Avoid brown bag boredom and try the following healthy, easy and fun options. Bonus – your children will want to eat these choices!

Turn lunch into an adventure:

* Cut sandwiches into playful shapes with cookie cutters. Children are more excited about eating a star- or dinosaur-shaped sandwich because it makes the experience fun! Choose cheese or deli meats to replace breads and cut them into fun shapes, too.

Make lunch fun by including a dip:

* Yogurt is a great dip for fruit.
* Provide hummus for veggies.

Use a variety of ‘sandwich’ options:

* Bagels, pita bread, wheat wraps or crackers.

Consider packing applesauce or yogurt as a treat in lieu of a ‘sweet’ dessert.

At The Goddard School of Cedar Park, we’re asked about summer sun safety tips.  Here are some good ones and  enjoy you summer!

Babies under 6 months:
The two main recommendations from the AAP to prevent sunburn are to avoid sun exposure, and dress infants in lightweight long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and brimmed hats that shade the neck to prevent sunburn. However, when adequate clothing and shade are not available, parents can apply a minimal amount of sunscreen with at least 15 SPF (sun protection factor) to small areas, such as the infant’s face and the back of the hands. If an infant gets sunburn, apply cold compresses to the affected area.

For All Other Children:

• The first, and best, line of defense against the sun is covering up. Wear a hat with a three-inch brim or a bill facing forward, sunglasses (look for sunglasses that block 99-100% of ultraviolet rays), and cotton clothing with a tight weave.
• Stay in the shade whenever possible, and limit sun exposure during the peak intensity hours – between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• On both sunny and cloudy days use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater that protects against UVB and UVA rays.
• Be sure to apply enough sunscreen – about one ounce per sitting for a young adult.
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours, or after swimming or sweating.
• Use extra caution near water and sand (and even snow!) as they reflect UV rays and may result in sunburn more quickly.

Source: http://www.aap.org/advocacy/archives/tanning.htm

Raising children can be complex and confusing, and in the face of obstacles, such as divorce, it can be even more challenging. What do you say to comfort them? How doyou keep your guilt hidden? How much do you tell them? What do you say? How canyou hide your anger towards their other parent to keep them from becoming part of theconflict? These are just some of the important questions that arise for parents duringseparation and divorce. First of all, it is important to remember that children are much more perceptive than we think, so if you’re wondering if they’re aware of the marital discord, they probably are. Openly discuss the impending divorce. Tell them that “Mom and Dad are moving to separate homes,” explain where the kids will stay and when, and assure them that they will still get to see each parent, just not together anymore. This open communication will keep them from becoming anxious about the unknown (What’s happening to Mom and Dad? What’s going to happen to me? Did I do something wrong?), and encourages them to talk about their questions and feelings throughout the divorce and transitional time ahead. Keep it simple, and be honest. Don’t make promises that won’t be kept, be realistic with them that the transition is going to be difficult for alittle while, and don’t place blame on either parent for the divorce. Keep the adult issues away from the children’s ears, they’ve already heard enough most likely. Each child will react differently when told this news, some will cry, get mad, withdrawal, or have questions you don’t have answers to. It is okay to say, “I don’t know.” In the following weeks and months, it is important to pay attention to how your child is adjusting, look for new behaviors, and keep the communication open. Suppressing their feelings can be damaging to them and your relationship with them. Seek counseling for yourself on howto handle this transition the best you can for your family, and find a counselor for them totalk to about things they are not comfortable talking with you about or don’t know how to handle.

Find out what we’re doing that’s educational and fun each month with the Goddard School monthly events newsletter SUBSCRIBE HERE

Brain research tells us that, of the 100 billion (!) nerve cells we are born with, the ones we are most likely to keep longest are the ones that are used regularly in our interaction with the world around us. This does NOT mean that we can increase our child’s intellectual or developmental competence through so-called ‘brain stimulation’ videos or surround-sound cribs.  Infants and toddlers enjoy learning first and best the things they learn in their relationships with the people that care for them.

Some things to keep in mind for the development of theirs:

• Children can distinguish the voice of their father from their mother at birth – and their handling styles at six weeks.
• The most useful kind of stimulation is the kind babies can manage, learn from, and interact with. Vocalizations like the coos and giggles they initiate should be returned in kind – matching volume, pitch, and rhythm if you can. Be alert because they’ll often throw in a variation. The same is true for older children who sing and initiate games like peek-a-boo or patty cake.  Tapes or videos are no match for the joy and value of ‘live.’
• Want to encourage a positive self-image?  For babies, tender and frequent touch makes them feel treasured, and for toddlers and preschoolers, install a (safe) full-length mirror on the back of a door and provide dress-up or ‘pretend’ clothes and just watch them feel special.
• Keep your eyes and ears open for emerging motor skills, interests, words, emotions, and feelings. When such competencies are new, they are both adorable and vulnerable.  Remember not to overwhelm children by requesting a ‘show’ of their new tricks. This can be over-stimulating and cause quite the opposite effect – anxiety about new abilities instead of confidence.  Let children practice and enjoy their new skill.

HOW you are as a parent with your children matters far more than any particular thing you may ever DO with them.  Development is not a race; it is a process that unfolds uniquely in each child. Rushing development erodes children’s belief in, and joy of, their own emerging abilities, replacing joy with frustration and discouragement – too high a price in my book.

