Mother's Encyclopedia for Care & Raising Children

Dr. Spock's Baby and Childcare book was the book that parents went to for many years.  In the 80's and 90's parents read 'What to Expect When You're Expecting'.  Search amazon for books on motherhood and you have over a thousand choices.  Barnes and Noble provides over fifteen hundred books on motherhood.  Type in 'motherhood books' in your browser, hit search and you will have over fifty-six million options. If you broaden your search to parenting? Two billion results.  

I love vintage books and have had the Mother's Encyclopedia for as long as I can remember. The copyright is dated 1950.  The chapters begin with the Privilege of Parenthood, The Expectant Mother, The Emotional Adjustments of Pregnancy, A Word to Expectant Fathers and in the first section is also Painless Childbirth (???).  It moves through the first year and preschoolers. There are chapters on how small children learn, letting your child have their say, discipline through affection and much more.  In the section on school age children there is advice on education, summer camp, the lunch box, natural and wholesome attitudes toward sex and advice on comic books, television and radio There are chapters on books, music, art, in-laws, grandparents, first aid and adoption.  

Each generation has their own set of challenges and obstacles.  The Mother's Encyclopedia in many ways is not relevant for parenting children today. However, in many ways the more things change, the more they stay the same.  The first chapter is Parents' Pledge to Their Children.  I've taken the liberty to edit and update---

Parents' Pledge to Their Children

Mother's Encyclopedia for Care & Raising Children

In every home where this pledge is made and kept, children will have a greater opportunity to grow into healthy, intelligent and useful members of society. *

From your earliest infancy we will give you our love, so that you may grow with trust in yourself and in others. 

We will recognize your worth as a person and we will help you to strengthen your sense of belonging. 

We will respect your right to be yourself and at the same time help you to understand the rights of others, so that you may experience cooperative living.  

We will help you to develop initiative and imagination, so that you may have the opportunity to freely to create.  

We will encourage your curiosity and your pride in workmanship, so that you may have the satisfaction that comes from achievement. 

We will provide the conditions for play that will add to your learning, to your social experience, and to your happiness. 

We will illustrate by precept and example the value of integrity the importance of moral courage. 

We will encourage you always to seek the truth.

We will provide you with all opportunities possible to develop your own faith. 

We will open the way for you to enjoy the arts and to use them for deepening your understanding of life.  

We will work to rid ourselves of prejudice and discrimination, so that together we may achieve a truly democratic society. 

We will work to lift the standard of living and to improve our economic practices, so that you may have the basis for a full life. 

We will provide you with rewarding educational opportunities, so that you may develop your talents and contribute to a better world.  

We will protect you against exploitation and undue hazards and help your grow in health and strength.  

We will intensify our search for new knowledge in order to guide you more effectively as you develop your potentialities.  

As you grow from child to youth to adult, establishing a family life of your own and accepting larger social responsibilities, we will work with you to improve conditions for all children and youth.  

Aware that these promises to you cannot be fully met in a word at war, we ask you to join us in a firm dedication to the building of a world society based on freedom, justice and mutual respect. 

So may you grow in joy, in faith of man and in those qualities of vision and of the spirit that will sustain us all and give us new hope for the future.  

*This pledge to children was unanimously adopted by 6000 delegates at the Midcentury White House Conference on Children and Youth, held in Washington, D. C. December 5-7, 1950.

There are all kinds of mothers.  There are as many ways to be a mother as there are mothers in this world. I was a lucky girl. I had really great role models.  Have a great weekend. Happy, happy, happy Mother's Day! 

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2021/05/the-meanest-mom-in-world.html

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2020/05/a-message-for-mothers-day.html

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2012/05/are-you-my-mother.html

Amazing Yo-Yo Performance

Pancakes

The Missing Piece

 

Puzzles are an important piece of the MCP curriculum.  Hopefully you have a wide variety of puzzles at home, too.  Puzzles are meant to be hard.  Puzzles are meant to be challenging. Children get a real sense of accomplishment in completing a puzzle on their own.  

