Minimizing Holiday Stress!

Dos and Don’ts of Minimizing Children’s Holiday Stress

By Barbara Thornton

During this holiday period, there are lots of fun activities and events going on both at home and at school, and while this is a good thing, holiday stress does cause varying degrees of anxiety in children.

Routines are important! Loss of sleep, change in diet and over stimulation can result in unhappiness for everyone, but these effects are often greater for children.  So DO keep your child’s eating, sleeping and activity schedule as close to regular as possible. And when a change in routine is inevitable, try to get back on track as soon as you can.  And DON’T let your child overdo on sweets.

DON’T over schedule your child.  Don’t say yes to every invitation or request, or you will end up with more activities than your family can happily handle.  DON’T forget – less is more.

If you are the type who must plan, then -

DO plan quiet time:

Reading stories

Hot cocoa and popcorn

Movie night at the house

Writing Holiday cards with a grandparent

DO plan activities to keep your child moving:

            Going skating

Swimming at the YMCA

Outside play dates

            Nature walks

DO watch your child’s cues. If you see your child starting to get tired or acting cranky, changing your plans may save you lots of grief in the long run.  You may need to take a snack break, or add a nap on a day you didn’t expect it would be needed.

DO remember that you are the most important role model for your child.

Set a calm example. Keep things in perspective. Don’t set unrealistic expectation for yourself or your family members.  Don’t compare the present with romanticized memories of holidays past.

DON’T blow things out of proportion.  Even when things don’t go the way you had hoped, remember that a disaster now results in a funny story later.

DO take care of yourself.  This may seem counter-intuitive with the holiday season messages, but being at your best is the most important gift you can give your family. Pay attention to your own needs and feelings during the holiday.  One way to help alleviate your own stress is to take advantage of Parent’s Night Out at Kangaroo Kids.

DO accept that there will be stress. But DO live in the moment, DO appreciate every moment you share with your child, and DO be thankful for all you have.

Happy Holidays!

Avoid Common Mistakes When Guiding Children's Behavior

Common mistakes we make when guiding children’s behavior:

1.       Not setting clear expectations in advance

Example:  “We are going shopping. Remember, we are only buying food for breakfast, and you can help me make some healthy choices.”   It also helps to review healthy choices.

2.       Not setting boundaries

Think of how you would feel driving in the right lane of the Brooklyn Bridge if there weren’t any guard rails?  You child needs boundaries which will grow as the child matures. 

3.       Lack of follow through and inconsistency

      Ask yourself - Are you willing to leave the cart if you give a warning to your child that you are leaving the store if he or she doesn’t stop a specific behavior? 

• Mean what you say or don’t say it.
• Don’t say no but then give in after much pleading, it only creates an environment for longer pleading.
• Choose your battles.  Ask yourself does it really matter?
• Turn off the cell phone so you can focus on follow through.

4.       Confusing loving with indulging

5.       Not letting our children experience consequences

6.       Not creating a yes environment.  A yes environment is created by setting parameters that are age appropriate such as avoiding long waiting periods for young children, and giving children time to transition as opposed to rushing from one activity to another.  

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from the entire staff at

 Kangaroo Kids! 

Have a "Hauntingly"  Good Day!

Halloween Safety

Halloween can be a fun day for the whole family!  Here are a few great tips from the Center For Disease Control to help make your Halloween adventures fun and safe!  http://www.cdc.gov/family/halloween/

Principles for Effective Guidance and Discipline

1. Discipline is not punishment, but an opportunity to help children behave appropriately.
2. Discipline includes preventing problems and helping child succeed.
3. Discipline helps children learn self-control and how to get along with others.
4. It is appropriate and necessary for children to be curious, experiment and test the limits.
5. The environment and routine should prevent crowding of children and other frustration or situations that lead to discipline concerns.
6. All children, at all times, including their most challenging moments, deserve respect.
7. Labeling children negatively affects everyone, especially the child.
8. Role-modeling appropriate behavior is more effective than telling children how to behave.
9. Before intervening, give children an opportunity to work out their struggles themselves, when possible.
10. Limit the use of the word, “No.”
11. Having a consistent adult response is the norm to redirecting behavior.
12. Praise good behavior and efforts or attempts at trying to behave appropriately. 

