Excited child and airplane at airport

Traveling with Toddlers During the Holidays

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As the holiday season approaches,  the stress of traveling is inevitable. Traveling alone can be nerve-racking but traveling with toddlers takes that stress to another level. The best way to get through a trip with your little ones with as little stress as possible is to be prepared.

Here are some tips to help you do that!

1. Plan your flights smartly.

The airline and flight time are two important factors that should be considered when you’re flying with children.  If you’re looking to save money, keep in mind that certain airlines allow babies and toddlers to fly for free in the United States if they’re under the age of 2.

When it comes to traveling with children, the most optimal time to travel is overnight. Not only are overnight flights a great way to save money but it gives you the opportunity to go through airport security with less trouble. According to Skyscanner.com, these flight times can also “reduce your risk of a delayed flight, which can be a real hassle when you have a young one.” Toddlers are also most likely to fall asleep on an overnight flight, which reduces your stress on how you’ll keep them entertained.

2. Give yourself time.

Leaving the house at least 2-3 hours ahead will be your biggest advantage. Toddlers don’t understand the uneasiness that comes with traveling, and often want to do things like go to the potty or eat a snack at the most inconvenient times. The extra time allotted will give you enough time to fulfill your child’s needs before boarding your flight.

3. Pack things you might need.

When traveling, you can never be too sure of what will happen, so it’s crucial to bring along snacks, medicine, diapers and extra clothes. Many airlines don’t provide complimentary snacks for their passengers, so it’s best not to rely on them. Be prepared with a variety of your child’s favorite snacks.

Many children get motion sickness on the plane, so remember to pack medicines. According to the Mayo Clinic, children 2-years-old and up can take Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) to prevent motion sickness symptoms. And children above 6 can take the antihistamine diphenhydramine (Benadryl), approved for kids 6 and older, may also prevent symptoms.

4. Provide entertainment.

Keeping your child entertained during long trips will make the trip much more enjoyable for the both of you. Toddlers especially don’t like to sit still and like to throw random tantrums. Make sure to take a few books, a coloring book, a toy, and a tablet with apps and movies already downloaded on it.

 

At Parker-Chase

At Parker-Chase, we believe that traveling with your children is a great way to spark their curiosity and catch their interest in exploring the world around them. Traveling with toddlers can be fun and rewarding if you go prepared.

The Benefits of Raising a Pet

The Benefits of Raising a Pet

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Has your child ever tried to convince you to get them a pet? As parents, especially when limited on time, we might resist because of the additional responsibilities and headaches a pet can cause. However, what may seem like headaches and havoc for most parents can turn out to be a great opportunity for children to learn and grow.

Here are the top 4 benefits of letting your child raise a pet!

1. They teach children responsibility

When children own pets, they take pride in helping to take care of a living animal. Children like to be in charge of simple tasks such as feeding or providing water to their pets and cleaning up after them. This helps children to adopt more responsible behavior and be more comfortable with doing other chores around the house.

2. They teach children self-esteem

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), pets can boost a child’s self-esteem and self-confidence. Pets provide children with unconditional love, so children feel more appreciated and accepted for who they truly are. Pets can act as a great pillar of emotional support which helps improve their self-esteem because children can vent out all their frustrations to their pets.

3. They strengthen family relationships

Pets give your family an easy commonality and make taking care of them a combined effort for everyone. Families with pets usually spend more quality time when they take part in activities based around their pets. Activities can be as simple as grooming or feeding your pet together, taking them for a walk, or playing fetch. Pets can make us laugh and have a good time together.

4. They teach children to be more compassionate

Pets teach children to be more compassionate and empathetic because learning how to care and respect animals help to match that behavior with actual people. For instance, when children learn to be cognizant of their pet’s needs for food, attention, and love, they are also learning empathy.

At Parker-Chase:

At Parker-Chase, we aim at raising our students to be empathetic and kind individuals. We believe that teaching them how to learn and care about animals in our curriculum is an integral part of character education.

Happy kids eating ice cream

5 Child-Friendly Restaurants in Plano, Texas

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As parents, we all understand how important it is to try new things with our children because it allows for more quality time. One of the best ways to do so is by trying different restaurants. Not only is going to new restaurants a fun pastime and great relationship builder, it also teaches your child how to act in different social settings, helps develop their social skills, and teaches them proper restaurant etiquette. Before you venture into a new spot, it’s important that you make sure that the restaurant you’re going to is child-friendly.

Here are 5 child-friendly restaurants you can take your child to near the Dallas and Plano area!

1.Paciugo Gelato and Caffe, 7201 N Central Expressway Plano, TX 75025

If your child loves ice cream but you want to watch their caloric intakes, Paciugo Gelato and Caffe is a great alternative. Although it might sound surprising, gelato is healthier and slightly more flavorful than actual ice cream. With inexpensive prices at Paciugo, you also get a bigger bang for your buck and way more options!

