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Greetings!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EFC!
In February 2019, Especially for Children has been in business for 43 years!! After an overnight decision in 1976, Priscilla & Steve Williams took over two nursery school locations (Brooklyn Park & South Minneapolis) and named them Especially for Children. The company would eventually expand to a current total of 8 centers in the Metro area. Edinborough is the second longest running center behind the other Edina location. Our other locations include Bloomington, Circle Pines, Coon Rapids, Eagan, Eden Prairie, and Inver Grove Heights.
The Edinborough site, which opened in 1987, was located in the current Brookdale senior building right next door. We originally opened with five classrooms and served only toddlers and preschoolers. The infant program was added later, in the early 90s. In 2013 we moved from the Edina Park Plaza building to our current location in the Edinborough Corporate Center.
We are incredibly proud of the impact we have had on so many children and families over the years. We would like to thank you for entrusting us with your most valuable assets (our kids!), and for partnering with us on your parenting journey.
BEST OF REMINDER--LAST CALL!
Voting for Best of Edina runs through
January 31
! Thank you to everyone who has voted for EFC in the Private Preschool/Child Care category. We appreciate your support!
If you would still like to vote, you can find the poll at:
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FEBRUARY SPECIAL EVENT
Merlajean the Puppet Lady visits our program on
Tuesday, February 12, and will bring some of her puppets along for a fun show. Please be here by 9 AM so you don’t miss the fun!
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VALENTINE'S DAY
Each classroom will celebrate Valentine’s Day on
Thursday, February 14. We will play games and pass out Valentine’s Day cards. In early February, each classroom will communicate how many children/adults are in the room. According to our celebrations/treat policy, we will not allow any candy or sweets. Instead, we encourage you to consider non-edible treats (and environmentally friendly, if possible) such as stickers, seed packets (spring will be here eventually!), or homemade cards, or healthier options such as whole-grain crackers or fruit.
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COOKING WITH CHILDREN: CHICKEN AVOCADO ROLL-UPS
Ingredients
2 avocados, cubed
Juice of 1 lime
2 c. shredded chicken
1 bell peppers, seeds and cores removed, chopped
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/2 c. shredded Monterey Jack
1/2 c. shredded Cheddar
2 tbsp. sour cream
2 tbsp. finely chopped chives
4 large flour tortillas
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Directions
In a medium bowl, combine avocado and lime juice and mash until only small chunks of avocado remain. Add chicken, bell pepper, red onion, Monterey Jack, cheddar, sour cream and chives and stir until evenly combined.
Spread a thin layer of the chicken avocado mixture onto a large tortilla, leaving a small border around the edges. Roll the tortilla up tightly, then cut off the edges and slice into 1” rolls. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve cold or at room temperature.
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LITTLE CHEFS, BIG BENEFITS
Sundays are cooking days at our house. My husband loves to use the weekend as an excuse to simmer, roast or slow cook. With weeknight mealtimes often feeling a bit chaotic (serious understatement), we both relish the opportunity to slow down a bit. And mostly thanks to him, the results are usually pretty tasty.
But what I have come to love even more than the food is the opportunity to watch our 3-year-old in the kitchen. He is the ultimate helper. Loving to get involved, he is constantly asking me what jobs he can do. On busy weeknights, when there are onions to chop and tantrums to sooth, I sometimes find myself rushing through things on my own. My desire to include him butts up against my desire to get the food on the table before our 16-month-old implodes. But on the weekends, when things slow down, we make a point to find ways for him to help.
This often involves stirring, measuring, scooping, spilling (!) and pouring. And always, without fail, it involves several requests to taste each ingredient as it goes in. Even the baking soda - ew! That simple act of tasting is actually an incredibly important step in developing healthy eating habits. Tasting exposes kids to different flavors and textures, making them more likely to grow up as balanced eaters. For my son, there are times when he will taste something as we cook it, only to reject it once it is on his plate. But that’s ok with me, because I know that those little tastes build up to a lot of exposure over time.
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Last Sunday, I walked into the kitchen and saw his face beaming with pride. He and his dad were making pasta, and my littlest chef had chopped all the (soft) cheese on his own. With a butter knife. It was the most excited I have seen him in the kitchen. He felt a sense of accomplishment, knowing that he had done it all on his own. And when the time came to eat, he couldn’t wait to tell his cousins all about “his” pasta.
It was a good reminder to me that with just a little adjustment, kids can do many things alongside us in the kitchen. There are age appropriate ways to get all kids involved and help them grow their skills as they get older. The pride they feel in working alongside us helps them to develop confidence, coordination and patience – and as a bonus, the results are delicious.
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Allison Zomer
Director of Operations
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TWIN CITIES
FAMILY EVENTS
Now-2/23
Night Trains
, Twin City Model Railroad Museum, St. Paul
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Especially for Children
3300 Edinborough Way
Edina MN 55435
(952) 835-0505
Center Directors:
Anna Wilson
Samantha Baker
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