Only a Farm Kid..

When you’re from the country ~ you look at things a
little differently…

April is Autism Awareness Month

Check Out Resourceful Autism Books and April eBook Promotion

Autism Spectrum Disorders affect nearly 1.5 million Americans. This April, expand your knowledge with four unique and innovative Autism titles from Sourcebooks.

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Autism and the God Connection by William Stillman

A powerful, groundbreaking book for anyone touched by autism

· Autism and the God Connection views autism through a spiritual prism, unlocking its hidden meaning.

· Through countless interviews William Stillman documents extraordinary examples of spiritual giftedness.

The Autism & ADHD Diet by Barry Silberberg

The first step-by-step guide to one of the most exciting new tools in the fight against autism

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A Child’s Journey Out of Autism by Leann Whiffen

Told with the intensity of a medical thriller, the extraordinary story of how Clay Whiffen and his family conquered autism.

· Profound message of hope for parents dealing with this issue

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Coloring Outside Autism’s Lines by Susan Walton

A new kind of hope for families living with autism

· A new and much-needed angle on autism. Opportunities to let loose and reconnect for exhausted families immersed in a stressful situation.

· Unlike other autism activity books, these are specially designed for families with the pure and simple goal of being together and having fun.

The April eBook Promotion also includes: The Asperger’s Answer Book, Autism Encyclopedia, Autism Handbook for Parents, Children with High-Functioning Autism, School Success for Kids with Asperger’s Syndrome, and Teaching Children with Autism in the General Classroom.

Good Morning! It’s the start of our Book Fair. We expect books to arrive today. Such fun! We will be displaying books in the main playroom for children and parents to look through. Please feel free to browse anytime. That’s what it’s for!

In the front of the school is a change box. We will be able to keep all the money that we collect for the Garden School, and because we collected it, the same amount goes from Scholastic to the charity of our choice. We have decided to buy books for the children of deployed soldiers. The same amount also goes to poor children around the world who have no books. So this is a three way win! Please let your child put some extra change into the box and make his day!

We have a short week this week. We will be off on Good Friday. Children will take Easter baskets home on Holy Thursday. Every piece of candy in their Easter basked was earned by a good work this Lent. We are so proud of these children.

We will be talking about the Easter Traditions and doing Easter art this week. Should be fun.

On the menu is lasagna, nachos, bacon pizza, and pork roast.

If you are planning on your child being at the Garden School this summer and you have not enrolled your child, now is the time to do it. We are down to about twelve spots left, and the calls for the waiting list start this week.

Please take note of the right column on the blog. This is your “never change” column for recipes, and for your monthly calendar. Please tell your away relatives who might like to order a book that they can browse Scholastic online quickly and easily and have their book arrive to school. Just click the underlined “here” and you will find how easy it is.

Have a great week!

Part of designing a program for little kids is looking at the whole picture of a day and asking yourself, “What ARE the possibilities for each child?” beginning with first thing in the morning and ending with near dinnertime.

A little place for little people is what our sign says, and that concept contributes to the feeling when a child walks in that it’s his place, and he is safe there to explore and learn all day. The difference between most day cares and our school is simple. Our school is created FOR the children not FOR the staff and not FOR some owner who never steps a foot on the premises. Everything is colorful, bright and busy because children should be stimulated into action, not dulled or lulled into submission by a lack of lighting and muted colors on the walls. There is a myriad of toys, activities, and places for children to look at what they have created on the walls.

Designing a play room requires the knowledge of what children need in order to explore. The traditional areas are: books, building, house and art. What we have done as teachers is take those four areas and expand on them so that like four rivers, there are hundreds of tributaries feeding the energy and the life of each of these areas of learning.

“House” as a play scheme is traditionally a kitchen with dishes, dolls and furniture for playing “house.” That’s a great concept, but how many children see mom go home to cook? Many children haven’t a clue how to play house. We divided our house into two areas – the kitchen and the dress up area. In the kitchen, we slipped in the children’s library, an extra table and children can go and do the usual thing…although the boys have made it a restaurant, which is hilarious.

