laughter is the key

How many times have we had those days when nothing seems to go right! The kids dont want to cooperate, mom or dad is under pressure, and just when you are headed out the door you remember you forgot schoolager's homework folder or toddler's drink, or worse, baby's pacifier! On these days our little charges look to us to see how to handle the stress of the moment. I'm sure we have all seen the difference of how the kids behave when we are in a good mood as opposed to a poor one.

This is also true for daycare classes. As teachers, we dont know what the child's home life is like. We may be providing the only smiles and love that child will experience during this phase of their lives. Laughter is so very important to a child's well being and how they develop self esteem and coping mechanisms for daily stress.

As the caregiver in charge, laughter and positive energy is also important in carrying out activities. Just last weekend, I attempted a wonderful music/painting activity i saw on The Creative Nanny blog. I painted the bottoms of the kids feet and we danced around the yard and on the back of wrapping paper. (was supposed to be butcher paper, but i did not have what i thought i did, ha!) Several things went "wrong" as we worked on this art project. All we could do was laugh...and improvise. Setting the right mood kept the evening easygoing and fun. The little ones had no idea things were not going as they technically should have, rather they had a blast and went to bed with smiles, which to me is my favorite report card of a job well done!

Whether a teacher in a classroom or a nanny in the home, never dismiss what an important role we play as caregivers during these tender years. Every smile, every laugh and every hug counts!

Rowdy Mealtimes

This is my very first blog entry, and I am so excited about this project! Today I want to talk about the benefits of adding classical music into the daily routine with kids, no matter what age. When I taught a daycare class of about 12 to 15 two-year olds (i had a co-teacher, but still, ALOT of two-yr olds for one room!) we often had an issue with lunch time. by 11:30, the kids were tired, hungry, and had very little patience to wait for everyone to get served. Of course we had our share of picky eaters as well. What saved the day? Classical music.
Playing the music helped focus the kids' attitudes and generally relax the overall tone of the classroom. The kids ate better, the teachers were calmer, and they even seemed to drift off to sleep easier. As an added bonus, playing the music looks quite impressive to visiting parents and observing supervisors!
I have also used this technique as a nanny in several different instances. I currently nanny for 3 month old triplets, and I did baths for the first time yesterday. We had been outside beforehand so they were tired, hot, and a bit cranky. I played the music in the bathroom with us. The babies were happy and I was calm. We all know that our attitudes set the tone for the classroom or the day. Playing music that calms me makes me a better caregiver for these little angels, and as a bonus seems to help me to work more efficiently! Needless to say, bath time went well, we were bathed, lotioned, dressed and in bed in just under 45 minutes!