Today we’re off to the lake. We are taking a picnic and going touring first to Cave in Rock. It’s something we do every year.

Last night Edith and I were enjoying old friends and new friends at a party, and we mentioned we were taking 35 kids to Pounds Hollow. There were claims of bravery bestowed upon us and all kinds of wonderful kudos which we appreciated very much, but when you think about it what his easier – staying inside in a building all day every day or taking children out where they can explore?

Watching the faces of kids see and do new stuff is what life is all about. It’s not about color sheets and sitting properly at the table and spending a hateful hour in the heat on the playground. It’s about exploration and seeing new stuff.

But what about the work? I dare any parent to say that spending any part of a day with a very young child isn’t difficult at times. But compared to sitting in an office and staring at a computer for eight hours and then being nice to some boss and some impossible client is not nearly as rewarding as being hugged by a beautiful smiling child and then watching the same wonderful and delightful child see a cave for the first time and then experience the freedom and wonder of swimming in a natural lake, running along the sand and just lying in the magnificent summer sun like a child of nature.

Most children are very well behaved on a trip. They get a little squirrely on the bus, but they can always sit with an adult. The only thing that is not manageable is a violent child. A child who assaults another or an adult is just too much to handle in public. When a child behaves violently during the week, he has to stay home. And besides, rewards should not come to children who are anti-community.

To get to the lake, we have to drive an hour out of Indiana, and then another half hour into Illinois. We have to travel some narrow roads, and once I saw a big yellow bob cat or mountain lion cross between corn fields. He was the size of a big big lab. The Shawnee National Forest is high – so the climb is pretty steep. Then it’s down a spiraling road to the lake. It’s wild out there and full of cliffs and beautiful scenery, but the lake is safe and clean and well kept.

This summer has been a welcoming success, and this coming year, God granting and the creek ‘don’t’ rise, we’re going to experience the zoo often and ice skating more than once a year, and the parks – near and far – if we can get there.

Friday is a great day for play because we’ve worked hard during the week, and before the unknown weekend, we’re just going out to play.

The Garden School staff has the reputation of being able to handle “difficult children.” It always makes me smile because it’s not a staff that “handles difficult children.” It’s really a way of life at school that allows a child to handle himself.

Have you ever thought about what part you would play if you decided to uproot and go live in a commune – I know, I know, I’m dating myself. But if the world took a giant step backward because of international war or famine or something, people might have to look to small communities to survive. What part would you play?

It’s the same thing at a childcare place that cares desperately about the development of the children in care there. What part does this child play?

There are the helpers, the brains, the artists, the showmen, the organizers, the volunteers, the salesmen, the activists, the pacifists, the soldiers, the craftsmen, and a hundred other roles likely filled at anyone time in any childcare.

Kids learn early to work together if and only if adults step back and let it happen. Children find a niche and then hone skills. One of our little girls came to us very shy, very reserved, a real watcher. She was petite and seemed fragile. Over the years this little gal has watched, waited, and learned about other children. She has perfected her manners, has developed a real thought process that is bent towards absolute good. I can’t remember a time she has done a single thing wrong. She is no longer quiet, and this morning she was the queen of the kitchen as the girls decided to help Miss Judy with the dishes. It was hilarious. She was instructing the other children on the proper way to wash, rinse and sanitize the dishes and they were all listening to her.

She helped make her favorite food – chicken pot pie, and then we baked Walnut pie and discussed deep frying squash for lunch which we did and she ate.

We cleaned today. Not sure what she did, but she was occupied all day. But today worked for most of the children because they were busy doing the things they wanted to do. They were helping and they were doing good work that counted. They were being rewarded for their achievements which is what good childcare is all about.

Now what does this have to do with difficult children? Today didn’t work for some children because although a good environment is offered, a child may decide that he will disregard the attention of his peers and the rules established by the community – the childcare community. It’s at this point that he goes out on a limb to prove that he is invincible and indestructible and a god with a small g.

Many children go out on this limb to see what’s up with doing it “all by myself.” In the adult world it’s called pride, and pride falleth hard. The rewards for goodness and achievement that should frequently make a child’s day fail him, and that’s a shame.