5 Things to Look for When Choosing a School for your Child

1. Staff is key!  Look for attentive and caring teachers.  You should see lots of smiles and warm, patient interactions.  Ask about the longevity of teachers as consistency provides a secure base for children.

2. Is the facility safe?   Are outlets appropriately covered, is there a procedure for security at drop off and pick up times, is the playground fenced, are the teachers backgrounds checked, and are teacher’s first aid and CPR certified?

3. Is the school clean?  You may see toys around the room and that is a good sign that children have many opportunities for learning in different environments and with different materials.  What you want to look for: are the floors clean, is there a system in place for toys that have been in children’s mouths, is the facility cleaned on a regular basis?

4. Ask about the curriculum.  Are lesson plans posted, do teachers assess children, are there a good supply of materials available to children?

5. Trust your instinct!  You should hear happy sounds, respectful communications, and warm interactions regardless of the room you visit! 

You can email staff@kangarookidschildcare.com for a complete checklist of what to look for when visiting a school.  

Children Learn Through Play

Did You Know…

·         When children identify and recognize shapes they are practicing simple geometry, an important early math skill!

·         When children squeeze playdough they are developing the fine motor skills they will need for writing!

·         When you read nursery rhymes to your child you are helping him or her with their ability to sound out words!

·         When children play with blocks they are learning engineering skills!

·         When children play with water they are learning science concepts like being able to identify which objects sink and which float as well as make experimenting with making predictions!

Back to School Tips

The best environment for children is where parents & educators communicate & work in a collaborative partnership.  Schools should welcome parents as partners.  Parents should connect with schools and teachers by communicating early, volunteering to help, and saying thank you!

Here are some tips for a smooth start to the school year! 

1.   Connect with teachers early!  Volunteer to help!
2. Help your child set up systems.  Where and when do children do their homework, how should they set out materials and clothes for the next day?
3. Stay involved!  Attend Back to School, go to the music and sport events, meet other parents

Learning through Play

Did you know…  Play is one of the most important ways children learn?

In the popular Exchange book, Play: A Beginnings Workshop Book, Betty Jones, in her article "The Play's the Thing: Styles of Playfulness", notes the many ways children learn through play...

• to make appropriate choices among many possibilities.
• to use their imagination, to improvise, to think flexibly, and explore new options.
• to be aware of their own real interests, without being distracted by other possibilities: to say "yes" and to say "no."
• to solve problems, both with materials and with people.
• to cooperate with other children in the creation of mutually satisfying projects.
• to work through their feelings in creative, non-destructive ways.
• to pay attention to a project until it's done.
• to use something — a dramatic action, a word, a toy, a set of blocks, a collection of marks on paper — to represent something else — a real experience, a powerful feeling. Practice in these sorts of representation is essential in the process of becoming literate, which is another form of representation.
• to see themselves as competent and interesting people, with useful skills and good ideas.

Encourage A Love Of Learning

5 Ways to Encourage a Love of Learning

1. Read, read, read to your child for at least 15 minutes every day.  If your child is older take turns reading  — you read one page, he or she reads the next — or establish a family reading time when everyone reads their own book.

2. Encourage your child to express his or her opinion, to talk about feelings, and how to make good choices. This will build his or her confidence to participate in school discussions and activities.

3.  Help your child develop hobbies and interests, and ensure he or she has the tools needed to pursue their interests.

4.  Provide your child with play opportunities that support different kinds of learning styles.  Listen and dance to music, sort the laundry to reinforce math skills, collect leaves and sort and classify them, paint pictures, make playdough!   

5. Point out the new things you learn with enthusiasm. Discuss the different ways you find new information, showing your child that learning is both fun and challenging.

Summer Safety Survival Guide: 10 Tips to Keep Your Family Safe

Here are a few tips from the website Safety at Home to help you have a happy and safe summer season!

Summer is the time for outdoor cookouts, pool parties and backyard play dates – not a time for bandaging scrapes, nursing burns – or worse. Learn these important summer safety tips and make sure everyone in your family knows them by heart too. That way, it will be a summer to remember, for all the right reasons.

Pool Safety

1.      Supervise constantly: Good supervision means you are able to scan the pool area every 20 seconds and be able to reach the pool in 10 seconds.

2.      Put multiple safety barriers between children and the pool: Install a four-foot fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate that has a locking mechanism beyond a child’s reach. Also cut overhanging tree limbs and remove chairs or ladders from the pool area to prevent children from climbing over the fence surrounding the pool.

