Keep Crossing That Midline!

Children's brains are fascinating.  While research has led to more information about how children grow, learn, and perceive the world around them, there is still much to learn.  What has been learned so far has helped to shape the world of early childhood education, to eliminate some old ideas about what is good for children, and to reinforce the knowledge that grandma was pretty smart after all.

The new research tells us that children learn when their bodies are engaged as well as their brains, that they need time to run and explore to process what they see and feel, and that their brains will grow stronger if they cross their midline often.  Midline?  Draw an imaginary line (feel free to use a marker if you like!) from the top of your head down to the tip of your nose to your bellybutton and end between your feet.  This is your midline.  Crossing the midline encourages the two halves of your brain to work together.  Crossing the midline occurs during normal development - picture a baby crawling - and can be further encouraged during play.

We used to march in gym.  Since I am rhythmically challenged, I hated it.  It seemed pointless and boring.  Little did I know that Mr. Murphy was helping my brain to grow.  Encourage your children to march around the room or to the playground.  Singing and dancing are excellent ways to cross the midline.  The Hokey Pokey (don't forget that you can put in your elbows, tongue, nose, knees, tummy..., Wild Bananas, Tooty Ta, and Father Abraham are all examples of fun songs and chants that cross the midline.  Encourage your child to reach across the midline by handing him something from his non dominant side.  Crossing the midline with the lower limbs has an even more beneficial effect.  Have your child lie back on his elbows (you do it, too!  It will encourage your child and strengthen your abs.) and do "The Wheels on the Bus" or "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" with his feet.  (Note to providers:  Be sure that you tell the parents that you are doing songs with your feet.  I have had parents tell me that they were singing about the spider when their child suddenly lay back and started kicking at them.)  Dance to rock and roll music and twirl while holding your child's right hand in your right hand.  Challenge your child to color or draw with the non dominant hand.  Tape a paintbrush to a hat brim and have your child paint while wearing the hat.  There are many ways to cross the midline - use your imagination! 

For the past seven or so years I have been learning more about brain function, growth, and crossing the midline.  Now I am reading about crossing the midline as a way to help strengthen the brain in adults and to help prevent dementia.  While your child is crossing the midline, cross yours, also!

Tooty Ta is a chant.  Start with thumbs up and chant the words while moving your hands in a sideways figure eight in front of you.  For the next verse, say thumbs up and the next command, followed by the tooty ta chant.  Follow the pattern until the end.

Tooty Ta

Tooty ta, tooty ta, tooty ta ta

Thumbs up

Tooty ta, tooty ta, tooty ta ta

Wrists together

Elbows back

Feet apart

Knees together

Bottoms up

Tongue out

Eyes shut

Turn around



Memories

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays, and this one was no exception.  We spent Wednesday evening and all day Thursday at my sister's house.  My nephew was there, along with his fiance and her son, and my brother and sister-in-law came from downstate.  We had a wonderful time catching up with each other, cooking and eating lots of food, drinking some very good wine, and playing with our three year old great nephew-to-be.  We might not be Norman Rockwell material, but it was a joyous time.

The other thing that we did while we were together was to go through our mother's belongings and decide what to do with them.  It had been almost a year since she had passed away and it was time to take care of her things.  While it sounds like a miserable chore, one that should have been unhappy, it turned out to be quite a good time.  There was sadness because Mama was gone, but there were things that brought many happy memories - the post cards from our vacations on Cape Cod, the original Pooh books and Ferdinand the Bull books that were worn out from so much reading, the little pitcher that she used to heat maple syrup for our pancakes...the list goes on.  We found old family treasures and newer trinkets.  We all kept a few mementos and gave the nephew and fiance treasures for their new house.  We even found an official list of the equipment that she was issued when she went overseas to nurse the soldiers during WW II.

My mother was a human being.  She made mistakes, lost her temper, and could have been a better housekeeper.  She loved cooking, baking, walking in the woods, watching birds, and petting her cats.  She was a nurse, a Girl Scout leader, and an Orchid Society member.  Of all the things that she was, however, the thing that she loved most was being a wife and a mother.  While we miss her, there are so many good memories that we can laugh and talk about her with no sadness. 

I have written before about the fact that we are all memory makers.  When your children or the children in your care remember you, what will they be saying?  How will they be feeling?   Will their memories be happy?  Will they remember the caring, the laughter, and the happiness?  Will they remember that reading to them or walking in the woods with them was more important than dusting or Dancing With the Stars?  Will they remember the impatience and the sarcastic comments?  You have the choice to give the children in your care happy memories or unhappy ones.  Remember, and as Yoda says, choose wisely.

Good-bye, Red Fish!

Young children use play not only to discover and explore the world around them, but to help to understand the world that they inhabit.  That is why some games may vary by area and time, but some remain constant.  Children always play house and taking care of baby.  Children also play puppy.  This is also why children also play death.  In all the years that I have been working with young children, the game has never varied.  A child is lying still on the ground, and the cry goes up - "She's dead!".  Immediately the other children spring into action.  They seize whatever medical tools are handy (blocks, tinker toys, pancake turners, etc.) and go to work on the dead person.  In a minute or two it happens - she is alive.  After much rejoicing, the child dies again and is revived again.  Death is a difficult concept for many adults to wrap their head around, and it is especially confusing for young children who believe that Santa is real and tomorrow happens after nap.  The whole concept of what happens and how and where the person went is very confusing.  My neighbor told me that for several months after her husband died, one of the grandchildren brought a picture in a frame to her and asked her to, "Let Poppa out".  I was actually glad that my cat, Wilbur, died before my father did so that my daughter, who was five at the time, had some basis for understanding what had happened to Grandpa.

As a teacher of young children, I have held my share of guinea pig funerals.  Occasionally a child has had an experience with a family funeral will help to direct the event.  One time when we were going to the playground with a shovel and a guinea pig wrapped in a receiving blanket (liberated from the baby room) in a shoe box, the children stopped to show Fluffy to the office workers along the corridor.  That must have been viewing hours.

Several days ago the three year old's red fish died.  To help the children with the process, the teacher held a funeral.  Since the weather was not cooperating, the teacher relied on a traditional burial at sea for Red Fish.  The children gathered around the toilet and each one said good-bye to the fish.  Since music is traditional at a funeral, the children chose to sing a favorite song - "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas".  When the funeral was over, Thomas said to his teachers, "I bet God is going to say,'Hey, where did that fish come from?' ". 

Funny story?  Yes, we laughed and laughed.  I wish I could have been there for the funeral. Yet, more than just a cute story, it is an important for the step for the children to take in gaining understanding and mastery of their world.  The teacher could have waited and snuck the fish out of the bowl when the children were at lunch to avoid the subject.  Instead, she chose to do what teachers do - seize the opportunity to help the children.  Good for her!

Someone's in the Kitchen With Tools!

Young children are fascinated by tools and mechanical objects.  They are curious about what these objects are, what they do, and how they can manipulate them.  A small child can spend a long period of time turning wheels or bouncing springs while he observes they way that they respond to his touch.  One activity that can give children experience with tools is cooking.  There are a number of tools that even a young child can use safely.  A whisk can be used to beat scrambled eggs or cake batter.  A rubber spatula can scrape a bowl.  A dough cutter can be used to cut bread dough into rolls, and everyone loves to cut out cookies.  (Cookie cutters are also good for painting!)  Measuring cups and spoons come in lots of shapes and sizes.  Potato mashers can be used for smashing potatoes (put the hot potatoes in a bowl to avoid contact with the hot pan).  Actually, potato mashers are fun for painting, also, but that is probably a blog for another day.