If you’re interested in ongoing events at our school, please sign up for our monthly events newsletter in the column to your left under “School Information.”

Thumb-sucking and pacifiers are guaranteed to evoke debate whenever the topic is raised with parents, especially new ones. We have no trouble remembering relevant stories in our own families about thumb-suckers and how old they were when they stopped. Fact: Many children choose to suck their thumbs from before they are born because it is an important form of self-soothing and comfort.

Here are a few considerations that shape this debate as you make your decision about skin versus plastic:

• Contemplating germs?  Thumbs and pacifiers are about equally un-hygienic, but both can be washed frequently.
• Concerned about teeth deformity? Dentists have found that genetic tendencies forecast the need for braces more often than sucking a thumb or pacifier in infancy. The exception may be “24/7-suckers” through kindergarten and beyond.
• Pacifier versus thumb?  Your thumb is always with you – no late night 911’s to the nearest pharmacy.  The pacifier, however, is easier to remove when the day comes (typically first in a parent’s mind), and seems less self-indulgent to many parents.
• Partner consensus?  Talk to your partner. Do not assume that your partner has an identical philosophy about thumb versus pacifier as yours.

This is an important conversation to have and revisit. Discuss this topic with your child’s teacher.  Most parent magazines also cover this issue regularly.

Try not to make this a big deal.  Very few children go to college with their pacifiers.  At the same time, denying your children their comfort at a time when they may need it most will backfire more often then not, increasing their attachment to it. Children who know when it’s time for their comfort are showing you they know a thing or two about their needs, not that they have a habit.

Kyle D. Pruett, M.D. is an advisor for The Goddard School®.  Dr. Pruett is an authority on child development who has been practicing child and family psychiatry for over twenty-five years.  He is a clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale University’s Child Study Center.

Find out what we’re doing that’s educational and fun each month with the Goddard School monthly events newsletter SUBSCRIBE HERE

Sometime as parents, we tend to panic and draw a blank, when our child does something unexpected. Especially, if it is something that hurts another person. Keep these things in mind if your toddler displays biting behavior:

A few side tips:
-Don’t ever laugh if your child playfully bites. This will reinforce their behavior.
-Don’t bite them back. This will also reinforce their behavior or cause confusion for them.
-When you play with your toddler, eliminate the use of playful and fake biting. This is another thing that reinforces their biting behavior and causes confusion.
-Pack plenty of snacks when your toddler is out and about. Sometimes they might be trying to satisfy an urge of hunger.

If your toddlers biting behavior is occurring while you are not present, you may want to talk to your childcare provider about taking some ideas and implementing some of these tips.

Visit our website @ http://www.goddardschool.com//Schools/Cedar-Park-TX/Schools.gspx & follow us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/GoddardSchoolCP

• Polls tell us that one-third of American children and their parents sleep together some or most of the time before children start school. Co-sleeping varies hugely by culture and ethnicity. So think about what you want to do, and discuss the pros and cons with your pediatrician.
• Make sure your crib is safe (locking rails), that your older child’s ‘big bed’ has side rails, and if you are co-sleeping, that there is plenty of room.
• The human brain is active during sleep, but the deepest sleep is typically at the beginning of the night.  Babies spend more time than older children in stimulating REM sleep, with eye movements and irregular breathing. Don’t worry about all that action in your child’s body – it too is growth.
• Start them young – do not ignore the importance of naps, watch for the yawn, and start bedtime early in the evening.
• The transition from crib to bed is also a time of sleep pattern changes, but most kids want it to work.
• To instill good sleep habits remember that consistency matters so much:

o Bath Time
o Goodnights
o Tuck and Talk Bedtime Story
o Lullabye (yours are best)
o Goodnights

This all sounds well and good, but it is a rare family that hasn’t had to handle some sleep trouble along the way.  If your family is trying to re-establish a lapsed routine, stay calm and reassuring.  We almost all need more sleep than we get, and it is a tremendous gift to our children to teach them how to sleep well.

Suggested Resource: American Academy of Pediatrics http://www.aap.org
.
Kyle D. Pruett, M.D. is an advisor for The Goddard School®.  Dr. Pruett is an authority on child development who has been practicing child and family psychiatry for over twenty-five years.  He is a clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale University’s Child Study Center.

Subscribe to our newsletter or visit our website at http://www.goddardschool.com//Schools/Cedar-Park-TX/Schools.gspx

READER RABBIT TODDLER
Ages 2 through 3
* Listening Skills
* Fine Motor Skills
* Matching Letters
* Matching Animals Sounds
* Counting
* Rhyming Words
* Patterns
* Shape Recognition

CRAYOLA
Ages 2 through 4
* Color Recognition
* Color by Number
* Mouse Control
* Memory

SESAME STREET TODDLER
Ages 2 through 4
* Mouse Control
* Open-ended Art
* Introduction to Shapes, Letters and Phonics
* Number Identification
* Counting
* Special Relations
* Conversational Skills

BOB THE BUILDER
Ages 2 through 4
* Matching
* Keyboard Skills
* Left and Right Directions
* Following Directions