Saturday, December 31, 2005
A New Year's Wish for You...
May your hair, your teeth, your face-lift, your abs, and your stocks not fall; and may your blood pressure, your triglycerides, your cholesterol, your white blood count and your mortgage interest not rise.
May you get a clean bill of health from your dentist, your cardiologist, your gastroenterologist, your urologist, your proctologist, your podiatrist, your psychiatrist, your plumber, and the IRS.
May you find a way to travel from anywhere to anywhere during rush hour in less than an hour, and when you get there may you find a parking space.
May Saturday evening, December 31, find you seated around the dinner table, together with your beloved family and cherished friends, ushering in the New Year ahead. You will find the food better, the environment quieter, the cost much cheaper, and the pleasure much more fulfilling than anything else you might ordinarily do that night.
May what you see in the mirror delight you, and what others see in you delight them.
May the telemarketers wait to make their sales calls until you finish dinner, may your checkbook and your budget balance, and may they include generous amounts for your church and charities.
May you remember to say "I love you" at least once a day to your spouse, your child, and your parent(s). You can say it to your secretary, your nurse, your butcher, your photographer, your masseuse, your seamstress, your hairdresser or your tennis instructor, but not with a "twinkle" in your eye.
Bless you with every happiness, great health, peace, and much love during 2006 and all the years to follow.
And finally may you make a difference in the lives of the children in your care, finding fulfilment and love while nuturing the seeds of today so that they might bloom into the floweres of tomorrow.
Have a Happy 2006.
May your hair, your teeth, your face-lift, your abs, and your stocks not fall; and may your blood pressure, your triglycerides, your cholesterol, your white blood count and your mortgage interest not rise.
May you get a clean bill of health from your dentist, your cardiologist, your gastroenterologist, your urologist, your proctologist, your podiatrist, your psychiatrist, your plumber, and the IRS.
May you find a way to travel from anywhere to anywhere during rush hour in less than an hour, and when you get there may you find a parking space.
May Saturday evening, December 31, find you seated around the dinner table, together with your beloved family and cherished friends, ushering in the New Year ahead. You will find the food better, the environment quieter, the cost much cheaper, and the pleasure much more fulfilling than anything else you might ordinarily do that night.
May what you see in the mirror delight you, and what others see in you delight them.
May the telemarketers wait to make their sales calls until you finish dinner, may your checkbook and your budget balance, and may they include generous amounts for your church and charities.
May you remember to say "I love you" at least once a day to your spouse, your child, and your parent(s). You can say it to your secretary, your nurse, your butcher, your photographer, your masseuse, your seamstress, your hairdresser or your tennis instructor, but not with a "twinkle" in your eye.
Bless you with every happiness, great health, peace, and much love during 2006 and all the years to follow.
And finally may you make a difference in the lives of the children in your care, finding fulfilment and love while nuturing the seeds of today so that they might bloom into the floweres of tomorrow.
Have a Happy 2006.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Apples4theTeacher.com...
Just a quick link for you today to bookmark in your child care resources folder... Apples4theTeacher has educational resources for teachers and kids (preK-grade 6).
The site includes interactive learning games, quizzes, and worksheet generator tools by subject (creative arts, foreign languages, language arts, math, science, social studies), articles, literacy coloring pages and more.
They even have some fun activities and coloring pages to help celebrate New Year's. Check out apples4theteacher.com and let me know what you think.
Just a quick link for you today to bookmark in your child care resources folder... Apples4theTeacher has educational resources for teachers and kids (preK-grade 6).
The site includes interactive learning games, quizzes, and worksheet generator tools by subject (creative arts, foreign languages, language arts, math, science, social studies), articles, literacy coloring pages and more.
They even have some fun activities and coloring pages to help celebrate New Year's. Check out apples4theteacher.com and let me know what you think.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Is Your Child Care Setting Mediocre?
An interesting opinion article published in the Pioneer Press. Probably nothing that you haven't already heard, but this once again voices the opinions that quality child care is a key ingredient to success in starting school. This article references a study by Child Trends that has been criticized as being alarmist, but in my opinion is still believable.
How would your child care rate? In the top 5%? If not, why not? Early care for children is rapidly moving towards being professional by not only providing a safe and caring setting, but by providing educational opportunities to properly prepare children to begin school. If you are looking to improve your child care, check out some programs like the Not By Chance training.
By the way, you can check on the proposed rating system that is being considered. I know that I have written about it before, but I feel that it is very important and that you will continue to hear more about it as time goes on.
Take a look at the article... As always your comments are welcome.
Posted on Fri, Dec. 02, 2005
Focus on the smallest among us
An interesting opinion article published in the Pioneer Press. Probably nothing that you haven't already heard, but this once again voices the opinions that quality child care is a key ingredient to success in starting school. This article references a study by Child Trends that has been criticized as being alarmist, but in my opinion is still believable.
How would your child care rate? In the top 5%? If not, why not? Early care for children is rapidly moving towards being professional by not only providing a safe and caring setting, but by providing educational opportunities to properly prepare children to begin school. If you are looking to improve your child care, check out some programs like the Not By Chance training.
By the way, you can check on the proposed rating system that is being considered. I know that I have written about it before, but I feel that it is very important and that you will continue to hear more about it as time goes on.
Take a look at the article... As always your comments are welcome.
Posted on Fri, Dec. 02, 2005
Focus on the smallest among us
We'll say it again. And again. Children absolutely and positively need high-quality daytime care while their parents are at work. Why?
The kids who are the most academically, emotionally and behaviorally prepared for kindergarten arrive there from child care programs that teach rather than baby-sit. Yet in Minnesota and Wisconsin, few children receive what they need and crave, mostly because the effective programs cost more.
An evaluation by Child Trends, a nonpartisan research organization, shows that nearly all of Minnesota's 3- to 5-year-old children attend licensed child care centers that meet minimal thresholds for excellence. Only 25 percent were rated "good." Four percent were below minimal standards. The remainder of the centers fall into a vast middle ground of mediocrity. The children are safe, yes. They're fed and protected. But their caregivers are not trained to help them develop academically and emotionally.
A comparison to a Wisconsin study of a year ago isn't perfect, but it does give a snapshot of the overall quality of child care in that state. In December the Wisconsin Child Care Research Partnership and the University of Wisconsin released rankings of 1,392 child care settings. Forty-six percent were ranked as "mediocre" in quality. Only 5 percent were ranked as superior; 23 percent were above average. The study was the foundation of an initiative by Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle to rank child care centers on the basis of quality, and provide monetary awards to the best centers. The proposal was defeated along party lines.
It's not like any of this should come as news. Fed economist Art Rolnick has shown us the return on investing in early education. The drumbeat about quality early childhood programs has sounded from pulpits and podiums across the state. Archbishop Harry Flynn and Lutheran Bishop Peter Rogness focused on quality early education programs in their "Focus on Poverty" tour early this year. Educators, business owners and elected officials in the Itasca Project developed the "Mind the Gap" report that advocated for an improvement in early childhood programs. Several Itasca members, joined by members of Greater Twin Cities United Way, produced "Close the Gap: A Business Response to our Region's Growing Disparities." There, too, quality early childhood education was emphasized. University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks, long an advocate for high-quality early childhood programs, heads Itasca's early childhood task force.
Yet in the next breath, someone will scream about that pesky achievement gap between white and minority children. Why is the state and its public education system failing its kids of color?
Young children in the care of trained child care teachers who hold college degrees in early childhood education learn more. Child care programs that include professional curricula teach more. What appears to be play can double as an enriching academic exercise, if the right people are in charge. And yes, childcare centers with trained professionals do cost more.
The Ready4K child advocacy group is working toward a rating system now that informs parents of the quality of programs. The Ready4K plan could recommend that parents who pay the child care sliding fee would pay less if they chose a high-quality child care program. Or the group may recommend that the state advocate for higher federal child care tax credits that would benefit middle-income families.
Does Minnesota really want to close the achievement gap? A part of that solution surfaces only if the smallest learners get the help they deserve.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Minnesota Voices for Children Advocacy Day...
Here's a date to add to your calendar... The Minnesota Voices for Children Advocacy Day will be March 30th, 2006 at the Minnesota State Capitol. This is your chance to join other early care professionals for a day of networking and a chance to make your opinions and concerns heard.
This year’s theme: Plant the Seeds: Help Children Bloom
For more information, please contact Karen Kingsley of Ready 4 K at (651) 644-8138, ext. 107 or email karen@ready4k.org.
Here's a date to add to your calendar... The Minnesota Voices for Children Advocacy Day will be March 30th, 2006 at the Minnesota State Capitol. This is your chance to join other early care professionals for a day of networking and a chance to make your opinions and concerns heard.
This year’s theme: Plant the Seeds: Help Children Bloom
For more information, please contact Karen Kingsley of Ready 4 K at (651) 644-8138, ext. 107 or email karen@ready4k.org.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
New Year's Resolutions...
It nearly the end of 2005 and time again to make resolutions that we will try to accomplish in 2006. It seems like two of the most common resolutions made every year are to be fit and/or lose weight and to spend more time with family. If you are like me, you can relate to making (and breaking) these resolutions each year.
ChildCareAware reminds us that:
Here are some suggestions from the Family Education Network to help you keep your exercise program fun, consistent, and safe:
The Family Education Network
United States Department of Health and Human Services
Dole 5 A Day
The Child and Adult Care Food Program
The Food & Nutrition Information Center
The Child Care Nutrition Resource System
It nearly the end of 2005 and time again to make resolutions that we will try to accomplish in 2006. It seems like two of the most common resolutions made every year are to be fit and/or lose weight and to spend more time with family. If you are like me, you can relate to making (and breaking) these resolutions each year.