In the half that has become dress up, we have built a huge ottoman where the girls and sometimes the boys can sit and admire each other dressing up in ball gowns, fancy golden, silver, lavender, and varying black shoes, fancy little evening bags, and hats of all kinds. A plethora of scarves are ready for wearing right along with other costumes and jewelry. The whole idea for this area is that little girls especially can put on fabulous costumes and be Cinderella for as long as they want. In the process, we are putting in drapes that are theatre like and contribute to the atmosphere of make believe. Mirrors are available to gaze and to dream.

Children create their own building area by hauling lumber to their favorite spot. Children can build with as many as ten different block and board types including hundreds of pounds of real wood. The children can add Rescue Heroes, cars, trucks, and trains to complete the action. The field is wide open to accommodate as big a structure as they can manage.

Building is also available at tables. No fewer than fifty building toys are available to construct just about anything they can “thunk” up! And new toys are added all the time.

Girls build too, and we have added Calico Critters as the new house-build toy, and the children have really enjoyed this.

There are five libraries within our school. There is the children’s library, the science library, the history-geography library, the music library and the fine arts library. Children have access to every book in the school.

The art department is at the back of the school. In a shelf containing 60 gallon pickle jars filled with crazy art supplies like buttons and clay and shredded paper, and drawers and drawers of paper, paints, crayons, stamps, fancy scissors, punches, colored paper stacked to the ceiling, the children are free to explore just about any art they can think of.

If a child comes to school at open, 7:00 a.m., that child will have access to any and all of these toys until we ring the bell for breakfast at 8:30.

Meals are an important part of the Garden School. We make everything from scratch from whole grain flours and the best of other ingredients. Children are served a variety of whole grains and fresh fruit and fresh vegetables every day. Fresh and delicious has been our aim since the creation of the school. Even our snacks are a tribute to health and nutrition. When your cookies are as good as lunch just because of the ingredients, we’re helping children eat well.

Our class time is designed around a departmentalized program of every teacher seeing every student every day. One of our teachers is a reading teacher, one is a handwriting teacher and one is a math teachers, so every student gets thirty minutes of each discipline every day. Students “change” classes just like the big kids do. This allows every teacher to have input on every child. Children have no ceiling of instruction. We take children as far as they can go…and it works because our fours are reading.

With reading, writing and arithmetic out of the way, it’s time for recess – inside or out. The children go out to play on great days, and on rainy days, the playroom comes alive with play stations and activities opening up to new discoveries. The fancy shoes clack along the floors and the purses sway from golden chains.

Reading to the children is an important part of teacher-student trust. It’s a listening skill, and one of the most important skills we can teach. Each child has a place where he sits to listen to any one of our teachers. Teachers each have a bookcase with their favorite books to draw from. Children are expected to listen politely and the stories are little books, Mother Goose, poetry, chapter books, and occasionally a make me up on the spot story from Miss Judy.

Lunch time is another great adventure. Introducing new foods, enjoying upgrades on the older menus is always a treat for the eater. Those who are reluctant to eat usually come round because the children will encourage anyone with the oohs and the aahs. Piggy Pie, breakfast for lunch, fresh fish, lasagna, spaghetti, baked chicken, fresh strawberries, fresh pineapple, dipping veggies and a favorite nutritious dip might grace every little table of friends who enjoy lunch together. French class is toward the end of lunch time.

In the afternoon, after another recess, children gather for music. Our children are practicing their Civil War songs for a program for parents later this month called Spring Sing. We will be singing some “just for fun songs” as well.

Then we begin what we call the “relaxed” classes. For an hour and a half, teachers as a team introduce subjects to the whole group that children love. Last week we did a series on insects. Children were introduced to information about insects from many books and science materials on hand. Then there is a huge art project with string, clay, paint, tubes, and tissue paper that allows children to explore building a bug, making a spider web, making the spider and painting the intricacies of butterfly wings. Great stuff. Vocabulary is introduced, some geography, some experiences, and lots of science. The children’s art is put up on the wall for everyone to enjoy. Every day the art is changed, because the new creations take the place of yesterday’s things, and yesterday’s things go home.