As children grow older, the tools that they use can become more complex.  Many nursery school children have turned the crank to run cooked apples through a food mill during the fall.  My grandson, who has just turned eleven, makes the pasta for his family in their Atlas pasta maker (a great addition to any kitchen).  He also makes lasagna, including a sauce free one for his sister.   One of my cooking projects many years ago was chocolate cookies that were cooked in a waffle iron.  All of the children helped to mix the batter, but most of the children wandered off quickly when we began to bake the cookies.  One little guy, who was three or four, was fascinated by the project.  I let him put the batter into the waffle iron, close the lid, and open the lid when they were done (for safety, I covered his hand with mine, although I let him do the work.  That way, if a hand should hit the hot iron, it would be mine.)  This boy was usually zooming around the room from one item to another, but his interest in the waffle iron lasted for almost an hour.  He was spellbound by the waffle iron and proud that he could manipulate it to make cookies.

One of my favorite kitchen tools is an apple corer-peeler-slicer.  I have used it for a number of years to make apple dumplings, dried apples, and pies.  When my granddaughter was three, she would stand on a chair at the counter to help me cook.  When I was slicing apples to make apple butter, she watched closely while I sliced the first three apples.  She then decided that it was time to take over the job.  I had to push the apples onto the peeler, but she sliced six pounds of apples.  She was developing self-help skills, observing handles and gears as they worked, watching as the tension spring moved the peeling blade to fit the apple, and adding to her vocabulary. 

Chocolate Waffle Drops

1 cup granulated sugar                                              1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs                                                                        1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour                                                         1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder                                        1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon                                 powdered sugar

Cream granulated sugar and butter till fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.  Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and cinnamon; stir into creamed mixture.  Stir in nuts.  (Mixture will be stiff)  Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on preheated waffle baker; bake about 1 1/2 minutes.  Cool on rack.  Sift powdered sugar over (another great job for a child!).  Makes about 48.

Happy Halloween!

As a child, I loved Halloween.  Get dressed up, get lots of candy - what's not to love? We made our own costumes out of old clothes, paper bags, and anything else that we could find.  Each Halloween, my mother made big sugar cookies with each child's name on one to give out to trick or treaters.  When the neighborhood got too big to know all of the children, she made cupcakes with jack o'lantern faces made out of candy corn.  The best part was going out after dark.  Because it was the late 50's, we got to go by ourselves with a few friends.  The  road across the street from my house was a curving road that was lined with houses where our friends lived.  The road actually ran through a grouping of homes, through some land that had not been built up yet and into another group of houses.  Along the wooded stretch of road was the Frog Pond, which was one of our favorite places.  It was not really a pond; it was a swampy place with some open water.  In the summer we caught frogs there and in the winter we spent the day skating.  On Halloween night it was dark and spooky with - best of all - bats flying overhead.  Our wild times consisted of yelling "boo" at each other and screaming, but they were great times.

When my children were young, they dressed up and we walked them around the neighborhood.  They usually wore costumes that were made at home, and they charged from one house to another.  Gone were the days of cupcakes, popcorn balls, and molasses cookies that were made by mothers in the neighborhood.  Candy bars, nickels, and pencils were the treats.  When they got home they counted their loot and compared notes.  It was not yet time to check treats for booby traps, although it might have been a good idea.  When my oldest child was a toddler, I discovered that the bag of candy that she was helping to hand out had a bite on the side of each piece that went through the paper and the chocolate and I wondered if I should check my children's bags for used candy.  Even though I was not dressed up and receiving treats, I loved walking through the dark with all of the children.

Now I spend my Halloween evenings staying at home and handing out treats.  It is a time that I look forward to every year.  The children change as families move into and out of the neighborhood or as children become too old to trick or treat, but every year there are new princesses and fairies to admire and new ghosts and goblins to make me scream in fright.  There are young children who are not sure what they are doing, and the 7 or 8 year old pros who have trick or treating down to a science.  (Knock on the door, yell "Trick or Treat" while opening the stash bag, insert the treat, call "Thank You!" while closing the treat bag and heading down the steps to the next house.  A pro can do this all in 45 seconds or less!)  I have tried wearing my rubber dinosaur nose to answer the door, but some children were afraid of me.

By the time Halloween is over and I turn out the light, I am ready to put my feet up and relax until bedtime.  I have had fun with the children who come to may door, but I still feel the tug of that dark night waiting for me to outside and play.  Maybe next year I can borrow a child to come with me.

Back to the Kitchen!

I have written before about the importance of cooking with children.  Cooking involves a number of curriculum areas, encourages children to try new foods, develops self-help skills, and helps to develop healthy eating habits.  Unfortunately, many children's cooking activities consist of making sweet treats, using ingredients like mixes and canned frosting, or combining different kinds of candies to make a product even though children enjoy making real food.  At a very young age children can make simple dishes like sandwiches and scrambled eggs by themselves.  As they grow they can progress to more complex dishes.  My grandson was making chicken pot pie for his family by the time that he was nine.  He had developed the skills that were needed and the interest in cooking by working in the kitchen with his mother from the time that he was old enough to stand next to her and stir.  He also enjoyed watching the cooking shows and picking out recipes that looked good.  His mother would then look up the recipe on the internet, help him to make a shopping list, take him to the store, and make the recipe for dinner.  In addition to all of the benefits of cooking, helping to make the list gave him a basis for developing literacy skills (vocabulary, the importance of reading and writing).  Going to the store with a list added to the literacy skill development, as well as critical thinking, math, and social skills.  All of this and a good dinner as well!

Marriage is Making Me Crazy!

Reading this title may make you think that this is a diatribe (all too common) on the things involved in a marriage:  husbands, children, pets, garbage men, hot water heaters, etc.,etc., etc.  While all of these things and more have, at one time or another, made me a little crazy, it is the actual physical act of a wedding that is making me crazy.  I love to see people that I care about find someone to marry.  I love the ceremony, the commitment to each other, the food and the dancing.  I love shopping for shower gifts and attending all of the parties and festivities.  It is preparing to attend the wedding that is giving me problems.

This summer the daughter of good friends got married.  I love both the bride and the groom and was thrilled to share their special day.  I was asked to read in the wedding, and felt that this would be a good time to get a new dress, since most of my wardrobe is more appropriate for work or gardening.  Off to the stores I went - how hard could it be to buy a dress?  I found lots that would be nice for work but were too casual for a wedding.  I found some with sequins, feathers, and odd things that were too dressy or too weird.  In Kohl's I found a red and black dress with cape sleeves and a bell skirt.  Not my usual type of dress, but I decided to try it.  I put the dress on and checked the back and side views.  Not bad, although it did make my butt look a little big (one of the things that tends to happen when you have a big butt!).  I was getting excited because I really liked the dress.  I had found the one for me!  Then I turned around, faced the mirror, and let out a scream.  That dress would need a turtle neck and long johns under it before I could wear it in public.  Off to other stores to search.

I tried on several other dresses.  There was the lavender print with the big, floppy rose at the neck.  It looked like the flower on a clown outfit, and the underskirt was a micro-mini so that at least three quarters of my legs showed through the material.  Off with the dress.  Then I tried on a plain, plum colored dress.  It wasn't too bad above the waist, but the skirt was cut at an extreme angle with no hem and there was a big rip up the side.  I looked like one of those chicks on the shipwreck movies whose main purpose in the film was to have her clothes torn while she hyperventilates.  At that point I went home and got out my twelve year old blue dress.

Now another dear friend has a son who is getting married.  I decided to circumvent the dress problem by finding a dressy top to go with my black slacks.  I walked through the stores.  There were the tops that were so covered by sequins that they looked like something that I would wear in a joust.  There were the ones that were practically transparent so that I would need to get another shirt or two to wear under them.  There were the ones that had attached jackets that hung like a gunny sack.  Suddenly I saw it - a maroon tunic sweater with a cowl neck and a beautiful scarf.  I have never worn scarves (I have a tendency to look like the Frito Bandito), but I knew that this was the outfit that would look good on me.  I grabbed it and ran to the dressing room, yanked my top off, and put the sweater on.  It was lovely, but it hung to my knees.  I had worn shorter dresses in the 60's.  Rather than looking elegant, I looked silly.  Maybe I could wear the blue dress with a sweater.

