Children are…

Amazing, acknowledge them
Believable, trust them
Childlike, allow them
Divine, honor them
Energetic, nourish them
Fallible, embrace them
Gifts, treasure them
Here now, be with them
Innocent, delight with them
Joyful, appreciate them
Kindhearted, learn from them
Lovable, cherish them
Magical, fly with them
Noble, esteem them
Open minded, respect them
Precious, value them
Questioners, encourage them
Resourceful, support them
Spontaneous, enjoy them
Talented, believe in them
Unique, affirm them
Vulnerable, protect them
Whole, recognize them
XTra Special, celebrate them
Yearning, notice them
Zany, laugh with them

~~Meiji Stewart~~

Events for parents, teachers & caregivers in the Washington, D.C. metro area

CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) Presents:
Parent to Parent Family Training on AD/HD
Fall Sessions/Alexandria, VA: 7 consecutive Friday evenings
October 2nd- November 20th (except Oct 9th for CHADD conference)
Time: 7:00 pm – 9:15 pm
Commonwealth Academy, 1321 Leslie Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301
Fees: $100.00 CHADD Members or $145.00 Non-CHADD Members
(includes annual membership in CHADD)
Couples may share the manual and pay one entry fee
Instructor: Leah Daziens, CHADD Certified Teacher
For more information contact: leah.daziens@gmail.com
Registration Deadline: September 23, 2009


Fairfax County Public Schools:
A meeting regarding the identification of students with disabilities who have been enrolled in private schools by their parents and the provision of special education services.
The Individuals with Disabilities Act 2004 (IDEA) addresses the requirement for schools to provide special education and related services for children who are placed by their parents in private schools located within the school divisions geographic boundaries.
www.fcps.edu/dss/sei/privateschools/index.htm

Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Fairfax County Public School Gatehouse Administration Center
8115 Gatehouse Road, Falls Church, VA 22042
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Please register: Sheila Weaver – Sheila.weaver1@fcps.edu 571-423-4160


Exceptional Schools for Exceptional Students School Fair
Sunday, October 18, 2:00 – 5:-- p.m.
Katzen Art Center, American University @ Ward Circle, Washington, DC

Showcasing the many wonderful school choices available to families of children with learning differences. Find out about individualized programs that will help your child thrive both academically and socially.

Admission is FREE and OPEN to the public

Participating Schools:

Accotink Learning Center
Alexandria Friends
The Auburn School
Chelsea School
Commonwealth Academy
The Diener School
Ivymount School Model Asperger Program
The Maddux School
Kingsbury Day School
The Lab School of Washington
Landmark
Mansef
McLean School
The Nora School
The Norbel School
Oakwood School
Parkmont School
The Siena School
The Summit School
The Katherine Thomas School

For more information please contact Beth Atkinson at 301-592-0567 x 12 or batkinson@thesienaschool.org


George Mason University, Center for the Arts Presents: How We Learn: Human Exceptionality and CognitionMargo A. Mastropieri, Professor, College of Education and Human DevelopmentMonday, October 19, 2009 at 7 p.m.This presentation will describe how research with exceptional populationscan advance our understanding of all human learning and cognition and maycontribute to the development of a theory of learning and instruction. Inthis view, research on individuals with special learning needs can helpuncover processes or skills overlooked by a solitary focus on more efficientlearners. Mastropieri will discuss what her research has provided and how itinforms us about learning. She will examine the future research directionsto narrow the difference between what we have learned and what we couldlearn.Tickets are free. For more info http://gmu.edu/cfa/vision/


Children Together welcomes Pam Schiller, Ph.D.
In this practical workshop Dr. Schiller will get down to the nitty-gritty and provide participants with a tool box full of specific strategies and hands-on activities that can be used in play – to promote early literacy and brain development in young children at home and in the classroom.