Then it’s recess again and then snack. On Friday we had everything bars – whole grain flour, whole oats, raisins, coconut, dark chocolate, butterscotch, white chocolate, fresh farm eggs, (much reduced sugar) and real butter make a delicious snack.

Children end their day with story time, puzzles, a little coloring and smiles galore when a loving parent comes to the door and calls them home. It’s a great day in a little place for little people.

Sunscreen

Q&A with Dr. Ranella Hirsch

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 70 percent of adults do not apply sunscreen regularly and more than one-third of the U.S. population reported experiencing sunburn in the previous year. These are alarming statistics, especially since melanoma and sun-induced skin cancers are increasing each year. Here, Dr. Ranella Hirsch, noted Boston dermatologist, explains how to properly apply sunscreen so your skin is protected from the sun’s harmful UV rays.

Q: When should you use sunscreen?

Dr. Hirsch: The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that a broad-spectrum water-resistant sunscreen of at least SPF 30 be used year round.

Q: Where should you apply sunscreen?

Dr. Hirsch: Sunscreen should be applied to any exposed skin. This includes, minimally, the face, décolleté, and backs of hands and forearms, but should be adapted for an individual’s weather and clothing.

Q: If you’re using a sunscreen on your face, what should the order be (if you’re also using makeup etc.?)

Dr. Hirsch: Always apply sunscreen first.

Q: When should you apply sunscreen?

Dr. Hirsch: Always apply at least 30 minutes before going outdoors.

Q: How much sunscreen needs to be applied to the face and body and how often should you reapply?

Dr. Hirsch: One ounce, or the amount needed to fill a shot glass, is considered to be an ample amount to protect exposed skin. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours and more frequently if you are sweating or swimming.

It’s time for the book fair to begin. We will be placing a small collection box for loose change at the front of the school. By placing your loose change in our box, we collect three times! Whatever we collect goes towards books for the children. The same amount goes toward books for a charity we choose, so give us your input! And the same amount goes to a program that distributes books around the world to children who don’t have any. This is a great way to kick off our bookfair. Please let your child put a few pennies into the box as often as you remember. It’s a wonderful way to make children smile! More about the book fair later!

Some great new pictures for a Wednesday!

It was quite a feat to keep me away from school over the weekend, but they managed and when I arrived on Sunday with a truckload of food, the whole faculty was there with the surprise of a lifetime. Painted, pretty, and filled with love. You can see just how much the kids are enjoying this new room!

Good Morning!

It’s more or less a regular school week. No field trips. We are still practicing our Civil War songs for Spring Sing, and we are getting ready for the Scholastic Book Fair.

Miss Leigh will be visiting us tomorrow. She will stay for the morning and have lunch. It’s her favorite – breakfast for lunch with bacon.

This weekend, as a present for Miss Judy, the whole staff got together and painted the pet or zoo room. It is magnificent. Please spend some time visiting in there tomorrow and this week. It’s beautiful and filled with love. It was so unexpected. I am so pleased.

I can’t tell you how much this meant to me. The work, the talent, the time, the effort, and the thought. When does a faculty come together and do something as fantastic as this for someone? I truly feel loved and respected. The zoo room is not everyone’s gig, but it’s mine, and knowing that people love me enough to add to this is a tremendous tribute to friendship. I am truly blessed – and so surprised.

After shopping for the school groceries today, the faculty was there to welcome me – it was a little scary – couldn’t understand why every one was there on a Sunday… and then they showed me the room. So excited.

Have a great week!

Getting picky children to eat is an ongoing problem that moves from one set of parents to another. Someone is always suffering from Picky Child Syndrome. And for parents experiencing it for the first time, it’s a nightmare. Most parents want to know if their child will become ill from not eating. The answer is, he could if the proper nutrition evades him for long periods of time. But he won’t starve to death.

