Up-to-3 Early Intervention Quarterly Newsletter

A word from our Program Coordinator...

Hello,

Sometimes January feels like the longest month. Intentionally identifying and celebrating the little joys can help lift us all. Hopefully the tips we found to share in this newsletter will lift you and your family.

Up to 3 is here to help families with children under 3 with delays or disabilities. The coaching from qualified providers can increase mutual enjoyment of parents and children as confidence and competence increases.

Marla Nef

Celebrate Life

You’ve heard of Father’s Day and Mother’s Day, but what about children’s day? You might be thinking something along the lines of “isn’t that every day?" The reality is that parents are always so busy and rarely get the chance to sit down and enjoy a family day with their little ones. That’s what Celebrating Life is all about - setting time aside to spend with your young ones.

Every now and then, it’s a good idea to take some time off so you can refocus yourself. It’s about stepping back and looking at your life from a different perspective so you can appreciate everything you have, including your kiddos! When you get away from the hustle and bustle of your job and finally get to settle down and reflect on your past with your kids, you’ll start to realize just how blessed you are to have children. It’ll remind you how special your kids are and how far you’d be willing to go to protect them and ensure they can live a comfortable and stress-free life. Sure, you’re eventually going to let them roam free and become their own people, but, even when they move out, it doesn’t break the bond that you have with your kids.

Celebrating Life is all about looking at your child’s life and reminding yourself of all the things you can be proud of. Whether it was the pain of going through labor, or the frustration of moving to a new home, there are plenty of challenges that you go through and overcome to have children. And there are many more challenges to face in the future. For now, you can sit back and admire all the hard work you’ve put into your child’s life up to this point and celebrate your accomplishments, but also spend some time reminiscing and bonding with your child.

With the busy lifestyles that parents have today, it’s hard to spend quality time with your littles. It makes Celebrating Life perfect to book a few days off and make your children, and not your job, your primary focus.

If you don’t have children, or you’re at a point where you struggle to see why you should celebrate life, notice that there are people eager to celebrate. Maybe appreciate the lives of those you don't know by volunteering or giving to a charity where those eager folks are. Maybe you’ll start to understand the importance of Celebrating Life by spending time with those who love it.

Sources:

* https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/celebration-of-life-day/

* https://nationaltoday.com/celebration-life-day/

* https://www.checkiday.com/0b9f6490547ad76011dcd508435a5a85/celebration-of-life-day

* https://www.feplg.com/blog/celebration-of-life-day/

The depth of the love of parents for their children cannot be measured. It is like no other relationship. It exceeds concern for life itself. The love of a parent for a child is continuous and transcends heartbreak and disappointment.

-James E. Faust-

Tips on How to Celebrate Life

Make a gratitude jar. It’s important to keep remembering why life is so good after today ends, and a gratitude jar is a great tool! On folded slips of paper, write down 20 things you're grateful for in your life that are worth celebrating - from the big things like your dog, a vacation to Mexico, health, friends, and family, to the small things like a good meal, your favorite cookie recipe, the color orange, a prized possession - and keep them in a mason jar or other container. Then write down at least two things each day and add them to the jar. Then, the next time life gets you down, your gratitude jar will pull you back into a celebratory mood.
Get outside and play. What better way to appreciate your life than feeling the sun shining on your face? Getting outside and playing with your child or pets is a fantastic way to boost your endorphins and appreciate the world we live in. Nature is universally considered one of the most beautiful things in this life, so get out there and appreciate it!
Indulge in a childhood favorite. Treat yourself. Today’s the day to celebrate children, so, while you celebrate them, celebrate the child within you too. We recommend getting ice cream or watching a favorite movie from when you were a kid, childhood favorites! Try to reconnect with your younger self and get in touch with whom you’ve always been. You can also use the day to reflect on your life - celebrate your past and present while looking to the future.
Live your best day. Set aside some time for some of your favorite things, or tackle tasks you must accomplish with the most zest and enthusiasm possible. Celebrating a day with family and friends is a great idea, as they are who make life worth celebrating in the first place.
Recognize the beauty in life around you. What exists that brings you joy? Your child? A movie? A person? Take advantage of this holiday by appreciating those lively aspects of your life: watch that movie, tell your loved ones what they mean to you, prioritize your health and happiness. Sometimes with the busyness and unexpected changes that life brings, we forget to appreciate everything and everybody around us.
Do things that make you feel alive. Have you ever had a great day where the sun shines just right and you feel overwhelmingly present? Spend today chasing those moments. If you get a thrill from adrenaline rushes, do something that scares you. If you've been working too hard, take some downtime for yourself and celebrate the ability to relax.
If you have children or grandchildren. Celebrate their lives by spending the day with them and perhaps even giving them a special gift. Rededicate yourself to being there for them, to offer guidance and encouragement.