We start off the year with four-to-six-piece puzzles, puzzles with knobs and handles.  Super easy puzzles with a low level of frustration.  These pictures are our more difficult puzzles.  We move to more difficult tray puzzles and then 24–46-piece puzzles.  

Puzzles provide a lot of learning for your child.  Puzzles help with eye/hand coordination and small motor skills. Puzzles are great for logic and problem solving.   The children often try to just randomly put pieces together without any thought.  We teach them use the picture on the box for 'clues'.  Some children already know how to look for the straight edges pieces to form the outline of the puzzle.  

If you have a spot in your home, set up a puzzles area this winter.  Puzzles are great for all ages, a fun family activity and fairly inexpensive.  For more information on why puzzles are important in preschool---

https://illinoisearlylearning.org/blogs/growing/puzzle-play/

Good Manners

 "Good manners reflect something from inside-an innate sense of consideration for others and respect for self."  

Emily Post

Good manners aren't just for Grandma's house at the holidays.  Good manners are life long skill.  

https://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-importance-of-good-manners.html

Who? What? When? Why?

 

Preschoolers ask a  LOT of questions.  Find out more about your child's speech and language development:

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2012/09/speech-and-language-4-year-old.html

Play With Me

 

The only screen that your child can look at MCP is the screen in the window.  No computers. No tablets for children.  Play.  Play powered by your child's imagination and creativity.  It's a powerful energy that we channel in the classroom and it's a joy to watch. 

Read more about the power of play-

https://elf2.library.ca.gov/pdf/WisdomOfPlay.pdf

Worksheets---why not?

 

No daily worksheets for your preschooler at MCP.  Why not?  Because there are lot of ways to teach your child their ABC's and 123's without them.  

https://learningprofessor.com/2018/09/03/using-worksheets-in-preschool/

https://empoweredparents.co/preschool-worksheets/

How to Be a Student

 

At Metamora Community Preschool, we believe that our program will provide a solid foundation for elementary school.  What will your child learn?  More than you think...

1. How to be a student---When the children are playing in centers, our room may seem disorganized and chaotic but a lot is happening. The children are allowed to move from center to center and choose activities or toys that interest them.  Yet within the structure of our centers, there are rules and routines to learn.  The children learn where to return toys, how many children are allowed in each center, what to do when the bell rings, how to stand and walk in a line with their friends, and how to sit and listen to the teacher.  The children are learning how to behave in the classroom and how to behave in a  large group.

2.  How to make friends and be a friend---The park, daycare, lessons and activities have already provided your child with the opportunity to be with other children.  School is way for your child to connect with other children, make friends and be a friend.  Your child will learn to resolve conflicts and communicate with their friends.  We will provide activities for the children to work in pairs and small groups.  This encourages communication, sharing of  ideas, and  making decisions as a group.

3.  How to be independent---As parents, we naturally come to the aide of our children---helping with a coat or backpack, handing a towel to dripping hands and other small tasks.  At school, we work on independence.  The children not only learn to be independent but also to be patient.  As they learn to be more independent from teachers, they will develop into a more confident and independent  student. 

4.  How to tell a story---The children will listen to stories,  use props to retell stories, and dictate stories.  We work on developing a love for books and the written word.

5.  How to ask the teacher for help---It's easy for a child to ask mommy or daddy for help. A teacher has many other children who all need time and attention.  When teachers build  caring relationships with students, the student will develop the confidence to request help.  Our goal is to be caring, responsive and approachable.

6.  How to use a scissors and glue---Working with scissors, crayons and markers do more than just decorate your refrigerator.  When children use scissors and crayons, they are developing fine motor skills and small muscles.  We have many toys, activities and centers that work on fine motor skills.  Our art center has scissors, glue, markers, crayons, pens and pencils available every day.  Our writing center has pens and pencils with paper, cards, stickers and envelopes. 