ChildCareAware reminds us that:
January is Family Fit Lifestyle Month. In an effort to keep both resolutions, spend your family time as health and fitness time. Former U.S. Surgeon General and founder of Shape Up America!, Dr. C. Everett Koop stated in the introduction to 99 Tips for Family Fitness Fun , in regard to a survey the organization had conducted, "…I encourage you to choose activities you can do together and support and reward each other's efforts to be more active at home, at school, at work, and in your communities... The pleasure of your company is the best reward your child can receive and the best gift you can give."
Here are some suggestions from the Family Education Network to help you keep your exercise program fun, consistent, and safe:
- Warm up! Take a few minutes to stretch before any activity.
- Keep safety in mind. Wear appropriate headgear or pads when cycling or skating. (Moms and dads, this also means you.)
- Let a different family member pick their favorite activity for the whole group to do together each week.
- Buy a notebook and use it as a fitness diary. Record how long or far each family member walked, ran, or cycled each day.
- Stick to a schedule. Make regular physical activity a part of your family's daily routine.
- Take your children to the grocery store to help with the shopping. For younger children who may get impatient, make shopping a scavenger hunt.
- Allow your children to help you prepare meals or snacks. The older the child, the more responsibility they may be able to handle in the kitchen.
- Let family members share in menu planning for the week. Each family member can participate by suggesting their favorite meal and side dish.
- Help your children fix healthy, creative after school or evening snacks.
- Take trips to a farmer's market together.
- Participate in a family cooking class.
Here are a few resources on family fitness and healthy eating habits:
Shape Up America!
The Family Education Network
United States Department of Health and Human Services
Dole 5 A Day
The Child and Adult Care Food Program
The Food & Nutrition Information Center
The Child Care Nutrition Resource System
Good luck on your New Year's resolutions...
Monday, December 26, 2005
SIDS / Shaken Baby Syndrome Training...
As you know... training for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Shaken Baby Syndrome is mandated for licensed family child care providers. Here is an opportunity for you to take this training if you haven't gotten it already...
Videoconference Training for County and Tribal Foster Care Providers, Child Care Providers, and Public Health Nurses
The videoconference training will be offered on two dates. The February session is a repeat of the January training. Register for only ONE of the training dates.
· January 30, 2006 from 6-9 P.M.
· February 22, 2006 from 6-9 P.M.
Videotapes of the training will be available at the MN Child
Welfare Training System Area Training Centers
I. Presenters:
· Shaken Baby Syndrome, Jane Swenson, RN, MS, CPNP, Prevention Programs Manager, Midwest Children's Resource Center, St. Paul, Minn.
· Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Kathleen Fernbach, PHN, Director, Minnesota Sudden Infant Death Center, Children's Hospitals and Clinics, Minneapolis, Minn.
II. Registration:
There is no fee to attend but you MUST register for one of the training dates by contacting Andrea Bartels at the Minnesota Department of Human Services at 651-297-3027 or faxing her at 651-296-1949.
· Registration for the January 30, 2006 Training: Deadline to register is January 20, 2006
· Registration for the February 22, 2006 Training: Deadline to register is February 15, 2006
III. Handouts:
Will be provided at the sites.
IV. VPC Training Sites on January 30, 2006 (6-9 P.M.)
Aitkin County Courthouse 209 2nd St NW Aitkin, MN
Capacity: 6
Lac Qui Parle County Courthouse 600 6th St, Madison, MN
Capacity: 20
Beltrami County Social Services 616 America Ave, NW, Bemidji, MN
Capacity: 50
Lyon County Government Center 607 West Main, Marshall, MN
Capacity: 15
Big Stone County Family Services Center 340 NW 2nd St, Ortonville, MN
Capacity: 10
Pennington County Courthouse 101 N Main, Thief River Falls, MN
Capacity: 9
Cook County Social Services 411 West 2nd Street, Grand Marais, MN
Capacity: 16
Redwood County Human Services 302 E Third St, Redwood Falls, MN
Capacity: 8
Dakota County Northern Services Center, Room 110 A, 1 Mendota Rd W, West St. Paul, MN
Capacity: 40
Rice County Government Services Building 320 NW 3rd St, Faribault, MN
Capacity: 25
Department of Human Services (broadcast location), 444 Lafayette Rd N, St. Paul, MN
Capacity: 50
Roseau County Courthouse 606 5th Ave SW, RM 20, Roseau MN
Capacity: 30
Hubbard County Courthouse, 301 Court Ave, Park Rapids, MN
Capacity: 20
Stearns County Human Services 705 Courthouse Sq, Room 354, St. Cloud, MN
Capacity: 16
V. VPC Training Sites on February 22, 2006 (6-9 P.M.)
Anoka County Government Center 2100 3rd Ave, Room 715, Anoka, MN
Capacity: 14
Ottertail County Courthouse 121 W Junius, Fergus Falls, MN
Capacity: 50
Big Stone County Family Services 340 NW Second St, Ortonville, MN
Capacity: 10
Polk County Courthouse 612 N Broadway, Crookston, MN
Capacity: 15
Dakota County Northern Services Center, Room 110 C, 1 Mendota Rd W, West St. Paul, MN
Capacity: 40
Rice County Government Services Building 320 3rd ST NW, Faribault, MN
Capacity: 25
Department of Human Services (broadcast location) 444 Lafayette Rd N, St. Paul, MN
Capacity: 50
Stearns County Human Services 705 Courthouse Sq, Room 354, St. Cloud, MN
Capacity: 16
Lake of the Woods County Courthouse 206 SE 8th St, Baudette, MN
Capacity: 35
Washington Co Government Center, 14949 62nd St N, Room 269, Stillwater, MN
Capacity: 30
VI. Learning Objectives:
Shaken Baby Syndrome:
Jane Swenson, RN. MS, CPNP, Prevention Programs Manager, Midwest Children's Resource Center, St. Paul, MN
Learning Objectives:
1. Define Shaken Baby Syndrome and toddler developmental stages that may trigger frustration and abuse.
2. Explain the risk factors that contribute to shaking an infant
3. Recognize the relationship between infant crying, caregiver frustration and Shaken Baby Syndrome.
4. Demonstrate effective strategies to recognize and reduce frustration and prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome.
5. Determine when and how to seek support and help in coping with crises and in applying positive discipline to toddlers ages 1-3.
6. Express the importance of communicating with parents regarding reducing the risk of shaken baby syndrome.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome:
Kathleen Fernbach, PHN, Director, Minnesota Sudden Infant Death Center, Children's Hospitals and Clinics, Minneapolis, MN
Learning Objectives:
1. Define Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
2. Explain the risk factors that contribute to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
3. Describe how to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
4. Express the importance of communicating with parents regarding reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
The training is provided by the Minnesota Child Welfare Training System of the Minnesota Department Human Services
As you know... training for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Shaken Baby Syndrome is mandated for licensed family child care providers. Here is an opportunity for you to take this training if you haven't gotten it already...
Videoconference Training for County and Tribal Foster Care Providers, Child Care Providers, and Public Health Nurses
The videoconference training will be offered on two dates. The February session is a repeat of the January training. Register for only ONE of the training dates.
· January 30, 2006 from 6-9 P.M.
· February 22, 2006 from 6-9 P.M.
Videotapes of the training will be available at the MN Child
Welfare Training System Area Training Centers
I. Presenters:
· Shaken Baby Syndrome, Jane Swenson, RN, MS, CPNP, Prevention Programs Manager, Midwest Children's Resource Center, St. Paul, Minn.
· Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Kathleen Fernbach, PHN, Director, Minnesota Sudden Infant Death Center, Children's Hospitals and Clinics, Minneapolis, Minn.
II. Registration:
There is no fee to attend but you MUST register for one of the training dates by contacting Andrea Bartels at the Minnesota Department of Human Services at 651-297-3027 or faxing her at 651-296-1949.
· Registration for the January 30, 2006 Training: Deadline to register is January 20, 2006
· Registration for the February 22, 2006 Training: Deadline to register is February 15, 2006
III. Handouts:
Will be provided at the sites.
IV. VPC Training Sites on January 30, 2006 (6-9 P.M.)
Aitkin County Courthouse 209 2nd St NW Aitkin, MN
Capacity: 6
Lac Qui Parle County Courthouse 600 6th St, Madison, MN
Capacity: 20
Beltrami County Social Services 616 America Ave, NW, Bemidji, MN
Capacity: 50
Lyon County Government Center 607 West Main, Marshall, MN
Capacity: 15
Big Stone County Family Services Center 340 NW 2nd St, Ortonville, MN
Capacity: 10
Pennington County Courthouse 101 N Main, Thief River Falls, MN
Capacity: 9
Cook County Social Services 411 West 2nd Street, Grand Marais, MN
Capacity: 16
Redwood County Human Services 302 E Third St, Redwood Falls, MN
Capacity: 8
Dakota County Northern Services Center, Room 110 A, 1 Mendota Rd W, West St. Paul, MN
Capacity: 40
Rice County Government Services Building 320 NW 3rd St, Faribault, MN
Capacity: 25
Department of Human Services (broadcast location), 444 Lafayette Rd N, St. Paul, MN
Capacity: 50
Roseau County Courthouse 606 5th Ave SW, RM 20, Roseau MN
Capacity: 30
Hubbard County Courthouse, 301 Court Ave, Park Rapids, MN
Capacity: 20
Stearns County Human Services 705 Courthouse Sq, Room 354, St. Cloud, MN
Capacity: 16
V. VPC Training Sites on February 22, 2006 (6-9 P.M.)
Anoka County Government Center 2100 3rd Ave, Room 715, Anoka, MN
Capacity: 14
Ottertail County Courthouse 121 W Junius, Fergus Falls, MN
Capacity: 50
Big Stone County Family Services 340 NW Second St, Ortonville, MN
Capacity: 10
Polk County Courthouse 612 N Broadway, Crookston, MN
Capacity: 15
Dakota County Northern Services Center, Room 110 C, 1 Mendota Rd W, West St. Paul, MN
Capacity: 40
Rice County Government Services Building 320 3rd ST NW, Faribault, MN
Capacity: 25
Department of Human Services (broadcast location) 444 Lafayette Rd N, St. Paul, MN
Capacity: 50
Stearns County Human Services 705 Courthouse Sq, Room 354, St. Cloud, MN
Capacity: 16
Lake of the Woods County Courthouse 206 SE 8th St, Baudette, MN
Capacity: 35
Washington Co Government Center, 14949 62nd St N, Room 269, Stillwater, MN
Capacity: 30
VI. Learning Objectives:
Shaken Baby Syndrome:
Jane Swenson, RN. MS, CPNP, Prevention Programs Manager, Midwest Children's Resource Center, St. Paul, MN
Learning Objectives:
1. Define Shaken Baby Syndrome and toddler developmental stages that may trigger frustration and abuse.
2. Explain the risk factors that contribute to shaking an infant
3. Recognize the relationship between infant crying, caregiver frustration and Shaken Baby Syndrome.
4. Demonstrate effective strategies to recognize and reduce frustration and prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome.
