Just a reminder that WF/WFF is CLOSED THURSDAY AND FRIDAY in observance of Thanksgiving. We will re-open Monday, November 26th.

The Blue Bus came this morning and in your child’s cubby you will find a reminder from Jennifer that there is no Blue Bus in December. She will resume classes in January.

On Saturday morning, the WF/WWF met for the second part of Allison Pascarella’s  Professional Development Workshop: Normal Development of Attention, Impulse Control and Self Inhibition. We gleaned valuable information about working with typical 2-5 year old behaviors, particularly impulse control. Here’s a bit of what she shared with us and, as always, we have more literature on this topic should you be interested in exploring it in more depth.

• Impulse control has nothing to do with knowing the rules or the consequence of breaking them.
• Children learn self control between the ages of 2-5.
• Impulse control includes tolerating frustration (putting blocks away without getting mad), inhibiting action or effortful control and adapting behavior to the context of what is happening.

Here’s how we can help our children as they develop this behavioral life skill:

• Help them learn to recognize the difference between feelings and actions.
• Help them recognize emotions and develop a signal to stop and think, not act. Encourage children to express their (negative) feelings rather than act on them.
• Explain that there are no bad feelings, only harmful actions.
• Remain calm.
• Cultivate “self speak”: letting the child think out loud so she can guide her own behavior.
• Take deep breaths (both of you!) and count to five or try relaxation exercises.
• Parents/teachers use scripts of what to say before the child loses control so we provide for the child useful information and cues that will eventually enable her to control herself.

-Allison Pascarella, Speech Therapist, Whole Child Expert

 

Here’s what “inhibiting action or effortful control and adapting behavior to the context of what is happening.” can look like. This morning Jane prepared a group of young friends for the arrival of the Blue Bus.

Other Monday Moments:

Wee Sprouts: Carrots. Breakfast: Raisin Bran and orange slices. Lunch: Whole wheat penne pasta with ham and cream cheese, peas and applesauce. Snack: Pretzels and hard boiled egg slices.

Have a great day.