Greetings!
In the first few months of the year we have been so impressed with our Providers and children and their exploration of science and experimentation as part of our Together Wee Can “Step Into STEM” programming. As we see evidence of the children focusing, questioning and proudly showing parents and peers what they have seen, created or learned we can’t help but feel proud like you do as Providers and parents. Images of proud, happy children got us thinking about how confident they appear when they accomplish something, so we started to look a little deeper at what the drivers of self-confidence and self-esteem are and we are focusing this newsletter on just that!
Did you know there is a difference between self-confidence and self-esteem? Self-confidence is how a person feels about their skills and abilities to do something. Confidence comes with experience, knowledge and practice. The more a person does something and succeeds, the more confident they are in their ability. Self-esteem on the other hand refers to how you feel about yourself, self-love in other words. Self-esteem is highly based on the relationships you have around you. For children, self-esteem comes from knowing they are loved and that they belong to a family and a community that values them. When children are encouraged to try new things and are praised it develops their sense of value and worth.
Fostering both confidence and self-esteem in our children is a goal we all share and as educators, caregivers, and members of a child’s community, we all have a role. We have curated a selection of articles and activities in this month’s newsletter to provide some practical suggestions and tips to help us in this pursuit!
Observances, Holidays & Celebrations in March & April:
International Women's Day - Sunday, March 8th
Daylight Savings Time - Sunday, March 8th
Holi - Monday, March 9th
Purim - Tuesday, March 10th
St. Patrick's Day - Tuesday, March 17th
First Day of Spring - Thursday, March 19th
April Fool's Day - Wednesday, April 1st
Passover - Thursday, April 9th
Good Friday - Friday, April 10th
Easter- Sunday, April 12th
Orthodox Easter - Sunday, April 19th
Earth Day - Wednesday, April 22nd
Ramadan - Thursday, April 23rd
Sincerely,
Lisa Parise