News specifically for our new parents, but returning parents might want to check it out as
St. John has been chosen as one of 20 sites across the State of Nebraska to feature a Natu
In her new book, “The Top Ten Preschool Parenting Problems and What to Do about Them!”, parenting expert Roslyn Duffy offers parents practical advice for dealing with these common challenges.
I reviewed the free downloadable pages, and I thought it looked like an easy read with sensible tips for parents.
Clarification:
We’ve had a little confusion about the Center’s recycling program. The bins are being filled by recyclables we use at the Center. We will not have space to recycle items children bring from home.
Did you know that the Lincoln Journal Star has started a weekly curbside pick-up recycling program right here in Seward? You can read all about it here. The cost is $10 a month for Journal-Start subscribers, or $12 dollars a month for non-subscribers. A large, covered bin (or two if you need another) is delivered to your door, and Monday is the pick-up day for Seward.
The children are becoming more and more aware of the benefits to recycling, so we encourage you to look into this opportunity!
Along those lines, we are wondering about getting a few bins for the Center. We already take recycling to our fine drop-off center here in town, but the Journal-Star will take glass, and ALL plastics 1 – 7. This means that the many, many milk cups that we use each week could get recycled instead of thrown into a landfill. We are wondering if perhaps any families would like to sponsor a month of recycling? Let us know what you think.
UPDATE: How exciting! We already have FOUR families who will sponsor a month of recycling! Our plan is to start on the $12 a month for two tubs here, and just put in the plastics that our local site won’t take. (We have some wonderful volunteers who help take our recycling in now, God bless their help!)
Parents are valued and respected as their child’s primary and most influential teachers. The child’s faith is being shaped at all stages of development. This means that conversations and connections between the school and home must include spiritual development.
You have the most wonderful child! Each new skill that is learned makes you appreciate the blessings that God has brought into your life through your son or daughter.
Along with your joy you also feel concern about helping your child grow to use all of the gifts and abilities God has given him/her. There is a natural concern about encouraging growth as a child of God. Here are some things that other parent have found help strengthen the faith of the young child.
Pray For Your Child
You have the most powerful tool available to help your child – PRAYER. With it you can come to God Himself and ask Him to keep your child close to Him and grant spiritual blessings. You can talk to God about your joys, your anxieties, your doubts and all the other feelings and thoughts that come to parents as they raise their children. He will hear!
Lead Your Child Into God’s Word
What a privilege it is to lead your child to Jesus! You are the first person who tells your child a Bible story and shares with him/her the news of God’s great love.
Worship With Your Child
Of course, you will take your child to worship with other families in church. It is not always easy worshiping with a young child. You will also want to worship at home. We will occasionally provide you with tips for worshiping at home.
Be a Model
What you do is the greatest influence in helping your child’s growth of faith. Your child sees you praying, reading the Bible, worshiping and it is natural to copy this behavior. Your postive attitude toward Christian living and the Church will be powerful.
Relate Daily Life to God
Strong, positive attitudes are encouraged when you keep the child aware that there is a close connection between everyday events and God. A beautiful day is looked on as a gift from God, we feel His protection in danger, and notice His gifts in daily food, in nature, and family.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates”. Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Something we work on at the CDC is ‘the nice way to say it’. Young children are developing the skills to state their needs, and as they grow older, we work on phrasing it as a polite question. For instance, at the breakfast table a child might say, “I need milk.” The teacher would respond (with a smile in her voice), “I see that you do. Is there something you want to ask me?” We use simple, positive words, and when the child asks, “Can/may I please have some milk?” – we respond with joyful praise, “Of course you can! I love it when you use those nice asking words.”
Back in October, our class studied recycling. You may have noticed your child pointing out the triangle recycling symbol at home. (I hope so!) Well, I just got a postcard in the mail from the good people at the Lincoln Journal-Star (where Owen S.’s mom works!) and they have a curbside recycling program that now picks up in Seward! It’s $10 a month for Journal-Star subscribers, and $12 a month for non-subscribers. I strongly encourage you to take part in this great effort! No tedious sorting (although that would be an excellent pre-math activity to do with your preschooler), and it’s picked up for you!
Click here for the link.
Our three-year old preschool program currently has 16 children enrolled. Mrs. Darlene Rockenbach and her aide, Mrs Bert Bohnenstingl are pleased to be a part of this ministry, and bring 13 years of combined experience in Early Childhood Education.
St. John Child Development Center provides care for school-age children before and after school. Children who arrive for before-school care get to visit with friends, have a nutritious breakfast, and ride the bus to school. Our after-school program is divided into two groups, with activites, stories, snack, and some much-needed outside time on our playground/ outdoor classroom! Parents, log in to see some photos!