Kiddie Community Friday: Educational Programming, a New Character at Sesame Street and Dealing with Back Talk

October 23, 2015

Education, Parenting and Child Care News for the Week of October 19, 2015

This week’s Kiddie Community Friday series features some of the most mom-newsworthy things from around the web this week including links from The Baltimore Sun, Yahoo! Parenting, and more. In case you’re reading this while in the presence of children competing for your attention, we’ll jump right in…

Did you know more than 14,000 children are enrolled at Kiddie Academies nationwide? Toddlers can now study things like Mandarin and sign language because of unique programming offered at some Kiddie Academies. The Baltimore Sun reported on Kiddie Academy’s educational child care services and addresses the importance of exposing young children to rich learning experiences.
In other news, Sesame Street has a new character with Autism and The New York Times Motherlode blog shares some insight about her role in Sesame Street’s Autism Initiative. “Characters with disabilities have been regulars on the program in the past, like Linda, the deaf librarian played by the deaf actress Linda Bove. Sometimes Linda’s deafness was highlighted; at other times, she was simply another neighbor on the street. Parents hoping for that kind of integration for Julia will have to wait and see.”
Having a child “talk back” to you can really deliver a blow to your confidence as a parent. When I asked my son to put pants on and he responded with a resolute “no,” I felt like I’d lost all control of the situation and I wasn’t the one in charge anymore (not that I could tell him that, so we continued the morning sans-pants). But one psychologist is claiming that when children say “no” to us, it teaches them how to set personal boundaries and prevents them from later “getting used by the world.”

Kiddie Academy’s Director of Curriculum, Renee Thompson sees some value in the premise. “Kids need to feel safe to assert some control, and parents can make it a positive experience by modeling language and remaining calm.” Until I figure out how to turn my son’s resistance to wearing pants into a positive experience for me, I will just take Renee’s advice and remain calm.

If you have a toddler, you know how upset they can get that they only have two knees…and other absolutely crazy things that you have no control over, yet are punished with by their disappointment. Remind me I need to get more Teddy Grahams.
You might think you’re the only one in the world spreading butter on toast for a pajama-clad little one before sunrise, yet again…but you’re not alone.
We’re officially a week away from Halloween, but if you’re seeing mysteriously moved objects in your house, or feeling watched, it’s probably not a phantom. It might just be your kid. You know, standing quietly right in your shadow, the way they do.
One of our favorite bloggers, Oh Joy! is celebrating one year with her second little one and talks about the hardships of doing laying-down monthly growth photos once you enter the wiggly phase. Really, any pose for a monthly growth photo is a challenge once you enter the wiggly phase. (Keep an eye out for Oh Joy!-branded Band-Aid bandages coming to a Target near you.)