Here are some of the picky eaters who have graced the Garden School:

“I eat nothing but Barbie Cereal and ice cream.”

“I eat nothing but fast food cheeseburgers and fries – mostly McDonald’s.”

“I don’t eat meat, eggs, cheese, vegetables, fruit, bread, noodles, rice or crackers.”

“I don’t eat anything but snack.”

“My mother always rescues me and takes me to the ice cream store. All I have to do is cry and vomit first.”

“I only eat food separated in bowls. A big treat is when my dad takes me out to lunch and makes me a bowl of oatmeal.”

“I don’t eat anything white.”

“If I never ate again; it would be fine with me.”

“I don’t eat what doesn’t have my particular archetype standard. Let me see the bag or the box first.”

They are all the same…they have a definite palate that knows all four tastes very well. Just as non picky kids never know the four tastes and will tell you they are all salty or all sweet when tested, the pickies are always sure and will invariably know the difference, and they like few of them. Some of the pickies are salt lovers and some are sweet lovers – it’s usually one or the other.

The pickies are not interested in discovering food, tastes, or anything concerned with eating. They mistrust new taste treat delights as much as an adult would mistrust a snake hissing from his plate. Something happened along the way to make a picky picky. Changing this picky is not going to happen for a few years – when the hint of puberty is calling and the growing amazes even the picky into the hungry desire for more calories.

So in the mean time, how do you handle the no eating, because a picky child will endeavor to escape all culinary demands that are not included in his meager diet.

First, know that there could be tears, long hours at the table, and vomit to secure the point that “I WILL NOT EAT!” So that is what parents are up against.

Second, know that the parent is the provider of food – especially the mother – so the battle is usually between mother and child.

Third, remember that food is a compromise between what a child should eat and what a child will eat.

Fourth, develop a strategy that never involves tears, long hours at the table and vomit. Life is too short and too precious to make the situation worse.

If you are determined that your child will eat, best to give him what he wants when he wants it because there are two things you can’t do – make a child eat or make him poop. He’s on his own with both of these things.

If you want to encourage your child out of the pickies, take the stress off. If he eats, great, if he doesn’t, he will become hungry eventually. If he doesn’t want his breakfast, lunch or dinner, give him five minutes to eat it, and then throw the food away. If he cries at that point, he’s playing the parent for a fool.

Remember, it is up to the parent to buy food for the family. If parents want children to eat a good diet, then only buy food that is good for the child and stop buying the junk he only wants to eat. Children will avoid meals every time if the snack is available and looming in the near future.

If the parent doesn’t care so long as the child eats, then the sky is the limit.

If meal time is important to parents, then the child should be offered what the rest of the family is eating. Five minutes – and throw it out – right into the garbage right in front of the child. (Had a mom do this to her husband once, and it worked; he stopped being picky!) Don’t say a word. Pitch and return to the table for a lovely meal because parents deserve a stress free dinner.

If children ask for food after having their dinners pitched, the answer is anything a parent thinks appropriate. Some parents will opt to give the child a second chance on dinner with leftovers. Some parents will opt to give the child the treat he has been desiring. Some parents will simply say “No.”

The whole idea with food is to neutralize the control issue. By de-stressing meals, kids will adjust to the rules and live by them, but be consistent. It can’t be one thing one day and one thing another. And never feel sorry for a child who misses out on dessert, treats, or that great snack…he’s setting the standards, not the parent.

And just a little FYI – many many children don’t eat after 4:00 p.m. Their systems shut down, so try this: at dinner time, allow the child to have a protein like a hard boiled egg, a piece of cold sausage, peanut butter or a good piece of cheese, a fruit and veggie like half a banana or half an apple or half an orange or some dipping carrots or broccoli, and some good grain product like whole grain crackers or half a piece of bread.

The food battle is as much in the eye of the beholder as anything parents choose to make a big deal about.

One of my beloved parents who is studying nursing asked me today what I thought nurses should know about preschoolers. My first thought was “that they are not toddlers.” This lead to a lively discussion of stages of development.