5. Determine when and how to seek support and help in coping with crises and in applying positive discipline to toddlers ages 1-3.
6. Express the importance of communicating with parents regarding reducing the risk of shaken baby syndrome.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome:
Kathleen Fernbach, PHN, Director, Minnesota Sudden Infant Death Center, Children's Hospitals and Clinics, Minneapolis, MN
Learning Objectives:
1. Define Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
2. Explain the risk factors that contribute to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
3. Describe how to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
4. Express the importance of communicating with parents regarding reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
The training is provided by the Minnesota Child Welfare Training System of the Minnesota Department Human Services
Saturday, December 24, 2005
I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas... Happy Hanukkah / Kwanza / Boxing Day (for our Canadian Friends)...
Season's greetings to you.
May you have a blessed and wonderful holiday season.
Season's greetings to you.
May you have a blessed and wonderful holiday season.
Friday, December 23, 2005
FREE Tax Credit Training for Service Providers...
If you are looking for valuable information about taxes, deductions, and refunds, consider attending one of these trainings from the Children's Defense Fund-Minnesota:
Training Site Information, Including Video Conference Sites
January 4, 2006, 12:30-3:30 p.m.
Northern Service Center, Rms 110
A&B1 Mendota Rd W., W. St. Paul,
MN Access map at: http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/administration/news/nsc/map.htm
January 12, 2006, 9:00 a.m. – Noon
Minneapolis Urban League, Laura Scott Williams Room
2100 Plymouth Avenue N, Minneapolis, MN 55411
Access map at: http://www.mul.org/direction.cfm
January 19, 2006, 8:30 a.m. registration, 8:50 a.m. – Noon
MN Department of Human Services, 5th Floor
444 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-3807
Access map here.
(This program will also be video conferenced to 14 Greater Minnesota locations. An audience at this location is needed, thus the earlier start time.)
Video conference sites: Alexandria, Bemidji, Brainerd, Carlton, Chaska, Grand Rapids, Mankato, Marshall, Moorhead, Rochester, Roseau, St. Cloud, Willmar, Worthington. See site-specific information below.
January 26, 2005, 12:30 -3:30 p.m.
Brookdale Library, Meeting Rooms A, B & C
6125 Shingle Creek Pkwy, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430
Access map ">here
REGISTER ON-LINE
If you have difficulty registering on-line, email hjelm005@umn.edu or call Mary Hjelm, Andover Extension Regional Center Administrative Specialist at 763-767-3836 or 1-888-241-0719.
Disability Accommodations: Those needing disability accommodations need to contact Becky Wochnick at becky.wochnick@state.mn.us or Rosemary K. Heins at heins002@umn.edu at least 1 week prior to the date of the event they wish to attend.
NOTE: In case of bad weather, call 763-767-3836 or 1-888-241-0719 to check for possible program cancellation.
January 19 Video Conferencing Site Information:
Directions to all video conferencing locations can be found on www.mapquest.com.
Alexandria - Douglas County Human Services, 809 Elm St., Suite 1186, Alexandria, MN 56308
Site capacity: 20
Bemidji – BRIC-Bemidji Regional Inter-District Council for Special Education, Video Conference Room, 1615 NW 5th St., Bemidji, MN 56601
Site capacity: 20
Brainerd - Crow Wing County Central Services Building, 202 Laurel Street., Brainerd, MN 56401
Site capacity: 15
Carlton - Carlton County Courthouse, 301 Walnut Street, Carlton, MN 55718
Site capacity: 20
Chaska - Carver County Courthouse, 600 E. Fourth St., Chaska, MN 55318
Site capacity: 12
Grand Rapids - Itasca County Courthouse, 123 NE 4th Street, Grand Rapids, MN 55744
Site capacity: 30
Mankato - Blue Earth County Human Services, 410 S. 5th St., Basement Level-Voyager Rm., Mankato, MN 56001-3366
Site capacity: 20
Marshall - Lyon County Government Center, 607 W. Main St., Courthouse, 1st Fl., Marshall, MN 56258
Site capacity: 15
Moorhead - Clay County Family Services Center, 715 – 11th Street N., Moorhead, MN 56560
Site capacity: 25
Rochester – Olmsted County Social Services, 2116 Campus Drive SE, Rochester, MN 55904
Site capacity: 35
Roseau - Roseau County Courthouse, 606 - 5th Ave. SW, Rm. 20, Roseau, MN 56751
Site capacity: 30
St. Cloud - Stearns County Human Services, 705 Courthouse Sq., Rm. 354, St. Cloud, MN 56302
Site capacity: 16
Willmar - Kandiyohi County Health and Human Services Building, 2200 - 23rd St. NE, Room 1070, Willmar, MN 56201
Site capacity: 30
Worthington - Nobles County Courthouse, 315 - 10th St., 3rd Fl., Worthington, MN 56187
Site capacity: 10
If you are looking for valuable information about taxes, deductions, and refunds, consider attending one of these trainings from the Children's Defense Fund-Minnesota:
Providers across Minnesota can learn the basics of Federal and state tax credits,deductions and refunds which are powerful tools to help lift people out of poverty. Each year, thousands fail to use all the credits to which they are entitled! Immigrant families may be particularly likely to miss using their credits.
Learn how the tax credits and tax loans (Refund Anticipation Loans) work and how to refer your clients to the right places for FREE tax assistance. Get valuable resources and information.
This year, there will be video conferencing to 14 greater Minnesota locations on January 19. In February, a DVD of the video conference will be available to agencies and organizations for staff development throughout the year.
Presented by the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis, Children’s Defense Fund – Minnesota, and University of Minnesota Extension Service with additional support from the MN Department of Human Services, Office of Economic Opportunity and MN Community Action Association.
Training Site Information, Including Video Conference Sites
January 4, 2006, 12:30-3:30 p.m.
Northern Service Center, Rms 110
A&B1 Mendota Rd W., W. St. Paul,
MN Access map at: http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/administration/news/nsc/map.htm
January 12, 2006, 9:00 a.m. – Noon
Minneapolis Urban League, Laura Scott Williams Room
2100 Plymouth Avenue N, Minneapolis, MN 55411
Access map at: http://www.mul.org/direction.cfm
January 19, 2006, 8:30 a.m. registration, 8:50 a.m. – Noon
MN Department of Human Services, 5th Floor
444 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-3807
Access map here.
(This program will also be video conferenced to 14 Greater Minnesota locations. An audience at this location is needed, thus the earlier start time.)
Video conference sites: Alexandria, Bemidji, Brainerd, Carlton, Chaska, Grand Rapids, Mankato, Marshall, Moorhead, Rochester, Roseau, St. Cloud, Willmar, Worthington. See site-specific information below.
January 26, 2005, 12:30 -3:30 p.m.
Brookdale Library, Meeting Rooms A, B & C
6125 Shingle Creek Pkwy, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430
Access map ">here
REGISTER ON-LINE
If you have difficulty registering on-line, email hjelm005@umn.edu or call Mary Hjelm, Andover Extension Regional Center Administrative Specialist at 763-767-3836 or 1-888-241-0719.
Disability Accommodations: Those needing disability accommodations need to contact Becky Wochnick at becky.wochnick@state.mn.us or Rosemary K. Heins at heins002@umn.edu at least 1 week prior to the date of the event they wish to attend.
NOTE: In case of bad weather, call 763-767-3836 or 1-888-241-0719 to check for possible program cancellation.
January 19 Video Conferencing Site Information:
Directions to all video conferencing locations can be found on www.mapquest.com.
Alexandria - Douglas County Human Services, 809 Elm St., Suite 1186, Alexandria, MN 56308
Site capacity: 20
Bemidji – BRIC-Bemidji Regional Inter-District Council for Special Education, Video Conference Room, 1615 NW 5th St., Bemidji, MN 56601
Site capacity: 20
Brainerd - Crow Wing County Central Services Building, 202 Laurel Street., Brainerd, MN 56401
Site capacity: 15
Carlton - Carlton County Courthouse, 301 Walnut Street, Carlton, MN 55718
Site capacity: 20
Chaska - Carver County Courthouse, 600 E. Fourth St., Chaska, MN 55318
Site capacity: 12
Grand Rapids - Itasca County Courthouse, 123 NE 4th Street, Grand Rapids, MN 55744
Site capacity: 30
Mankato - Blue Earth County Human Services, 410 S. 5th St., Basement Level-Voyager Rm., Mankato, MN 56001-3366
Site capacity: 20
Marshall - Lyon County Government Center, 607 W. Main St., Courthouse, 1st Fl., Marshall, MN 56258
Site capacity: 15
Moorhead - Clay County Family Services Center, 715 – 11th Street N., Moorhead, MN 56560
Site capacity: 25
Rochester – Olmsted County Social Services, 2116 Campus Drive SE, Rochester, MN 55904
Site capacity: 35
Roseau - Roseau County Courthouse, 606 - 5th Ave. SW, Rm. 20, Roseau, MN 56751
Site capacity: 30
St. Cloud - Stearns County Human Services, 705 Courthouse Sq., Rm. 354, St. Cloud, MN 56302
Site capacity: 16
Willmar - Kandiyohi County Health and Human Services Building, 2200 - 23rd St. NE, Room 1070, Willmar, MN 56201
Site capacity: 30
Worthington - Nobles County Courthouse, 315 - 10th St., 3rd Fl., Worthington, MN 56187
Site capacity: 10
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Outcome of the budget reconciliation bill...
