,” says Scott. “Then if the activity doesn’t work out, talk with your child about what he didn’t like so the mistake isn’t repeated in the future.”

After enrolling, prep your child for the new activity before the first meeting or lesson. “Share your excitement about the activity without overselling it,” Lovy says. “In most cases, the point of classes is to have fun and gain new skills, so those are things you can mention to your child. Post photos on the fridge, printed from the website, as a visual reminder of what’s coming up. If there is high anxiety, it’s a red flag to consider an alternate class that would be a more comfortable fit. Once a class has begun, make sure to show interest in what your child is doing. Ask about the class, celebrate successes and be as sensitive as possible to issues if they arise.”

Most importantly, if something doesn’t work out, view it as a learning experience, not a failure. Maybe athletics isn’t your child’s thing, but music is. Or maybe it’s art or science or cooking or sewing. And don’t be surprised if it takes several tries, a few seasons or a couple of years.

“My oldest daughter, Meghan, didn’t find something she truly adored until she was older, and it’s volunteering,” Benzel concludes. “Even if my kids don’t ever find their niches, I’ll keep exposing them to different things so they grow up with a storehouse of experiences from which to draw.” ■ Cheryl Crosby is senior editor of Boston Parents Paper. Denise Yearian is the former editor of two parenting magazines and the mother of three children.

1413 Lowell Road, Concord 978-371-0678 thechildrensmeetinghouse.org Since 1984, The Children’s Meetinghouse has provided Infant/Toddler and Preschool/PreK Programs that value an emergent curriculum. A talented and qualified staff creates a learning environment that challenges children to explore and learn as individuals. The multi-arts curriculum allows teachers and children to be partners in the learning process both indoors and outside in our new natural playscape.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH NURSERY SCHOOL 75 Vernon St., Newton Corner 617-332-9255 x6 pcnspreschool.org Our curriculum is built on our philosophy that children learn best when they are involved in active learning that interests them. We encourage curiosity, cooperation, confidence, social-emotional maturity and faith in God. Classes are for children 2.9 to 5 years old.

MAGIC GARDEN CHILDREN’S CENTER 6 Ballfield Road, Hartwell Campus, Lincoln 781-259-8161 magic-garden.org Magic Garden is a 12-month program, open Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. We offer excellent care and education for children 15 months to 6 years old. We empower children to be confident in their individual identities, respectful of different perspectives and aware of the rich diversity of their community and world. Through our hands-on, mindson, emergent and active-learning curriculum, Magic Garden seeks to cultivate children’s natural curiosity and promote a lifetime love of learning. Social development is at the heart of everything we do.

Flexible schedules available. NAEYC accredited.

SACRED HEART SCHOOL 1035 Canterbury St., Roslindale 617-323-2500 sacredheart-boston.org Sacred Heart School is Boston’s first Catholic STREAM school serving students aged 2.9 through eighth grade. The new award-winning STREAM Preschool is open year-round Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., providing children hands-on, engaging learning communities in a safe, nurturing environment. The STREAM program enhances a child’s understanding of the world through science, technology, religion, engineering, the arts and mathematics. We invite you to set up a tour and see what makes our award-winning STREAM Preschool the best choice in educational childcare.

BostonParentsPaper.com 37

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