Saturday, October 21, 2009, 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Alexandria, VA

$50 for early registration (prior to 10/12)
$60 registration for walk ins
$40 for five or more from one school or Organization (by 10/1)

For registration information go to www.children-together.org


The Oakwood School Parent Association presents William R. Stixrud, Ph.D. speaking on “The Neuropsychology of Memory: How the Brain Learns and How to Help Kids Who Can’t Remember”

Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.,
Oakwood School, 7210 Braddock Road, Annandale, VA

Dr. Stixrud is a licensed psychologist who has been in private practice as a neuropsychologist since 1985. He specializes in the evaluation of children, adolescents, and adults with learning disabilities, and in the promotion of self-esteem. He currently is a member of the Clinical Supervisory Faculty at Children's Hospital and an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the George Washington University Medical Center. Dr. Stixrud also holds an appointment on the Clinical Faculty of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical School.

$15 registration fee at the door.
Please reserve a seat by calling 703-941-5788

H1N1, "Swine" Flu - the latest information

H1N1, “swine” Flu - the latest information

I attended a presentation by Mr. Bill Hall, Director of News & Media Relations for the US Dept. of Health and Human Services, yesterday at one of my kids' schools.

Here is some of the information that he presented:

What is the Flu?
The flu is an infection of the nose, throat and lungs caused by influenza viruses.

What is the H1N1 Flu?
It is a new and different influenza that is spreading worldwide among people. It is called the “swine flu” at first because it has pieces of flu viruses found in pigs in the past. The H1N1 has NOT been detected in U.S. pigs.

How serious is the flu?
The flu can be very serious especially for younger children and children of any age that have one or more chronic conditions or “at risk” conditions. These conditions include asthma, or other lung problems, diabetes, weakened immune systems, kidney disease, heart problems, and neurological or neuromuscular disorders.

How does the flu spread?
Both the seasonal flu and the “swine flu” are thought to spread mostly though the coughs and sneezes of people who are sick with the influenza.
People may also get sick by touching something with the flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.
*** the flu virus can stay on a surface (door knob, counter, faucet handle etc.) for up to 8 hours

What are the symptoms of the flu?
Symptoms of the seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu include fever, cough, sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people may even have vomiting and/or diarrhea.

How long can a sick person spread the flu to others?
People infected with the flu can infect others from 1 day prior to getting sick to 5-8 days after.

How can I protect my child against the flu?
Get a seasonal flu vaccine

Take everyday precautions such as:

-Cover your nose and mouth with your sleeve, elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. And throw the tissue away after use.

-Wash your hands often with soap and water, sing Happy Birthday 2 times.
Use an alcohol based sanitizer if no soap is available.

-Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

-Try to keep children from having close contact (about 6 feet) with people who are sick, including anyone in the family/household.

-Keep surfaces like kitchen counters, door knobs, toys and bathroom fixtures clean by wiping with a disinfectant according to the product label.

-Throw away tissues and any other disposable items used by a sick or infected person.

Who is at risk for the H1N1 virus?
-Pregnant women and the very young are at risk.
-Those with any underlying health conditions are at risk for the flu.
-Children, teens and young adults are considered at risk.
(Anyone born before 1957 seems to have immunity because of the swine flu they may have been exposed to.)

Is there a vaccine to protect my child?
A vaccine for the H1N1 flu is being produced and should be ready for distribution by Oct 1.
Children under 10 should get 3 shots – 1 seasonal flu vaccine, a “swine flu” vaccine and 21 days later a “swine flu” booster vaccine.

Children over 10 should get 2 shots – 1 seasonal flu vaccine and a “swine flu” vaccination.

There are no adverse effects from the swine flu vaccination.

Are there medications to treat the flu?
Antiviral drugs can treat both the seasonal and “swine” flu. These drugs can make people feel better and get better soon, but they need to be prescribed by a Dr.
The antiviral medications currently on the market are Tamiflu and Relenza.

What should I do if my child gets sick?
If your child is 5 yrs or older and otherwise healthy, consult your Dr. as needed and make sure your child gets lots of liquids and rest. Treat the symptoms like any other cold or flu, with Advil, Tylenol, etc.
DO NOT GIVE CHILDREN UNDER 18 YEARS OLD ASPIRIN – this could cause your child to get Ryes Syndrome.