On top of the problem of clothes is the problem of a wedding card.  It is difficult to find a card, since most of them are all white and horribly insipid.  Actually, the sympathy cards are much nicer.  (Does that mean something?)  Maybe I could buy a sympathy card, white-out the message, and write "Happy Wedding" in it.

Maybe I could just talk them into eloping.

This Is Good?

I am interested in many things.  Some things are passing interests, some things are on my "to do when I have time" list, and some are an abiding interest that stays with me for many years.  Nutrition is one topic in which I have a long standing interest. I love to cook, and enjoying trying new foods, new recipes, and new cooking techniques. Along with this has come a growing fascination with nutrition, both for adults and children. I am deeply concerned about the poor food choices that so many people make. Their meals are full of processed ingredients and fats and sadly lacking in fruits, whole grains, and vegetables. The health implications of this kind of diet, both in the short term and the long term, are very upsetting.

There has been a movement in the past few years to encourage children to learn to make healthy choices when they eat. One idea that has gotten a lot of publicity is hiding vegetables in children's food so that they don't realize that they are eating them. Unfortunately, this does nothing to help children make healthy choices or to enjoy vegetables. This really seems like a poorly thought out idea to me (to express my feelings kindly).

I was interested to discover a newsletter about recipes for children that sounded as if it had some good information. I typed in my email and waited for the information to flow into my inbox. So far is mostly stumbling in since a good deal of it has involved treats and goodies. There has, however, been some useful information. Last week the section on vegetables included the author's recipe for carrots and peanut butter. (Open a bag of baby carrots. Place some on a plate. Place a tablespoon of peanut butter next to it. Encourage the children to dip the carrot into the peanut butter.) This was very helpful - I had been searching for a recipe like this!

The next recipe was described as a way to help children learn to like brussel sprouts. My family eats lots of them, so I eagerly read the recipe. Washing the brussel sprouts and trimming off the bottoms was familiar. Next, cut the sprouts into quarters.  So far, so good.  To make them palatable for children, the next step was to put three inches of lard into a frying pan and heat it.  (Lard?)  When it is hot, place the brussel sprouts into the lard and fry them.  (Lard?)  The children will love them and gobble them down.  (Lard?)  Is it just me, or does pouring three inches of lard down your child's throat in order to get them to try a few brussel sprouts seem a little odd?  Way to make your kids healthy!

I had thought about writing to the author of the newsletter, but found it difficult to compose a letter without using phrases that I discourage children from using to their friends.  "Dear Stupid" and "are you nuts?" were some of the ones at the head of the list.  I can hear my mother saying, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything".  I had to settle for the "unsubscribe" button.  At least I now have one less newsletter to read.

Conflict Resolution

Today I was watching while the three year old children sat down for lunch.  Two of the children, David and Carol sat next to each other.  As they adjusted their chairs, they turned to each other and kissed.  David said, "We're sitting next to each other" and Carol kissed him on the cheek.  When I asked them why they were kissing, David said, "Because we are sitting next to each other".  At this point, LaToya crossed her arms, leaned on them and scowled.  She then said, "You are supposed to marry me, David!"  David replied, "I will marry you tomorrow.  Okay?"  Apparently that was okay, since there were smiles all around and everyone said grace and started their lunch.

This was conflict resolution at its finest.  LaToya stated her problem, David listened to her, and David came up with a solution that made everyone happy.  It is the start of learning a skill that will serve them well later in life.  If only all of our conflicts and problems could be solved this easily!

Stomp Those Grapes

  Whatever season we are entering is my favorite season as I look forward to all of the things that it holds.  Right now fall is my favorite season.  I love being out in the sun without sweating all of the time.  I love the golden rod and purple asters under the blue sky.  I love the colors of the grapes, pumpkins, leaves, and mums.  I love the taste and crunch of the new apples and the smells of fall.  I also love the fall produce and all of the things that you can do with it. Right now there is a crock of cabbage and salt on my counter that is turning into (I hope!) sauerkraut.  I fire roasted a half bushel of roma tomatoes and canned them for all of the delicious fall and winter sauces.  I will be freezing apple pies so that we can have a piece during the winter. One of my fall traditions is the crock of grapes on my counter that is turning into wine.

Melvin, a gentleman who worked at the old Retsof Salt mine gave us the recipe for his home brew.  It is an easy to make wine that is a little sweet at first for my taste, but is great in spaghetti sauce and other dishes.  (It also adds a special ambiance to your entertaining when the guests see you take a mason jar out of the cupboard and pour it into the sauce.)  If the wine sits for a year or so, it will be much more drinkable.

Melvin's Wine

Wash and pick over 20 pounds of grapes.  (I usually use concords)  Put in a crock, crush as you put them in (I like to use a potato masher every few inches of grapes, but I am sure you can find something else that will work), and cover with 5 quarts of scalding water.  Let sit for three days.  After three days, strain juice and return the juice to the crock.  Add 5 pounds of sugar (I usually use 4) and let sit.  The wine will bubble - skim it off every day or two.  When it has stopped bubbling, put it in jars.  (I use canning jars, but old mayo, peanut butter, or any other kind of jar will work.)  If some bubbles appear, loosen the lids for a few seconds to let the gas out.  Enjoy!

This summer I have been reading Evan Dawson"s book, Summer in a Glass, about Finger Lakes wines and the people who make them.  Each chapter is dedicated to a particular vineyard.  It is a fascinating look at winemaking as well as the personalities who have shaped the area.  Maybe I will be in his next book!

I Strode For Life

For years I have watched newscasts of people who were on a charity walk, and I have always wanted to join them.  It looked as if the people who were participating were having a wonderful time while they were supporting a good cause.  I also have known many women that I love dearly - sisters, friends, coworkers, and sisters-in-the-Lord - who have suffered from breast cancer.  I have always wished that I could do something for these women while they fought and suffered through their surgery and treatment.  In September I learned of the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in Rochester, which sounded as though it would fit my needs exactly.  I organized a team of coworkers and friends, and we began to raise funds for the walk.

In my mind the walk took place on the picture perfect fall day in upstate New York.  I would be walking along under bright blue skies while a cool breeze fluttered the flags and the mums would be blooming in beautiful fall colors.  I would be laughing and chatting with my fellow walkers as we strode along for the cause.  When the weather forecast called for light showers ending in the morning, I thought that would be nice.  After all, Kevin Williams would never lie to me about the weather.  As I headed toward Frontier Field (trying to remember the map so that I could find it), the skies darkened and the rain increased.  No problem - it was supposed to stop.

Well, the rain did not stop.  As a matter of fact, it increased once again.  The flash mob that I was excited about joining turned out to be dancers on the stage that I could not see because of the sea of umbrellas.  When we started to walk, it seemed more like swimming than walking at the time.  Rather than chatting, many of us were hiding under umbrellas (the smart ones, not me), or had our heads buried as far as possible in our coats.  By the time I got done with the walk and to my car, I was soaked through and my fingers were so cold - due to the 46 degree temperature - that I could barely untie my shoes to change into dry ones.  It took me a hot shower, dry sweats, a big sweater, and soup to feel warm again.

Was it a miserable time?  Sort of.  Would I do it again?  Without a doubt. I joined 8700 people who raised $805,000.00 to fight a terrible disease and to help those who are suffering from it.  I had fun with coworkers and friends.  I have several funny stories to tell and some funny pictures to show everyone.  But most of all, I spent my time surrounded  by ladies who were carrying pink roses.  These roses were given to the survivors who took part in the walk.  These are ladies who endured surgery, chemo, radiation, pain, sorrow, and fear and who survived to be stronger than when they began their journey with breast cancer.  These ladies fill me with awe and respect, and I am proud to say that I spent part of the day in their company.

I am hoping for sun next year, but I will be there no matter what the weather.

Get Over Yourself!