3.      Always check the pool first if a child is missing: Child drowning is often a silent death that alerts no one with splashes or yells for help. Many drowning accidents happen when children have been missing for less than five minutes.

4.      Empty small wading pools and remove all toys after children are through playing: Infants can drown in just a few inches of water. Floats, balls and other toys may attract children to the pool when it is unattended.

Backyard Safety

1.      Keep grills at least 10 feet from any structure: Grilling mishaps cause more than 8,300 fires and send 3,000 people to the emergency room each year. Never grill indoors or near garages or porches, even if it’s raining.

2.      Have a spray bottle or fire extinguisher handy: An unexpected flare up can burn more than your burgers. Use a spray bottle to avoid flare ups and have a fire extinguisher nearby. Also, coals get hot – in some cases up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit – so dispose of charcoal away from kids and pets and cool it down with a hose.

3.      Never use gasoline or kerosene to light a charcoal fire: Both can cause an explosion. When grilling, use insulated, flame-retardant mitts and long-handled barbeque tongs and utensils to handle food and coals.

4.      Check gas grill hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes and leaks: If the tank valve or grill needs repair, do not attempt to do it yourself. Take it to your local home improvement store or qualified appliance repair person.

5.      Inspect outdoor decorative lights carefully: Some families add backyard ambience with outdoor decorative lighting. Do not connect more than three midget light string sets together. Light strings with screw-in bulbs should have a maximum of 50 bulbs connected together. Be sure to use light strings bearing the UL Mark, which means UL has tested samples of the product for risk of fire, electric shock and other hazards.

Playground Safety

1.      Carefully inspect backyard playground equipment: According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 70 percent of all playground-related deaths occur on home playground equipment. Make sure equipment is anchored safely in the ground, all equipment pieces are in good working order, S-hooks are entirely closed and bolts are not protruding. For more information on playground safety.  

http://www.safetyathome.com/seasonal-safety/summer-safety-articles/summer-safety-survival-guide-10-tips-to-keep-your-family-safe/

Is your Inbox cluttered?

As teachers and parents life can get very hectic in this fast paced world! Social media has added another dimension to steal time from our schedules! Here are some great tips for getting your inbox systems under control! By Sally McGhee, Consultant and Productivity Expert (original article at http://www.microsoft.com/atwork/manageinfo/email.mspx)

 Do you have an effective way to process and organize your e-mail so that you can get to an empty Inbox on a routine basis? If you have lots of e-mail in your Inbox—we know people with as many as 7,000 messages—you might want to rethink your processing methods. Really, it is possible to empty your Inbox. The key is to evaluate how you are processing and organizing your e-mail and make some changes. No doubt you've opened an e-mail and thought, "Hmmm, not sure what to do with this. I'll deal with it later!"—and promptly closed the message. If you do this over and over again, it doesn't take long to end up with several hundred (or thousand) messages in your Inbox. Developing a new approach to processing your Inbox will help you to gain more control, improve your response time, and keep up with critical actions and due dates. This article will cover 4 key factors that will help you process your e-mail more efficiently.

• Set Up a Simple and Effective E-mail Reference System 
• Schedule Uninterrupted Time to Process and Organize E-Mail
 • Process One Item At a Time, Starting at the Top
 • Use the "Four D's for Decision Making" Model


Set Up a Simple and Effective E-mail Reference System The first step toward an organized Inbox is understanding the difference between reference information and action information. • Reference information is information that is not required to complete an action; it is information that you want to keep in case you need it later. • Action information is information you must have to complete an action. Most people receive a considerable amount of reference information through e-mail. Sometimes as much as one-third of your e-mail is reference information. So it is essential to have a system that makes it easy to transfer messages from your Inbox into your e-mail reference system. An E-mail Reference System is a series of e-mail file folders where you store reference information to ensure you have easy access to it later. Once you take care of filing your reference information, you can use the next three steps to handle e-mail you have to do something with, your action information.