If your child is younger than 5 yrs of age and/or has a medical condition and develops flu like symptoms call your Dr. or get medical attention.

What if my child seems really sick?
Even children who have always been healthy or had the flu before can get a severe case of the flu.
Call or take your child to the Dr. right away of your child has:
-Fast breathing or trouble breathing
-bluish or gray skin color
-not drinking enough fluids
-severe or persistent vomiting
-not waking up or not interacting
-being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
-flu like symptoms improve but then returns
-has other health or underlying conditions and develops flu symptoms

Can my child go to school, camp, or day care?
NO your child should stay home to rest and avoid spreading the flu to others. Your child should be fever free for 24 hours without the assistance of fever reducing medications, before returning to school, camp, day care.

Various other notes:
-Pandemic means “global spread” NOT deadly.
-Make sure you have at least 2 weeks of supplies at your home so that you can stay at home to take care of your family member with the flu and so that you are not going out to the grocery store or pharmacy infecting others.
-Something to tell your children – If it’s wet and it’s not yours, DON’T touch it!
-Teach your kids to do the elephant – cough or sneeze into their elbow.
-If you think you’re sick but not sure it’s the flu, don’t go to the Dr., you could be placing yourself at risk because your immune system may be weakened and the flu may be present in the Dr’s office.
-most deaths associated with the “swine flu” are not from the flu itself but from pneumonia.

For more information go to:
www.cdc.gov
www.flu.gov
or call 1-800-CDC-INFO

~~Kellie

Waiting for Baby - Part 4

Now I realize even more how uncertain everything is regarding carrying a child and the delivery thereof. I’m feeling kind of silly right now. It has been 3 days and the baby still resides in my womb. The doctor said I haven’t even progressed at all! I was certain things had changed! It seems impossible, but now I will lie here for 2 more weeks and wait. My neighbor, also expecting a child (and being induced today), had an interesting bit of knowledge that she gleaned from her doctor last week after having very strong contractions herself and not going into labor. Apparently the barometric pressure has an influence over labor and delivery. That would explain what I was feeling! After looking online for information on this topic I have found varying opinions. Some studies show that a sharp drop in barometric pressure leads to more deliveries than a steady barometric pressure, and other studies show that there is not a strong connection between the two. All I know is that something crazy was going on in my body at the same time as my pregnant neighbor’s, and the pressure had dropped that night. Either way, I am grateful for the chance to keep him safe for a while longer so that he can be as strong as possible at birth. Maybe he will be born at term after all!
~~Katie

Waiting for Baby - Part 3

And now on to the third scenario, today’s pregnancy: Our daughter was just shy of her second birthday and we realized that I wasn’t getting any younger. Our third attempt at in vitro again was successful. I have to say that having to go that route to get pregnant is not the most enjoyable manner of procreation, but I am eternally grateful to the powers that be for having such luck each time. We know far too many people that have made repeated attempts at every type of fertility treatment to no avail. I can’t begin to imagine their frustration and disappointment, and my heart goes out to everyone in that situation. It just shouldn’t be that difficult to do something that most take for granted as a naturally-occurring and enjoyable thing.
Anyway, my doctors and I decided that since my daughter was born full-term we would skip the cerclage and bed rest this time and just pay attention to the signals my body gave me (in addition to cervical length ultrasounds every 2 weeks). Everything has been wonderful: No stress of preparing for a horrible disease or deciding whether or not to continue the pregnancy, no bed rest (aside from a couple of days after a scare at 18 weeks due to my irritable uterus), and I have felt really great. This is what pregnancy is supposed to be like! No wonder Mrs. Duggar has so many children! (Well, OK, maybe 18 or 19 is a bit drastic.) Then, about a month ago, I started to feel like things were changing and I asked my OB to check things out. Several hours after that I went into preterm labor and was admitted to the hospital (see my blog on patients’ rights from September 11), but thankfully the doctors were able to stop things in their tracks. After two days in the hospital I was discharged to go home on bed rest for 3 weeks, at which point I would be 34 weeks along. Even though that is still 3 weeks before a baby is considered term, the OB felt confident everything would be fine if he was born.
I have to say that bed rest is much more challenging with a toddler around, but 3 weeks compared to 4 months is not too bad at all. Finally it was my last day of lying around. The doctor said to be almost as careful as before, but if the baby came it would probably be OK. I awoke that morning with a feeling that things were about to happen. Our son was going to be born, and soon. Why does a mother know these things? There were no physical reasons to think so until later that day when my contractions, normally irregularly spaced and somewhat mild, became regular and much more intense. Then the lower back pain came with each contraction and horrible sciatica radiated in either leg (or sometimes both) every time I tried to walk.
I made it through the night without going to the hospital, but now my bag is packed just in case, the car seat is installed, the co-sleeper is ready, and I’m heading out for my OB appointment. Wonder what today will have in store? Will my mother’s intuition be right?
~~Katie~~