As I have stated a number of times before, I love working with young children.  It is not just a job that I endure to bring bring home money, it is a part of my life.  Children can fill me with joy, make me laugh out loud, or make me nuts, but I love being with them.  One special thing about children is that they have not yet learned the fine art of being polite.  I do not mean saying "please" and "thank you" or covering their cough with their elbow, but the polite little lies that one tells others to make them feel better.

Several weeks ago I attended the wedding of a friend's daughter.  I dearly love both the bride and the groom and was thrilled to share their special day.  The couple were spending their honeymoon at Disney, and all of the tables were identified with a Disney character.  While I was sitting and waiting for the couple to arrive, a young girl who attends our church and is in my Sunday School class came to sit on my lap and chat.  When I discovered that the families with young girls had been seated at the "Beauty and the Beast" table, I entertained her by singing a medley from the movie.  The girl looked at me partway through my performance and told me, "The teapot sings it better."

Last week the memory verse in my Sunday School class contained the words, "... the skies proclaim His glory".  In order to explain the word proclaim to my children (4 years to second grade), I stood on one of the little chairs to make a loud proclamation.  One of the girls told me that it is not safe to stand on a chair.  While I was explaining that I was careful, one of the boys told me that I should have stood on the gray chair.  When I asked why, he told me that it was. "Because that chair is bigger and stronger".

Children make me laugh because they are naturally very funny, but they also keep me grounded.  I can't spend much time with a child and have pretensions about myself!

Happy Coffee Day!

Today on the way into work the DJ announced that today is National Coffee Day. (Is there a committee that comes up with themes for the national days, is there a vote, or can anyone declare a day?)  She then proceeded to read a list of people who need to drink the most coffee at work.  Of course I can't remember them all, and the ones that I do remember are not in the correct order, but the list included financial people, principals, and - at the #1 position - scientists.  It seemed like a varied list until I realized that all of these people had fairly sedentary jobs.  They probably need coffee to continue to concentrate and to stay awake.  The only thing that I would question on the list would be the principals - if I were a principal I would probably be drinking a beverage other than coffee, unless it were Irish coffee.

Most early childhood professionals do not need a steady infusion of coffee since they are usually in motion for most of the day.  Today between 7:30 and 11:30, I escorted three children to the bathroom, moved furniture, hauled a broken bookcase out to the dumpster, pruned the bushes that were infringing on the playground, answered four phone calls, admired the gnocchi that the three year old class made, caught up on filing, and danced and sang with some children.  No need for coffee since there is no time to doze off.

Evenings, of course, are another story.  I would need to IV coffee to stay awake after 9:00 pm.  Perhaps we should have National Coffee Night!

Pasta Fagioli

My work days tend to be very long ones.  In addition to the commute, as a director I need to stay late if there is a staff shortage, an upset parent, a problem with the plumbing, etc., or if there is more work to do.  I often pull into home several hours later than I had planned, with little - if any - plans for dinner.  My goal is to have a healthy, delicious, inexpensive meal ready within 20 minutes.  Of course, the best laid plans, etc., etc., etc...  During the summer I often end up throwing dinner (including vegetables) on the grill.  This week, however, the weather was cool, damp, and fall-like.  It was a perfect time to pull out a favorite recipe that I have not made since the weather became hot and muggy.  A big bowl of Pasta Fagioli is quick, easy, delicious, and loaded with nutrition.

Pasta Fagioli

1 Large can tomatoes (crushed, sauce, or diced)
1 15 ounce can cannelini or kidney beans
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup small pasta
basil
olive oil

Dice the onion and garlic.  Saute in olive oil for a few minutes.  Add the tomatoes and beans to the pan, bring to a boil, and simmer.  While the tomato mixture is simmering, cook the pasta in boiling water until al dente.  When the pasta is done, add the pasta to the tomato mixture.  If the tomatoes are too thick, add a little pasta water.  Add basil to taste, ladle into bowls, and serve with Parmesan cheese.

The recipe is very simple.  I like to add a little red wine and/or some shredded spinach.  Some people add a little bacon.  Hot pepper is good in it.  Last time I used Glenn Muir fire roasted tomatoes, which were so good that I need to start roasting roma tomatoes next summer. No matter exactly how you make it, pasta fagoili is full of vitaming, antioxidants, and fiber.  It is warm and comforting on a cool night, and is delicious.

One last note - I realize that this is spelled Pasta Fagioli, but it is pronounced "Pasta Fazoole".  Enjoy!

Are They Nuts?!?

I have a 45 minute commute to work each day.  While I am not wild about the drive, and miss working only 10 minutes from my house, I do enjoy having a quiet time to think, plan, pray, and talk to myself.   Along the way I sometimes listen to the radio, which can involve singing along with the oldies, trying to remember what Josh Nicols had said about the weather ten minutes earlier, answering the contests, and listening to the interesting bits of news that the DJ reads.  Usually I am a calm, happy driver, but some recent news had me yelling most of the way to work.

The news that day was that the SAT scores in reading and math have been dropping almost every year, and in 2010 they hit their lowest point ever.  Was I upset?  Yes!  Was I surprised?  No!  As an educator, I have been watching and decrying the general dumbing down of America for a number of years.  When I was in school, admittedly many years ago, grammar was a separate subject that had dedicated class time and a special grammar book that we used.   Any paper that we wrote was graded for grammar and spelling, even if were for a class other than the English class.  Now spelling and grammar are optional in many classrooms, since computer programs are supposed to find and correct any errors.  I find myself correcting the newscasters when they are reading the news and talking to the newspaper about the poor grammar contained in its articles.  (Don't worry - it doesn't talk back!)  With the popularity of texting, many people now write as if they were texting.  Do they really think that I will respond favorably to an email about an employment opportunity the reads, "i read in the ads that u r looking 4 child care help.  can u tell me more about it.  thanx." 

In addition to just plain laziness and lack of standards, the decline in SAT scores can be directly linked, in my opinion, to the changes in early education.  Even though the latest developmental science tells us that children should be allowed time to grow, to play, and to explore before they start formal learning, children are being pushed to do more at younger ages.  The problem with this is that children are not ready to learn these things at these ages.  Advertisements abound with "Teach Your Baby to Read" ads, and preschools brag that their children are beginning to read, but children at that age are not really reading.  They can learn sight words and repeat them back, but they do not have the necessary skills to decode words and understand their meaning.  The effect is similar to the trained ponies that used to be on the Ed Sullivan show many years ago - the trainer would call out a number and the horse would paw the ground the appropriate number of times.  While the horse was entertaining, and had learned how many times to paw the ground in response to a word from the trainer, the horse obviously had no idea how many "six" or "four" really was.   The horse could never count out six apples or four blocks.  The same, unfortunately, is true of children who are forced to learn to read before they are ready.  To be a successful reader the child must be able to recognize the letters of the alphabet, to know the sounds of words and language, to recognize rhymes, to be able to track from left to right and top to bottom, and to have an adequate vocabulary.  These skills are learned by listening to books, both a large variety of books and favorite books that are repeated over and over again, by being exposed to the written word in the environment, and by talking to adults and other children.  Much as a surgeon cannot cut into a patient until he understands the location and working of all the body parts, a child cannot make sense of reading unless he has experienced the steps that lead up to reading.  Making a child skip the preliminaries will result in children who may be able to memorize words but who will not be able to excel at reading.  If reading is difficult or makes no sense, a child will not develop the love of reading that will last for a lifetime.

This is not the ravings of a few eccentric early childhood teachers.  Scientific studies have demonstrated time and time again how children learn and have shown that children will not learn well unless they have experienced the basics that are needed to learn.  In addition, there is anecdotal evidence - many of the countries whose children score well above ours in reading tests do not begin formal instruction in reading until the children are over six years old.  In addition, these children are allowed extra free time during the day to run and stretch, both of which are necessary for intellectual growth and development. 