  Schedule Uninterrupted Time to Process and Organize E-Mail How many interruptions do you get every each day? It's nearly impossible to complete anything when you allow constant interruptions from the phone, people stopping by your office, and instant messaging. So it's critical that you set aside uninterrupted time to process and organize your e-mail. Many e-mail messages require you to make a decision. Good decisions require focus, and focus requires uninterrupted attention. You need to establish a regular time each day to process your e-mail so that you can empty your Inbox. Of course, you can scan your e-mail during the day for urgent messages. Book yourself a recurring appointment for an hour a day to process e-mail, and mark it as "busy." During this time don't answer the phone or take interruptions, and work only on processing your Inbox. At first, keeping these appointments will take discipline, but over time the discipline becomes habit. And once you get to zero e-mail in your Inbox, you'll see the value of this one hour a day and you'll stick to it like glue.


Process One Item At a Time, Starting at the Top When you sit down to process your e-mail, the first step is to sort it by the order in which you want to process it. For example, you can filter by date, subject, or who the e-mail is from. Resist the temptation to jump around in your Inbox in no particular order. Begin processing the message at the top of your Inbox and only move to the second one after you've handled the first. This can be hard at first when you might have thousands of messages in your Inbox. But as you reduce the number of messages over a few sessions, eventually you'll get to the point where you can process the 60-100 messages you get every day and get your Inbox down to zero every day.


Use the "Four D's for Decision Making" Model The "Four D's for Decision Making" model (4 D's) is a valuable tool for processing e-mail, helping you to quickly decide what action to take with each item and how to remove it from the Inbox. Decide what to do with each and every message How many times have you opened, reviewed, and closed the same e-mail message over and over? Some of those messages are getting lots of attention but very little action. It is better to handle each e-mail message only once before taking action—which means you have to make a decision as to what to do with it and where to put it. Under the 4 D's model, you have four choices:

1. Delete it 
2. Do it 
3. Delegate it 
4. Defer it

 DELETE IT Generally you can delete about half of all the e-mail you get. But some of you shudder when you hear "delete." You're hesitant to delete messages for fear you might need them at some point. That's understandable, but ask yourself honestly: What percentage of information that you keep do you actually use? If you do use a large percentage of what you keep, then what you're doing is working. But many of you are keeping a lot more than you use. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help you decide what to delete: 1. Does the message relate to a meaningful objective you're currently working on? If not, you can probably delete it. Why hang on to information that doesn't relate to your main focus? 2. Does the message contain information you can find elsewhere? If so, delete it. 3. Does the message contain information that you will refer to within the next six months? If not, delete it. 4. Does the message contain information that you're required to keep? If not, delete it.

 DO IT (in less than two minutes) If you can't DELETE IT, then decide, "What specific action do I need to take?" and "Can I DO IT in less than two minutes?" If you can, just DO IT. There is no point in filing an e-mail or closing an e-mail if you can complete it in less than 2 minutes. Try it out—see how much mail you can process in less than 2 minutes. I think you will be extremely surprised and happy with the results. You could file the message, you could respond to the message, or you could make a phone call. You can probably handle about one third of your e-mail messages in less than two minutes.

 DELEGATE IT If you can't DELETE IT or DO IT in two minutes or less, can you DELEGATE IT? If you can delegate it, do it right away. You should be able to compose and send the delegating message in about two minutes. Once you delegate the action, delete the original message or move it into your e-mail reference system. DEFER IT If you cannot DELETE IT, DO IT in less than two minutes, or DELEGATE IT, then the action required is something that only you can accomplish and that will take more than two minutes.

Because this is your dedicated e-mail processing time, you need to DEFER IT and deal with it after you are done processing your e-mail. You’ll probably find that about 10 percent of your e-mail messages have to be deferred. There are two things you can do to defer a message: turn it into an actionable task or turn it into an appointment. Name the task to clearly state what action is required so that you don't have to reopen the e-mail message. The result is a clearly defined list of actions in your task list that you can prioritize and schedule to complete on your Calendar. Do it daily

Using the 4 D's model on a daily basis makes it easier to handle a large quantity of e-mail. Our experience shows that on average, people can process about 100 e-mail messages an hour. If you receive 40 to 100 messages per day, all you need is one hour of uninterrupted e-mail processing time to get through your Inbox. Our statistics show that of the e-mail you receive: • 50 percent can be deleted or filed • 30 percent can be delegated or completed in less than 2 minutes • 20 percent can be deferred to your Task List or Calendar to complete later Of course, if you have a backlog of hundreds of messages, it will take time to get to the point where your daily routine keeps you up to date. It's important to get that backlog down, so I would suggest setting chunks of time aside to work through it. Then you can really enjoy processing your messages every day using the 4 D's.

