Seasons of Change

So many changes in such a short period of time. School has started, the leaves are changing, there is a crisp scent in the air and the mornings are getting colder every day. all too soon we will see the first flakes of snow falling to the ground and the children wanting to run out and make snowmen and do snow angels on the ground.
With all this change there is a down side and that is the dreaded sicknesses that come with it. Colds, flu's, and strep  and perhaps many more different viruses and infections. With this in mind it is even more important to remember to be very diligent about hand washing, cover ones mouth with the arm when sneezing or coughing instead of the hand, if you or your children are running a fever you should stay home. Staying home and following the guidelines on preventing the spread of germs will greatly reduce the amount of time someone will miss time at work because then it does not have the chance to keep going around and around.
In your monthly information packet you received a pamphlet "When is your child too ill to go to childcare?"  In this pamphlet it goes over some of the more common childhood illnesses, what the symptoms might be and what causes and actions are. Also if there are any questions you can always ask me or go to your pediatrician.
I am going through all the emergency bags and the spare clothes on hand to switch out season clothes. I am going to need 2 sets of Fall winter clothes for the emergency bag and 2 sets of Fall Winter clothes for spare clothes on hand along with spare boots, gloves, and hats.

I was reading this article on reading to children and I thought you all might like this. A child will love  to read if they are introduced to it early on. This is why I give each child a book to keep every month. This months book is Harold and the  The Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson. The children love this book because it shows imagination and what each child can do with their  imagination.

The Importance of Storytime By Lynn Dean “Once upon a time there was a princess named Amy. She lived at the beach near Bob...” I listened  as my youngest carefully “read” a story to her baby doll. Although the words did not match the text,  I knew that I had instilled a great love of reading in my child. Indeed, she was emulating one of  our favorite activities—story time. A love for reading and books is one of the most precious gifts parents can give their children.  While knowing how to read is essential for day-to-day survival, loving to read opens new worlds  for children. By reading, children can visit people in different lands, fight fire-breathing dragons to  save a royal princess, or learn how to build the perfect windmill. The possibilities are endless.  Even so, fostering a love of reading requires a bit of work on our part as parents. Read, Read, Read Storytime plays an important role in introducing children to the magic of books. Although it is never  too late to start, we should begin reading books to our children when they are very small, even  before they can walk and talk. As babies, children enjoy books with bright pictures and simple text.  Board books that babies can manipulate themselves (and chew on) are good choices, too.  Also good are books that are lyrical, such as Dr. Seuss books (my favorite is Mr. Brown Can  Moo, Can You?) and nursery rhymes. While babies cannot understand the intricacies of the  language, they do enjoy the rhythm of the words. This early introduction to reading develops a  child’s love of books and fosters a close, loving relationship between parent and child. As children grow older, our choices of books should reflect a child’s interests. My two-year-old nephew, for example, adores trains and enjoys listening to adults read books about “choo choos.”  Older children also like to be involved in the story being read. Asking questions such as: “Where is  the squirrel hiding?”; “Show me the orange ball.”; and “What do you think Tommy will do will next?”  encourage interaction. Here’s a Book, There’s a Book Experts agree that the prevalence of books in the home fosters a desire to read in children.  The more books and other reading materials that are available, the more children will value reading.  As a result, include books (fiction and non-fiction), newspapers, magazines, books on tape  (especially good for younger “readers”), and other reading materials in the home. When creating  a library remember that books don’t have to be new to be entertaining. Hand-me-downs from  friends and books purchased at thrift stores and garage sales work just as well as new books. Everywhere’s a Book Nook When encouraging children to read, remember to provide a comfortable place for reading. All  that is required  is a cuddly spot furnished with pillows, blankets, good lighting, and a variety  of reading materials. For storage, I have found that large plastic dishpans make excellent  “book buckets.” They hold books of all sizes and are portable from one reading spot to another. The Storehouse of Knowledge No matter how hard we try, we can’t stock all the books our children need or will want to  read in a home library, although technological advances may cause me to rethink this statement  in the next decade. For now, libraries are the storehouses of knowledge. There, books on  every subject can be caressed and read. Want to know the difference between a reptile and  an amphibian? The answer is in the library. In addition to loaning books, many libraries also set  aside times for storytelling. Children enjoy seeing a book brought to life with puppets and other  fanciful props. Drop Everything and Read Nothing is as important as fostering children’s interest in reading. That is why Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) time is important for both parents and children. DEAR time serves not only as  a relaxation activity, but it also gives families who are “too busy to read” a time to refocus and  get lost in a tale or two. Remember, the more our children see us read, the more they will want  to read, too. Lynn Dean is a Colorado writer and the mother of three school-age children who are voracious readers.

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