If his after school environment is a constant stream of prizes, rewards, gifts, toys, and outings, the child will grasp the idea that he is beyond the community and disregard his friends and the rules they have made with disdain. Anyone who tries to over ride his decision to break the rules is the enemy to be reckoned with. And this is where we find some children.

What to do? Without help from home, it’s impossible. With help from home, most children discover that life with rewards and praise is a lot more fun than being alone, but why bother if I can do both – be the bully and cog and also get what they want? Pride is only one vice. There are a whole lot more.

The good news? Every day in the life of a child is just that – a new day – a bright new beginning to try on the world. Innocence and joy belong to the child.

So, difficult children? It’s all in the eye of the beholder and the lay of the calendar.

There has been a lot of yapping about more money going into early childhood education. The primary scream is “more money, more money.” But it never gets any further than that. The whole push is really for tax dollars. Billions of tax dollars go into early childhood education and mostly for children whose parents can’t afford childcare.

Last year there was a huge grant from the Welborn people that was given to the project for local childcare and so far it’s gone into studies. That means nada to the kids. Unrelated people are receiving the funds earmarked for kids to do yet more studies about childcare. There have been so many studies on childcare across the nation, you’d think they’d be done now.

How many times can you study the “impact of early education on a child” and not know it has some significance?

It’s hard to say what I would do with a 3/4 million dollar grant, but it sure wouldn’t go into redundant childcare studies, and you can bet every cent of it it wouldn’t go into pockets of unrelated people!

In the city of Evansville, the problem of childcare is an old one. The practices are archaic, the drive to upgrade it is battened down by the screws of an “entitlement” group who think they own childcare in EVV and nothing is going to change that.

The very idea that change is WAY PAST DUE is received as a slap in the face. Sorry, crack, crack. Since 1983, I’ve fought to change the face of childcare in my area by doing. I did family childcare for 8 years for which I am regarded as “out of the loop.” I’m an advocate for family childcare because it is within the family that a child under three grows best. No center can begin to offer what a family does.

Edith and I started the Garden School with the idea that we would see what children could do. This is the whole theme of “child directed.” We quickly nixed the naps because children over three don’t want to sleep their lives away. We used the afternoon hours to go places and swim, to explore what we call afternoon subjects.

We’ve been accused of “inappropriate practices” because we teach children letters, numbers and about the world. Have you ever known a child who didn’t want to own the power of writing his name or counting as high as he can or knowing stories about other places?

I think if I had $750,000. to spend on early childhood, I would have a big meeting of all the early childhood groups and begin to change things from the inside out. And it would begin with nixing the idea of separate rooms for children to languish all day. That has to go.

Here’s what I mean. Instead of six day care rooms each with a “house station,” I think I’d put all the house stuff in one room and call the whole room house. Then I’d station a teacher there. Then we’d do the same for puzzles, for library, for big blocks, for Lego’s, and for art and any other toy area the teachers thought were doable in the center. Then the teachers would float and the kids would travel from room to room as they wanted. This gets kids out of the prison situation and allows them to begin to think about doing as a real part of their lives. And leave the doors OPEN!!!

$50,000. of the grant would go to new equipment for those places willing to make big changes. The rest would go to a separate fund that could be used to drain off the interest and help raise salaries so a more professional staff could be hired and kept. Better educated people are eager to teach children and children are eager to learn. That combination would raise the level of good childcare through the roof.

Not imaginative enough? It all begins on the inside – not in studies we already have. The last big grant in EVV went to new doors and paint. How does that help kids?

This picture is of my grandson. Everyone needs one of these around the house.

Exercise Tips For Fatigue and Morning Sickness
Fit Fitness Into Your New Lifestyle
— By Becky Hand, Licensed and Registered Dietician

Before pregnancy, you were actively involved in an exercise program and you planned to incorporate fitness into your daily routine. However, now that you’re pregnant, the morning sickness and the afternoon fatigue have you too pooped to move. You are wondering if there is any way to fit in fitness.

Fatigue is a normal part of pregnancy, especially during the first and third trimester. This doesn’t mean you should ignore it or resign yourself to being continually exhausted. As always, fatigue is a signal from your baby that you should slow down. Take the hint:
Make rest and relaxation a priority.

Cut back on the nonessential activities.

Make sure your spouse or partner and family members are helping out with the household chores.

