Who is in Charge?

Who is in charge in your school, home, etc.? 

    It needs to be a teacher, parent or leader.  Be prepared and come with a plan.  Children can sense when you doubt yourself.  Keep it positive, upbeat and confident!

      Children feel safe when they are with an adult that has control of the situation.  Expect children to mind and accept nothing less.  Encourage the behaviors you want and ignore or isolate the unwanted behavior.  Never just watch unwanted behavior.  That rewards that child.  Create something more interesting to do.

Example:  What to do when taking a child shopping at the supermarket? 

• Keep your focus on shopping and the child.  Involve the child in the shopping experience.  (No cell phones or any long conversations with other adults) 
• Have them help look for items or have them count out an amount of some item. 
• Don’t ask them what they want or give them big choices.  Instead give them a choice between 2 or 3 items. 
• Never let the shopping become what the child wants.  This is your shopping list. 
• If a child asks for things say something like, “It isn’t on the list. Maybe we could plan to get it another time.” or “Remember, candy you buy with your own money.” 
• If a child starts fussing about something say: “I never buy for fussing children.” then ignore them. 
• Don’t tell children you will buy them something if they are good, because it creates more problems than it solves.  
• Never turn control of the shopping trip over to the child.   Continue to focus on the list, the shopping and the behaving child. 
• NEVER give into tantrum children or they will tantrum again!

Hope this helpful.  Enjoy the little ones in your care.  Be in charge and everyone will be happier.

Birds

Birds

Objective: Children will learn the characteristics of birds and compare with other animals.
Preparation:

• Find drawings or pictures of birds and other types of animals from books, magazines or old calendars.
• Make word cards for the words, Birds, Animals, Yes, and No.
• Gather the following materials:

• Pine cone
• Paper plate
• Butter knife
• Smooth peanut butter
• Birdseed
• Ribbon or yarn
• Scissors

• Suggested books:
  • Are You My Mother? By P.D. Eastman.
  • The Hungry Hummingbird by April Pulley Sayre.
  • Birds by Carolyn MacLulich

Lesson:
Read a book then discuss the characteristics of birds while showing pictures.

Characteristics of birds:

• All birds are warm-blooded.
• Have feathers.  (Only birds have feathers.)
• Have wings.
• Lay eggs.
• Have 2 legs.
• Have a beak.
• Have no teeth.

Activities:

Play the Yes and No game with pictures of different animals.  “Is this a bird?” Then place the animal on the yes or no pile.  This gives an opportunity to discuss characteristics of different animals.

Make a bird feeder:

1. Cut a long length of yarn to hang the bird feeder.
2. Put a piece of tape on the yarn with the child’s name on it.
3. Tie the yarn in a knot around the pine cone near the top.
4. Tie a knot in the end of the yarn so it can be hung up outside.
5. Use the butter knife to get a large clump of peanut butter on the paper plate.
6. Use the knife to spread peanut butter inside the pine cone and around the edges.
7. Put birdseed on a plate.
8. Roll the pine cone in the birdseed that is on the plate.
9. Hang the bird feeder on a tree.

  http://www.phonicsbyspelling.com/