SHOW AND TELL
Bring a thing that makes light.
Topic: Hanukkah
A celebration of another culture.
The value is joy, which is a very happy feeling.
For cooking we’ll make cheese latkes.
Outside we’ll play the troll game and human knots.
The songs we’ll be singing are Jingle Bells, It’s a Small World, Frosty the Snowman, O Christmas Tree, and Up on the Housetop.
Our art activities are dreidles, menorahs, holiday cards, Star of David, and Hanukkah banner.
Creative dramatics will be acting out the story of Hanukkah.
For motor development we’ll build stamina with jumping jacks and relay races. For body development, we’ll work on vestibular function with show but don’t tell, twirling tops, horses and ponies, rocking boat, and rolling follow the leader.
WITHOUT A VISION. . . .
The rest of this quote is “the people perish”. It comes from Proverbs, and it may be a bit strong for our topic today. The fact is, we all need to take a minute to vision what we want. If we can’t imagine it, we can’t get there. If we can’t get where we want to be, where will we end up? Start with a simple issue.
How is mealtime at your house? Do you struggle to get your children to eat what you think they need? Food should be a pleasurable experience as well as fuel for the body. Eating together at mealtime should be a relaxing, enjoyable time for the family. How do we make that happen? First of all, parents should eat with their children. Children learn by example, and mealtime is an opportunity for teaching manners and social skills. Parents should also eat what the children eat. This leads to the next principle: adults decide what foods to serve. If children see you eating the food, they will be more likely to eat the meal. Don’t get caught in the trap of fixing separate meals for everyone. It creates children who expect the world to revolve around them instead of children who can handle the situation as it is.
Maybe the most difficult principle for parents is letting children choose what and how much to eat. If everything offered is nutritious, it doesn’t matter what they eat. Children have internal body cues that tell them when they are hungry or full. If we adults try to override those cues, we may be causing problems later with eating disorders or obesity. As importantly, it also helps us be okay with our children’s decisions.
The fourth principle: children need a variety of foods. Adults do also. No one food will meet all our nutrient requirements. Follow the Food Guide Pyramid and serve a wide variety from each food group. Vary tastes, textures, and temperatures. Let children serve themselves. That’s another difficult principle, but mealtime can be a great time to learn new skills. This provides an opportunity for them to make their decisions on what and how much to eat and to practice motor skills. As soon as an infant can move a toy to her mouth, she can and should be feeding herself.
Finally, adults need to set the eating environment. This involves creating a pleasant atmosphere in which to eat, providing appropriate utensils, and making sure the food is safe to eat. And if your vision is that someday in the future, you will be sitting at the table chatting delightedly with your wonderful, accomplished children, then today is the time to start with the first steps.
Coming Up
Holiday Songs – We’ve been singing our holiday songs with the students and they are slowly catching on. While singing the songs many of the students have questions and want to know the meaning of the words in the song. What is “dashing?” what is “glow?” “Why are they laughing at Rudolf?” Here is a list of the songs we’ll be singing at the Winter Open House if possible sing them with your child and answer their questions. Jingle Bells, Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, Twelve Days of Christmas and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. The Winter Open House is Friday December 20 we’ll begin at 3 and the event should last about an hour. All family and friends are welcome to attend.
Hanukkah Artifacts? – If you have artifacts that represent this mid-winter celebration, please consider letting your child share with the class.
Christmas Holiday – A final reminder that the school will be closed December 23 - 27 New Year’s Eve we’ll be open and closed on New Year’s Day.
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