Nursery Rhymes Enhance Learning

Research has shown that Nursery Rhymes help children become better readers. Nursery rhymes make literacy fun for children as well as introducing them to new sounds and words. Rhyming is important in developing phonemic awareness in children! The repetitious nature of nursery rhymes allows children to memorize basic structures and patterns necessary to master the English language. Share nursery rhymes at home using different tones, speeds and rhythms to your voice to help children develop a love of nursery rhymes and in the process you will enhance their literacy skills! Here is a project you can make for Baa Baa Black Sheep to add to your nursery rhyme adventure!

Be A Kangaroo Kid for A Day

If you have never tried Kangaroo Kids April is your opportunity to experience their outstanding curriculum, caring professional teachers and family friendly environment!

April is nationally acclaimed as Week of the Young Child and as a part of the celebration Kangaroo Kids Child Care and Learning Center is offering new students a free day of child care! Just call anytime during April to schedule your child's day of free child care!

Kangaroo Kids Child Care and Learning Center was awarded #1 child care center in America by the National Association of Child Care Professionals and is one of only 7% of schools nationwide to achieve accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Twenty two of their “Hall of Fame,” staff members have been with Kangaroo Kids for a combined total of 260 years…so you never have to worry about high turnover, or inexperienced staff members. In fact, Three teachers at Kangaroo Kids have been awarded the prestigious honor of Teacher of the Year by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

“We are proud to be being leaders in education of young children since 1991 and of providing high quality early childhood education programs for children from 6 weeks old through 9 years of age. Kangaroo Kids has infant, toddler and preschool programs as well as before and after school activities, summer camp and a full day private school kindergarten,” Said Director Kathy Feigley.

“Early Years Are Learning Years,” is the theme of the nationally celebrated Week of the Young Child. As part of the national Week of the Young Child™ Kangaroo Kids is honoring young children and all those who make a difference in children’s lives. Festivities will be held throughout the country during the week of April 23-27, 2012.

Kangaroo Kids will celebrating the week with an ice cream social, a book fair, and a visit from Clifford the Big Red Dog. They will also host a Joy of Reading program where friends, families, and the community will come to read to the children. Kangaroo Kids kindergarteners will also be sharing their new reading skills with their younger classmates. The kick off on Monday will be a breakfast to go honoring the Mom’s and Dad’s at Kangaroo Kids who provide a loving home environment and a partnership with the educators at Kangaroo Kids. The community is welcome to participate in any of the Week of the Young Child events. The book fair will be open every day from 8am to 6pm.

Young children and their families depend on high-quality education and care, which help children get a great start and bring lasting benefits to the future of our country. Week of the Young Child™ is a time to recognize the importance of early learning and early literacy, and to celebrate the teachers and policies that bring early childhood education to young children.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), is the largest organization of early childhood educators and others dedicated to improving the quality of early education programs for children birth through age 8. Founded in 1926, NAEYC has nearly 80,000 members.

You can also "like" us on our facebook page at Kangaroo Kids Child Care to learn more about the April Events or call 908-231-7800.

Most Popular Baby Names

According to the Social Security Administration, Jacob is the most popular boy’s name of the 21st century (so far), followed by:
• Michael
• Joshua
• Matthew
• Daniel
• Christopher
• Andrew
• Ethan
• Joseph
• William

The Favorite girl’s name is Emily, trailed by:
• Madison
• Emma
• Olivia
• Hannah
• Abigail
• Isabella
• Samantha
• Elizabeth
• Ashley

Go to http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/decades/names2000s.html for year by year popularity of names!

Children Thrive on Structure

Many times as parents or teachers we want to give our children a great deal of freedom in decision making. Although freedom of choice can have benefits, it is important to remember, "Children thrive on structure," according to school psychologist Laura Marchese, at a workshop at Kangaroo Kids Child Care and Learning Center. Structure makes children feel more secure. It lets them know what to expect. If your child is having a difficult time getting ready in the morning, try creating a sequence chart with photos of him or her doing each expected behavior. This will be both fun and a learning experience. And, if you stick to it consistently, over time your morning routine should improve!