The U.S. Senate finally voted this morning on the budget reconciliation bill, which includes reauthorization of child care and TANF. Unfortunately the bill squeaked by on a 51-50 vote, including a vote from Sen. Christopher Dodd, who was brought in from his recovery from knee surgery, and the final tie-breaking vote from Vice President Cheney, who was called back from a trip abroad in order to vote.
Senator Mark Dayton voted against the bill while Senator Norm Coleman voted in favor - disappointing, given that last week he signed a letter (with encouragement from all of you!) asking that child care and TANF be omitted from the budget reconciliation bill.
Nonetheless – your voices were certainly heard! Senator Coleman’s office was besieged with phone calls and emails, shutting down the lines and filling up voicemails. So, well done! Yet, there is more ahead. The bill was changed on the Senate floor due to a successful procedural challenge, a “Point of Order,” raised by U.S. Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Kent Conrad (D-ND) to strip a few particular provisions from the bill that violated budget rules. The changes are minor — all of the devastating cuts and changes to child care, TANF, Medicaid, child support enforcement, and foster care remain in the bill — but the U.S. House and Senate bills are sufficiently different to force a second vote in the House. It’s unclear whether the U.S. House will come back into session yet this week or next, or wait until January to take the bill up again.
The vote in the U.S. House on December 19th was close, 212-206, and sixteen members of Congress missed the vote. So – there will be another chance for Minnesota advocates to educate our congressional delegation about the harmful nature of including the Child Care and Development Block Grant reauthorization within the budget reconciliation bill.
What this means for child care:
The provisions on the nation’s welfare-to-work program, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), would impose expensive new expectations on states without providing them with adequate resources. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that the cost to states of meeting the new requirements would be $8.4 billion over five years. This includes $4.3 billion in costs associated with operating significantly larger welfare-to-work programs and $4.1 billion in additional child care costs. Yet the bill includes just $1 billion in additional child care funding — less than states need just to ensure that their current child care funding keeps pace with inflation — and no additional welfare-to-work funding.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that nationally some 255,000 fewer children will receive child care assistance, as states would likely divert significant child care funding away from low-income working families not participating in the state welfare-to-work programs in order to meet the new TANF program requirements.
In 2003, Minnesota made a series of substantial cuts to its child care assistance programs for low-income working families. Those cuts dramatically reduced the income level at which families can receive child care assistance and substantially increased the copayments that families pay.
The conference agreement’s welfare-to-work provisions could force Minnesotato make still larger cuts in child care subsidies for low-income working families not receiving TANF cash assistance, undermining Minnesota’s long-standing (if already scaled back efforts) to “make work pay” as part of its welfare reform agenda.
Under these new provisions, Minnesota would have to significantly increase the number of parents participating in welfare-to-work programs, at significant cost to the state. Moreover, the bill would significantly restrict the flexibility Minnesota now has when helping families move towards self-sufficiency — this flexibility has been the key to successes in Minnesota’s welfare-to-work programs.
The U.S. Senate finally voted this morning on the budget reconciliation bill, which includes reauthorization of child care and TANF. Unfortunately the bill squeaked by on a 51-50 vote, including a vote from Sen. Christopher Dodd, who was brought in from his recovery from knee surgery, and the final tie-breaking vote from Vice President Cheney, who was called back from a trip abroad in order to vote.
Senator Mark Dayton voted against the bill while Senator Norm Coleman voted in favor - disappointing, given that last week he signed a letter (with encouragement from all of you!) asking that child care and TANF be omitted from the budget reconciliation bill.
Nonetheless – your voices were certainly heard! Senator Coleman’s office was besieged with phone calls and emails, shutting down the lines and filling up voicemails. So, well done! Yet, there is more ahead. The bill was changed on the Senate floor due to a successful procedural challenge, a “Point of Order,” raised by U.S. Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Kent Conrad (D-ND) to strip a few particular provisions from the bill that violated budget rules. The changes are minor — all of the devastating cuts and changes to child care, TANF, Medicaid, child support enforcement, and foster care remain in the bill — but the U.S. House and Senate bills are sufficiently different to force a second vote in the House. It’s unclear whether the U.S. House will come back into session yet this week or next, or wait until January to take the bill up again.
The vote in the U.S. House on December 19th was close, 212-206, and sixteen members of Congress missed the vote. So – there will be another chance for Minnesota advocates to educate our congressional delegation about the harmful nature of including the Child Care and Development Block Grant reauthorization within the budget reconciliation bill.
What this means for child care:
The provisions on the nation’s welfare-to-work program, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), would impose expensive new expectations on states without providing them with adequate resources. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that the cost to states of meeting the new requirements would be $8.4 billion over five years. This includes $4.3 billion in costs associated with operating significantly larger welfare-to-work programs and $4.1 billion in additional child care costs. Yet the bill includes just $1 billion in additional child care funding — less than states need just to ensure that their current child care funding keeps pace with inflation — and no additional welfare-to-work funding.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that nationally some 255,000 fewer children will receive child care assistance, as states would likely divert significant child care funding away from low-income working families not participating in the state welfare-to-work programs in order to meet the new TANF program requirements.
In 2003, Minnesota made a series of substantial cuts to its child care assistance programs for low-income working families. Those cuts dramatically reduced the income level at which families can receive child care assistance and substantially increased the copayments that families pay.
The conference agreement’s welfare-to-work provisions could force Minnesotato make still larger cuts in child care subsidies for low-income working families not receiving TANF cash assistance, undermining Minnesota’s long-standing (if already scaled back efforts) to “make work pay” as part of its welfare reform agenda.
Under these new provisions, Minnesota would have to significantly increase the number of parents participating in welfare-to-work programs, at significant cost to the state. Moreover, the bill would significantly restrict the flexibility Minnesota now has when helping families move towards self-sufficiency — this flexibility has been the key to successes in Minnesota’s welfare-to-work programs.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
LOOKING FOR PROVIDERS WHO HIRE PART TIME WORKERS
From Readleaf National Institute:
This is indeed good news for providers who hire parttime help. Please consider contacting Readleaf National Institue if you are a Minnesota provider who employs parttime help in your child care.
From Readleaf National Institute:
The IRS will shortly announce that providers (and other employers) may be able to file a new Form 944 at the end of the year to report payroll taxes instead of filing quarterly tax forms (Form 941). Providers who owe less than $1,000 in payroll taxes will be eligible to use this new form. This amounts to paying an employee less than about $6,000 a year.
When the IRS makes their official announcement we want to publicize this new ruling. It will have a major impact on providers, saving them a lot of time; they'll no longer have to file quarterly reports. As part of our effort to publicize this new ruling, we'd like to be able to refer the media to providers who will be directly affected by it.
We are looking to identify several providers who currently are paying helpers less than $6,000 a year (total for all helpers). If you are willing to be interviewed by the media on this issue, please send an email with your contact information--name, phone number, city and state--to Ann Forstie at ann@redleafinstitute.org. We are particularly interested in hearing from providers in Minnesota.
Tom Copeland, Director, Redleaf National Institute
This is indeed good news for providers who hire parttime help. Please consider contacting Readleaf National Institue if you are a Minnesota provider who employs parttime help in your child care.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Looking for a baby gift?
If you are looking for a unique baby gift for Christmas (or any time) check out the Shopping Moms' Guide to Baby Gifts. There is quite a collection of baby gift ideas and how to buy them including naming a star after the child, a share of Disney stock, or my personal favorite a Diaper Cake... Yes, that's right. A cake made from diapers... You will need to see it to believe it.
This may not be the most practical site, but it does make for some interesting reading and there are many low-cost and homemade gift ideas. So if you are looking for a baby gift that sets you apart from the normal discount store baby blanket givers, check it out.
If you are looking for a unique baby gift for Christmas (or any time) check out the Shopping Moms' Guide to Baby Gifts. There is quite a collection of baby gift ideas and how to buy them including naming a star after the child, a share of Disney stock, or my personal favorite a Diaper Cake... Yes, that's right. A cake made from diapers... You will need to see it to believe it.
This may not be the most practical site, but it does make for some interesting reading and there are many low-cost and homemade gift ideas. So if you are looking for a baby gift that sets you apart from the normal discount store baby blanket givers, check it out.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Make a Difference in the Lives of Children In Need...
Here's a great project that you can do to help out children in need while helping out the children in your child care...
Scholastic Book Clubs has introduced ClassroomsCare. ClassroomsCare is a classroom reading program designed to teach children about the joys of reading and giving. For each class that reads 100 books by February 17, 2006, Scholastic Book Clubs will donate 100 new books to its charity partners. This year's charity partners included First Book, Reach Out and Read, and Save the Children. Each of these organizations gives the books to children in extremely under-resourced schools and communities in the United States, including many who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Simple as that... read 100 books by February 17th (if you start today, it's only a bit over 2 books per day, Monday through Friday) and Scholastic will donate 100 books to children in need. The website gives you information that you can share with the parents as well as bookmarks and certificates for the children and families that you can print out. In addition, your child care will be listed on the Scholastic website in their ClassroomsCare Readers' Hall of Fame.