Another difficulty that children are encountering as they are growing and learning is the general political climate.  Education has become a hot topic, and everyone has an idea of how children should be taught.  While everyone (myself included) has a few horror stories about bad teachers, most of the teachers today are hard working individuals who care about the children in their classes.  The government, however, in a bid to look as though they are doing something about the low test scores in this country, has decided to evaluate teachers and children through a series of artificial tests that are not designed to measure the way that children think and learn.  These tests, in fact, are often even more biased against the way that boys learn, resulting in lower scores for boys that for girls. Teachers are now forced to teach for a test, rather than to teach for knowledge, for low test scores (even if they are not true measures of a child's learning) put a teacher's career at risk.  The government regulates doctors, but would never think of telling a surgeon how to operate on a human heart.  The same legislators, however, have no difficulty with telling a teacher how to teach.

So, what is a parent to do?  Read - stay current with child development issues.  Advocate - speak up for children and their education.  Learn - stay in touch with your child's child care center or school and become familiar with their programs.  Visit - volunteer, attend meetings, go to school or child care functions.  Move - play with your children and encourage them to walk, hike, swim, and dance.  It helps to build their brains and keep them healthy (and you, too!).  Read - read to your child every day.  Have them read to you when they begin to read.  Visit the library regularly.  Give books for presents.  Let the children know that you value reading by reading yourself every day. Although children spend most of their days with caregivers and teachers, it is the parents who have the most influence over children.  Let them see that you enjoy and value reading and they will be more likely to become lifelong readers and learners.

Eye See You!

I went to kindergarten many years ago when we only went for a half day and were expected to act like kindergartners, as opposed to today when the children are expected to act like first graders.  I don't have many memories of kindergarten - I remember dancing the Mexican Hat Dance (we must have danced it often since I can still hear the music in my head and I can do the steps), we had milk and graham crackers every day, and I didn't like to stand in line next to David Niamond because he wore big, thick socks (David, if for some odd reason you should happen to stumble across this, I am not quite as shallow now, I swear!).  I do remember sitting with a red crayon in my hand poised over a paper while I waited for Mrs. Carroll to teach us how to draw a rainbow, but I couldn't wait and colored on my paper before the instructions so that Mrs. Carroll yelled at me (if any of my classmates stumbles across this, I probably haven't changed that much since then).  One of the things that I vividly remember is learning right from left.

I don't recall that I had know that there was such a thing as left and right before that class.  I do believe that left-handed children learn the difference more easily because people often remark that the child is left-handed.  No one ever says, "Look at that girl - she is right handed".  I do remember Mrs. Carroll standing in front of the class and explaining left and right as she was facing us and as she was facing away from us.  I was very excited about my new knowledge and came home from school to tell my mother all about what I had learned.  I very proudly showed her which hand was my right hand.  I then showed her how when I turned around my other hand became my right hand. My mother then proceeded to teach me my right from my left.  (I still have difficulty, but it seems to be a legacy from my father's family.  People used to ask us if we meant a left or a Lund left!).

Part of my trouble - aside from the Lund heritage - was that I had to absorb a complicated subject the first time that I was introduced to the subject.  Even the vocabulary - left and right - was new to me.  It is often beneficial if a child is introduced to a new concept in small steps.  Several days ago I had to relieve the four year old teacher for a few minutes while her children were finishing their snack.  She asked me to keep an eye on them, so I sat at the table, leaned down to stare at them, and asked if they wanted me to use my left or my right. Someone said "left" so I shut my right eye and stared at them with my left.  After a few minutes, someone yelled, "Right", so I opened my right eye and closed my left.  The continued having me switch eyes, going faster and faster until the room was flashing in front of me.  (This might have been fun in the sixties!)  Fortunately, the teacher came back and relieved me before my brain exploded.  I did not teach the children right from left, but I did introduce them to the concept.  Hopefully, this will help them to build an understanding so that they do not think that their hands change when they turn around (unless one of their greatgrandparents was related to my daddy!).

Are They Ready?

This is the time of the year that most child care directors dread - the week before school.  The children are excited because most of them will be moving to new rooms, prospective parents are calling all day to arrange for tours of the center (doesn't anyone plan ahead?), and the school age children are getting antsy about the return to school  (they really are happier when they are in school).  On top of that there are new attendance lists to make, bus schedules to type out (if the schools let us know the bus numbers and times since there are only two days to go!), and staff vacations to cover.  Of all of the end of summer rituals, the most daunting is the onslaught of child care parents who want to find a preschool for their children so that they can be "ready for kindergarten".

I am sure that what I do is familiar to many directors. I point out the our preschool program is included at no extra cost.  I explain that the children are not doing ditto sheets or gluing together precut pieces of construction paper because our program is based on the latest research about how children learn and how brains grow.  I list the teacher's educational and practical qualifications.  I talk about the children who have graduated from our program and their success in school.  I explain why the things that the parents see in the room are being done.  At the end of this, the parent invariably asks, "Yes, but he needs to be ready for school", and I mentally bang my head on the nearest wall.

I realize that most of this is driven by fear.  Parents who are inundated with advertising and bad news about the future are afraid that their child will be the one to fail because he was not properly prepared.  I realize that directors are driven by fears of declining enrollment if they do not have a program that meets parent expectations, even though these expectations are not necessarily based on fact.  Teachers are worried about parents who question them about the hows and whys of the things that are included in their program.  It is so tempting to fall back into the old ditto sheet and teacher prepared "cookie cutter" projects to avoid all of this. To this I would say, take a deep breath, hold fast to your beliefs, and keep learning.  You cannot defend your program if you cannot back it up with anecdotal and scientific evidence.  Have examples of things that the children have done ready for parents to see.  Have copies of articles by respected authorities in the field for parents to read.  Ensure that your staff knows the reasons why their program runs the way that it does.  Ask some of your current parents who now have children in public school if prospective parents can contact them for a reference.  Most of all remember that this is a big, scary world and parents are genuinely concerned about obtaining the best for their children.  Even if you are giving them a mental eye-roll, their questions are rising out of concern, not out of a desire to make your day long. 

A few weeks ago the four year old class (most of whom will be starting "big school" in the fall) held their annual lemonade stand.  The children sell cookies and lemonade that they have made and give the proceeds to a charity.  This year the proceeds will go towards a memorial to Mrs. Macomber, a beloved teacher who passed away this summer.  The children made the cookies and lemonade (reading, science, math, social skills, and muscle development), made the signs (literacy, art, fine muscle development), greeted customers and took their orders (social skills), and -with a little help form their teacher - took the money and made change.  These children made a large sign with the items that were being sold and the prices and decorated it with drawings of lemons and glasses of lemonade.  The only help that they received from the teacher was some prompting in spelling.  In addition, they gave the adults who had helped them (the cook baked the cookies and I shopped for the ingredients) a ticket for a free treat or lemonade as a thank you.  Are these children ready for kindergarten? 

Of course they are!

Carnival Time

Summer at the child care center is a little different from the rest of the year.  Our child population is lower, and we have the school age children for full days rather than before and after school.  The children spend as much time as possible outdoors, and water play is a favorite activity.  Some special visitors come to the center (a magician, a yoga teacher, and a "mad" science teacher) and present their programs.  The schoolers hold a car wash and every Friday all of the children bring their bikes and helmets and spend most of the day riding in the parking lot.

One of our most popular special events is the center Carnival.  Each room is responsible for two games, and the center purchases little prizes, cotton candy, and popcorn.  The children take turns going from game to game, where everyone earns a prize, and eating lots of sugar.  This year was no exception, except that the day of the carnival the skies became cloudy and very dark and the channel 10 radar showed big thunderstorms heading in our direction. 

Obviously the children could not go to the playground for their carnival.  Although all of the teachers know to drop everything and come inside at the first rumble of thunder, moving all of the children out of the playground, across the parking lot, and into the building at once would be difficult.  It was decided that in the interest of safety the carnival would have to be held inside the school age room, which is the largest room in the building.  All of the games would work well inside the building - except for my game.

