Mother Hubbards Newsletter
March/April 2014
Happy Birthday
This month we would like to
wish the following children a very big Happy Birthday:
·
Emma
who turned 4
·
Saoirse
who turned 1
·
Ethan
who turned 2
·
Lily
who turned 7
·
Ella
who turned 9
·
Monica
turned 6
·
Hasir
who turned 5
·
Ella
who turned 2
·
Paddy
who turned 2
·
Erin
who turned 6
·
Caleb
who turned 3
·
Lorcan
who will be 1
·
Alex
who will be 10
·
Gabi
who will be 3
·
Jake
who will be 3
Welcome
We would like to welcome Ronan
and Eve. Ronan has joined the toddler room and Eve is in the playschool room.
Abigail to the toddler Room. We hope you all settle in very well!
Reminders
·
Can all parents please
ensure that they supervise their children once they are picked up in the
evenings as an accident may occur if a child is left un-attended.
·
If your child is not
attending crèche for any reason can you please phone the crèche and let the
staff know.
·
We are closed on Good
Friday the 18th April and also on Easter Monday 21st
April.
·
The will also be no
sessional Montessori from the 14th of april until the 25th
of april. They will resume on Monday the 28th of april
National Pyjama Day
I
am delighted to tell you that we raised a massive €718
for the irish hospice foundation. During pyjama
day we had lots of fun! The children made buns and had teddy bear picnics. We
really enjoyed pyjama day.
Breakfast
Time
As you know breakfast time
is the most important meal of the day. We would like the children to have a
very healthy breakfast therefore we hope to take Rice krispies and corn flakes
off our menu. We hope to offer readybrek, weetabix and porridge for breakfast.
From time to time we will also offer the children shreddies for breakfast.
Parking
If you haven’t already got
your parents permit please make sure to ask any of the staff for one. Once you
have this permit you will not be clamped if you are parking in the crèche
spaces.
What we have been up to
Baby Room: The baby room have
been busy with their Easter crafts and enjoying relaxing baby massage.
Toddler Room: We have been
learning about zoo animals, practising jigsaws and also learning colours.
Playschool room: We are learning
about the caterpillar, we have read the crunching munching caterpillar and are
also doing some caterpillar crafts.
Pre-Montessori: This month we have
been learning in the community. We played a fun game where we matched up the
people with heir equipment and also played dressed up.
Montessori Room: The children have
been learning about space and the planets, they have also been learning how to
tell the time.
Afterschool Room: During our
mid-term, we had a movie premier and we all got the opportunity to walk on the
red carpet. Our teachers were the photographers so we will have some photos of
our event displayed on the wall outside our room!
Afterschool 2014
Can
you please let irene or Ciara know if your child is staying on for afterschool
in September and also confirm which school they will be attending.
Below
is a informative article on helping children when they are starting school:
Going to School
As the local schools are offering places
for September, we thought this article might be of interest to parents.
Some Tips & resources to help your child
settle in and thrive in school
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.
Ongar Village Phone: 01
8260055
Ongar
Dublin 15
E-Mail: ongar@motherhubbardschildcare.ie