This month's Quality Corner topic is family communication. We all know that communicating with family members is essential to building a trusting relationship as you care for their children. Each day, you have a chance to greet the child and their family member and hear any updates or concerns they may have as they drop off. Throughout the day and at pick up, you have opportunities to share about the child’s day with their family members. Two-way communication with families is an indicator of a higher quality program (see C3 in the Family and Community Engagement Domain on the Kentucky All STARS Standards of Quality).

Some ways that you can promote two-way communication with families:

●      Messages from child care communication apps, emails, or texts with families demonstrating ongoing support

●      Providing a parent conference agenda with parent and staff signatures

●      Social media engagement utilizing forums, polls, or other engagement tools regarding child development

●      Responding to parent surveys/questionnaires and address successes or concerns

Sharing about their child’s day can help parents and family members feel more connected to their child and to the child care program. When families are in the know about their child’s day, it helps to spark conversations and allows the family member and child to have opportunities to share and bond.

Let's identify emotions! Teaching children to identify emotions is the first step in teaching children how to regulate their emotions. Children who can identify their emotions are more likely to discuss their feelings as they grow and develop instead of acting out.  Emotional development is important because children will use these skills every day in their interactions with peers, family members and people in their community. Exploring and identifying emotions with the children in your care can be easily incorporated into your daily activities. Take a look at the website below to learn about activities to engage young learners in identifying and talking about emotions.   

9 Ways To Explore Feeling & Emotions With Toddlers & Preschoolers

Halie Heller, a FCC provider in Nelson County is passionate about the importance of an outdoor classroom and learning environment. Being outdoors, especially in natural outdoor learning environments, provides the opportunity for open-ended interactions, spontaneity, exploration, discovery, risk-taking, and connection with nature. Halie and her children spend a large percentage of their day outdoors developing cognitive, social and emotional, and self-regulatory skills. If you would like more information about outdoor learning opportunities please reach out to your Family Child Care Specialist. 

All Certified and Licensed Child Care Providers are required to complete a monthly fire drill and quarterly earthquake and tornado drills. Additionally, Licensed programs are required to complete a lockdown drill quarterly. Remember to log the date, time, and attendance for each drill after completion!

The best way to avoid accidents is to maintain active supervision. We want to make sure we are using these strategies to keep the children safe and maintain quality care.

View the WKU FCCN Training Calendar for more information and to register. 

The WKU FCCN delivers comprehensive, high-quality, and cost-effective face-to-face professional development opportunities. Our training focuses on topics of ongoing interest, recent innovations and initiatives, and current best practices in all content areas.

September 23rd - Sensory Play/Development

September 23rd - Brigance III Overview

October 7th - Creative Expression for Infants and Toddlers

Join us for live training from the comfort of your home!

We strive to provide personal, live sessions that are welcoming to all that allow for networking no matter where in Kentucky you live.

You do not need any special skills to attend, however you do need access to the internet and a free Zoom account.

September 14th - Understanding Social and Emotional Development 

October 12th - ACES to PCES

Funded through Family Childcare Support Award SC 7362100001482

www.wku.edu/fccn