ABC Preschool & Childcare

Children and Toys with Batteries

Irene Aragon — Fri, 10 May 2013 16:52:56 +0000

Anyone who has played with toys recently, knows that battery operated devices are prominent Kids are starting to play with technologically advanced toys at an earlier age, which can be great for their creativity, but bad for their safety. In many of these toys, the batteries are exposed or easy for the children to take out, which can lead to problems if they try to put them in their mouth. Not only are they a significant choking hazard, but they can also lead to some stomach problems if swallowed. Reducing Risk for Children Although it can be a lot of fun to play with electronic toys, many accidents occur with batteries every single year. One of the ways of reducing risks with children is to put tape over the toys that have batteries inside. The tape acts as a protector so that kids cannot take out the batteries. Even though tape is not the largest deterrent for children, it is definitely an effective way of removing some level of risk from your child as he plays with toys. Another way of removing risk is to watch them closely as they play with electronic toys. It is always good to watch toddlers and young children especially so you can make sure they are not putting things into their mouth. Supervision, is one of the core factors of our Albuquerque Childcare centers. Even though it might not be a risk for older children, there is no telling what they may do if they find a toy or electronic device they have never seen or found before. Resolving Battery Mishaps If a baby or toddler swallows batteries, you need to call 911 immediately and see what they can do to help you. Not only will you have help sent to you, but instructions will be given in order for you to make things better as quickly as you possibly can. Even though the vast majority of people do not have any problems with batteries, it is best that you are not within this small percentage of people. The battery can create some significant problems to the stomach of a baby if you are not careful. Make sure you pay particular attention to your baby when you give them the electronic toy because the acid that is in most batteries is not only harmful, but it is also deadly. Choking on batteries is also a problem that many people face. Battery Toys and Children The number of toys that have batteries are many, so it is important to be aware of such items. Devices are getting better and better at preventing children from accessing batteries. Many items that your child has access to today have batteries, things like remote controls, video games, computer equipment, and many other devices. Obviously some batteries are going to be more difficult for the child to swallow than others (thing a 9v battery vs a disc battery that goes in a watch or hearing aid). More than likely, the children will benefit from some battery toys, as the these toys are designed to teach make the children more intelligent, creative, or just improve cognition in general. Still, it is important to watch your kids as play with such items so as to ensure they are not swallowing the batteries or putting them in their mouth. If something does happen, be ready to call 911 and perform any kind of emergency protocol they may see fit for the situation you are in.

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Importance of Early Childhood Education – Infographic

Irene Aragon — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 02:29:37 +0000

Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Wise words spoken, but even more specifically, early learning education is a far greater tool for success. Studies have shown that a child’s earliest years of development are the most critical. The vast majority of neurons are developed between birth and age three, as this is the brain’s peak capacity to retain new information. Since children are most receptive to information at a young age, early learning exposure plays an essential role in fostering mental development. Science shows that taking in new sights, sounds and information plays a paramount component in the formation of active neural pathways. Let’s take a look at some additional benefits attributed to the onset of early learning! Benefits of Early Learning Perhaps the most fundamental elements of early learning are: Improved social skills Reduction in special needs services Better academic performance Longer attention spans An increase of informational retention Higher graduation rates at the high school level Reduced behavioral problems throughout school career Reduction in crime affiliations Furthermore, every dollar that taxpayers spend on early-education averages out to thirteen dollars that is saved in future costs to our society! Supported Research Early learning education has proven, developmental benefits. In recent years, a unique, 25-year study was conducted to highlight the impact of pre-school education into adulthood. Nearly 900 Chicago children who attended the “Child-Parent Center Education Program” in the early 1980s were tracked down as participants for this comparative assessment. Research conclusions were drawn from public records, administrative data and interviews with study participants, and comparisons were made to 500 Chicago youngsters of low-income standings (most of whom DID NOT attend preschool). Researchers found the most enduring effects were a result of exposure to as little as one or two years of preschool, and intensive early childhood experiences accounted for an increase of intellectual skills, social adjustments and motivation. $9,000 is the estimated cost per child for 18 months of preschool, but researchers’ cost-benefit analysis suggests this figure leads to $90,000 worth of benefits per child, in terms of: increased earnings, less criminal behavior and reduced mental health costs. Among the study results: 80% of the preschool group finished high school, versus 75% of the others. Nearly 15% of the preschool group attended a four-year college, versus 11% of the others. 28% of the preschool group had skilled jobs requiring post-high school training, versus 21% of the others. The average annual adult income for the preschool group was about $11,600, versus $10,800 for the others. 14% of the preschool group had abused drugs in adulthood, versus 19% of the others. 48% of the preschool group had been arrested in adulthood, along with 15% who had been incarcerated versus 54% of the others who had been arrested (and the 21% who were incarcerated). Exemplary research offered by the Digest of Educational Statistics show that two-year olds in learning care centers demonstrated greater cognitive skills than children in exclusive care of parents. Furthermore, children who demonstrated a quicker grasp of motor skills were more likely to be in center-based care, rather than home-based care or in the care of a non-relative (ie. baby sitter). In addition, four-year olds in center-based care were more inclined to develop early reading scales, expressive vocabulary, mathematics scales, color knowledge and fine motor skills, in contrast to those cared for exclusively by their parents, babysitters and other care arrangements. As the data suggests, early learning exposure plays an important role in overall, child development. If you are a parent within the Albuquerque area and are in search of superior daycare services, consider the nurturing learning environments of ABC Preschool & Childcare! For further information, visit www.AlbuquerqueDayCare.org (and don’t forget to take a peak at their ‘Early Childhood Education’ infographic, which has provided the informational framework for this blog)! sources: http://web.mit.edu/workplacecenter/docs/Full%20Report.pdf http://www.educationbug.org/a/early-childhood-education-statistics.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/10/preschool-better-jobs-arrests_n_875036.html http://www.educationcorner.com/importance-of-early-childhood-education.html http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/education/early-childhood http://readytolearndc.org/parents_why_early_ed.html http://web.jhu.edu/CSOS/early_learning/