No matter what, be sure to celebrate today, tomorrow, and every day after that!

Celebrate Life - it's all about happiness and gratitude. Here are some effects of happiness and gratitude on your life.

Happiness helps boost your immune system

Psychosomatic research found that happier people are less likely to catch the common cold!

Grateful People Sleep Better

Cultivate gratitude every day - not just for Celebration of Life Day - to help you catch more zzz’s and get more out of your rest.

Improve Self-Esteem with Gratitude

Those who are grateful for their lives are more likely to have better self-esteem than average and are also more likely to be happy for other people.

Color Your Feelings

Colors like grey are often associated with anxiety and depression, while some studies found that colors like yellow increase feelings of happiness and satisfaction.

Pain-Free

Those who experience more positive emotions, like happiness or enthusiasm, have been shown to feel less pain throughout their lives.

Your child loves to have a lot of hugs and kisses. Give BIG hugs and little hugs, LOUD kisses and soft kisses. Tell them you love them so much!

Shoutout to our community partners!

Pre-school Puppet Storytime, 2nd and 4th Fridays, 10:30 - 11:30 AM, September through May at the Brigham City Fine Arts Center. Free and open to all.

Story Time at the Garland Library. Toddler/Pre-K story time, Mondays at 10:30 AM. Children's story on Thursdays at 4:00 PM. Free and open to all.

Community Art Days at the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art in Logan. Join us on the second Saturday of every month to learn about and make art! 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM. Free and open to all.

Mini Makers: Toddler Art Exploration at the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art in Logan. On Thursdays, toddlers can experience art through singing, playing, moving and making. (Prior registration required, 435-797-0165.)

Espectáculo de marionetas y hora del cuento, Centro de Bellas Artes, Brigham City, 2nd y 4th todos los Sabados, 10:30 - 11:30 AM.

Hora del Cuento Biblioteca de Garland. Hora de cuentos para niños pequeños/preescolar, los lunes a las 10:30 AM. Cuento infantil los jueves a las 4 PM.

Días de arte comunitario en el Museo de Arte de Nora Eccles Harrison en Logan. ¡Unase a nosotros el segunto sábado de cada mes para aprender y hacer arte! 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM. Gratuito y abierto a las todos.

Mini Creadores : Exploración del arte para niños pequeños en el museo de arte Nora Eccles Harrison en Logan. Los jueves, los niños pequeños pueden experimentar el arte cantando, jugando, moviéndose y creando. (Se requiere inscripción previa, 435-797-0165).

Spotlights on a couple of our newest employees!!

Annika Christensen - Annika loves her coworkers and that she gets to work with others who care so much about the families in our program, and they all want what's best for them. She has gained so much experience and knowledge from the trainings, Early ECHO, and getting to observe all my coworkers. Being able to see how others coach families have been so helpful for me to get new ideas for working with the families on her caseload.

She didn't know that she could get a job like this with just her bachelor's degree. It has been a great opportunity to gain experience. The work itself was also appealing because she likes to work one-on-one with families and continue learning about all areas of child development.

Her best vacation as going to Mexico, especially getting to zipline and swim in a cenote for the first time. She has a twin sister who is one minute younger than she is. Her favorite food is peanut Thai curry. She would love to witness President Lincoln giving The Gettysburg Address. Finally, she's happiest when she gets to spend quality time with her friends and family - when they can play board games, hike and camp together.

Gabby Rodrigues de Castro - What Gabby appreciates most about Up-to-3 is the focus on families and their unique needs. It creates a supportive environment that helps families thrive. Gabby's time at Up-to-3 has been a great professional learning experience. The diverse perspectives in training and team meetings have expanded her horizons. Interacting with different cultures has been inspirig. Her favorite part of working here is the home visits. Witnessing families achieve their goals is exciting, and it is fulfilling to be part of the process.

Gabby's favorite quote is "Know all the theories, master all the techniques, but as you touch a human soul be just another human soul," by C.G. Jumg.

If she could witness any historical event she'd want to see Woodstock, a symbol of unity through music. She'd eat pizza every day if nothing else was available. Her bucket list includes becoming fluent in Spanish. Moving to a new country without knowing the language challenged her adaptability, persistence and resilience.

Up-to-3 changes lives one child and

family at a time.

If you have concerns about your child's development, scan the QR code for two intake questionnaires, the ASQ and the ASQ:SE. Once you've completed both questionnaires, we'll call you to schedule a

FREE evaluation.

Si tiene inquietudes sobre el desarrollo de su hijo, haga escanar aquí para obtener dos cuestionarios, el ASQ y el ASQ:SE. Una vez que haya completado ambos cuestionarios, lo llamaremos para programar una evaluación GRATUITA.