Katie's Kids Mission Statement

To elevate child development to a new level by leading the social and emotional growth and education of young children by providing a safe, welcoming home-like environment with a caring, educated, and professional staff that promotes partnerships between parents children and other early childhood professionals. 
Upcoming Events
March Events

March 9                    Saturday Night Live at The Links 5-10p
March 12                  Kindergarten Registration to begin for Unit 5
                                         information below
March 16                   Join KKLC in walking in the Sharing of the Green Parade
                                           Uptown Normal, parade starts at 1
March 18-22             Scholastic Book Fair
March 25-29             School Age Spring Break Program



Saturday Night Live
Katie's Kids @ The Links
March 9
5:00 -10:00 p.m.


Need a night off? Can't find a babysitter? Check out Saturday Night Live @ Katie's Kids! Saturday Night Live is a Saturday evening full of fun for children while families go out. Children can enjoy playing, having dinner with friends, and snuggling in for a movie.  

         




March 
Nutrition Awareness Month


Young children need the same variety of nutrient-rich foods as older kids and adults, just in smaller quantities. As portions have gotten bigger, some parents and caregivers have developed a distorted view of the amount of food toddlers and preschoolers need. Feeding children becomes less frustrating and less complicated when adults know what kids need to grow well and be healthy.

Defining a Young Child's Serving Size
An appropriate serving size for children 2 to 3 years of age is about one-half an adult serving. This rule of thumb is based on serving sizes recommended by MyPlate, not portions served in many restaurants. The recommendations are a general guideline based on age and activity level. So a serving of bread for a 2- to 3-year-old would be half of a slice.

Foods Young Children Need
Most 2- to 3-year-old children need to consume about 1,000 to 1,400 calories per day. Here's how to distribute those calories in a healthy eating plan:
  • Grain Group: About 3 to 5 ounces of grains per day, preferably half of them whole grains. For example, that is one or two slices of bread plus one ounce ready-to-eat cereal and 1 cup cooked rice or pasta.
  • Vegetable Group: 1 to 1½ cups raw or cooked vegetables per day. Like adults, young kids need variety of vegetables and include dark green, red and orange ones: mashed sweet potatoes, broccoli with low-fat dip or tomato sauce for pasta.
  • Fruit Group: 1 to 1½ cups fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruits per day. Limit fruit juice to 4 to 6 ounces per day. Emphasize whole fruits rather than juice. Kids love melon balls, mandarin oranges (fresh or canned in juice) and frozen berries.
  • Milk Group: 2 to 2½ cups cups per day. Whole milk is recommended for children younger than 2. Older children can have lower-fat, calcium-rich choices such as fat-free or low-fat milk and soy milk, yogurt and cheese.
  • Protein Group: 2 to 4 ounces total per day. Mix up protein foods with lean meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, soy products, cooked beans (black, pinto, kidney), unsalted nuts and nut butters.
What to Do About Snacks, Sweet Drinks and Desserts
Plan two to three small snacks at set times during the day to refuel small, active bodies. Choose foods from the  MyPlate food groups. Make small servings of sweet drinks and desserts "sometimes" foods. MyPlate recommends to limit sodium to 1,500 milligrams per day, saturated fat to 11-16 grams per day and added sugars to 25-35 grams per day for young children.

For more information about eating plans and serving sizes for preschoolers, visit ChooseMyPlate.gov.




by Shauna Tominey,
 kqed.org/mindshift, January 3, 2019





1. Use words that you would like to hear your child use now and in the future .  
As you choose the words you say to your child and to others, imagine how you would feel hearing those same words from your child...be intentional with your own word choices...choose to think and speak with compassion.
2. Live each conversation beyond your words. 
Do more than have conversations about being compassionate...look for ways to act compassionately at home and in your community. Explain to your child what you are doing and why so that your child hears what you are thinking and brings a compassionate perspective to their own thought process.
3. Look for role models and examples of compassion in your own community.  
Seek out examples of individuals and groups...that are working to make your community a better place. Point these activities out to your child...
4. Recognize that building compassion takes time . 
Just like any set of skills, building compassion takes time and lots of practice. You may feel discouraged at times when you see your own child acting out or struggling to think about someone else's feelings, but this is normal. Developing compassion is a lifelong process that is easier for some people than others, and one that is challenging for everyone.
5. Learn from your child along the way . 
As you and your child find your voices together, take time to listen to and learn from one another. You may be surprised by the insights your child offers. Your child might think about other people's feelings in ways that you may not consider. When you learn something new from your child, let them know that. With all the ways they learn from you, they will love hearing that you learn from them, too.




Healthy Corner...
Katie's Kids works to support nutrition & healthy eating at an early age.  


After receiving feedback in our family surveys, Katie's Kids re-evaluated our morning food options. In looking to create positive changes AND  still meeting the Meal Plan requirements for DCFS.  W e are changing the title of breakfast to an am snack.  
"AM Snack"  

  • grain continues to be a required component 

  • continue to serve milk

  • incorporate more protein options