Each year I am a game at the carnival.  I put on a poncho, take off my glasses, and let the children throw wet sponges at me, and throwing water would not work in the building.  My dear friend, the assistant director, had a solution, however.  She decided that I could take a chair and sit on the walk outside the building and the children could throw the wet sponges at me from the building.  If lightening should start striking, the children would be safe and I could run as fast as possible with a long poncho and a wet face to safety.  This actually worked very well, except that I could not catch the sponges and throw them back at the children this year because the rug got wet.

The first child to hit me in the face was a little girl who had just turned five.  She has curly hair, hair ribbons, cute dresses, a sweet smile, and a heck of a right arm.  As I told her in my most adult professional voice, "You cay-n't hit me!", she let fly and hit me in the middle of my face with a soaking sponge.  The second child to score a direct hit was a child who had just turned three.  She was looking at the prize bin which was next to me when she straightened up, smiled sweetly, and pasted me one with a sponge that I hadn't noticed that she was still holding.  All of the children came back a number of times, but the most frequent visitor was the older brother of the first child.  He is an aspiring major leaguer, and did not want to let his sister beat him.  The boy kept coming back and trying again and again until - success!- he hit me in the upper right quadrant of my face.  He gave me a big smile and went off to other games.  (I do believe that the game is more difficult for the older children, since they are more aware that they are not supposed to be hitting a teacher.)

The thunderstorms went to the north of us, all of the prizes were used, the cotton candy was eaten, and everyone had a great time (even the human target).  The children fished for floating ducks, knocked over stacked milk bottles with a ball, threw velcro balls at a target, and had their faces painted.  Next year will bring another carnival with games, prizes, and treats.  Hopefully the weather will be sunny and I will be able to throw the sponges back at the children! 

Rock That Baby!

This week I have been reading A Running Start: How Play, Physical Activity and Free Time Create a Successful Child by Rae Pica.  The book details the way in which time to play and exercise helps children to grow, develop, and learn.  It is a very commonsense book,which is supported by brain research about how children learn, that advocates for letting children be children.  This is especially refreshing in light of an article that I read a few weeks ago that discussed the growth of tutors for preschool children.  These tutors drilled children on the "important academic" things that they would need to know - colors, alphabet,etc.   Parents who fear that their children will not do well in school think that this is wonderful, but I consider it to be a form of child abuse.  This book should be mandatory reading for these parents.

I was particularly interested in the section about infant growth, which discussed the growth and development of the infant's brain.  While parents are being pushed (or guilted) into buying electronic toys or computer software to encourage their baby to grow, it is actually the time that parents spend holding, rocking, and talking to a baby that has the most effect on the child's physical, mental, and emotional development.  The baby's vestibular system - the body's sense of movement and balance - calms the child as the parents rocks, cuddles, and walks with the baby.  As amazing as it is that a tiny infant should be born with a fully developed vestibular sense that responds to movement, there is even more.  The motion also helps to promote brain development.  Infant games, such as patty cake, provide a bonding experience as the child laughs with the parent or caregiver (children can't bond with computer games).  Again, as if this weren't enough reason to leave the "educational" computer and play with your child, games like patty cake involve crossing the midline of the body, which helps the two hemispheres of the brain to communicate and work together, as well as developing eye-hand coordination which is necessary for the reading and learning that the child will do as she grows older.

Much has been written about the power of touch and young and children.  A great deal of anecdotal evidence is available  which shows that children in orphanages would wither and die from lack of human contact.  All of their physical needs were met, but their emotional and sensory needs were not. Long before I studied child development and learned of the connection between lack of physical contact and the failure to thrive of children in institutions, I learned of this from my mother.  Mama was a nurse who joined the army and worked in hospital overseas during World War II.  When she returned home she worked at a TB hospital, Vassar Brothers hospital in Poughkeepsie, and the local doctor's office.  She seldom talked of her war experiences, but often spoke of her time as a student nurse at Boston Children's Hospital.  She told me of an infant who was born with a deformed chin that could not be out of an incubator for more than fifteen minutes at a time.  When Mama worked nights, she would take the baby out of the incubator and rub her back and talk to her while she was talking and singing to her.  During these times she could keep the baby out of the incubator of as long as an hour and a half. 

Parents, grandparents, and child care providers - turn off the electronics, take the baby out of the carrier or swing, and spend time together.  Your touch, your voice, and your movements will do more to help your child grow and develop more that any "educational" electronic thing that you can buy.  There is an old poem that says something along the lines of, "Cooking and cleaning and dusting will keep but I am rocking my baby and babies don't keep". 

Oh, Deer II

The deer have stopped snacking on our garden, thanks to Jerry Baker and his book about garden pests.  The garden is now festooned with bars of deodorant soap that are tied inside old pantyhose and hung inside plastic cups (to prevent the soap from melting in the rain).  The garden is a little smelly, but the plants are showing new growth, and I have high hopes for a good vegetable crop. 

The cucumber vines are producing lots of cukes; we have been eating them, sharing them, and preserving them.  I am in the process of making a batch of Charlie's Mother's Nine Day Sweet Pickles, to be followed by Bread and Butter pickles.  We have begun picking a few green peppers.  The deer did not like the hot peppers, and I will soon be canning more of them (for some reason the vegetables are only ready to go into the pressure canner on the hot, muggy days!).  Best of all, the tomatoes are ripening! Today for lunch I had peppers and tomatoes sauteed in olive oil and served over pasta. Delicious!

The farm markets are now open, and I love walking along the stalls, looking at the produce and planning meals.  This is a wonderful time to introduce your children, either at home or in the classroom, to vegetables.  Children learn through their senses, and the sight, feel, and smell of vegetables calls out to them.  The veggies are red and green, yellow and purple; they are smooth and rough and bumpy; they smell tart or sharp or sweet.  A child is much more likely to try a vegetable that he has been able to touch and choose by himself,  and allowing the child to help prepare the vegetables makes them even more appealing.  Remember - cook them carefully.  There is nothing worse than being served a limp, mushy, gray vegetable.

Here is a recipe to help your children enjoy their veggies.  (I would like you to think that I am brilliant, but the recipe comes from Giada DeLaurentis and her "Giada at Home" show.)

Baked Macaroni and Cheese Cupcakes



Vegetable cooking spray

2 Cups dried breadcrumbs                                                                                     

Olive oil

8 oz small pasta                                                                        

2 Cups Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 Cup white cheddar

Cherry tomatoes, quartered

Vegetables, blanched in boiling water and cut into small pieces - broccoli, peppers, beans, asparagus, etc.

Preheat oven to 375.  Spray 2 muffin pans.  Using 1 Cup breadcrumbs, coat the inside of each tin with breadcrumbs, shaking off excess.  Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente.  Drain.   Allow the children to choose vegetables and cheese to customize their mac and cheese cupcake.  Have them mix the ingredients together in a bowl.  Spoon mixture into cupcake molds.  Top with a thin layer of breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil. 

Bake until golden brown - 15 to 20 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes and carefully unmold.

Enjoy!

One Step Further

Yesterday was a very exciting day.  Several months ago the center received a grant from an agency whose mission is to improve the health and eating habits of 3 to 5 year old children.  Among the equipment that we had requested for indoor active play was an item called an "Alfresco Climber"  It is composed of a series of plastic parts, including bases, ramps, stairs, tunnels, and waves that can be put together to form a balance/beam climber.  This also can be reconfigured in a number of different ways so that the children do not become bored with repeating the same motions over and over.  It took several days for all of the twelve boxes of parts to arrive, and it was difficult waiting.  I couldn't wait to see how the children enjoyed playing on the climber.

When the time came to play on the climber, the children enjoyed it just as much as I had anticipated.  There was, however, one thing that I had not anticipated.  I had thought that the teachers would be reconfiguring the climber into a number of arrangements that the children would enjoy.  I did not realize that the four and five year old children enjoyed rearranging the parts into new designs as much as they enjoyed climbing.  Watching them work together was a joy.  They discussed what to do, made a plan, and helped each other.  "Let's move the tunnel over here."  "Turn the stairs over and make a ramp."  "Bob, grab the other end and put it in the red piece."  The words flew as fast as their arms and legs.  The children would complete their arrangement, play on it for a while, and share new ideas for the climber.  They would then get to work, sometimes changing plans in midstream, and make a new creation.