Waiting for Baby - Part 2

Five months after the loss of our son, my husband and I decided to try again. Luckily the in vitro was successful a second time. We took measures beforehand to ensure this baby would not have CF, and 20 weeks later we discovered that a baby girl was on the way. Our doctor was not taking any chances – a double cerclage was placed and at 17 weeks along I was put on bed rest for just over 4 months. It was a really long 4 months, to be sure. What a crazy situation that so many of us face while pregnant! You wonder every moment if everything will be OK, if you will make it full-term, if the baby is moving enough, if, if, if. There is no distraction from the worry on bed rest. Flashbacks of the previous pregnancy and delivery prevailed daily and tormented my dreams. In the end it was worth every moment of worry. The cerclage was removed at 37 weeks and we expected our daughter to come shooting out. That didn’t happen at all. She was happy in there! I ran up and down the stairs at the local mall, just hoping it would make things progress, but no luck. Then at 39 weeks 4 days, our daughter was born in a perfect and calm delivery (thanks to the help of my good friend, the epidural). She was beautiful, healthy, and was able to come home with me two days later. It was everything we had hoped for

Waiting for Baby - Part 1

As I sit here preparing myself for the birth of my son, I think of all the other mothers-to-be who are in the same position. Some are really ready for the day to arrive after carrying the extra weight around for 40 weeks. Others, like me, are far enough along that a baby born at this time will probably be just fine (I am 34 weeks now). Still others aren’t thinking at all that their baby will be born until weeks or even months down the road, but they will arrive before anyone expects.

You see, I have experienced each of these scenarios. After undergoing in vitro fertilization, my first son was born at 23 weeks 6 days, one day before “viability”. My husband and I had known he would have cystic fibrosis after an amniocentesis was performed, and we were told by the doctors that we had to make the decision of keeping or terminating the pregnancy. We decided to fight the disease with him, and prepared ourselves, through much research and meeting with doctors, for life with a child suffering from that horrible disease.

Then, one day before going to work I noticed a change in pressure in my pelvic region. Having never been pregnant before, I just figured it was a normal change taking place. I spent the day at work as usual, but remember discussing with female colleagues the heavy feeling I was experiencing, like the baby was getting ready to come out. No one realized how accurate that feeling was. Later in the afternoon I started feeling strange sensations in my belly. They didn’t hurt, but just felt like uterine tightening that came at regular intervals. (Hello, those are contractions!)

The contractions became closer together and a little uncomfortable, and finally I decided to see if the doctor could fit me into his schedule. By the time I was seen in the doctor’s office the contractions were like clock work. Every five minutes. A non-stress test was performed but nothing registered. I knew something was happening, yet no one believed me. Finally a nurse took a look, and her words were (I still remember like it was yesterday), “All I see is membranes”. At that point she said my son would be born that night, there was no way to stop it, and he wouldn’t make it. Unfortunately she was right.