If possible, try to get extra sleep at night or take a nap during the day.

Make sure your diet is nutritious and well balanced.

And remember, too much rest and not enough exercise can heighten the fatigue. Morning sickness and nausea can occur in the morning or anytime throughout the day. Sudden intense movements can make it worse. Therefore, try to get your queasy stomach under control first (Morning Sickness Help.)

Continue with some light stretching and warm-up movements. Then, move on to your exercise plan.

Playing it safe is important once you start to feel some relief from the fatigue and/or nausea. Try to incorporate some light exercise into your day, with your physician’s approval.

Have a light snack and drink water or juice about 15 – 30 minutes before your warm-up.

Wear comfortable shoes that protect your feet and joints.

Wear clothes that are loose fitting and stretch when you move.

Wear cotton undergarments that will let your body breathe.

Divide your exercise into 2-3 brief sessions if possible.

Do exercise slowly.

Do not do a rapid series of repetitions.
Rest briefly between movements.

Never exercise to the point of exhaustion.

If there is any pain or strain, STOP!

A little perspiration is fine; a drenching sweat is a signal to STOP.

You should be able to carry on a conversation with someone next to you.

You should feel exhilarated, not drained, after the exercise.

As you begin to feel better, gradually increase the level of activity.

There’s a virus going around now that’s got a lot of parent scared because the temperature that goes with it is a high one.

Trying to pinpoint where this is coming from is always difficult. We’ve had several children go home sick. It usually begins with either an upset stomach, a head ache, a sore throat, or fever.

Doctors are saying it’s a virus, but some of them are giving out a prescription just in case.

You fuss and fume and wake up in the night wondering where it came from and how you can avoid it and you realize that it’s impossible. We wash our hands, we spend a lot of time outside, and then you think, it’s the pool.

I think a lot of children respond to summer differently. Lots of kids are kept out late because it’s so beautiful and the light is workable until way past their bedtimes parents loath being in the house and kids resist a light bedroom when everyone else is just “beginning to play.”

Too bad the morning hours can’t be pushed back as well, because with too little sleep, and too much activity during the day, and then not enough sleep again, illness can rear it’s ugly head.

One of the interesting things about summer is appetite. Even Jack is eating two sandwiches at the pool. We can’t make sandwiches fast enough. I can’t thank Miss Kelly enough for her splendid idea about making sandwiches on the spot, and the cold storage thing she discovered from Pampered Chef that actually keeps the salads freezing cold.

We used to make dozens of sandwiches in the morning and drag them along. Now it’s made on the spot at the picnic and the kids are eating twice as much. When a child begins to eat, he can’t stop. We are going through everything we are taking – there are no leftovers and no waste. I keep adding eggs, tuna, bread, cookies, and fruit, but it’s still gone, gone, gone, and that’s a good thing. Eat! After a dozen eggs, 4 cans of tuna, 6 loaves of bread, a 1/2 pound of ham, bologna and cheese, a double batch of cookies, carrots and dip, and three packages of potato chips, the kids ate a whole watermelon.

Friday is one of my favorite trips because it’s a real adventure followed by play. A field trip is not a real field trip without discovery, without learning and without seeing something new and actually going someplace. If I had my way and the bank account to match … look out.

So on Friday we are going to a cave and then to swim at the Hollow. We’re wearing suits and taking clothes so the kids are comfortable on the way home. We might be late – 3:00 ish? It depends on how much they like the beach.

I taught a class at the junior high downtown EVV. I taught culture and poetry, and after the occasion of fumbling through the class, I can say I’m glad I teach little kids. The big kids were bigger than I am and they were about as interested in culture and poetry as they were carding wool. I wish I had met the class first. I would have done something different. The hardest part was trying to keep their attention. They say that good preschool will help children avoid the boredom rut of big school. Then that’s the goal.

I’ve written to the governor about our school. I invited him for lunch. I’ll let you know if he accepts.

I posted a picture of the new baby.

It was perfect weather yesterday at the pool. It was mildly breezy, but the water was warm. The kids seemed to really enjoy the swimming. It was one of those dive-jump off the sides and swim to you days. The kids couldn’t get enough of distance swimming.