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Parenting a Child Being Bullied

Irene Aragon — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 00:30:39 +0000

At some point in their lives, every child will have to deal with bullying. In many cases, it will come at an early age and parents have to be ready to guide their children in the right direction. While it might seem natural to jump to their aid and try to protect them, it is far better to attempt other methods instead. If you can follow the information provided in this article, there is a good chance you will avoid your child being scarred from bullying or turning into a bully himself. Avoiding Violence at All Costs Parents often believe their children are superior to others, but this natural inclination should not cloud judgment. Never make the mistake of thinking that your child is “right” in a certain situation and never advocate for violence under any circumstances. One exception may be defense, but that is a topic that can come up later. Today, video games and television promote a culture of violence that make dealing with bullies very difficult. When a child is made fun of or ridiculed, it is easy to lash out with violence and anger, but far better to avoid such actions. At our Albuquerque child care centers, the teachers do not allow the children to engage in violent conduct. If you notice your children might be having an issue with bullying, speak to them about their problems and determine how they are feeling. Try to discern whether they feel violent with the person or just want them to quit. It is natural to be violent, but explaining to your children that violence is not the right way to do things is a good task that you would benefit from partaking in. Working on Self Esteem Sometimes the verbal bullying can be the worst kind and while it might not elicit a violent response from your child, they may seem to have significant mental and emotional anguish as a result. This requires you to focus on the consequences of the bully’s actions. Ask your children how they feel as a result of having those kinds of things said to them. If they are not happy about them, ask them why and how they feel about it. Many children will confess that they feel as though something is wrong with them when another individual makes that sound true. As parents, it is your responsibility to help them understand that certain aspects of their appearance can’t be changed and it is better to accept themselves. This type of work on the children’s self-esteem can come at all times, but it is especially important in times when they are feeling down due to a bully. While coddling your child and telling them that everything is okay, and they are perfect just the way they are, is not going to solve all of the self esteem problems; it is a good idea to have some level of sympathy as they go through these hardships. Young children dealing with bullies can be emotionally distraught due to the contrast they usually have while they spend time with their parents at home.

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Foods That Children Need

Irene Aragon — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 01:34:47 +0000