I was rushed by ambulance to a high-risk labor and delivery hospital with an excellent NICU, just in case the baby was born with a chance of survival. Magnesium sulfate was administered to stop the labor (thank goodness they don’t use that anymore), steroid shots were given (to develop the baby’s lungs), but to no avail. Later that night he was born and passed away within moments. He was tiny, perfect, and beautiful. It was a devastating loss for my husband and I, but there was some consolation in knowing he was spared from a life of pain from cystic fibrosis. Unfortunately we were lacking answers about why it happened. No one was sure if I had an incompetent cervix or if pre-term labor had been the cause of the early delivery.

Demand Good Care as a Patient

It’s amazing how powerless you are as a patient. Yes, I know, the patient has rights, but all-in-all, when you enter the hospital you leave the comfortable “I’m in control of my life” feeling and have to believe in the people to whom you have entrusted your care. I have been very lucky to have received great care with all of my pregnancies, complications and all. But there is always one employee I will encounter that I wonder how they got in the field of medicine to begin with: The overworked nurse who has no compassion for the woman who just lost her baby but just wants to free up the hospital bed, the lactation consultant who forgot long ago (or became desensitized to) the angst a new mother faces as she tries to latch her baby the “correct” way onto her breast, or a young male resident who didn’t take a moment to consider the sensitive emotional needs of a woman in pre-term labor as well as the delicate nature of the female anatomy.

I have always hated to complain on behalf of myself in public. I would argue about others’ rights and make sure I did what was necessary for everyone to get a fair shake. But people would walk all over me. Maybe my time in the Air Force changed that, maybe I just grew up. I now speak up when nurses are fantastic (or even just pretty good) and when things have gone awry I mention that too. Does that make me a complainer? I don’t think so, I just expect to be treated well when I am hurting. And so should you. We all should.

Recently I was admitted to the hospital for pre-term labor (like so many millions of other women each year). I was frightened – it wasn’t the first time. The nurses were listening to me tell about my symptoms and were monitoring them, but contractions weren’t showing up well. When the young male resident stepped in to talk I instantly had a bad feeling. He was arrogant. He was dismissive. I wasn’t having contractions according to the monitors, he told me. I measured 0 centimeters that morning at my OB’s office. I was surely still 0 cm now. I insisted that he take a look, and he was surprised to find I had dilated to 1-2 cm in a few short hours, and was 50% effaced. Not normal for 30 weeks into a pregnancy.

Of course the world turned upside-down after that. Now they were taking me seriously. There were nurses everywhere, suddenly the contractions were increasing in frequency and severity, this baby couldn’t come tonight. The resident returned to do the Group B Strep external swab. No biggie, right? Wrong. I.V. – no problem. Swab? Whoa, Buddy! What are you doing? I must have made some sound from the pain and he asked me what the problem was. “You stabbed me! That’s the problem!” I couldn’t help but blurt out in my stressed state. He muttered a brief, “Sorry”, under his breath and left the room. I immediately knew this was not the doc for me. (Not to mention that my husband looked like he might rip the resident’s head right off.) I rehashed the details for the nurse and told her I really didn’t want him to touch me again. “No problem”, she stated, and continued to say that someone else would take care of me. And someone would address his behavior with him.

Did I feel horribly guilty to deny his care? Absolutely. I have always hated to hurt peoples’ feelings. But he was the professional and I trusted him to care for me. I didn’t see him again. Later a nurse told me he had previous complaints against him. Sounds like someone picked the wrong field. Anyway, the next day the nurse manager came to ask about my experiences thus far. I told her that everyone was phenomenal – except one resident. She documented it, thanked me for my candor, and set about to discuss the problem with the necessary people. Of course I don’t want to make trouble for him, but mostly I am concerned about every other woman he will treat after me. Now I know that maybe, just maybe, another woman will benefit from my discomfort. I like to think that, anyway.
Every woman, whether it is for preterm or full-term labor, must be her own advocate. If something happens to you, tell someone on the staff whom you trust will help you. Patients cannot be treated to less than the best care possible. If you care for another, such as a child or older family member, it is your responsibility to speak up for them, too. If we don’t stop worrying about being perceived as trouble makers by the staff, or about hurting a callous doctor’s feelings, we sacrifice our own self esteem. We lessen the importance of us and our bodies. Remember (just like we teach our children): It is your body and no one gets to touch it without your permission. Even a doctor. Request someone new. You will get it, and when you explain your case maybe you will prevent someone else from having the same experience after you.