When the temperature is 98 degrees, it might feel better in the water, but it’s so debilitating, it’s almost impossible to function. This is mid 80s weather and warm enough for swimming but not so hot no one wants to eat.

I’ve been invited to Glenwood School this morning to teach a class on culture and poetry. That should be interesting. Middle school kids are a tough nut to crack. If I can make them laugh twice, I will have succeeded.

This week we have already covered cave people and are looking at the art. It’s hauntingly beautiful. The Lascaux Caves in France have some of the most stunning art I’ve ever seen. We don’t often think of ourselves as the “same” as the cave people, but when you look at the artwork, you realize just how similar we are.

There’s a link on this blog for the “Tree People.” These wonderful people are Stone Age people as well.

We will be going to Cave in Rock this week, and then up to the lake for swimming. Parents are welcome. It’s one of the prettiest places I know.

Pizza for lunch today.

It was hot but I think the kids had a great time. I did. We packed up and went to the museum and saw the train. You can’t have too many trains in your life – just ask Bill. Then we went to the air play at the big museum and the kids had a ball with that while we waited for the Golden Knights who couldn’t land because of low slung clouds, but a stealth bomber flew over and scared us it was so loud.

Some of our friendly police people – the bicycle crew – were on hand to say hi! We saw a huge coal barge come down the river.

We picked up pizzas at Angelo’s – delicious – and we ate at Kids Kingdom. It began to get very hot. Then we went out to the little airport and looked at all the aircraft. The kids got to go into a helicopter and a big transport plane. They had army men throwing balls at them, and they collected quite a few. Everyone was so nice.

Then we saw the obstacle course about 35 feet in the air presented by the National Guard and the kids went wild. It was hilarious to watch the children go over these giant air filled mountains and slide down again. They loved it and it was difficult to pull them away.

Next week we will go to Cave in Rock and swim at Pounds Hollow. It’s a longer trip, and lots of fun. I hope it’s hot enough.

Children should go to bed early on Thursdays for Friday. Lots of our kids were very tired and were dragging by the airport. It’s very hot and debilitating when you’re tired to begin with.

Next week’s theme? Cave people and their art, prehistoric stuff, rocks and dinosaurs.

I think we would love to do something like this. What do you guys think?

By Erin Kelley-Gedischk
Oak Bay News
Jun 14 2006

Preschool Can be Expensive and Confusing.

The marketplace is flooded with a bewildering assortment of preschool philosophies: Montessori, intensive academics or play-centred programs organized by for-profits, not-for-profits, businesses or churches.

At cooperative preschools, parents don’t drop their children off at the door. Parents help run the school – but more importantly, they participate in their child’s education.

Gonzales preschool embraces the village approach to raising a child.

“It can be a hard time raising preschool age kids. It can also be isolating,” Angela Morrow said. “The school is a real community of families that share resources and information.”

She didn’t know co-operative education existed as an option when she started searching for preschools.

“I had never considered it before. We had just heard about it through word of mouth,” she said.

Morrow’s experience is typical because co-op preschools run on a limited advertising budget. Furthermore, Gonzales preschool has a waitlist every year.

The significant parental time commitment means the school is not for everyone. Parents must take 10 hours of training before they can volunteer in the classroom, working one or two days every month for the length of the 2.5-hour class.

Furthermore, parents are assigned jobs such as gardening, cleaning, making modeling dough, event coordinating, school orienteering and fundraising.

“It helps keep the tuition lower and so a wider demographic of people can have access to quality education,” Morrow said.

Fees range between $70 and $100 per month for two or three classes a week.

The non-profit organization has operated for 50 years in Oak Bay and is located in the lower half of St. Philip’s Church.

In addition to the co-operative aspects of the school, Morrow was also drawn to the preschool’s educational philosophy.

The school promotes learning through play, by providing a stimulating environment with hands-on activities that encourage children to explore and understand their world.

The learning however is not limited to the kids.

Parents participate in workshops on topics such as discipline and child development.

“The school has supportive and non-judgmental feel,” Morrow said. “You have a group of people that are working through the same issues as you are with your kids. It’s a real resource of information.”

Furthermore, parents also learn from early childhood educator Frances Deas.

“You have someone with 25 years of experience with children working side-by-side with you,” she said.