Conventional wisdom is lacking when it comes to foods that children and toddlers need in order to be successful and happy while they are growing up. Most people know that food is important when it comes to children and their development, but they do not know all that they need to know in order to successfully help them grow. In the following article, we will give you a few food tips that should help you to increase the rate in which your child is developing. Our Albuquerque preschools consider a full balanced diet important because it makes your child not only healthier, but also smarter, and more focused as well. Protein and Fat for Children Even though conventional wisdom says that fat is not good, there is a clear difference between types of fat. The fat that comes from frying foods is often very unhealthy for children and adults and should be avoided at all costs. Even excessive animal fat can be too much, unless you are going to the right sources. One of the best types of fats is called omega 3 fatty acid, which is something every brain needs in abundance in order to be completely healthy. Therefore, if you want to make sure you and your children are healthy, get foods that are higher in omega 3 fatty acids. Some of these foods include salmon and eggs, which should be staples of every diet. Eggs are perhaps the best form of fat and protein that you can eat. They have plenty of omega 3 fatty acids and when cooked with avocado or olive oil, you will have a much higher content for your children to eat. In addition, salmon has a layer of omega 3 fatty acids that is perfect for little children to get all their needs. Vegetables and Carbohydrates When it comes to eating carbohydrates, it is good for children to get some brown rice or whole wheat product, but it is definitely not a good idea for them to eat too much. This can cause them to have insulin resistance, which is problematic for children who are younger and younger. As people struggle to deal with insulin sensitivity around the world, providing carbohydrates in the form of vegetables is the best way to go. Make leafy green vegetables for yourself and your children and complete the balance with the meat and fat that we have described earlier. If you do all of these things, you will definitely be able to avoid any problems when it comes to insulin sensitivity and health for your child. Even though conventional wisdom says that vegetables and carbohydrates should be more prominent for your children, do not forget what our human bodies have evolutionarily been trained to eat. High fat and high protein is what our stomach and digestive systems are used to. Make sure your children get all of the right kinds of fat and protein, however, so that you can prevent them from sickness, and immune disease problems later on in their life.

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KID-FIT At All Locations

Irene Aragon — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 01:59:55 +0000

The ultimate goal of the KID-FIT program is to emphasize the importance of good health and wellness habits. Sound eating, regular exercise, rest and personal safety are all part of a healthy lifestyle. Through physical education children learn, in a fun way, how to take care of their bodies for a lifetime of good health. The KID-FIT program consists of 9 different sessions during the year that teach about various body systems. Children learn about: heart, lungs, bones, muscles, brain, skin, eyes, ears and more through fun games and lively children’s music. KID FIT – Curriculum Guide 12-13. Through the use of fun props children learn clear educational goals about how their body works and how to take care of it. This program is run by Debbie Winter She is a mother of 3, grew up in the Albuquerque/Rio Rancho area and is very passionate about health and wellness then it comes to preschool children. She has been teaching KID-FIT since 2008 and loves every minute of it. She’s also very active in the community and participates in the following: Charitable functions for Children, Treasure of local Little League Active with the RR High School Baseball team Traveling USSSA Baseball Team

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Children’s Needs During a Divorce

Irene Aragon — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 17:41:14 +0000

Divorce is an all too common sight in American these days and there are many third parties that suffer terribly as a result. One of the most tragic aspects of any divorce are the children that are left to deal with the emotional and mental anguish of splitting parents. Each child has a specific number and type of needs in order to avoid any problems during a divorce situation. At ABC Preschool & Childcare, we see many children who are in the middle of a divorced relationship. In this article, we will explain some of the finer points that parents can utilize in order to help children cope with the trauma of divorce. Needs of Children During Divorce Despite being young, every child is hardwired by DNA to seek survival. When parents divorce, one of the biggest problems that kids have is that they lack an understanding of what the future might bring with regard to their own survival. It is important for both parents to ensure to their children that safety and security is key even if they are no longer living together at the same place. Once parents can provide safety assurances, it will be far easier for children to accept what is happening. At our childcare centers in Albuquerque, we strive to provide a safe environment for your child. Another important factor that parents must address is the child’s feeling of guilt. In some situations, especially with single children, it is possible for children to feel guilty as a result of the divorce thinking that many of the problems are their fault. Misbehaving or making mistakes can often lead them to a sense of guilt whereby divorce is a form of punishment. As parents, it is important to be aware that this might be the case and assuage your child’s fears in order for them to feel better. Loss of Structure and Freedom Other issues that will come up with a divorce are the lack of structure that can come with a single parent who may not have the time or willingness to put the child’s needs first consistently. When parents cannot share the burden of a child, it is often makes things difficult for everyone involved. We have seen countless example of parents pulling their children out of child care and upsetting their normal routine. Nonetheless, providing clear boundaries and structures with your children can be a way of avoiding any problems even after you get a divorce. As parents it is now important that you do not feel guilty for the divorce or you are liable to allow children to get far more freedom than they should have. That being said, children should be given a certain amount of freedom in order to explore the world after a divorce. They need to reason things through for themselves and, depending on their age, see things through their own eyes a little bit. Giving children space is sometimes all that is needed for them to come to terms with the divorce and live a much existence. As a parent, it is your duty to address all of these issues and make them problems that can easily go away. If you can do that, there is no reason why your divorce has to be any harder on anyone than it already is.

