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Delivering Support to Families with Young Learners
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With festive holidays happening this month, you may look forward to making and eating food with your loved ones. Did you know that including your child as you prepare holiday meals can boost their development? Check out these benefits of cooking with your child this month:
- Giving your child safe, simple tasks like stirring, kneading, pouring, or washing food items can improve their motor skills.
- Enriching activities like cooking engage the senses so that children can learn about the world around them.
- Early exposure to the math, science, and cognitive skills involved in cooking can build your child’s foundation for learning.
- Working together with your child to make a meal boosts their social and communication skills.
- Holiday traditions like cooking build warm memories and strengthen your bond with your child.
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Watch: Positive Parenting Strategies
Are you looking for ideas to help your children learn in fun new ways? Are you wondering how to encourage your child to process their feelings? Find quick tips from real parents that answer these questions and more in a video from PBS’s Parenting Minutes program.
Watch the video
What to Look for in a Child Care Contract
Child care arrangements work well when the parent and program are on the same page. A contract outlining the conditions between you and the child care provider can help achieve this goal. The contract ensures all parties agree and understand the care to be provided. Here is what you can expect to find in a child care contract:
- Clear costs and rates for child care
- Details such as when payments are due and acceptable forms of payment
- Information about late fees
- Program hours of operation
- Plans for program closures
- Termination policy
- Signatures from both parent and child care provider
Learn more
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Do You Have a Plan for Stressful Moments?
The holidays can be a happy time spent with family, leading to wonderful memories. But it can also be busy and stressful for parents. The pressure to make every moment perfect for your loved ones can take a toll. While making plans for pleasant times is a great idea, it will also be useful to consider steps to take if something does not go smoothly.
Maybe a child will have a meltdown. Maybe a family photo does not turn out the way you hoped. Remember: an activity does not have to go precisely according to plan to be enjoyable or meaningful. Letting go of perfection can help you relax and enjoy the present with your loved ones.
If you or your child needs a break from holiday fun, it will be helpful to have some ideas of how to cool off ahead of time. A change of scenery, such as moving to another, quieter room or stepping outside, can help you or your child calm down. Taking a break and giving yourself time to breathe can ground you, make you feel better, and allow you to feel ready to return to your holiday activities.
Whether or not a tough moment happens, having a plan in place just in case can reduce your stress and let you look forward to the holidays this season!
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