It's a great idea! Read books in your child care. Enlist your families and have them read to their children as well. The families will benefit by the shared time, the children will benefit by reading, kids in need get free books, and you will get the satisfaction of helping out. It's a win-win situation for everyone.
I know that I have talked about them before, but Scholastic Book Club can be a great benefit for your families and a way for you to obtain low cost books for yor business.
Here's a great project that you can do to help out children in need while helping out the children in your child care...
Scholastic Book Clubs has introduced ClassroomsCare. ClassroomsCare is a classroom reading program designed to teach children about the joys of reading and giving. For each class that reads 100 books by February 17, 2006, Scholastic Book Clubs will donate 100 new books to its charity partners. This year's charity partners included First Book, Reach Out and Read, and Save the Children. Each of these organizations gives the books to children in extremely under-resourced schools and communities in the United States, including many who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Simple as that... read 100 books by February 17th (if you start today, it's only a bit over 2 books per day, Monday through Friday) and Scholastic will donate 100 books to children in need. The website gives you information that you can share with the parents as well as bookmarks and certificates for the children and families that you can print out. In addition, your child care will be listed on the Scholastic website in their ClassroomsCare Readers' Hall of Fame.
It's a great idea! Read books in your child care. Enlist your families and have them read to their children as well. The families will benefit by the shared time, the children will benefit by reading, kids in need get free books, and you will get the satisfaction of helping out. It's a win-win situation for everyone.
I know that I have talked about them before, but Scholastic Book Club can be a great benefit for your families and a way for you to obtain low cost books for yor business.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
December is National Stress Free Family Holiday Month...
'Tis the season of great expectations...
The holiday season is a special time for enjoying our family and friends and celebrating traditions. However, it can also be a time for unrelenting stress. This is certainly evident in child care as excitement builds towards Christmas and the fun (but routine disruptive) visits of relatives and friends.
A common mistake made by many is trying the recreate the perfect Norman Rockwell holiday. The house is beautifully decorated with outdoor lights and an exquisitely trimmed Christmas tree; numerous presents, all carefully chosen and meticulously wrapped are displayed under the tree; the holiday meal, fit for a king, includes all the old-time favorites; and everyone is in a festive mood. Picture perfect, maybe, but is it realistic? Is this scene applicable or even relevant to your family today? If you and your family create stress by trying to meet unrealistic expectations, make a firm commitment to do things differently this year.
The trick is to identify those things that are important to your family and develop holiday traditions that are uniquely your own. A tradition is simply a family ritual that celebrates the family and sets it apart. A holiday tradition for your family might simply be the time and way you open Christmas or Hanukkah presents, or preparing Grandma Tate's sweet potato casserole, or attending religious services or community programs together. Hold a family meeting to discuss the traditions in your family. Pace yourself, and involve every family member in the holiday preparations. And donÂt expect perfection!
Simplify Please
With the current trend toward slick commercialism it is easy for children to be lured into GETTING rather than GIVING. You can help by taking time BEFORE the holiday to discuss realistic expectations about gifts. Save catalogs sent from local stores and have children cut out or circle the items they want. After specifying the number of gifts they may have, allow them to choose from their list. Help your children shift their focus outward by encouraging them to choose a gift to be donated to charity. Or make crafts or gift baskets to be delivered to a nursing home. Older children can volunteer to baby sit or help an elderly neighbor.
Stress Busters
...for you
'Tis the season of great expectations...
The holiday season is a special time for enjoying our family and friends and celebrating traditions. However, it can also be a time for unrelenting stress. This is certainly evident in child care as excitement builds towards Christmas and the fun (but routine disruptive) visits of relatives and friends.
A common mistake made by many is trying the recreate the perfect Norman Rockwell holiday. The house is beautifully decorated with outdoor lights and an exquisitely trimmed Christmas tree; numerous presents, all carefully chosen and meticulously wrapped are displayed under the tree; the holiday meal, fit for a king, includes all the old-time favorites; and everyone is in a festive mood. Picture perfect, maybe, but is it realistic? Is this scene applicable or even relevant to your family today? If you and your family create stress by trying to meet unrealistic expectations, make a firm commitment to do things differently this year.
The trick is to identify those things that are important to your family and develop holiday traditions that are uniquely your own. A tradition is simply a family ritual that celebrates the family and sets it apart. A holiday tradition for your family might simply be the time and way you open Christmas or Hanukkah presents, or preparing Grandma Tate's sweet potato casserole, or attending religious services or community programs together. Hold a family meeting to discuss the traditions in your family. Pace yourself, and involve every family member in the holiday preparations. And donÂt expect perfection!
Simplify Please
- If sending Christmas cards is a priority, make it a family project. Write a Christmas letter requiring contributions from every family member. Have the grown-ups address the envelopes and the kids put on the stamps.
- If you enjoy getting all the extended family together for a holiday meal, ask everyone to bring a dish. Also, consider purchasing all or part of your holiday meal from your favorite restaurant or cafeteria. Engage all family members in the clean-up duties.
- If holiday treats are a priority, farm out the preparation. Fill pretty holiday tins with goodies from your favorite bakery.
- Start early with holiday decorating. Consider putting the Christmas tree up right after Thanksgiving. You won't be so rushed and can enjoy it longer.
- Make a gift list and utilize catalogs and the phone. Hire older kids to wrap your presents. Consider gifts that don't require shopping, such as magazine subscriptions or tickets to sporting events.
- Open some gifts on Christmas Eve to keep the children from becoming overwhelmed on Christmas morning. If possible, exchange gifts with extended family either before or after Christmas Day.
- Celebrate the true meaning of the season!
With the current trend toward slick commercialism it is easy for children to be lured into GETTING rather than GIVING. You can help by taking time BEFORE the holiday to discuss realistic expectations about gifts. Save catalogs sent from local stores and have children cut out or circle the items they want. After specifying the number of gifts they may have, allow them to choose from their list. Help your children shift their focus outward by encouraging them to choose a gift to be donated to charity. Or make crafts or gift baskets to be delivered to a nursing home. Older children can volunteer to baby sit or help an elderly neighbor.
Stress Busters
...for you
- Recognize the signs of stress. These include ineffective coping, such as becoming depressed, irritable, anxious or inability to concentrate. Stress related illnesses include headaches, high blood pressure, neck and back pain and stomach aches. Eliminate the threat of stress by putting yourself in control, rather than letting things just happen.
- Keep family expectations realistic. Don't allow your family's holiday expectations to be determined by extended family, friends, or the media. Instead, focus on your family's strengths and be realistic about what works for your family as a whole.
- Give yourself permission to say, "No." Be realistic about what you can and cannot accomplish. Say "I'm sorry, but this won't work for me right now."
- Watch your diet. Eat lightly, more often, and include complex carbohydrates for energy. A diet high in carbohydrates increases the body's supply of serotonin, a brain chemical known for its calming effect. Additionally, drink plenty of water and avoid overloading on the sweets, and snacks filled with empty calories. Also, cut back on stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine.
- Exercise. Exercise can rid the body of excess tension, help promote relaxation, improve cardiovascular function, and increase energy and stamina.
- Recognize the signs of stress. These include crankiness, irritability and a change in appetite or sleep habits.
- Provide structure. Kids thrive on routines, predictability. Therefore, structure is important for children especially during the holidays. Also, make sure kids get their sleep and take a nap or have a "quiet time" each day.
- Set Clear Guidelines. Gently remind children of your expectations before going to grandma's or the mall. Then, remember to praise, appreciate, encourage and acknowledge the good behavior.
- Give attention freely. Love is spelled TIME. Laugh, cuddle and play with your kids. Let them choose their favorite games, activities or book to share with you and have fun.
- Encourage physical exercise. Exercise releases tension for children as well as burns excess energy! Plan daily for a minimum of 30 minutes of outside activities and play.
- Watch the children's diet. Limit foods that may affect behavior, such as refined sweets, caffeine (found in chocolate and soft drinks), artificial preservatives and chemical coloring. Keep plenty of fresh fruit and raw veggies on hand for snacking.
Wishing everyone a happy and stress free holiday.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Chocolate Covered Anything Day...
Wow, today (December 16th) is "Chocolate Covered Anything Day". This should be a nationally recognized holiday for child care providers... We all know that chocolate is magical and a necessary staple for enhancing the mental, physical, and emotional heath of professionals caring for children...
Celebrate by making (and of course eating) some chocolate covered fruit or send a "Chocolate Covered Anything Day" greeting card
And don't worry, chocolate is good for you! This site tells us so.
AND, if this isn't enough good news for you, December 26th is National Candy Cane Day and the 27th & 28th is National Chocolate Day... (Yes, this is so important that National Chocolate Day covers TWO days.) Learn more than you ever wanted to know about chocolate then take the chocolate quiz.
And to think... I used to like December for the Christmas holidays. I may have just discovered a new favorite!
Wow, today (December 16th) is "Chocolate Covered Anything Day". This should be a nationally recognized holiday for child care providers... We all know that chocolate is magical and a necessary staple for enhancing the mental, physical, and emotional heath of professionals caring for children...
Celebrate by making (and of course eating) some chocolate covered fruit or send a "Chocolate Covered Anything Day" greeting card
And don't worry, chocolate is good for you! This site tells us so.
AND, if this isn't enough good news for you, December 26th is National Candy Cane Day and the 27th & 28th is National Chocolate Day... (Yes, this is so important that National Chocolate Day covers TWO days.) Learn more than you ever wanted to know about chocolate then take the chocolate quiz.
And to think... I used to like December for the Christmas holidays. I may have just discovered a new favorite!
Thursday, December 15, 2005
A Quote to Remember...