When it comes to choice, children can be overwhelmed by too many choices. As the parent or the teacher, you must make decisions based on what is best for the child and then give our child choices. For example, if you want your child to eat healthy foods, instead of saying, "What do you want to eat for dinner?” give two healthy choices, "Would you like carrots or peas with your dinner?" Instead of giving your child the opportunity to make any choice for what he or she would like to do on Saturday, you can offer two choices.

Laura also recommended positive, specific praise as the most useful behavior management tool you can use. Catch children doing it right! Many times we address inappropriate behavior instead of complimenting good behavior. If your child is wiggling around at an inappropriate time, instead of saying, "Stop wiggling.” try to wait for the moment he or she stops, and instead say, "I love how nicely you are sitting." If there is a sibling or classmate involved, give the child behaving appropriately over the top, enthusiastic, positive, specific praise, “Joey, I love the way you are sitting!” In the majority of cases, the child behaving inappropriately will correct his or her behavior to gain the positive praise. Make sure that as soon as the child behaving inappropriately begins to behave appropriately, you reward him with enthusiastic, positive, specific praise.

According to Laura, if you create a culture of positive, specific praise, and you do it consistently, you should see change overtime.

Holding Back Your Child?

Kindergarten registration has begun! In most school districts, children must be 5 years old by October 1, 2012 to enroll in Kindergarten. Many parents are faced with the dilemma of determining when his or her child should begin school. Today, parents are becoming more aggressive in determining what is in the best interest of their child.

A new phenomena, however, is taking place among many families. According to Preschool Director Mary Innocenzi, parents are opting to keep their young child out of public school an extra year, even if their child’s age falls within the guidelines for school entry. Why? Parents say “I’d rather keep her in preschool an extra year, so she can have an extra year to mature. What’s the rush?” “I don’t feel my son is as mature as the other children. I feel it’s better to keep him out an extra year. Also, he will have more of an opportunity to do well in sports—he won’t be the smallest kid in his class.” “If I keep my child out of school an extra year, he’ll have a decided educational advantage over the others in his class.”

And so it goes…

In the past there were always a few parents who would opt to “hold back” their child, for various reasons. Today, however, many parents feel that they are giving their child a head start by keeping their child out of school an extra year.

It is a difficult decision and some of the social concerns, physical concerns regarding sports, and academic challenges do not often show up until the higher grades. Many parents make the decision solely based on academics. But it is also important to consider social skills, confidence, organization skills, and physical size, as well as family preference. These are important considerations, especially when the new trend to hold children back makes some August and September birthday children almost 2 years younger than their peers. One of the reasons I feel this decision is so important is that the stakes are much higher at 17 years of age, when you want your child to be a leader, not a follower.

If you have any questions where we can help, feel free to stop by the office at Kangaroo Kids to discuss your options and some creative solutions.

25 Tips To Encourage Literacy In Young Children

1. Babble back to your infants
2. Encourage conversation
3. Teach site words – McDonalds, Lucky Charms, Barney
4. Speak another language
5. Encourage drawing and inventive spelling
6. Script what children say about their drawings – write their story, make it into a book
7. Fall in love with language, rhymes, songs and role model reading
8. Label your child’s environment
9. Make shopping lists with your child
10. Cook and read recipes together
11. Look for letters on the Menu when you go out to eat
12. Cut pictures out of magazines that begin with a letter you are studying.
13. Make an alphabet book
14. Read a book and then ask children questions to test their comprehension
15. Glue letters from an alphabet cereal on a piece of paper.
16. Put alphabet cereal on a plate and help child make their name out of the cereal.
17. Keep magnetic letters on the refrigerator
18. Make up silly songs starting with the letter you are studying.
19. Talk to your child
20. Sing with your child
21. Read to your child everyday
22. Limit television watching and watch appropriate shows
23. Visit libraries and bookstores
24. Select a quality child care
25. Read to children and ask them to predict what will happen next.

Read Across America

Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss.

Now in its fifteenth year, Read Across America focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources. Reading is one of the most important foundations in your child’s academic foundations. Encourage a love of reading by reading to your child every day. It is important to be animated, enthusiastic, and entertaining when you read! Join Kangaroo Kids in promoting a yearlong love of reading by coming in to read at the school. Don’t forget to visit your local library with your family!

For more ideas to celebrate Read Across America http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/dr-seuss-birthday/ or http://www.nea.org/grants/886.htm

Kangaroo Kids Celebrates 100 Days of School!