7. How to build with blocks---Building with blocks allow children to freely explore spatial relationships, strengthen motor skills, promotes eye/hand coordination  and develop social and language skills. We also have Legos, waffle blocks, bristle blocks, and a train set that rotate through this center.

8.  Learn to recognize symbols---Most preschoolers are able to to identify a few letters and numbers.  They thrive on reciting and writing the letters in their name and begin to learn the letters in classmates and teacher's names.  They are understanding and recognizing colors and shapes.  We repeatedly say, "Shapes are everywhere."  "Colors are everywhere."  "Letters and numbers are everywhere." 

9.  How to hop, skip and jump---Playing outside is different than indoor center play.  Playing outside strengthens muscles, increases coordination, develops body awareness, and boosts  a child's self confidence.  Outdoor play creates situations for children to independently problem solve and socially interact with peers in an a environment different than the classroom.

10. How to be a scientist---Preschoolers are naturally inquisitive and love to explore.  Our job is to provide many opportunities for children to have hands-on and self-directed activities.  Pumpkin pieces with seeds, flowers, a computer motherboard, sensory bottles and tubs, science experiments for the group and individual are just a few ways that science is introduced and explored.

Our classroom encourages children to be a student by providing a wide variety of interesting materials, activities and experiences.  Building, painting and exploring will allow your child to learn and be creative in the classroom.

The Boys

 

"Half the time when brothers wrestle, it's just an excuse to hug each other."
James Patterson

The boys.  They are four years apart which I naively thought would make things easier.  If there are siblings there are bound to be conflicts.  Siblings give our children an opportunity to learn how resolve conflicts and so much more. 

Do you feel like you need a referee shirt and a whistle to survive the rest of the summer?  Check out Siblings Without Rivalry  and  How to Tall So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.

More info on siblings:

https://parade.com/23970/francinerusso/the-science-of-siblings/

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/20/well/family/how-to-raise-siblings-who-get-along.html

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/sibling-rivalry/art-20046568

Yikes! Yes, it's a Yo-Yo!

What a Child Needs

" Children still need a childhood with dirt, mud, puddles, 

trees, sticks and tadpoles."

Brooke Hampton

Peace for Our Children

"Education is the best weapon for peace."

Dr. Maria Montessori

 

Puzzle Pieces

 

Puzzles are an important piece of the MCP curriculum.  If you are working with your preschooler at home make sure you have a wide variety of puzzles.  This is one of my favorites because it is hard and the kids love it.  There is great reward in solving a difficult puzzle.

Past posts on the importance of puzzles in your child's development:

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2010/12/puzzles.html

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/01/national-puzzle-day.html

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2018/08/the-missing-piece.html

Family Game Night

Playing games is important to your child's development.  Games teach your child cooperation, patience and much more.  Check out this past post to learn more:

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2010/07/games-people-play.html

Letter M Week-Marbles, Magnets, and Music

Thanks for Hope

 

Penguins in the End Zone

Dump Truck

Tell Mom ASAP

There are many benefits to owning a pet.  May is National Pet Month and I have had my share of pets.  I have calculated that from childhood to present, I have had---5 dogs, 2 gerbils, 2 birds, 1 guinea pig, 2 rabbits, several lizards, hundreds of fish and one piranha.  My childhood was filled with pets and my kids have had their share including our first family dog, Rosie.

Pets teach children responsibility. I found the lizard note  in my son's room...the only problem?  He forgot the 'tell mom asap' so when I found the note I found the dead (really dead) lizard.  Children and pets provide humor, too!  The note still hangs on my bulletin boards because it makes me laugh.

Want to know more about why pets are good for you and your child?  
https://www.parents.com/parenting/pets/kids/the-benefits-of-pets/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animals-and-us/201707/why-kids-pets-are-better

https://www.readersdigest.ca/home-garden/pets/6-reasons-why-pets-are-good-kids/