As I write this, we are more than half-way into June. It is hard to believe that I have been at the ELC for a full year this month. This year, I have come to appreciate the many gifts that you and your children experience each day at the ELC. The gift of teachers who are truly grateful for the opportunity to partner with you in these early years of your child’s development. The gift of a community that celebrates the diversity that each child, family, and staff member brings to the ELC. The gift of time for children to engage in uninterrupted periods of play, to persevere with a task, to engage with each other, and to discover new wonders about how the world works. The gift of sheer joy that children bring to us each day; delight, wonderment, and awe are daily small moments at the ELC. 

Some of you will continue at the ELC for most of the summer, while others of you will take some breaks for your own summer holidays. As you plan your summer family time, I wish for you the gift of being in the moment with your child. As Ben Mardell reminds is in this recent article from Usable Knowledge, from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, “Build sandcastles together, dress up together, or tell stories together. Really get into the spirit of play and doing to together. That’s the beauty of summertime or vacation.” You may also find that it is good for your own mindfulness. Children have a way of being in the moment that many of us forget to appreciate. So, in the weeks ahead, I hope you discover the gifts of wonderment and awe through your child’s eyes as you create small moments of play and exploration with them. 

Best,

Linda