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Four Common Mistakes Moms Make with Kids

Irene Aragon — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 19:02:50 +0000

Four Common Mistakes Moms Make with Kids Having been involved in Albuquerque preschool services for nearly 30 years, I have seen lots of different parenting techniques when parents come to pickup their children. Having kids is a wonderful thing and most books are full of information on how to best parent your child. Still, sometimes it can be a challenge to act with your kids in a way that is going to truly help them grow as a human being. Sometimes it takes being tough with them in order to make them a better person even from a young age. Here are a few common mistakes that mom’s make with their kids, along with advice on how you can fix them too. Mistakes and How to Fix Them One common mistake that moms make of their children over the age of 3 is that they do not allow them to take naps anymore. Naps are perceived as being useful for younger children only and they often disrupt the child’s ability to go to sleep later on in the night, which can spell disaster for parents. Still, it is a good idea to allow your children to get all the rest that they need even at that older age. A sleep consultant in Los Angeles says that the trouble sleeping later in the day is well worth the rest that the children get when you allow them to nap. Children need an average of 11 – 13 hours of sleep a night so make sure they get it to avoid any problems. If napping does create problems, simply start off after the rest period with a low-key activity. The lack of naps can make certain children irritable. Another mistake of moms, especially those who work for a living, is to send children to school while sick. This is not only detrimental to the other children at the daycare or childcare center who could become ill as well, but it is hard on a child who needs rest in order to recover from the illness. Do not coddle them by keeping them at home more than 24 hours after they have been taking medications, however! Perhaps the most common mistake is that of yelling at children. It is often frustrating to do things with kids who do not listen, but reasoning with them is a far more effective way. There are plenty of incentives to work with and children are some of the most reasonable people in a number of circumstances. Don’t raise your voice even when you feel stressed and you’ll be better off. The final mistake that most parents make with their children is somewhat obscure from others, but still relevant. Not making your children share is one of the worst things a parent can do for the development of any child. With a keen sense of what is right and what is wrong, children can grow up to be better adults. Forcing them to share will help with that process at a young age. Fixing Mistakes with Children If any of these strike close to home, not to worry. There is always plenty of time to change the mistakes you are making and alter the way you teach your kids how to nap, share or control your own yelling at them.

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Parenting Based on a Child’s Personality

Irene Aragon — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:21:06 +0000

Parenting Based on a Child’s Personality Growing up, we all probably heard the phrase (or have even used the phrase) that “everyone is special.” Despite the cliche-aspects of the phrase, it is true when it comes to children and their personality. People with the same genetic makeup have vastly different temperaments and it is often difficult to reconcile a single parenting style to both. With that in mind, it is important to quickly understand how your child thinks and acts as a result and you will have a far easier time with parenting. Success and Parenting Parents spend a great deal of time with their children and nurturing them to be healthy adults, but few use goal setting as a benchmark for their success. Although setting goals when it comes to children seems out of place, there is nothing wrong with having some indicators that you are parenting correctly. One of the most important goals should be to find what is unique about your child and help bring that to the forefront in order to be happier and more productive. Once you have the goal in place, you can start to do different things in order to parent your child based on personality. Pay particular attention to what works when you are parenting and then go with more of that. Do not try to shake things up or try different approaches if you have a singular approach that works. For the most part, if you have found something that seems to work more often than not, it is an indicator that you have something that is compatible with your child’s personality type. This is a great way to parent as it reduces the friction considerably and it provides better communication. Our preschool teachers try to implement similar approaches with children in their classrooms, as we all know that learning occurs in different ways. In order to fully learn the personality of your children, it is important to spend time with everyone individually. If you are not spending ample time with your children on an individual basis, it will be difficult to isolate and determine what exactly constitutes their personality. If you are spending enough quality time with each of your offspring there is no reason why they shouldn’t be better off with a personalized form of parenting. Finally, make sure you are modeling as a good parent based upon your child’s personality. If you are doing that and providing your children with a role model that they will likely follow, there is no reason for you to not have success when parenting. Over time, the child’s personality will provide you with all the information you need in order to develop the right kind of successful model that you want to parent them with. Children’s Understanding of Parenting An important factor of parenting for specific child’s personalities is that they should be able to predict consequences of their actions; they need to know their boundaries. At our childcare centers for example, we maintain structure and boundaries for the children. Whether it is a good or bad decision, it is important for there to be a continuity that allows them to know what is going to happen when an event occurs. This understanding is an important way to conduct a relationship.

