December News from Especially for Children

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WINTER IS HERE!!

As a reminder, we do go outside daily as the temperatures allow us. Please make sure your child has the appropriate winter gear to stay warm on a chilly winter day!!! Please label all clothes, this will help to try and ensure that your child's clothes are returned if taken home by someone else by mistake.

PARENT REMINDERS

	DATES TO REMEMBER: Friday, December 9 ~ CLOSING at 5:00 for our company holiday party. Monday, December 26 ~ Christmas Holiday - CENTER CLOSED FRIDAY, January 2 ~ New Year's Holiday - CENTER CLOSED.
	HOLIDAY ATTENDANCE We understand many families travel during the holiday weeks. Please let your child's teacher know if you have any vacation planned. This will help us staff classrooms correctly and to be able to give our teachers some well-deserved time off. Thank you! For your planning purposes, you can view our holiday closure dates in 2017 here.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

DECEMBER HOLIDAYS ACROSS CULTURES!

We thought everyone would enjoy learning about other celebrations that are happening around the world during the month of December. We will touch on these holidays with our children this month so they are aware of not only Christmas, but holidays celebrated by other children:

St. Barbara's Day-Dec. 4 : In this Syrian Legend, St. Barbara's miserly father didn't approve of her giving to the poor. However, she still made sacrifices to help those in need.

St. Nicholas Day-Dec. 6 : In the Netherlands, children put shoes out as a sign to St. Nicholas that they are safe in bed. They awake on St. Nicholas Day to see if sweets or toys have been placed in their shoes.

St. Lucia's Day-Dec. 13 : In Sweden, a young girl, usually the oldest daughter, dresses in a long white dress with a red sash and places a crown of evergreens adorned with glowing candles on her head. Her task is to serve coffee and special twisted buns with raisins, called lussekatter, at daybreak. This celebration is for the return of light after the darkest time of the year, and the beginning of the Christmas season.

Las Posadas-Dec. 16 : Las Posadas (literally lodging) is celebrated by Spanish-Mexican Americans. It is the re-enactment of Joseph & Mary's trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem to find shelter before the birth of the child.

Hanukkah-Sundown Dec. 24-Jan. 1: Jewish people celebrate this eight-day "Festival of Lights." A very special part of the celebration is the lighting of candles in a holder called a Menorah.

Kwanzaa-Dec. 26-Jan. 1 : Kwanzaa means "First fruits". The 7 principles reflected upon are unity, self-determination, collective work & responsibility, cooperative purpose, creativity and faith.

We hope everyone has a safe and warm holiday season!

STAR WELLNESS

WHY GET OUT??

The mercury is dipping. The wind is whipping. Why bother to bundle up and head out? Research shows that spending time outside can promote better sleep, boost overall wellness, and may improve your mood. "Being outdoors in daylight for as little as twenty minutes a day can make a big difference in raising your energy level and preventing the Winter blues," says Norman Rosenthal, M.D., director of seasonal studies at the National Institute of Mental Health and author of Winter Blues. While studies show that bright morning light offers the most benefits, he says, "getting out in the afternoon may help as well."

Depression caused by seasonal affective disorder, known as SAD, occurs in only about 3 percent of children. For kids who do develop it, it has many similarities to the adult form, such as an inability to concentrate and irritability. Many more kids and adults experience a milder seasonal sadness. With either condition, research suggests that both adults and children would respond well to regular exposure to outdoor light.

Just having to wrestle your 2-year-old into her jacket and mittens can deter you from getting out -- but the extra effort is worth it. "Most of us are surprised that once outdoors, away from the recirculated air and heat that fill most modern homes and offices, we feel refreshed," says Dr. Morse. And the more active you and your kids are -- whether it's building a snowman or heading out for a brisk stroll to get milk instead of taking the car -- the better you'll all feel .

From Parents Magazine

ESPECIALLY FOR PARENTS

THE IMPORTANCE OF FINE MOTOR SKILLS

In a world where technology is not going away and infants and toddlers are learning to "swipe and tap", we don't want to be fooled into the idea that these activities are what children need for the development of fine motor skills. From an early age children need time to play with and experiment with materials that help them develop coordination in their fingers and strengthen their hand muscles. These experiences start in infancy when a child learns to hold a rattle and pick up food to eat. Then children move on to skills like building with blocks, playing with play dough and eventually learning to zip and button, draw and form letters.

There is real concern across the country that children are not getting enough practice with real objects. Many are going to kindergarten lacking the basic fine motor skills needed to hold a pencil and write. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends absolutely no screen time for children under the age of two, and less than an hour a day for preschoolers. Parents should not give their smart phones to babies in car seats or strollers. They should not play videos for infants and toddlers to keep them occupied. They should not take iPads to restaurants. Preschoolers should not have televisions in their bedrooms.

Those are a lot of "children should not..." rules. But at Especially for Children we want you to be assured that we supply our classrooms with time-tested materials to help children practice fine motor skills. From crayons, markers, chalk, paints, pencils and scissors to blocks, Legos, dolls, play dough and finger paint, children have a multitude of materials that allow them to manipulate real objects and interact with people, not screens.

We thought it would be helpful to give you some ideas of activities you can do at home to help your child build fine motor skills. We have posted them on our blog with specific suggestions on how to incorporate them into your daily routines. Here is an example:

Kitchen projects : Making homemade play dough strengthens muscles in the hands and fingers. Roll snakes and balls of all sizes: build with the balls and snakes. Your child can play with play dough at the counter or table while you make dinner. See EFC's favorite play dough recipe on our blog.

Make peanut butter or sugar cookies that require the dough to be rolled into balls and smashed with a fork.

December is often a month with lots of cooking projects, so think ahead to how your child can participate. Not only will you be enjoying the activities together, but you can think about the important fine motor skills you are helping your child to develop. Look on the blog for even more ideas to do at home!