Nature is not as kind to baby lovers as it is to preschool lovers. Mothers get one year to dote on their infant as an infant. Once a child is walking, and that usually happens at about a year, the child is not an infant anymore. It’s time to let go of the infant care and begin to dote on the child as a toddler. A child who is walking should walk; a child who is beginning to use words should be encouraged to use those words; a child who is grabbing food from your plate should be given his own; a child who is moving away from a parent on his own recourse should be taught the word “NO!”

During the toddler years – and you get two – parents should make sure that a child learns to do certain things. It’s building the foundation for his life, and there are windows of opportunity that should be allowed to be opened so that learning can occur. One of these things is mobility. I once had a friend who would not let her child play on the carpet because it was dirty. The child never got to move inside his own home. He never got to explore, play on the floor or experience anything but being chaired or penned. One wonders what a toll that took on his development.

Between the ages of one and three, children will want to do one thing more than anything else – run. Take a child anywhere, and he will race off because it feels great. He’s directing his own power, his own body, he’s learning. It’s as if he’s sixteen and has his first car and that car is a race car and it’s all his. Wow!

The toddler should learn how to eat at a table. He should learn to use a spoon or a small fork. He should begin to drink his liquids from a cup. Sucky cups, or cups capped with a device for sucking, only breed sore throats, ear infections, bronchitis and strep. Children should learn how to handle a cup at meal times, and take a water break a couple of times between meals. Sucky cups filled with juice breed not only illness, but rotten teeth and contribute to obesity. Table rules should begin to apply to the toddler who is sitting with his parents. This is where the word “NO” comes in.

“NO” is the command word that trains a child to understand that which is permissible and that which is not. Toddlers don’t need long explanations, they don’t need to be talked into anything, and they don’t need to know why or why not. They just need the “NO” and it should be loud and firm. Toddlers don’t have the cognitive skills to wonder why.

Toddlers need to be toilet trained. This is something that should always be completed by age three, because there are cognitive skills that children can’t acquire until toileting is achieved. The optimum age to train most children is eighteen to twenty-six months. If a child is not read at this point, the parent is not treating the toddler like a toddler, but instead, the parent is treating the child as an infant. Stealing time from a toddler to make him an infant is simply unfair.

Toddlers should be encouraged to speak in full sentences as soon as possible. A child tries to communicate from birth, so listen to him, talk to him, and ask him questions. A child who speaks well at two has parents who want their child to achieve great things, because communication means getting your point across easily. Poor communicators will always be poor communicators. Don’t speak for your child; let him speak!

In the toddler years, a child should be given the choice of the red one or the blue one; what ice cream flavor, which of two dresses, and if they would like a second ride on the carousel. But a toddler does not choose his bedtime, what he will watch on TV, or whether he will bathe or not.

Difficult children who will not learn “NO” and will not take direction, and demand to be allowed to make adult choices need one thing: a cry space, a place in the house where they can scream out their anger, their frustration, and their disappointment. When a child is finished his nasty little tantrum, he is welcomed to come play again. Firm parents who never cave will bring a difficult child into line quickly and that’s always best for the child and for the family and for development.

At three, children who have accomplished all that is necessary as a toddler, will move into the preschool years with ease. At three, children need to begin to listen, and they will want to listen, because they understand that they learn from listening. They learn to listen and then they listen to learn. They can’t listen well at two because at two, most children are the Narcissus of Pool. They are so busy indulging themselves, they don’t notice anyone else in the world. At three, they are bored with Narcissus, and it’s time to explore and discover other things and other people. Listening skills develop over the next three years, or the preschool years. These are extremely important years because this is where their student habits will come from. A successful listener will always be at the top of his class.

Threes hone manners, social skills, rules, and “doing” skills. Art works for a developed three year old as does singing, memorizing, letter learning and simple arithmetic. Threes can be taught languages, songs, and many facts. They may not understand the facts, but they can learn them.

And what happens after?

Threes listen; fours write; fives discover imagination; sixes are fixed for ever – and I think I’ll stay six now for ever and ever.