Mother Hubbards Newsletter April – May 2010
Look who has had a birthday recently:
• Niall in the playschool room who turned 2 years old on the 14th April.
• Leo in the Montessori room who turned 4 years old on the 20th April.
• Andrew in the playschool room who turned 3 years old on the 23rd April.
• Deborah in the Montessori room who turned 4 years old also on the 23rd April.
• Ayisat in the Montessori room who turned 4 years old on the 5th May.
• Lynn (student) who will be ??? on the 25th May.
• Karen (Montessori leader) who will turn ??? on the 27th May.
Fundraisers
We would like to thank all who donated money for Pyjama Day 2010. We raised a total of €435 for Make A Wish Foundation and the children all had great fun on the day.
We would also like to thank all who donated clothes to Umbra Clothing collection to help raise vital funds in the aid of Cancer research in St. Luke’s Hospital Dublin.
Big Toddle for Barnardos
We are hoping to hold our Danone Big Toddle in June of this year. This is a fundraising event where playschool and Montessori will go on a Big Toddle to raise money for Barnardos. Keep an eye out for the date and details!
Website
Our new website is up and running…you can check it out at http://www.motherhubbardschildcare.ie/
You can find information; photos etc. of each centre and you can now also follow us on Facebook and Twitter. If you wish to join visit the website and follow the link.
Congratulations to:
• Karen and Peter McGovern,
• Paul and Orla Clarke,
• Nicola and Joe McGrath and
• Patricia and Warren Grace
On the birth of their baby boys
Sun cream and Sunhats
As the weather is starting to get a bit better could all parents please send in a sunhat for their child clearly labelled to be left in the crèche. Also for parents of sessional children (those who attend 9.15-12.15) please ensure that they have sun-cream applied before coming into the centre. Children who do not have sun cream on will not be allowed to go outside. Could parents of part-time and full-time children please send in a bottle of sun-cream to be kept in the crèche.
Tesco Vouchers
Thank you to all who have brought in their vouchers so far, please keep them coming and remember to ask for the vouchers when you do your shopping…as they say in Tesco “Every Little Helps”.
Media Initiative for Children
Sharon (manager) recently attended training for the Media Initiative for Children Respecting Differences in the Ardboyne Hotel. This is training provided by the Early Years organisation and The Peace Initiatives and they aim to build a better understanding among children of physical, racial and cultural differences. Bullying behaviours and the inclusion of Traveller children are also addressed. Mother Hubbards hopes to receive the pack which accompanies the training shortly and then each centre will get the opportunity to introduce the pack to the children. Parents will be informed in more detail about when the pack is going to be introduced to their child and in what way nearer the time!
ECCE Scheme for September 2010
Could all parents of children in the playschool room please inform Sharon (manager) if their child will be attending in September for the ECCE Scheme if you have not already done so as spaces are filling up very quickly. Also our Montessori session will start at 9.00am and finish at 12.00 from September 2010. If you know of anyone who wishes to enrol their child please tell them to do so as soon as possible.
Montessori Trip
This year the Montessori class will be going on their end of year trip to Newgrange Farm. We will be going on two separate days, Thursday 3rd June and Tuesday 8th June. The children will leave the centre at 9.30am sharp and will return to the centre at 12.15-12.30 (approx.). They will need to dress weather appropriate for the day also (a pair of wellies might be the best option!) Keep an eye out on the notice boards for more information.
Look what we have been doing in our rooms:
Playschool Room: We have been busy learning about wild animals, you can see our display of elephants, monkeys, zebras and more inside on the wall. We have also started working on our summer display.
Montessori Room: We have been very busy learning about outer space and making our display. We have started working on our under the sea theme which we now have displayed in the room. We made seahorses and octopuses. We were also learning about the colour purple.
Afterschool Room: We have been having great fun doing science experiments, collecting bugs and insects and learning all about them. We also have been having great fun playing outdoors with the water!
Could parents of afterschool children please send in a change of clothes for their child to have in the crèche. The children are much more comfortable in their own clothes in the afternoon, especially in the warmer weather. It’s also useful to have a spare set here in case of emergencies!
Going to School (Article taken from http://www.rollercoaster.ie/)
Some Tips & resources to help your child settle in and thrive in school
Knowing Your Child is Ready for School
• Communication: Your child should be able to understand others and to be understood.
• Learning skills: Your child should be able to concentrate on a simple task, and to pay attention to people around them.
• Physical skills: Your child should have some dressing skills and be able to use the bathroom. They should also be comfortable with fine motor skills like holding a pencil or crayon.
• Social skills: Your child should be able to play with and, importantly, share with others. Also, it is important that your child can respond to instructions or correction by the teacher.
• Emotional skills: It is helpful if your child is comfortable being away from you for relatively short periods of time. If a child is confident that their parent will return they are more likely to settle in a new environment.
Helping Your Child Adjust to School
In helping your child to adjust, it is beneficial if parents have a positive and relaxed attitude towards school. Some key things to remember include:
• Visit the school with your child before the first day. As mentioned earlier, many schools have scheduled open days to facilitate this.
• Involve your child in preparations like buying uniforms, etc. Let them help pick out things like school bags, pencil cases and lunchboxes.
• Talk with your child about what they are looking forward to about school and what worries they may have, and try to answer any questions they have.
• Parents should try to take their child to school for the first few days of school. Alternatively, arrange for a familiar person to do it so that the child has a link to their home environment.
• Going with friends or an older brother or sister (if there is one) can also help.
• Familiarise yourself with school policies, for example those relating to uniforms, lunches and discipline. This will aid your understanding of the guidelines that influence your child's school day.
How to Talk to Your Child about School
As was mentioned above, talking to your child about school can help them to adjust. This continues to be important throughout their school lives.
• Talk with your child regularly about school. While this is important in itself, it also means that if a problem arises your child is used to talking about school matters.
• Remember to listen to what your child tells you. All parents lead busy lives, and sometimes it is easy to be distracted when your child is talking to you.
• Find an appropriate time and place to talk to your child. This should not be a formal time, but can be at mealtimes when the family is discussing their day, when a child has brought an art project home from school, or even on the way home from school.
• Always ask your child about their experiences in school in a casual and relaxed way. This can be difficult, particularly if you are worried about a problem or incident. Remember, the way you react to your child in this type of situation may affect whether they will come to you with their concerns again.
• However, while it is important to be relaxed, never dismiss concerns that your child may share.
How to Approach Your Child's School
Parents have many reasons to contact their child's school, ranging from getting information on school events to dealing with possible difficulties. Teachers and school staff are always willing to speak with parents, but keeping a few things in mind can help the process.
• While teachers are always willing to speak with parents, it is important to remember to find the right time to do this. The start of the school day can be very busy, so try to arrange a good time with the teacher.
• Be sure to attend any parent-teacher meetings the school organises. This gives both parents and teachers a chance to talk about a child's progress.
• If you do need to talk with the teacher about a problem your child is having remember to be calm and to communicate your concerns clearly. Listen to what the teacher has to say and work together to find the best way to tackle the problem.
• Attending school events, such as sports days and Christmas concerts, can also be very important. Not only do children enjoy the chance to share their achievements with their parents, but these events also provide the parents with a useful means of strengthening their relationship with their child's teacher, as well as getting to know other staff including teachers your child may have in the future and the school principal.
151 Blackcastle Lodge, Flowerhill, Navan, Co.Meath
Phone: 046-9070558
Flowerhill Fax: 046-9070670
Navan E-Mail: flowerhill@motherhubbardschildcare.ie
http://www.motherhubbardschildcare.ie/
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