Danger of Crocs on Escalators

A neighbor passed this article on to me this morning after her daughter had a similar scary experience with her crocs on an escalator yesterday. Thankfully everyone is doing OK.
Some of you may have seen this or know of this danger but it is worth repeating.....

Crocs Can Pose a Danger on Escalators
Some Parents Have Reported Kids Feet Being Sucked Into Escalators
By KATE SNOW

Those big, bold gardening clogs that come in bright colors and mold to the shape of your feet seem to be everywhere these days.
The company that makes one kind of rubber clogs, Crocs, sold 6 million of them last year.
In some online chat rooms and blogs, however, parents are sharing stories about kids having accidents while wearing the shoes.
Some people have reported that kids wearing Crocs have had their feet sucked into the side of escalators.
Some businesses have even posted warning signs near their escalators saying if you're wearing Crocs, be careful.
Chloe Johnson, 10, from Kansas City, is one of those kids who had a frightening experience while wearing the shoes.
She loved her Crocs. "I wore them almost everywhere," she said.
Last year on an escalator at the Atlanta Hartsfield Airport, she had a huge scare.
"Chloe said, 'My toe, my toe,'" said her mother, Kay Hopkins. "And we took the Croc off and seeing the blood and seeing her toe -- it was frightening."
The escalator was crowded, and the toe of Chloe's left shoe was sucked between the escalator stair and the side wall.
"To have this happen with your child standing right next to you ends up being pretty shocking," said Chloe's father, Neil Johnson.
Chloe's foot recovered, but last month, two children wearing Crocs in Arkansas had more serious injuries.
"Imagine that you are taking a child shopping and out of the blue their foot is mangled, trapped," said James Yuen, a plastic surgeon at Arkansas Children's Hospital. "Can you imagine a child stuck for almost an hour? It is a very traumatic event."
It's not just Crocs that pose a danger -- any soft, pliable shoe, even flip-flops, can be dangerous on an escalator.
Escalator Safety Tips
The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates about 10,000 people go to the emergency room every year after accidents on escalators. Of those, 20 percent involved having hands, feet or shoes trapped.
The industry has worked for years to make escalators safer, but not every state has adopted the latest codes.
Arkansas, for example, is still using regulations that date back to the early 1990s.
The makers of Crocs are designing a new tag that includes escalator safety tips.
In a statement, the company told ABC News: "Crocs shoes are completely safe. & Escalators and moving sidewalks, particularly those that have not received proper care and maintenance, can be dangerous and pose risks to their riders."
But Chloe's parents are convinced that the Crocs were an important factor in her accident.
"They did have the escalator inspected, and everything was running, functioning well," said Chloe's mother.
About 245 million people ride escalators every day, and only a small number of incidents have been reported, so it's not an epidemic.
But to be safe, experts say parents should make sure children ride in the center of the escalator step.
Parents of small children should carry them, and kids should not run their foot along the wall -- that creates friction and heat, which could explain why the Crocs seem to melt around the edge of the step.
And remember that escalators are now outfitted with emergency stop buttons.
If you run into trouble, you can shut it down pretty quickly.
Copyright © 2009 ABC News Internet Ventures