“To the world each one of us may be just one small person, but to one small person we may be the world.”
author unknown
“To the world each one of us may be just one small person, but to one small person we may be the world.”
author unknown
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Christmas Arts and Crafts....
Its time to suggest some websites for arts and crafts for Christmas (and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa). With the holidays and colder weather coming, now is a great time to stay inside and make more time for your family! Spending 15 minutes doing a simple craft project with a child is enough to make a memory last a lifetime.To those of you who have been readers for a while, you will recognize many of the favorite sites that I have suggested in the past for different holidays.
If you have an favorites of your own, feel free to let me know!
Its time to suggest some websites for arts and crafts for Christmas (and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa). With the holidays and colder weather coming, now is a great time to stay inside and make more time for your family! Spending 15 minutes doing a simple craft project with a child is enough to make a memory last a lifetime.To those of you who have been readers for a while, you will recognize many of the favorite sites that I have suggested in the past for different holidays.
- All Free Crafts: Christmas
With more than fifty original Christmas crafts, All Free Crafts is quite a find. Organized into six categories (such as Santa Crafts, Light Bulb Crafts and Easy Tree Trims) many of the projects focus on using recycled household items, and all have photos of the finished project. - Amazing Moms: Christmas Craft Ideas for Kids
I've talked about the Amazing Moms website before, it is a mix of both free craft ideas and links to craft kits for purchase. You'll find the free crafts instructions in two lists. First are the fourteen projects listed near the top of the page (titled "Select a craft from this list...") Second are Gifts Children Can Make (near the bottom of the page) categorized by age group. Hanukkah crafts have a page of their own. - Enchanted Learning: Christmas Crafts
"These crafts projects use materials found around the house, like egg cartons, cardboard, paper, boxes, string, crayons, paint, glue, etc. See the page about color mixing to see how to combine paint to make all the colors of the rainbow." Enchanted Learning has oodles of Christmas crafts and printable activity pages. Those looking for Hanukkah projects, will find them here. - Family Fun: Christmas
Family Fun's Christmas mini-site has a terrific selection of illustrated crafts, many of which include comments added by other readers The craft projects are sprinkled through many sections, but the main ones are in New This Year, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Ornaments, and Christmas Crafts & Stockings. If you want to be able to save crafts to a personal craft box (and recipes to a personal recipe box) sign up for a free membership by clicking on "Add to My Craft Box." - HGTV: Christmas / Hanukkah / Kwanzaa
This page is a listing of over one-hundred holiday-related craft projects from the HGTV network. They are neatly listed by craft name, but without any other annotation. Although listed without the fanfare, the crafts themselves are original, and are accompanied by detailed, illustrated instructions. - About.com
About..com also has quite a selection of crafts on their family crafts page. - CraftTown: Christmas Projects
CraftTown has a large amount of craft patterns and printables. Many with detailed instructions and photos of the finished projects. - DLTK
DLTK is a favorite for all holidays with a site that includes games, activities, printables, recipes, coloring pages and many more activities. Check out their page of activities for Christmas. One of my favorites is the nativity scene patterns and story to go with it. DLTK also has separate activity pages for Advent, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. - Kids Domain: Christmas Crafts
Kids Domain is another favorite site that I often talk about. The selection of Christmas activities is huge! From games, stories, music and reviews to crafts with food to coloring pages and much, much more. This site is definitely to put on your favorites list. - ChildFun Family Website
ChildFun also has a large amount of activities and crafts. Another item of interest (though not holiday related) is the associated site of ChildCareFun.com which is devoted to child care providers by presenting articles that will help make your life as a provider easier and give you a good reference that you can come back to time and time again when you need it. They cover several medical topics, as well as information on credentials, licensing, checklists, discipline, tough child raising issues, unique family situations and more. (Note, even though I have looked at this site, I cannot verify the complete accuracy of all information provided.)
If you have an favorites of your own, feel free to let me know!
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Disciplining Children...
Many of the questions I get asked concern children and discipline. When you discipline, you
are helping your child understand what the worldexpects of him. While there is a huge amount of information concerning appropriate discipline, here are a some helpful tips to remember...
1. Instead of spending the majority of your time concerned with discipline, spend the majority of your time encouraging your child to behave. This is much less spressful to you and the child and creates a positive environment. Encourage the child by:
2. When discipling a child, you should always consider the child's development level.
For infants: Discipline is never appropriate. Infants do not have control of their actions and therefore cannot be held accountable for them.
Remember that even when disciplining, the child needs to understand that it is reaction and consequence, not to the child, simply the child's misbehavior.
And no, I an not a believer in spanking nor any form of physical punishment. I know that many parents disagree on this belief, but in spite of the fact that it is against the law for child care providers to engage in any type of corporal punishment, it has been proven to have little positive effect in discipling the child.
Many of the questions I get asked concern children and discipline. When you discipline, you
are helping your child understand what the worldexpects of him. While there is a huge amount of information concerning appropriate discipline, here are a some helpful tips to remember...
1. Instead of spending the majority of your time concerned with discipline, spend the majority of your time encouraging your child to behave. This is much less spressful to you and the child and creates a positive environment. Encourage the child by:
- Praising good behavior. Let your child know when he acts appropriately and help him feel good about it.
- Being a role model. Children learn from example,so act the way you want your child to act.
- Setting clear expectations. Make sure the child understands the rules and enforce them consistently.
- Ignoring small incidents and accidents, such as spilled milk. Just give a reminder to be careful next time and let the child help clean up.
- Giving second chances. Give a child the opportunity to correct misbehavior by offering a warning or a second chance.
- Being consistent. Lessons must be repeated over a period of days or weeks before they are learned. Only set rules you are willing to enforce.
2. When discipling a child, you should always consider the child's development level.
For infants: Discipline is never appropriate. Infants do not have control of their actions and therefore cannot be held accountable for them.
- Shower an infant with love and affection — you can’t spoil an infant.
- Read and respond to an infant’s needs.
- When he cries, try to determine why. Is he hungry, wet, tired
- Get ready to set limits. Does your baby look to see if you are watching her? She is now aware of the "forbidden."
- Introduce "no" only for safety issues — if a child hears "no" too commonly, it will not have any meaning to him.
- Stay one step ahead. Distract or redirect a child from unsafe objects or activities.
- Use non-verbal communication. Give a stern or firm look for small misdeeds.
For toddlers (two years and older): A toddler is starting to understand expectations and consequences.
- Create consequences that relate to the behavior. For example, remove a child from the store if he misbehaves.
- Don’t delay the consequences. If you threaten or leave the consequences until later, a child is less likely to understand what she did wrong.
Remember that even when disciplining, the child needs to understand that it is reaction and consequence, not to the child, simply the child's misbehavior.
And no, I an not a believer in spanking nor any form of physical punishment. I know that many parents disagree on this belief, but in spite of the fact that it is against the law for child care providers to engage in any type of corporal punishment, it has been proven to have little positive effect in discipling the child.
Monday, December 12, 2005
False praise or building self esteem?
Read an interesting opinion piece today about some of the current, politically correct methods of parenting and their inherent problems.
Read an interesting opinion piece today about some of the current, politically correct methods of parenting and their inherent problems.
"Political correctness has spawned a devolved subset of society filled with crybabies, outcasts, outlaws and victims. Too many people no longer take responsibility for their behavior. It's much easier to let someone else or the government bail them out. They'll tell you they're not getting what they deserve, but they don't do anything worthwhile to deserve what they want. They think they deserve what they want because they exist. In a cosmic sense, that may be true, but that's not the way life on this planet works."I'm not sure that I agree with everything this writer states, but he does make many good points and spurs some interesting consideration. Read the article for yourself. What are your thoughts?
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Christmas giving and the Salvation Army...
The Salvation Army's traditional red kettle is an integral part of the Christmas season. During the holidays, donations of nickels, dimes and dollars provide Christmas dinners, food, clothing and toys for needy families and individuals. When you donate, expect The Salvation Army to do the most good with your contribution in your community, and throughout the nation, serving over 34 million Americans through a variety of programs 365 days of the year.
Whether or not you give your spare change to the bell ringers outside of any businesses you may frequent, I urge you to make a donation to this worthy cause of helping those who are less fortunate if you are able.
You can give securely online at a special page set up on the Salvation Army site to help TKW Consulting raise funds. Simply visit and make your online donation. Christmas is about the spirit of giving...
The Salvation Army's traditional red kettle is an integral part of the Christmas season. During the holidays, donations of nickels, dimes and dollars provide Christmas dinners, food, clothing and toys for needy families and individuals. When you donate, expect The Salvation Army to do the most good with your contribution in your community, and throughout the nation, serving over 34 million Americans through a variety of programs 365 days of the year.
Whether or not you give your spare change to the bell ringers outside of any businesses you may frequent, I urge you to make a donation to this worthy cause of helping those who are less fortunate if you are able.
You can give securely online at a special page set up on the Salvation Army site to help TKW Consulting raise funds. Simply visit and make your online donation. Christmas is about the spirit of giving...
Friday, December 09, 2005
How do Minnesota families use child care?
An interesting report released today from the Wilder Foundation...
Three out of four Minnesota families use child care regularly for their children under age 13, and those children spend an average of 24 hours per week in child care. This statewide, random survey is representative of all Minnesota families using child care, and contains a wealth of detail about their specific arrangements and reasons for choosing them, costs, satisfaction with quality, and how child care choices affect parents' employment.
For most Minnesota families with young children, child care arrangements are complex, with most relying on a combination of child care providers to meet their day-to-day needs. A recent statewide study of 1,363 families with children 12 and younger found:
Child care through relatives and friends
The study found that relatives and close friends are the most common child care providers in the state, serving as the only or the main arrangement for 46 percent of children age 12 and younger.
“In many ways this is a positive choice for parents, especially for their younger children,” said Richard Chase, the Wilder Research scientist who led the study. “They have someone they know and trust, and someone who can transmit their family and cultural values to the children.”
