First day pics

Creative School picture ideas for your kiddie from Shutterfly. I'm loving the pic the sign that says "When I grow up, I'm going to be a..."

school mornings - part 2

So in this blog entry I shared with you my plan to ease up those nutty school mornings by requiring the kiddies to come dressed to the breakfast table. This has worked OK but the girls had way too much free time after breakfast. So I had to thrown in a few more gritty details: 

• clothes AND socks on AND hair done before breakfast
• brushing teeth occurs right after breakfast
• shoes are on feet immediately following teeth cleaning
• coat goes on next
• finally, play time can occur if there is anytime left...

 We actually only missed the bus once this past week! 

school mornings - the easy way

Monday can't come soon enough. Here's my plan to a scream-free, catch the school bus morning - girls only get to eat breakfast after they have their school clothes on and hair done. Very simple concept and will bring gobbles and gobbles of structure to very complex, time-driven hectic morning. Keep you posted. Please share your morning tips!

DAYCARE

I am anticipating going back to work soon so I have been making my list and checking it... well more than twice. If you are joining the game of finding a childcare center, take some notes first on what you really want in a daycare and talk to some of your working mommy friends. Here are some qualities to look for: safety, clean record, staff attentiveness, location to home, cost, outside play, cleanliness, and pre-school curriculum. Keep in mind, there are licensed in-home day cares (cheaper & less structure), day care centers (more expensive & more structure), family or friends (familiar, even less structure, cheaper or free). Try to take your little one at least twice to play before they begin attending. Glam it up by calling it a school not daycare. Here's a site providing more info.

Gym School

Belle is quite envious of Janae attending school. To give us something to do while her big sis is away, I enrolled her in a local parks and recreation 4 week "Kinder Gym" for a back breaking 21 bucks. Three times a week for 50 minutes. She loves it. They do circle time, sing songs, and play with and on inside toys you couldn't fit into your bathroom. Each Friday is bring your helmet/bike day and the kids trike and bike around the gym and fill up at the toy gas stations. Very cute. We also attend "Library School". Our local library has free toddler time in the mornings. You bring your kiddo, and the Librarian does all the work. She reads stories, sings songs, leads arts and crafts, the kids play with puzzles, and get their hands stamped at the end of the 30 minutes. Check your local mall, library and parks and recreation for inexpensive and free kid activities.

School Daze

So Janae started preschool a few weeks ago. The first day was great for her and bad for Belle. Picture this: a four year old happily getting on the school bus and smiling as her two year old sister runs and screams after her bus. Two year old then sprawls herself on the house floor and throws the biggest fit known to any toddler. Here are my five tips to kinder and gentler school days. 1. Pick out two of their favorite outfits and let them choose which one they want to wear to school. 2. Get the lesson plan from the teacher talk it up over dinner each night. 3. Take them to school before it starts for open house and any other excuse. 4. Create and follow routines consistently at home. Think structure. 4. Be patient. Janae finally fell in love with school during her 4th week. Belle now waves goodbye without squirting out a single tear. Joy.