12-11-2020

SHOW AND TELL

Bring a thing that makes light or is shiny.

Topic: Hanukkah

Learn about a custom of another culture.

The value we’ll be studying is joy, which is a very glad feeling. It comes from working hard for a worthy goal, enjoying the goal that you achieved, and gratitude for being able to acheive your goal.

For cooking, we’ll be making cheese latkes.

Outside, we’ll play human knots.

The songs we’ll be singing are Jingle Bells, It’s a Small World, Up on the Housetop, Frosty the Snowman, and Oh, Christmas Tree.

For creative dramatics, we’ll act out the story of Hanukkah.

Our art activities will be dreidles, menorahs, holiday cards, and star of David.

For motor development we’ll work on stamina with jumping jacks and relay races. For vestibular function, we’ll be twirling tops, horses and ponies, and rocking boats.

THE GIFT OF ACCEPTANCE

As a part of the human condition, we create expectations of what is to come. When we marry, we have in our minds what the marriage will bring for us. When we decide to have children, we have dreams of what our lives will be like in our families. A part of these dreams is the ability to create what we believe. But another part is being able to accept the gifts that we are given. A mother who dreams of having a beautiful ballerina has a daughter who would rather play baseball. A father who dreams of a star athlete has a son who only wants to play on the computer. When we grieve over lost dreams, our sensitive children suffer either from disappointing their beloved parents or from hiding their true selves. As our children’s first and most important teachers about the world, how can we truly accept the people that our children were born to be? Here are some suggestions:

• Accept yourself. Do you begin each new year with a resolution to change yourself? When we are at peace with the person we are, we can be more at peace with the person our child is.
• Recognize that your child is an individual. Part of the challenge and privilege of living intimately with others is coming to understand that they are not just like us. Your child doesn’t think like you or like the same things that you do or react to situations like you do. It’s still valid that she’s wonderful just the way she is.
• Learn to describe without judging. Being accepting doesn’t mean not evaluating the child’s behavior or performance. Judgmental statements about his “lying” can get in the way of understanding that when you exclaim “Who broke this!” your child might claim ignorance. A simple statement like “The glass is broken” might get an explanation that both you and your child can deal with better.
• Develop internal rather than external standards for success. Remember the things you really want for your child; things like willingness to take risks and creativity and a sense of purpose. Target your instructions for your child in those directions rather than praise for eating her peas.
• Have fun with your child. Parents sometimes become so caught up in their role of teaching and guiding that they rarely enjoy their kids just as they are. Simply playing with your child - without a hidden agenda - can work wonders for his sense of self-acceptance.
• Affirm your unconditional love every day. Never allow your child to go to bed without understanding that you love her totally, with a big hug and a kiss. Both you and your child need to be reminded that your love transcends specific squabbles.

On the Calendar

School Closed – As a reminder the school will be closed December 21-25 and January 1.

Classroom News

Luca, our newest student is discovering the various material in the classroom and as his attention span improves he’ll be getting lesson on how to use the materials that he shows interest in. Luke really enjoys the button box he remains focused for long periods of time as he empties the box then puts the lib back on and inserts the various sized buttons in the various sized slots; he claps his hands to display joy in his achievement.