Higher participation in preschool programs
Another positive finding compared with five years ago is an increase in participation of 3- and 4-year-olds who are regularly in settings that are geared to help them learn and develop socially, such as preschool, nursery school, Head Start, or child care centers.
“This makes a lot of sense given the growing awareness about the importance of school readiness,” Chase said.
Child care challenges for low-income families
Minnesota families with low incomes (at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guideline or about $38,700 for a family of four) have child care challenges, the study found. They more often report having little or no choice in their child care arrangements (38 percent, compared to 27 percent of other families). They give lower quality ratings to their child care than other parents. Child care problems prevented 36 percent of low-income parents from accepting or keeping a job in the past year, compared to 14 percent of other parents, the study found.
And while the average out-of-pocket cost for Minnesota families using child care for one or more children is 10 percent of their income – which is considered affordable – the families making less than $20,000 a year are paying 28 percent of that income for child care.
“However, this research shows that families with publicly subsidized child care fare much differently than other low-income families,” said Chase. “When it comes to choice, affordability and parents’ perception of quality, their experience is much more similar to middle-income and higher-income Minnesotans.”
To learn more, read the summary or read the full report from Wilder Research.
An interesting report released today from the Wilder Foundation...
Three out of four Minnesota families use child care regularly for their children under age 13, and those children spend an average of 24 hours per week in child care. This statewide, random survey is representative of all Minnesota families using child care, and contains a wealth of detail about their specific arrangements and reasons for choosing them, costs, satisfaction with quality, and how child care choices affect parents' employment.
For most Minnesota families with young children, child care arrangements are complex, with most relying on a combination of child care providers to meet their day-to-day needs. A recent statewide study of 1,363 families with children 12 and younger found:
- Parents turn most often to family and friends to care for their children
- Compared to five years ago, more preschoolers are in child care centers, which tend to be more structured and oriented toward learning
- Child care costs take an average of 28 percent of low-income families’ monthly paychecks (10 percent is widely considered “affordable”)
Three out of four Minnesota families use child care for their children under age 13, and those children spend an average of 24 hours per week in child care. The new report by Wilder Research, commissioned by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, paints a detailed picture of child chare costs, satisfaction, and choices for families throughout the state.
Child Care Use in Minnesota: 2004 Statewide Household Child Care Survey updates a similar study done five years ago.
"As we work to implement policies and develop practices that affect Minnesotans, particularly families with lower incomes who use child care services, it is important that we periodically conduct surveys to understand the child care use patterns and reasons parents are choosing certain arrangements for their children,” said Charles E. Johnson, the Minnesota Department of Human Services’ assistant commissioner of Children and Family Services. “Information from this study and others will help us make more informed decisions to better serve Minnesotans and help meet their basic needs.”Child care through relatives and friends
The study found that relatives and close friends are the most common child care providers in the state, serving as the only or the main arrangement for 46 percent of children age 12 and younger.
“In many ways this is a positive choice for parents, especially for their younger children,” said Richard Chase, the Wilder Research scientist who led the study. “They have someone they know and trust, and someone who can transmit their family and cultural values to the children.”
Higher participation in preschool programs
Another positive finding compared with five years ago is an increase in participation of 3- and 4-year-olds who are regularly in settings that are geared to help them learn and develop socially, such as preschool, nursery school, Head Start, or child care centers.
“This makes a lot of sense given the growing awareness about the importance of school readiness,” Chase said.
Child care challenges for low-income families
Minnesota families with low incomes (at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guideline or about $38,700 for a family of four) have child care challenges, the study found. They more often report having little or no choice in their child care arrangements (38 percent, compared to 27 percent of other families). They give lower quality ratings to their child care than other parents. Child care problems prevented 36 percent of low-income parents from accepting or keeping a job in the past year, compared to 14 percent of other parents, the study found.
And while the average out-of-pocket cost for Minnesota families using child care for one or more children is 10 percent of their income – which is considered affordable – the families making less than $20,000 a year are paying 28 percent of that income for child care.
“However, this research shows that families with publicly subsidized child care fare much differently than other low-income families,” said Chase. “When it comes to choice, affordability and parents’ perception of quality, their experience is much more similar to middle-income and higher-income Minnesotans.”
To learn more, read the summary or read the full report from Wilder Research.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
What's the difference between child care and preschool?
Is it child care or day care or preschool or pre-k?! In fact, all of these terms describe early care and education programs for young children. Regardless of what they are called, these services must all be safe, affordable, developmentally appropriate, and high quality.
The term "Child Care" is generally used when talking about early care and education provided for children from birth through school-age. There are many forms of child care (or day care), including:
Is it child care or day care or preschool or pre-k?! In fact, all of these terms describe early care and education programs for young children. Regardless of what they are called, these services must all be safe, affordable, developmentally appropriate, and high quality.
The term "Child Care" is generally used when talking about early care and education provided for children from birth through school-age. There are many forms of child care (or day care), including:
- in-home child care
- care by relatives
- family day care homes, and
- center-based child care.
The term 'Preschool' or 'Pre-K' is generally used to describe early care and education programs that help prepare three and four year olds to enter kindergarten ready to succeed. These programs are usually conducted in group settings and include a curriculum focused on early literacy and cognitive, social, and emotional development.
So when you look at your family child care, the difference between whether it is a "child care" and "preschool" is up to you. A good quality child care does all of the aspects of a preschool. One way to improve the quality of your child care if you are located in Minnesota is to take the "Not By Chance" trainings to learn how to improve school readiness and give you some tools to help with that improvement.
Even if you don't bill your program as a preschool, you should be doing all that you can to ensure that the children in your care are growing in cognitive, social, and emotional skills.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Another online resource...
My children are nearly grown and about starting to leave home, but as I reflect on the job that we did raising them, I think that we made some good choices, and some bad choices. The art and science of raising a family have changed over the past 18 to 20 years. So have the resources... remember Dr. Spock? Today, with the internet, cable and satellite television, and electronic books, the amount of information available has increased many thousand fold. This site is a perfect example of just the type of place that can help answer a number of questions about parenting and raising children.
The site is called FamilyResource.com. Their mission is providing tools for life through counseling and education. It is a web site that is laid out and reads like a magazine. There is a wide variety of subject areas covered, from parenting and relationships to pregnancy and lifestyles. There are articles covering the same variety of topics.
Feel free to explore this site with confidence that the information you find here will be informative and helpful. There is such a variety that you may not find everything the first time you visit, but that will make coming back that much more enjoyable. Whether you have young children of your own or are looking for information to use for the children in your care, or are just looking for another resource to provide the parents and families that you work for, FamilyResource.com can be an excellent resource.
My children are nearly grown and about starting to leave home, but as I reflect on the job that we did raising them, I think that we made some good choices, and some bad choices. The art and science of raising a family have changed over the past 18 to 20 years. So have the resources... remember Dr. Spock? Today, with the internet, cable and satellite television, and electronic books, the amount of information available has increased many thousand fold. This site is a perfect example of just the type of place that can help answer a number of questions about parenting and raising children.
The site is called FamilyResource.com. Their mission is providing tools for life through counseling and education. It is a web site that is laid out and reads like a magazine. There is a wide variety of subject areas covered, from parenting and relationships to pregnancy and lifestyles. There are articles covering the same variety of topics.
Feel free to explore this site with confidence that the information you find here will be informative and helpful. There is such a variety that you may not find everything the first time you visit, but that will make coming back that much more enjoyable. Whether you have young children of your own or are looking for information to use for the children in your care, or are just looking for another resource to provide the parents and families that you work for, FamilyResource.com can be an excellent resource.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Toys for Christmas?
How should you decide on what toys to purchase for Christmas for your childcare, or the kids in your care, or your own children? Rather than browsing through your local toy store, do a little advance investigation.
Each year Family Fun magazine holds a Toy of the Year (T.O.Y.) competition. This year, the magazine's writers collected 520 brand new toys from 170 different manufacturers, dropped the toys in front of 130 elementary school kids in Kennebunk, Maine, (and then ran for safety).
Anyway, after destroying as many of the toys as is humanly possible, the kids in Kennebunk narrowed down the field of 520 toys to only 63 finalists, the toys the kids wanted to take home with them. And that's when the fun began. The 63 finalist toys were sent to 17 different KinderCare facilities around the United States where 1,275 children spent a combined total of 30,000 hours of play time hitting each other over the head with assorted Tonka trucks.
At the end of the play testing/pummeling, each child voted privately for their absolute favorite toys. The results were compiled by Digital Research on behalf of Family Fun magazine. (Oh, and the KinderCare centers got to keep all of the toys as a thank you.)
Long story short: The toys on the 2005 T.O.Y. awards list are literally the best of the best, the toys your kids WILL want to play with well after you take down the holiday decorations. For a complete list of this year's winners, just point your favorite web browser to the Family Fun TOY awards site.
The T.O.Y. Awards themselves are pretty self-explanatory, and the layout of the Awards site hasn't changed much since we first visited it back in 2001. There are two dozen award categories that cover both the type of toy and the age group for which that toy was designed. Click on any of the award-winning toys and you are taken to a page
that shows you
- A picture of that particular toy;
- The toy's manufacturer and suggested US retail price;
- A one-paragraph description of what makes that toy so cool; and
- Either a telephone number you can call, or a link you can click,
to locate a store in your area that carries that particular toy.
For you video gamers, a new addition to this year's Awards page is a list of this year's best family-friendly video games at Family Fun's Video Award page.
You should check out the Family Fun magazine T.O.Y. Awards year after year because it is the best, most up-to-date toy buying guide around. If you are looking for a toy that kids will play with long after the holiday season is over, check out Family Fun's toy list before you even THINK about bravely venturing into the eternal nightmare that is a toy store during the holiday shopping season.