Kangaroo Kids Prekindergarten under the direction of award winning teacher Misse Turner celebrated 100 days of learning with a very special day! Children in her Prekindergarten class came to school in PJ’s and very original hair do’s! Each family created a poster filled with 100 random objects. Director Kathy Feigley said, “ It was the most creative years ever, as each family filled the posters with an array of materials including 100 marshmallow, 100 sea creatures, and 100 flowers to name a few. One of the strengths of Kangaroo Kids is the partnership with parents and they certainly outdid themselves with this project. “

Misse Turner and assistant teacher Debbie Cooper read books on the 100th day of school, created edible necklaces with 100 fruit loops and searched for 100 stars. Prekindergarten children

certainly enjoyed the day and in the process had an outstanding math lesson!

Kindergarten teacher, Katie Mileto, “Teacher of the Year,” for 2010 celebrated with her class by creating 100 day of school hats and glasses. The children also had an opportunity to explore

and array of math projects including number searches, graphing, and 100 day number challenges.
Upcoming events at Kangaroo Kids will be “Read Across America,” Donuts for Dad, and March tours for September enrollment and summer camp.

For more information about Kangaroo Kids Childcare and Learning Center please call 908-231-7800 or visit our website www.kangarookidschildcare.com or like Kangaroo Kids Child Care on facebook!

Avoid the 3 S's!

Read the food labels and avoid products with high levels of the three-S's according to WebMD:
• Sugar
• Saturated fat (and trans fat)
• Sodium

Child Nutrition and Shopping Tips for Busy Moms

Web Md helps busy Moms with these shopping tips:

Moms today are busy, whether they work in or outside the home (or both). But that doesn't mean that they don't care about feeding their families in the healthiest way possible.
The simplest tip to help your family get more of the nutrients they need -- and fewer nutrients that contribute to disease and weight gain -- is to serve more whole foods and less processed food. Eat fruits and vegetables with every meal. Serve your children healthy, lean protein at most meals.

Because it all starts with what goes into the shopping cart, here are some simple "healthy eating" shopping strategies for busy moms.

What Food to Put in Your Shopping Cart

Here's a list of nutrients that are important for child nutrition and may be deficient in the daily diets of some American children.

Buy Fiber-Filled Foods for Your Child

Fiber promotes digestive health, reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, and assists in keeping blood sugar levels normal. Fiber may also help children maintain a healthy weight because it fills you up on fewer calories.
Fiber is found in plant foods, pure and simple. Follow these foods and you'll find all the fiber:
• Vegetables (fresh, frozen, and canned)
• Fruits (fresh, frozen, and canned)
• Beans (dried, canned)
• Edamame (fresh or frozen)
• Nuts and seeds
• Whole grain cereal (hot and cold)
• 100% whole wheat or whole grain bread products
• Whole grain blend pastas
• Whole grain crackers
• Whole wheat tortillas

Pick Up Potassium Power

Potassium is one of the minerals that children today tend not to get enough of, according to recent studies. Potassium works as an electrolyte in the body, helping maintain a healthy balance of water in the blood and body tissues. Potassium also assists in nervous system and muscle function.
Good sources of potassium in the produce section include:
• Artichoke
• Avocado
• Bananas
• Cantaloupe
• Leafy green vegetables (such as beet greens, Swiss chard, broccoli)
• Orange juice
• Prunes and prune juice
• Papaya
• Potatoes with skin
• Tomatoes
Other foods with a lot of potassium include:
• Beans and peas, including lima beans
• Fish, shellfish, and clams
• Low-fat and fat-free dairy
• Nuts (including almonds, brazil nuts, peanuts, soy nuts, and pistachios)

Look for Healthy Protein and Amino Acids

Healthy protein should be included in almost every meal your children eat. The amino acids within protein serve as the building blocks for our body’s cells, according to a report by the Institute of Medicine.
Good sources of protein are animal products and soybeans, which contain all nine amino acids that your body can't make on its own:
• Eggs
• Reduced-fat cheese
• Fish
• Lean meat
• Skinless poultry
• Low-fat milk
• Soybeans and soybean products
• Yogurt
Plant protein sources tend to be deficient in one or more of the essential amino acids. But if you eat the plant proteins on the same day, they complement each other to become complete proteins in your body.
• Beans
• Nuts and seeds
• Vegetables
• Whole grains

Be sure your children eat omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats. Omega-3 fatty acids are particularly important for infants and young children because they help neurological development and growth, according to the Institute of Medicine. Monounsaturated fats improve insulin sensitivity and help reduce the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.

