Getting Involved at School

Education, Parenting and Child Care News for the Week of October 5, 2015

We’re continuing our new Kiddie Community Friday series and sharing some of the stories we’ve been reading this week:

• We always knew parent involvement at school was important, but edutopia has aggregated links explaining exactly why, how and when to get involved at your child’s school.
• A member of the Today Show Parenting Team writes about things she’s dreading about her daughter starting preschool. Kiddie Academy’s Director of Curriculum, Renee Thompson had this to say about how school environments at Kiddie Academy are meant to support and encourage children, not change them…

“At Kiddie Academy, we know that young children learn best through play. Play is inherently fun for children and adults alike! Our teachers get to know each child’s unique personality so that they may individualize and support the children’s academic and social and emotional growth. Teachers prepare the environment with materials and experiences to encourage growth and exploration, and children are empowered to make decisions about their play and learning. Our curriculum has a balance of science, math, technology, language, and creative and dramatic arts activities. There is something for each child’s natural interests, as well as opportunities for children to have new and different experiences as they learn and interact with others in a safe, welcoming environment.” – Renee Thompson, Director of Curriculum

• My “Good Moms Don’t…” list includes “Good Moms Don’t yell” and “Good Moms Don’t order pizza two times in one week” but we all have goals. Rachel Garlinghouse at Babble reminds us that the best moms just know when to take it all in stride, regardless of what’s on your “Good Moms Don’t…” list.
• When it comes to your child’s attitude about extracurricular activities, are they more like a Suri Cruise (always with an attitude) or a Prince George (up for anything at all times)? You can find out here.
• If you live near Kiddie Academy Headquarters in Maryland, you might find this roundup of Halloween events for kids (cool). Wherever you live, you’ll probably be seeing more teal pumpkins out this season, rather than the traditional orange ones.
• What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? Disney Pixar answers the question in their next animation: “The Good Dinosaur” and Five Minutes for Mom has the video.
• Slate.com recaps every conversation between a parent and child in four conversations featuring “But I Want It” and other hilarious responses we’ve heard from kids in our little chats.
• Our philosophy at Kiddie Academy is that every experience and season is an opportunity to learn. We’re fascinated by this cruelty-free spooky knitted anatomy that transforms fluffy skeins of yarn into the anatomical details of rats, frogs and even bats – perfect for a Halloween-themed science lesson!