When I found the climber in a catalog, I was looking forward to getting an item that would challenge the children's muscles and sense of balance, that would give them exercise, and that would be fun.  I did accomplish that goal.  What I did not expect to do was to help the children develop social skills, language, vocabulary, physical problem solving skills, and self confidence.  As an educator, I should not have been surprised that the children took the climber an extra step.  I can't wait to see what they do tomorrow!

Oh, Deer!

I have written about the fun of gardening with children, about how our garden was planted this spring, and about how I was looking forward to all of the fresh produce.  While I was picking the asparagus, I noticed that the tops of some of the stalks were missing.  The mystery was solved when I found a deer hoof print in the asparagus bed.  When the asparagus season was over I eagerly awaited the next harvest.  I had the first cutting of Swiss chard (beans and greens for lunch!), and went to find more.  What I found was that the local deer must have mistaken the garden for the local 7/11. 

The Swiss chard consists of bare stems.






The peppers have no blossoms or top leaves.




The green beans are bare between the top and the bottom of the plants.


At least the deer do not like the hot peppers and the onions.  I have found a few that have been spit out onto the ground.  One high point, though - they do not seem to like the tomatoes!  But,to add insult to injury, I have to pooper scoop the deer do if we want to walk through the garden.

There are apparently several things that can be done to scare away the deer.  I do not plan to sit in the garden all night so that I can jump up and yell when they tiptoe in.  I can order cougar urine on the internet and sprinkle it around.  (I can picture myself running into the post office asking, "Bonita, is my cougar urine here yet?").  Human urine is supposed to work.  (Why didn't we need it when my grandson was here?  Every ten year old boy worth his salt would jump at the chance to pee in the yard without being scolded.)  Hanging pieces of soap around the garden to shoo the deer sounds like the best bet.  Hopefully it will work and we will have vegetables after all.

This week I read Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West by Dorothy Wickenden.  The story is about two young ladies from Auburn, NY who, in 1917 travel to Colorado to teach for a year.  The story is taken from the girls' letters home, interviews, and diaries.  It is fascinating.

Maybe My Family Is Right!

As you know, I love working with young children and have devoted much of my adulthood to them.  In addition to actually spending time in the center, I attend conferences and webinars, go to trainings, and read many books about child development and early childhood education.  Since child care centers are always on a tight budget, my church family and friends are used to seeing me collecting bags of wet coffee grounds (to dry and use in the sensory table), empty coffee cans (to use for storage and to make drums and other wonderful things), and feathers from the resident gulls.  My family thinks that I am a little over the top, but I prefer to think of myself as dedicated.

I begen to rethink this a few day ago when I was in Wegmans.  After I had checked out, I went to the Lotto counter.  When Sally came to wait on me, I smiled, said hello, and told her, "I would like two Megas and two Legos, please"

The Best Laid Plans

Thursday was a typical day at the center.  The children arrived at their usual times, everyone ate breakfast, there was a period of free play, and the teachers began their lesson plans for the day.  Just then, with a whoosh and a bang, the Blue Angels flew overhead.  They were in town for the air show this weekend and were spending a few hours practicing over the city.  Rather than doing the planned activities, the children and staff spent hours sitting under a tree and watching while the planes dove, swooped, and spiraled overhead. 

None of the carefully planned activities that were developmentallhy appropriate and designed to help the children grow and learn took place that day.  Did the children miss educational opportunities?  No.  While the planes were flying the staff talked to them about what they saw and heard.  They talked about noise, shapes, the sound barrier, going fast, the words on the bottom of the wings, and the shapes of the smoke trails that they left in the sky.  Did the teachers mind?  No.  They had a unique educational opportunity that does not happen every day.  Did the administration mind?  No.  We understand how children learn.  They will remember and understand the concepts of speed, loud, wings, and even sound barrier when they have had such a vivid demonstration.  We also did not mind because our desks were empty and our work was undone.  We were outside jumping up and down and cheering with the children.

Today is another day and now . . .  Wait - I hear them again. . . . . .

I Just Called to Say...

Several months ago I wrote about one of my three year old boys who discovered that he could stick an accordion shaped building piece with a magnet in each end onto the corner of a classroom wall.  The metal beading on the corner attracted the magnets and kept the piece in place.  Yesterday, as I was visiting in the same room, I witnessed another child who found a unique use for the same piece.

LeTisha was standing in front of the classroom mirror, which was made of polished steel and stood in a wood frame.  She had put the piece onto the mirror at about the same level as her head.  While she was looking at herself in the mirror, LeTisha would take the piece off the mirror, hold it up to her ear, and chat away.  The whole time that she was talking on her "phone", she would watch herself in the mirror.  Her head would wag and her body would move in time to her conversation.  After a minute or two of talking, she would hang up her phone, wait a few seconds, and pick up the phone for another conversation. 

A battery powered toy phone that sets out a script for a child?  Twenty dollars plus lots of batteries.  A magnetic building piece that will allow the child to talk to anyone about anything?  Priceless!!

Growing Up In a Library

"I had always imagined that paradise would be a kind of library."  Jorge Louis Borges

Libraries have always played a large part in my life.  When we were growing up, my mother regularly took us to the Fishkill Plains library.  It was a community library that was housed in an old church and taken care of by Mrs. Alley, who looked very old to me at the time, but I imagine she would not seem terribly old to me now.  The library was lined with books, had more books, magazines, and puzzles laid out on the pews, and had an old pipe organ with lots of stops.  We played with it, but I can't really remember if it played music.  Mrs. Alley even kept boxes of the old series books - Nancy Drew, the Bobsey Twins, the Hardy Boys, etc. - under some tables.  She said that they weren't supposed to belong in libraries, but that the children still loved them so she kept them.  We occasionally went to one of the larger libraries in neighboring towns, but this is the library where we spent hours and where I volunteered while in school. 

My love of libraries stayed with me.  During high school, I worked in the library whenever I had a study hall or free time.  When I went to college I spent four years working in the college library and joined the local library.  Once I married I went to the library in each town in which we lived.  I now have to travel to Geneseo to the library, but it is only a few miles.  I especially love the OWWL system, in which I can order books from the network of fifty-something libraries and have them delivered to Geneseo.  Heaven!

Emile Buchwals has said that, "Children are made readers on the laps of their parents"  When I was growing up, my parents read to us daily.  Boys are often less interested in reading than girls, in part because fathers tend to read less than mothers and boys tend to emulate their fathers.  I remember my parents sitting down with their library books when they had their after dinner cup of coffee each night.  We were surrounded by books, and my brother, my sister, and I all developed a deep love of reading.  When my children were babies we began the weekly trips to the library for books, they saw their parents reading every day, and they both love to read.  When I became a grandmother, I began to take my grandchildren to the library, although I had to share that joy with their mother who is still an avid reader.

Hearing the word "library" fills my mind with pictures, sights, and even that special book smell that is embedded in my mind from years spent in libraries.  I love the new children's books that are being written, and especially those for older children who used to fall into a space between picture books and adult books with little that was special for them.  One of the things that I enjoy about being with children is that I can enjoy the new books while revisiting favorites from my youth.  This week, while my grandchildren are visiting, my granddaughter and I have been reading "The Borrowers" by Mary Norton which was a favorite of mine when I was her age.  Unfortunately, we were so busy that we couldn't finish it, and it went home with her.  Maybe I will have to get another copy. 

If you do not belong to your local library, I urge you to visit.  In addition to all of those books, which is reason enough to join, many libraries also have music, videos, story hours, summer reading programs, book clubs, knitting groups, and special speakers and entertainment.  Best of all, don't forget the books - all of those lovely books.