Getting Ready for School - Part 5

Additional ENCOURAGING words/messages to give your child ~~

- Your skills are really improving;
- How kind of you to share toys with your friend, that’s very generous.
- You are taking such good care of your pet. He’s so lucky to have you!
- Now THAT’S what I call a thorough job! Thanks for picking up your toys.
- That’s a great effort
- Keep at it; I know you’ll figure it out. How can I help?
- You are such a good learner!
-I’m impressed by your concentration.
-I remember when you were first learning that. You’ve come a long way.
-You’re so fun around the house; life would be boring without you!
-What would I have done without you today? Thanks for cleaning the house with me.
-I’m so proud to tell people I’m your mom (dad).
-You’ve really improved! That’s great!
-It’s wonderful to see you so happy
-I appreciate your attention to detail. You are one sharp cookie.
-Your patience is commendable. Keep at it; I know you’ll get it yet.
-I’ve never thought of it that way. How creative!
-You’re doing a great job of controlling your anger.
-You’re on the right track! That’s using your brain.
-You’ve put a lot of careful thought into that.
-you’re getting the hang of it! Your practice is really paying off.
-Now THAT’S an interesting point. Thanks for sharing it.
-Your attitude is very respectful attitude. I appreciate that.
-You solved your problem; how clever!
-That is wonderful! Your confidence is really showing!
-How sensitive you are to your brother’s feelings.
-Your dependability makes life so much easier for me.
-I love your sense of humor. How do you think up those jokes?
-You hang in there when the going gets tough. You’re a strong person.
-Look how much progress you’ve made. You should be proud.
-Hey, relax for a while; you deserve a break.
-What a good memory you have. That effort deserves a high five!
-I really enjoyed your performance. No one could have done it better.
-Keep trying; I know you can work this frustrating problem out.
-How calm you were when you got that bad news.You are really maturing.
-It’s a real gift to me when you do your chores without being reminded.
-I have to hand it to you; you did exactly what you set out to do.
-Congratulations, you can be proud of your achievement!
-I LOVE watching you grow up. You never cease to amaze me.
-You are such an interesting person. I can’t imagine lifewithout you

Getting Ready for School - Part 4

Here is a list of words you can use to help and encourage your child:
Being positive goes a long way! :-)

WOW!
Great Job!
You’ve got it!
Awesome!
Outrageous!
You’ve got talent
Super!
Fantastic!
I see what you’ve done
You’ve really improved
You’re working really hard
Right on
Outstanding
You’re the best!
Nice work
Wonderful!
Fabulous!
You can do it!
You did it!
You’re really good at this
Good job
Good work
Keep it up
Clever
I like the way you did that
Incredible
Impressive
Nice work
I’m proud of you
That is really creative
Bravo
I’ve really enjoyed being with you or working with you
High five!
High Ten!
That’s cool!
I’m touched,
Your cool!
That’s funny!
Awesome!
I can see you like what you’re doing!
Great!
Your smart
That was fun!
I like your sprirt!
I like your attitude!
You really shine!
Woopie
Yahoo
Thank you!
You outdid yourself
You learned something new

Getting Ready for School - Part 3

Things your child may be worried about~~~

Talk to your child about these things, walk through their day and let them how everything will work. Get them prepared before they have a chance to get too anxious.

How will I get to school? (riding a bus or carpool)
Explain the route (picking up other children), how they will get off the bus and get into the school and to their classroom.
Make sure they know how to act on the bus or in the car.

What if I miss you?
Let your child know that it’s ok to miss you. You will miss them too! You are both doing your job – their job is to go to school just like mommy and daddy have to go to work. (Or mommy has to go to the grocery store or clean the house). Everyone has a job to do and their “job” is to go to school and have fun!
Make sure they realize that you are NOT out doing something fun when they are at school.

What do I do if I have to go to the bathroom? Where is the bathroom?
Explain to your child that everyone at school has to go to the bathroom. Tell them to ask the teacher if they can go to the bathroom. Make sure they know that it is OK to go to the restroom during the school day.

Who will I sit with to eat snack or lunch?

Let them know that they can sit with their new classmates and friends.
Sometimes the teacher may assign a seat and that is ok too – it's an opportunity to make a new friend.

Will the teacher be nice?
Of course the teacher will be nice!
The teacher will have rules for the whole class to follow and these rules may seem tough but they are for everyone. Let them know that their teacher will be wonderful and she will love your child.

Will the kids be nice?
Of course the other children will be nice!
Your child will make many new friends – some may become best friends and others may just be classmates.

How will I get home?
Explain how the bus ride (or carpool) will work coming home – the route the bus will take, at which bus stop your child will get off and who will be waiting for your child at the bus stop or at home.