Readiness: Not a State of Knowledge, but a State of Mind
People used to think children were ready for kindergarten if they could say the ABC's, count, identify colors, and write their first name. Readiness was always more complicated than that, and new brain research is helping us understand what readiness really is. Readiness doesn't mean just knowing the academic basics. It means a child has a willing attitude and confidence in the process of learning: a healthy state of mind.
How do families help their children gain this state of mind? By being responsive to all areas of their children's development-physical, emotional, social, cultural, language, and cognitive (thinking). Children are born with a great ability to learn and grow-different kinds of abilities, to be sure, but abilities that individually and together constitute the miracle of humanity.
More On School Readiness:
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#2 What is Separation Anxiety?
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Separation Anxiety
Extreme worries about something happening to mom and dad when you're apart
Toddlers who cling to mom as she's leaving for work or wail when they're handed to the babysitter are fairly common. Though their anguish troubles us, we know most of them will grow out of their fear and anxiety of separating from parents as they get older and more confident about their own powers.
But for some children the anxiety persists into the school years, and becomes more rather than less pervasive. These kids have developed separation anxiety disorder, and their worries about being apart tend to mushroom far beyond the moment of separation. When kids with separation anxiety are away from caregivers they can develop extreme fears that sound melodramatic to the rest of us, but are very real to them.
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#3 Win a $100 Gift Card in Just 8 minutes....
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National PlayDough Day
National Play-Doh Day is observed annually on September 16th. Play-Doh inventor Joe McVicker actually sold it originally as a wallpaper cleaner but the world had another use for his product. Play-Doh was inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 1998.
5 Reasons to Play with PlayDough
- It is FUN!!!!
- It allows for creative exploration, investigation, and wonder. Children use their imaginations in wonderful ways. It can be squished, flattened, and molded into shapes. It can be poked and rolled. Children can create animals, people, play food, and more.
- It is educational! Playing with Play-Doh (whether it is bought or made by you) has so many opportunities for learning that happen naturally.
- It develops the small muscles of little hands and arms
- It develops eye-hand coordination
- There are so many words to use when playing with Play-Doh
- Playing with Play-Doh is calming and soothing. All that squeezing and rolling and pounding is great for stress release.
- The fun and the learning increase when you add materials to use with the dough - rolling pins, tooth picks (not for very young children), toy silverware, containers, a garlic press, small figures, small sticks, kitchen tools (depending on the ages of the children), safety scissors, cookie cutters, leaves, straws, pine cones, stones, etc. etc.
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Click & Check your
Child Care's
Violation History
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Be An Advocate for Your Child
Check your child care's regulatory history today!
It's not uncommon for child care programs/provider to have some regulatory violations.
However, you should stop and consider the care being provided if there are multiple, serious, uncorrected, or recurring violations.
Did you know that your child care program MUST immediately post their most recent inspection report in a prominent place visible to parents.
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Back to School Vaccine Clinics
Westchester County Department of Health Free Back-to-School
Immunizations
Parents, here is a great way to prepare for the upcoming school year!
Do not miss this chance to make an appointment and child to receive a free vaccine.
In addition to these special clinics, the Westchester County Department of Health provides free immunizations by appointment in its White Plains and Yonkers clinics to eligible children and students of all ages who are uninsured or whose insurance does not cover vaccines. Vaccine visits can be scheduled on the first and third Fridays in White Plains or on the second and fourth Fridays in Yonkers, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Health Department clinics are located at 20 S. Broadway in Yonkers and at 134 Court St. in White Plains.
Ask your healthcare provider which vaccines your children need. All 7th and 12th graders must get the meningococcal vaccine, and all students must be vaccinated against whooping cough, measles and mumps.
Health Navigators available through the Health Department can help families and individuals sign up for the health insurance they need. Those without a regular doctor can learn where to go for ongoing primary care.
For more information, call (914) 995-6350.
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School is In-Session,
Find Child Care Today!
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Finding child care doesn't have to be stressful! We have experts here to assist you, and our services are always free for Westchester parents. We can help you find a place where your baby, toddler, preschooler or school-age child will be safe and loved, and have access to everything he or she needs to learn and explore through play.
Call us at
(914)761-3456 x140
visit
or
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- Things to Do
- After School Care... Just a phone call away!
- Vaccine Clinics
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What's happening at the Council
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Singing Ice Cream Man
Our volunteers work to ensure EVERY child in Westchester has access to diverse and
developmentally appropriate books!
Thank you to our Board Member Joyce Cadesca and the Morgan Stanley team members for collecting books and then spending hours at the Council getting them ready for distribution. Now the books will quickly get into the hands of children who need them!
#Bookdrive
#EarlyLiteracy
#ChildrensBooks
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Dream Big
330 Boston Post Road
Rye, NY 10580
October 3, 2019
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Monday, September 2, 2019
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We're looking for a few good women & men
Come to work at the Child Care Council and make a difference in the life of a child. We currently have the following openings:
For more information contact Juanita Pope at 914-761-3456 ext. 106 or
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JCC Mid Westchester Family Fund Day
When
: Sunday, September 8th
Where
: JCC MidWestchester, Scarsdale
Cost
: Free
For more information, click here
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Watch Coco at Jefferson Valley Mall
When
: Friday, September 27th, 6pm-8pm
Where
: Jefferson Valley Mall, Yorktown Heights
Cost
: Free
For more information,
Click Here
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Click below to see a full list of
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United Way's 2-1-1 is a free, confidential, multilingual information and referral helpline open 365 days a year, 9am-7pm.
United Way's 2-1-1 call specialists can give you information about things such as:
- Food Assistance
- Housing assistance and shelters
- Abuse prevention
- Elder care
- Mental health services
- Recycling regulations
- Services for people with disabilities
- How to become a foster parent
- Where to get medical help and more
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Sometimes a little help can go along way.
If you struggle with having enough to eat, there is help.
Feeding Westchester sources and distributes food all throughout Westchester.
Agency Locator
, helps you find the closest feeding program to meet your needs.
Learn more:
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Spinach Artichoke Zucchini Bites
INGREDIENTS
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 2/3 c. shredded mozzarella
- 1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan
- 1/2 c. canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 1/2 c. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 2 tbsp. sour cream
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2" rounds
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, artichokes, spinach, sour cream, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread about a tablespoon of cream cheese mixture on top of each zucchini coin.
- Bake until zucchini is tender and cheese is melty, 15 minutes. For more color, broil on high, 1 to 2 minutes.
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How delicious it is to give back!
Shake Shack
recently opened a new Hartsdale, NY location, and chose to give back to the Child Care Council of Westchester through their Charitable Partnership Program.
5% of sales of their Pie Oh My Concretes will be donated to the Council, so that we may continue to fight for quality early care and education for all children in Westchester.
Make sure you stop by and enjoy their ever changing Pie Oh My Concretes to support the Council!
We're there all the time!
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