My latest read?  I just finished My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira.  It is the story of a midwife who, in order to become a surgeon, worked as a nurse during the Civil War.  It is based on the fact that twenty women became doctors due to their work during the war, and the author has done an enormous amount of research on Civil War society, medicine, hospitals, army life, and battles.  It was fascinating.

Hurray for You Tube!

I have become a big fan of You Tube.  It is a wonderful invention.  I began by following a friend's Facebook link to watch the St. Luke's Bottle Band play the Peacherine Rag.  The band, which is from St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Park Ridge, Illinois, has 26 videos posted.  I have watched them all several times.  Since then I have watched the Ooey Gooey Lady (Lisa Murphy, who is a nationally known early childhood trainer who is based in Rochester) talk about the children that she has known in her classrooms.  I have watched Mendisa sing of the glories of the Lord and naked Swedish men dance the Krispbread Dance.  I have even watched Big Brother and the Holding Company (without Janis Joplin) play "In the Hall of the Mountain King" by Edvard Grieg.  One video leads to another which leads to another. 

I have, however truly appreciated the value of You Tube until recently.  At the end of the last school year my daughter and her family moved to North Carolina.  It was a good move for the family, and my grandchildren are getting a chance to know their NC grandma for more than a week a year.  Still I miss them very much, and it becomes worse at certain times of the year.  This year is the first that I have missed my granddaughter's dance recital.  But --guess what -- one of the fathers has posted it on You Tube.  When I get lonely, I can go online and watch her dance, leap, and twirl.  It's not as good as living next door, but it is wonderful!

Imagine That!

When I was younger, I wanted to be heroine, to have marvelous and dangerous adventures, and to have a head of long, lovely hair which would blow in the wind while I was adventuring.  Because it was the late fifties and early sixties, and our parents trusted us to say "no" to strangers, my brother, sister, and our neighbor friends roamed the fields and woods having adventures (one wish down, although they were not generally dangerous!).  If we were playing a game in which there were few female characters, I would take the name "Chris" or "Lee" so that the others would think that I was a male character when I was secretly a female character (Hah! I was a heroine!  Wish #2!).  Since I was not very good in the growing long, lovely hair department, I took an old pair of tights, twisted the legs together, put a rubber band around the ankles, and put them on my head (sorry, no pictures!).  I am sure that it looked lovely blowing in the breeze.  (Okay for #3.)

Young children use their imagination to make sense of the world and to learn more about it.  Several themes are almost universal.  Children love to use a telephone to call their parents, and will use a block, a car, or even a shoe for the telephone.  Having a friend die and making them alive again with the doctor kit, or delivering a friend's baby by poking her in the leg with play forks and blocks is another favorite.  Every preschooler worth his or her salt has played puppy at one time or another.  (Note to other teachers:  Watch your ankles when the puppies are around, especially if you are not wearing thick socks.  Trust me on this one!) 

Unfortunately, today, as the children grow a little older, the tendency to engage in imaginary play decreases.  I don't know why this is so.  Part of the answer is technology since their toys do everything for them now.  If you listen to a preschool classroom, you will not hear car noises when the children are playing with cars.  Fifteen years ago every boy was adept at making all kinds of car noises, but now they play with cars that make all of the noises for them so the do not make car noises.  There is not need to putt-putt, screech, or varoom.  As the children grow older, they feel the need to follow scripts exactly.  I once had a school age child who was upset because she wanted to be a girl Power Ranger and the girl rangers (pink and yellow) were already taken.  I suggested that she become a purple ranger, but she could not do that because the Power Rangers did not have a purple one.  I suggested that it could be a new Ranger, but not matter how I tried to suggest a change, it would not be possible because THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS A PURPLE POWER RANGER!!  Is this because of all of the screen time?  I don't know, but it is very sad.

Perhaps children lose some of their imagination because the adults have lost theirs.  A school age boy once loved to dress up in the "girl" clothes - big hats, silky shirts, shiny skirts, and the red high heeled ankle boots.  This was greeted with laughter by the adults, and even some comments that he might not grow up to be a "manly man".  If they had bothered to listen to him or talk to him they would have know the truth, that he was playing Batman.  Bob liked the Riddler and the other villains, all of whom dressed in colorful outfits.  The "boy" dress up clothes consisted of dress shirts, suit jackets, and work boots - nothing a self-respecting villain would be caught dead wearing.  If he wanted the bright colors of a villain outfit, he needed to wear the colorful clothes.  Fortunately, Bob was having so much fun that he didn't pay attention the adults, but it is so sad that the adults had developed such a narrow outlook and could not bother to listen to a child's fun.  I don't know if he is a manly man today - I guess I could write and ask his drill sergeant.

When your child is imagining something, encourage him.  Be involved in the play, but do not (as some child care teachers unfortunately do) change or manage the play to make it "better".  I have watched staff take over the game, change it, and direct it.  They then cannot understand why the children are no longer interested in playing.  It is because the game no longer belongs to the children, and because they have been told that their game is not adequate.  Imagination is a wonderful thing so encourage it.  The inventors, explorers, artists, writers, and scientists all have been able to imagine something and create it, discover it, or invent it.  Our children may never grow up to be a great scientist or a successful writer, but having a good imagination will enrich their lives for years.  So when your child is playing, play along.  As well as being a special time together, it will encourage your child's growth, be a lot of fun, and might even set your imagination free!

Cooking in the Summer

It is summer - a time when everyone feels happy.  The sun is shining, the trees and the grass are green, the flowers are blooming, and we can run out the door without heavy clothing or shoes.  We all look forward to spending as much time as possible out of doors, and find excuses to leave our work to get into the sunshine.  Today our three year old class took their cots and bedding out onto the playground and had naptime under the trees where they could feel and hear the breeze and listen to the birds.  It was a peaceful place - I wanted to pull up a cot and join them.  In the summer I do as much as possible outdoors - I would wash if I had a washing machine in my back yard - and one thing that I do as much as possible is cooking on the grill.  There are enough different things that cook well on the grill to keep us eating all summer without getting bored.

Vegetables are excellent.  Wash them, slice, sprinkle them with some olive oil, and put them on the grill.  After a few minutes sprinkle them with more olive oil and turn them.  Zucchini, sweet peppers, carrots, asparagus, and green beans are wonderful when cooked this way.  If they tend to fall through the grates, just thread them onto a bamboo skewer.  Corn can be husked, sprinkled with olive oil, and placed on the grill.

Biscuits, either plain or sourdough, can be put into a cast iron frying plan, and placed on the warming shelf.  They will bake while the other foods cook on the grill, and they have an entirely different taste from biscuits that are baked in the oven.

For desert, slice peaches or necterines, put on skewers, sprinkle with olive oil and grill until slightly brown and softened on each side.  When they are done, put them on some vanilla ice cream.  (They are good on their own, but anything is better with ice cream on it!).

One of my all time favorite foods that can be cooked on the grill is pizza.  It is a little more work until you get used to it (especially for those of us who are coordination challenged!), but quickly becomes easy to do.  I use my favorite pizza dough recipe, but I imagine that it would work with premade crusts or dough.  The pizzas need to personal size so that they can be handled easily.  Turn a cookie sheet upside down, rub olive oil on it, and place a piece of dough on it.  Oil your hands and spread the dough out to the desired thickness.  With the grill on low heat, invert the cookie sheet over the grill grates and help the dough come off onto the grates.  (If it folds a little or sags between the grates a little, don't worry).  After three or four minutes the dough will be brown and will smell great.  Use a pancake turner to remove the dough from the grill, and flip it onto a plate so the browned side is up.  Put whatever pizza toppings you would like on the top - sauce, cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, artichokes, etc.  (This is a great chance for your child to customize his pizza!)  Return the pizza to the grill and cook for an additional 5 or so minutes until the bottom of the crust is brown and the cheese is melted. 

All of the foods are delicious, have ways for the children to help prepare them, and will impress the heck out of your friends who do not realize that such things can be cooked on a grill.  Have fun!