These foods are excellent sources of omega-3s or monounsaturated fat:
• Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel, anchovies
• Eggs with omega-3
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Olive oil
• Canola oil
• Ground flaxseed
• Products that use liquid olive oil or canola oil (certain margarines, salad dressings, bottled or prepared sauces, and baked goods, for example)

Monkey See, Monkey Do!

Want your child to accept baked potatoes instead of fries, and to prefer milk to sugary soft drinks? Then you must, too, stated to Elizabeth M. Ward, MS, RD

"Studies show that children adopt their parents' eating habits starting early in life," says Melinda Johnson, MS, RD, a pediatric nutrition expert and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "Don't expect your child to eat better than you do."

Little ones love to imitate adults, and they will mimic your eating habits, whether they are good or in need of improvement. Capitalize on a youngster's natural curiosity by substituting healthier foods at the dinner table. Chances are, he'll have what you're having, and you'll be broadening his food horizons while arousing a minimum of suspicion.

Here are some suggested offered by Ward for stand-ins that offer variety and good nutrition:
• Couscous instead of white rice
• Sweet potatoes for white potatoes
• Canadian bacon for bacon
• Mashed potatoes made with reduced-fat milk for french fries
• Fig bars for high-fat cookies
• Tube yogurt (freeze first for easier handling) for ice cream
• Reduced-fat cheddar for regular cheese.

What's On The Menu?

Preschoolers are active, spirited tykes. And while they're generally adorable and fun, it's perfectly normal for 3, 4, and 5-year-olds to be opinionated -- especially about eating, according to Elizabeth M. Ward, MS, RD

Here's some advice from the she presents from the experts on how to avoid preschool food fights.

What's On the Menu?

"Preschoolers can eat what the rest of the family eats," says Melinda Johnson, MS, RD, a pediatric nutrition expert and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. That's provided family meals feature a variety of healthy foods, in moderation.
Depending on his or her age, an active preschooler's energy needs rival those of some grown women. While there's no need to track a youngster's calorie consumption, it is important to make calories count.

A young child's eating plan should consist mostly of healthy foods, such as lean meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, and legumes; whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread and cereals; at least two servings of dairy foods daily; and fresh or lightly processed fruits and vegetables.
There is room for treats, but it's limited, says Kathy Mitchell, MD, a practicing pediatrician at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates in Watertown, Mass.
"Keep junk foods like cookies and candy out of the house to reduce temptation," she advises. "But don't go overboard. Kids can become intensely attracted to forbidden foods."

Make Time for Meals

Regular family meals provide opportunities for good nutrition, and much more. Dining together encourages proper table manners and fosters language development and conversational skills. When you minimize distractions by turning off the TV and turning on the answering machine, you show your child that mealtime is reserved for savoring healthy food and nurturing meaningful relationships.
While the ritual of regular meals is comforting to kids, dining with preschoolers can be chaotic and messy. Expect spills and some sloppy eating as your youngster hones his self-feeding skills. Refrain from being a "clean freak" to minimize mealtime stress.
"Being too strict about neatness at the dinner table may cause your little one to feel bad about knocking over his milk or getting food on his clothes," Johnson says.

Healthy Eating For Young Children

February is good nutrition month at Kangaroo Kids. Children are learning about healthy foods! They will have an opportunity to taste different fruits and vegetables, to graph their favorite healthy foods, and to create their very own healthy necklace. The necklace is a great project to do at home! The only materials you will need are a box of cheerios or fruit loops and some vinyl lacing string. Your child will have a healthy snack to munch on and at the same time you will be developing their fine motor skills. You can also add a math lesson in one to one correspondence by counting as your child strings each cheerio!

January is National Oatmeal Month!

January is National Oatmeal Month! Besides being good for your family here is an oatmeal clay recipe you can make to inspire your little artists on these cold and snowy days!
1/2 cup of rolled oats
1/3 cup of flour
1/4 cup of lukewarm water
Mix all ingredients together. Form into a ball and now you are ready for creating a sculpture that will dry rock solid overnight.