Happy toy shopping!
P.S. Family Fun.com is an excellent site for your list of online resources... with arts & crafts, receipes, party ideas, printables, and more.
How should you decide on what toys to purchase for Christmas for your childcare, or the kids in your care, or your own children? Rather than browsing through your local toy store, do a little advance investigation.
Each year Family Fun magazine holds a Toy of the Year (T.O.Y.) competition. This year, the magazine's writers collected 520 brand new toys from 170 different manufacturers, dropped the toys in front of 130 elementary school kids in Kennebunk, Maine, (and then ran for safety).
Anyway, after destroying as many of the toys as is humanly possible, the kids in Kennebunk narrowed down the field of 520 toys to only 63 finalists, the toys the kids wanted to take home with them. And that's when the fun began. The 63 finalist toys were sent to 17 different KinderCare facilities around the United States where 1,275 children spent a combined total of 30,000 hours of play time hitting each other over the head with assorted Tonka trucks.
At the end of the play testing/pummeling, each child voted privately for their absolute favorite toys. The results were compiled by Digital Research on behalf of Family Fun magazine. (Oh, and the KinderCare centers got to keep all of the toys as a thank you.)
Long story short: The toys on the 2005 T.O.Y. awards list are literally the best of the best, the toys your kids WILL want to play with well after you take down the holiday decorations. For a complete list of this year's winners, just point your favorite web browser to the Family Fun TOY awards site.
The T.O.Y. Awards themselves are pretty self-explanatory, and the layout of the Awards site hasn't changed much since we first visited it back in 2001. There are two dozen award categories that cover both the type of toy and the age group for which that toy was designed. Click on any of the award-winning toys and you are taken to a page
that shows you
- A picture of that particular toy;
- The toy's manufacturer and suggested US retail price;
- A one-paragraph description of what makes that toy so cool; and
- Either a telephone number you can call, or a link you can click,
to locate a store in your area that carries that particular toy.
For you video gamers, a new addition to this year's Awards page is a list of this year's best family-friendly video games at Family Fun's Video Award page.
You should check out the Family Fun magazine T.O.Y. Awards year after year because it is the best, most up-to-date toy buying guide around. If you are looking for a toy that kids will play with long after the holiday season is over, check out Family Fun's toy list before you even THINK about bravely venturing into the eternal nightmare that is a toy store during the holiday shopping season.
Happy toy shopping!
P.S. Family Fun.com is an excellent site for your list of online resources... with arts & crafts, receipes, party ideas, printables, and more.
Monday, December 05, 2005
The Annual Christmas Party...
Saturday, we had our annual Christmas party for all the families in my child care. This is a tradition that has been going on for quite a few years and is an event that, I believe, all the parents look forward to as much as the children. Though many of them know each other and speak in passing, it is not often that they can get together for an afternoon and visit while the children play.
We always rent a nearby facility and decorate it up and provide lots of fun activities for the children to do. My husband (a retired chef) makes an elaborate buffet of hot and cold appetizers plus some things that the kids also enjoy. We play games, do a piñata, and even Santa comes to visit and hand out gifts. The children also exchange gifts (we draw names a couple of weeks prior to the party). Everyone has a great time.
I think that providers should provide one or two of these types of opportunities throughout the year for the families to network, discuss their children, and just have some time to relax as a family. (We also try to do a midsummer outdoor bar-b-que). It helps to build provider to parent and parent to parent communications and relationships. Some of these parent to parent relationships last all through the school years as their children grow up.
Though there are expenses involved with providing a party, I feel that it is a small token compared to what the families pay me throughout the year. However, you can cut down on expenses by having it in your home, making it a potluck dinner, or any number of other ideas.
This year’s Christmas party… it was great! To quote one of the little girls that I care for “It was FU-U-U-U-N-N-N-N…. When can we have another ‘birthday’ party?”
Hmmm… from the mouths of children come wisdom…
Saturday, we had our annual Christmas party for all the families in my child care. This is a tradition that has been going on for quite a few years and is an event that, I believe, all the parents look forward to as much as the children. Though many of them know each other and speak in passing, it is not often that they can get together for an afternoon and visit while the children play.
We always rent a nearby facility and decorate it up and provide lots of fun activities for the children to do. My husband (a retired chef) makes an elaborate buffet of hot and cold appetizers plus some things that the kids also enjoy. We play games, do a piñata, and even Santa comes to visit and hand out gifts. The children also exchange gifts (we draw names a couple of weeks prior to the party). Everyone has a great time.
I think that providers should provide one or two of these types of opportunities throughout the year for the families to network, discuss their children, and just have some time to relax as a family. (We also try to do a midsummer outdoor bar-b-que). It helps to build provider to parent and parent to parent communications and relationships. Some of these parent to parent relationships last all through the school years as their children grow up.
Though there are expenses involved with providing a party, I feel that it is a small token compared to what the families pay me throughout the year. However, you can cut down on expenses by having it in your home, making it a potluck dinner, or any number of other ideas.
This year’s Christmas party… it was great! To quote one of the little girls that I care for “It was FU-U-U-U-N-N-N-N…. When can we have another ‘birthday’ party?”
Hmmm… from the mouths of children come wisdom…
Friday, December 02, 2005
A thought for today...
A group of working adults got together to visit their former University lecturer. The lecturer was happy to see them, but conversation soon turned into complaints about their stress in work and life.
The Lecturer just smiled and went to the kitchen to get an assortment of cups - some porcelain, some plastic, and some glass. Some were plain looking and some looked rather expensive and exquisite.
The Lecturer offered his former students the cups to get drinks for themselves.
When all the students had a cup in hand with water, the Lecturer spoke: "If you noticed, all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap looking ones. While it is normal that you only want the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. What all you wanted was water, not the cup, but we unconsciously went for the better cups."
"Just like in life, if Life is Water, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold/maintain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change."
"If we only concentrate on the cup, we won't have time to enjoy/taste the water in it."
…..Norma Cooksey (cookseyn@peoplepc.com )
A group of working adults got together to visit their former University lecturer. The lecturer was happy to see them, but conversation soon turned into complaints about their stress in work and life.
The Lecturer just smiled and went to the kitchen to get an assortment of cups - some porcelain, some plastic, and some glass. Some were plain looking and some looked rather expensive and exquisite.
The Lecturer offered his former students the cups to get drinks for themselves.
When all the students had a cup in hand with water, the Lecturer spoke: "If you noticed, all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap looking ones. While it is normal that you only want the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. What all you wanted was water, not the cup, but we unconsciously went for the better cups."
"Just like in life, if Life is Water, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold/maintain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change."
"If we only concentrate on the cup, we won't have time to enjoy/taste the water in it."
…..Norma Cooksey (cookseyn@peoplepc.com )
Thursday, December 01, 2005
The Minnesota Quality Rating System...
Yesterday, I started discussing the Minnesota Quality Rating System or QRS as it is commonly known. The proposed QRS for Minnesota will be voluntary and open to licensed family child care providers, child care centers, Head Start programs, preschools and school age programs. The QRS will reward quality providers, provide struggling programs with incentives to improve, and provide parents with ratings on how a program performs on key indicators of quality. By linking providers to financial incentives and resources, child care and early education services as well as child outcomes will be improved.
Perhaps you are in favor of the QRS, maybe you have not yet heard of the it... or you have heard of it but are very apprehensive about it. Either way, there are some key facts that you should know about the QRS as it is currently being proposed...
Meanwhile, to find out more information about the proposed QRS, I have posted a QRS page on the TKW Consulting website. Check it out and feel free to ask me any questions. I may not know the answer, but I can either find out or point you in the right direction.
Yesterday, I started discussing the Minnesota Quality Rating System or QRS as it is commonly known. The proposed QRS for Minnesota will be voluntary and open to licensed family child care providers, child care centers, Head Start programs, preschools and school age programs. The QRS will reward quality providers, provide struggling programs with incentives to improve, and provide parents with ratings on how a program performs on key indicators of quality. By linking providers to financial incentives and resources, child care and early education services as well as child outcomes will be improved.
Perhaps you are in favor of the QRS, maybe you have not yet heard of the it... or you have heard of it but are very apprehensive about it. Either way, there are some key facts that you should know about the QRS as it is currently being proposed...
- The QRS will be VOLUNTARY and open to ANY center – including for profit, non profit, and religiously sponsored programs - licensed family child care providers, preschools and school age programs. THE QRS IS NOT REQUIRED BY THE STATE.
- Parents requesting QRS information will receive the program ratings and the child development outcomes research on which the QRS indicators are based.
- The QRS, DOES NOT REQUIRE A CURRICULUM. Accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) DOES NOT REQUIRE USING THE ANTI-BIAS CURRICULUM BOOK referred to by EdWatch. Hundreds of religiously based programs are accredited through the NAEYC. There are hundreds of recommended books and curriculums that programs refer to in designing their program.
- The QRS builds on Minnesota’s licensing requirements and uses a building block design for programs to reach higher levels of quality.
- The QRS builds on the current MN standards for school readiness (The Early Childhood Indicators of Progress) and the professional guidelines for teachers/providers (The Core Competencies).
- The QRS will provide technical assistance, training supports, and improvement grants for participating programs to improve their quality.
- The QRS will involve program self study, documentation of the indicators, and on-site observations.
- The QRS will ensure the validity and reliability of the on-site observations and program ratings.
- The QRS will award annual performance bonuses to all participating programs in Levels 2 – 4 based on their rating and program size.
- The QRS will provide accountability for school readiness outcomes for private and public investments in child care programs that provide quality care and opportunities for learning.
Meanwhile, to find out more information about the proposed QRS, I have posted a QRS page on the TKW Consulting website. Check it out and feel free to ask me any questions. I may not know the answer, but I can either find out or point you in the right direction.