Morrow’s eldest child graduates to kindergarten this year. Like many other parents, she enrolled her youngest child without hesitation.

“It’s just nice to be involved,” she said.

This is very close to home.

Tazmania News
Examiner.com.au

Generations Give Dedication to Child-care Service
By FRAN VOSS
Thursday, 15 June 2006

ANNIVERSARY: Bronwyn Witt, Joan Mills and Emily Ellings look over some of the photos in the Stewart St Creche’s album. Picture: PAUL SCAMBLER

Stewart Child Care Services in Launceston is such a family affair that three generations of families work there and children come back as staff. The child-care centre in Watchorn St this week celebrates its 50th anniversary, starting with an open day yesterday.

Joan Mills, 74, of Youngtown, began work at the centre when it was located at the Queen Victoria Hospital.

She was 41. Her children had grown up and she missed children.

Her daughter Bronwyn Witt, 42, has been an early childhood teacher with the service for 20 years.

Granddaughter Emily Ellings, 24, who is completing her child- care diploma, started as a carer last February.

Emily herself came to the centre as a child when it was at Stewart St and her grandmother was working there as the cook for the 40-50 children.

“I remember Nan cooking in the kitchen and making me eat my lunch,” Emily said.

There are now two cooks preparing up to 125 hot midday meals a day.Mrs Mills continued at Stewart St for 18 years.

“I absolutely adored it. All the children used to call me `Nan’ even when they saw me in the street,” she said.

Stewart Child Care Services had its beginnings in a temporary creche set up in two dressing rooms in the Albert Hall in November 1948.

The initiative came from the Launceston Pre School Centre Committee and its secretary Marjorie Parker (the late Dame Marjorie Parker).Tenancy of the two dressing rooms on Tuesdays and Fridays cost five shillings a room a day.

The creche then evolved through the Cameron St Creche, opening in June 1956, a second creche in the old Queen Victoria Hospital building, the Dame Marjorie Parker Creche in 1977, Stewart St Creche in 1979 and in 2000 the move to Watchorn St.

Renamed Stewart Child Care Services, it opened for business in Watchorn St, after extensive renovations, on May 1, 2000.

A 15-place annexe at Newstead College was opened in May 1998.

Chief executive officer Lyn Woolley has been at the centre for 20 years, witnessing major changes in the industry.

“In the early days, children were mostly dropped off for two to three hours while their mothers went shopping,” she said. “Now some children can be here for 50 hours a week and very few mothers are not working.

“The centre employs about 32 regular staff for about 127 children and manages a payroll of $1 million.

Just for fun:
Here are the Zodiac signs.

Aries – March 21 – April 20
Taurus – April 21 – May 21
Gemini – May 22 – June 21
Cancer- June 22 – July 22
Leo- July 23 -August 21
Virgo – August 22 – September 23
Libra- September 24 – October 23
Scorpio – October 24 – November 22
Sagittarius – November 23 – December 22
Capricorn – December 23 – January 20
Aquarius- January 21 – February 19
Pisces – February 20- March 20

Here’s a bit of fun. Apply this to children and laugh out loud. It works.

How many members of your horoscope sign does it take to change a light bulb?

Aries: Just one. You want to make something of it?

Taurus: One, but just “try” to convince them that the burned-out bulb is useless and should be thrown away.

Gemini: Two, but the job never gets done–they just keep arguing about who is supposed to do it and how it’s supposed to be done.

Cancer: Just one. But it takes a therapist three years to help them through the grief process.

Leo: Leos don’t change light bulbs, although sometimes their agent will get a Virgo to do the job for them while they’re out.

Virgo: Approximately 1.0000000 with an error of +/- 1 millionth.

Libra: Er, two. Or maybe one. No – on second thought, make that two. Is that okay with you?

Scorpio: That information is strictly secret and shared only with the Enlightened Ones in the Star Chamber of the Ancient Hierarchical Order.

Sagittarius: The sun is shining, the day is young and we’ve got our whole lives ahead of us, and you’re inside worrying about a stupid light bulb?

Capricorn: I don’t waste my time with these childish jokes.

Aquarius: Well, you have to remember that everything is energy, so…

Pisces: Light bulb? What light bulb?

It’s interesting how personalities develop right from the beginning.