|
|
Greetings!
HAPPY FALL!
The leaves are falling, and the temperature is dropping – fall must be here! Our teachers are planning lots of fun and festive activities to help us celebrate the coming of autumn. At home, a family walk to celebrate the season can turn into an outdoor adventure. Bring journals and crayons to make leave rubbings or bring a bag to collect treasures. Once home, kids can use their treasures to make a festive fall collage!
|
|
|
|
|
FIRE TRUCK VISIT
With fire prevention week being
October 6–October 12
, we will be having a fire truck visit from the Bloomington Fire Department on
Thursday, October 10
, at 10:00. Children will learn about fire safety and will be able to tour the fire truck. This is always an event the children look forward to!
|
|
|
|
FAMILY HALLOWEEN MAGIC SHOW
We invite you to join us for our family Halloween party on
Tuesday, October 22.
Magicians Robert and Lynn Halbrook will be here at 5:00 to perform their “Halloween Safety Magic Show” for children and families. This will be our family Halloween party this year with light snacks served after the show. We look forward to seeing you there!
|
|
|
|
CLASSROOM HALLOWEEN PARTIES
Classroom parties will be held the morning of
Thursday, October 31
, and we will conclude with a special Spooky Healthy Halloween snack that afternoon. Teachers will plan how they will celebrate and will supply you with further detail as Halloween approaches.
|
|
|
|
LOOKING AHEAD
EFC will be closed
Thursday, November 28,
and
Friday, November 29,
for the Thanksgiving Holiday.
EFC will be closing at
3:00
on
Tuesday, December 24,
and closed on
Wednesday, December 25,
for the Christmas holiday.
|
|
BUILDING RESILIENCE IN CHILDREN THROUGH “CONTRIBUTION”
Last month I had the opportunity to attend a community meeting at which two high school students provided opening statements. I was impressed by their confidence in front of a large group of adults as well as the articulate ways they expressed themselves. In addition, I found it inspiring that they were using their time and talents to contribute to the community around them.
One of the areas of social/emotional development we have
written about in the past is resiliency
. It is important for children to build skills that help them work through the inevitable challenges of life and not feel defeated by the obstacles they may face. Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, who practices at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and has spent decades studying the topic, has developed a framework called
The 7 C’s: The Essential Building Blocks of Resilience
. The fifth C is Contribution, which is when children understand the world is a better place because they are in it. Dr. Ginsburg writes:
“Children who understand the importance of personal contribution gain a sense of purpose that can motivate them. They will not only take actions and make choices that improve the world, but they will also enhance their own competence, character, and sense of connection.”
We can begin affecting a child’s sense of Contribution at a young age. Some ideas of Contribution that young children can participate in include:
- Picking up trash on your next walk to or from a local park.
- Hosting a Little Free Library—or simply adding books to one.
- Drawing pictures, making baked goods, or even shoveling the sidewalk for an elderly neighbor.
- Choosing a favorite charity to which the whole family can contribute.
Does your family have special ways that foster the idea of Contribution? We’d love to hear comments
on our blog
that we can share.
Finally, Dr. Ginsburg encourages caregivers to think about the following questions as they relate to Contribution:
- Do I communicate to my child (at appropriate age levels, of course) that many people in the world do not have as much human contact, money, freedom, and security as they need?
- Do I teach the important value of serving others? Do I model generosity with my time and money?
- Do I make clear to my child that I believe she can improve the world?
- Do I create opportunities for each child to contribute in some specific way?
- Do I search my child’s circle for other adults who might serve as role models who contribute to their communities and the world? Do I use these adults as examples to encourage my child to be the best he can be?
Contribution can be a key ingredient in raising resilient children by empowering them with a sense of purpose and creating connections to others and the world around them.
|
|
Angie Williams
EFC Marketing and Finance Director
|
|
TWIN CITIES
FAMILY EVENTS
Apple Orchards & Pumpkin Patches
|
|
|
Especially for Children
5133 W. 98th St.
Bloomington, MN 55437
(952) 831-1435
Center Director:
Kathy Hane
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