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Punishments Do Not Require Spanking

Irene Aragon — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:09:15 +0000

Punishments Do Not Require Spanking Frustrations when parenting one’s child can lead parents to resort to one of the easiest and oldest solutions, spanking. While this seems like a good idea at the moment, it is actually more a reflection of parental lack of control than anything. Spanking can lead to violence of their own, but it can also be hurtful from a physical perspective. There are plenty of ways of punishing your child more effectively than spanking them; punishments that are going to help the child learn a lesson and not just make them feel less loved. Punishing Children Without Physicality At our Albuquerque preschool locations, employees are never allowed to spank a child. Giving your child any kind of physical punishment is not recommended. As soon as parents become enraged, it is often their first instinct to spank their child as punishment when this is really just the frustration and an excuse to throw a temper tantrum of their own. Even calm adults do this in the moment when they are very upset or embarrassed, but controlling your emotions is one of the most important tasks any parent can have. Instead of using this physical response to a problem, try to find other solutions. If there is something that your children want to do very badly, you can take away their privileges in other aspects of their life. This is a far more pre-meditated type of punishment style that children fear and thus respond to. Discipline can be difficult to provide when you are not disciplined to avoid physical violence when angry. Still, it is worthwhile to make the effort and try to change your various methods. No matter what you do, never cave in to your children’s demands when it comes to punishment. If you feel like it is okay after a certain period of time to let them off the hook, you are reinforcing bad behavior as there are no consequences to what they do. Understand Children’s Logic Sometimes, punishing kids is not only unhelpful, but it is unnecessary as well. In order to understand why children make some of the discipline mistakes that they do, it is important to recognize their flawed logic. Thinking about the world through the perspective of a child allows parents to see that many discipline issues are flawed logic rather than bad behavior. When you realize that your child is fundamentally lacking control of the way they act in public or with others, you will have a better time disciplining them. Simply educate them about proper etiquette and why things must be done in a certain way. When you understand the logic of a child and you perform punishments that are meaningful for learning rather than your own temper, it is a much better situation for everyone involved. Spanking children rarely helps anyone and in many cases, it only acts as a very real psychological problem. Avoid spanking them at all costs and you’ll have a much better disciplining them to do as you’d like.

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Speaking and Arguing with Children

Irene Aragon — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 20:12:47 +0000

Speaking and Arguing with Children Anyone who has a child that is now speaking should make sure to understand all the nuances that come with such a verbal relationship. Children are often allowed to do far more than they should because verbal communication between parent and child is lacking. In many cases, children (no matter how immature) are actually capable of reasoning through things with verbal communication. Best of all, you can save a lot of temper tantrums if you can reduce the level of stress in any communication with your child. Verbal Communication with Children Even though a child spilling milk might create the urge to scream and yell at them, this actually does very little good when it comes to helping them learn to be more careful. Many parents are quick to allow their own temper and lack of patience come through while lashing out against their children. It is natural to have this happen under stressful conditions, but if you can harness the capabilities to include verbal communication, you will be more effective and provide a better example. In the example above, a brief and calm explanation to the child regard his or her lack of focus on the milk might actually make a difference in the way they do things next time. Running a childcare in Albuquerque, I have seen examples like this in action many times. Rather than incoherently screaming about the event, reasoning things through with a child is actually quite effective despite what some people might believe. The child is capable of quite exceptional thought and their learning abilities at the age are far superior than any other time in their life. Also, verbally communicating something with your child is going to help you to avoid showing them the wrong kind of behavior when something doesn’t go your way. It is easy to get stressed and upset, but if you show your children this behavior, there is a good chance they will try to replicate it as well. Make sure you avoid showing them anything like this and they will grow up a lot more verbally capable. Use Incentives and Reasoning Trying to reason with children can be difficult especially if they are tired and not willing to be reasonable. Still, you can hone your reasoning skills and even use the right kind of incentives in order to coax them into doing and believing what you want. Simply using violence or other means in order to get them to do things rarely works, which is why it is such a good idea to learn this habit today and not have to worry about it in the future. Arguing with children is a truly futile effort in many situations. Sometimes, the children are sleepy and just not ready to be reasoned with. When this is the case, you can simply state the truth and let them believe whatever they want. Over time, they will see that you are right and there is nothing more powerful than a child realizing the hard way that their parent or guardian was correct in their assertion.

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