2. Hat Creek Burger Company, 3321 S Custer Rd McKinney, TX 75070

With several different locations throughout Dallas, Hat Creek Burger Company is a great restaurant with a family-friendly environment. Although they are known for their juicy burgers, the Hat Creek Burger Company stands out from most burger joints because of their distinctive Texas touch. The restaurant also offers an outside play area where parents can watch their children play for free while they’re enjoying a delicious meal!

3. Red Truck Café, 910 W Parker Rd #101, Plano, TX 75075

If you love home-style breakfast and want a more intimate environment, the Red Truck Café is the best option for you. This restaurant is the go-to spot for a cozy meal at a reasonable price. It’s open every day from 5:30 am to 2:30pm, and your child will love their delicious breakfast options.

4. Ferrari’s Pizzeria, 3949 Legacy Dr, Plano, TX 75023

Located in the shopping plaza off Legacy Drive and Coti Road, Ferrari’s Pizzeria is a family-owned restaurant that serves authentic New York style pizza. The restaurant offers a wide range of options from pizzas, calzones, stromboli, pastas, salads, desserts, and many more!

5. Regeneration Arcade, 17721 Dallas Parkway, Dallas, Texas 75287

Located in the heart of Dallas, the Regeneration Arcade Bar and Pizzeria is a family-friendly environment that combines both the pleasures of a delicious pizzeria and a fun arcade. The pizzeria serves authentic Italian style gourmet pizzas at great prices. The arcade also offers a wide variety of games, including favorites from the 80’s and the 90’s.

At Parker-Chase

At Parker-Chase, we encourage our parents to put extra time aside to spend time with their children outside of the house. We believe that children are just like adults and they need time to adjust to new people and different social situations. Eating out at kid-friendly restaurants in the Plano-Dallas area is a great opportunity to teach children valuable life skills such as learning proper eating etiquette, creating good first impressions, and using polite manners.

Cute siblings teasing

Things to Consider When Dealing with Sibling Rivalry

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As parents, it’s important to know that if you have more than one child, sibling rivalry is always almost inevitable. It’s normal for families to have problems because no family is perfect. The best thing to do when your children are fighting is to stay calm and neutral, minimize your yelling, avoid favoritism, encourage communication and understand and allow children to deal with their conflicts alone at times. Even though it can’t be prevented, it’s crucial to consider the key factors that can contribute to sibling rivalry.

Here are some of the key factors!

1. Parenting styles

Many parents underestimate the influence their parenting styles may have on their children. Children learn from what they see in their environment. If you, as a parent, have a more authoritarian style, your children are more likely to model your rigid and strict temperaments, which can result in more chaos, whereas an authoritative parent might have children with less aggressive behaviors. Parenting style also affects how your children might handle conflict due to the extent of how restricted they feel to express their feelings and emotions.

2. Birth order

As a parent, you may not think the birth order of your children might affect their behavior, but it does! Your first born is typically the more mature one, because they feel the pressure of responsibility for their younger siblings. Naturally, most first born children have also dealt with the most discipline. Your younger child is often more spoiled and babied than the others. They usually get their way and don’t feel as much familial pressure as their older siblings do because they don’t have as many responsibilities. Your first child was in a way your first shot at parenting, so after learning from experience, you will often change certain aspects for your next child.

3. Age

The more years apart there are between your children, the more likely they are to have differences. For example, let’s say you have a preschooler and a child that just started first grade; they’re likely to butt heads because both are in two different developmental stages of their lives. Keep in mind that your preschooler is fresh out of the terrible twos stage, which is a period of tantrums, oppositions, and mood swings, while your first grader might be starting to develop a sense of maturity and wanting to follow certain rules.

4. Gender

Children with siblings of a different gender are more likely to fight than those who have the same. Girls tend to be calmer and more sensitive, while boys are more aggressive and rowdier.  Girls also often feel that their boy siblings have more freedom and flexibility than they do, which may cause them to act out.

Most parents unconsciously treat each gender differently, due to preconceived notions before each child was born. For example, as a parent, you might have wanted to have a girl or boy as your first child but ended up with the opposite. It’s normal for your parenting experience to turn out differently from what you expected because you already had specific things in mind.

At Parker-Chase

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we encourage harmony in all our students of different ages and genders. We believe that teaching your preschool child how to effectively communicate with their peers teaches them how to maintain better relationships outside of the classroom environment. Children are encouraged to socialize with each other and form lasting friendships with their peers.

Friends

4 Tips To Establish A More Active Lifestyle With Your Children

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Whether you’re an adult or a child, it’s important to maintain an active lifestyle. Exercise helps us release the stress and tension that we face in our daily lives. An active lifestyle has many benefits such as improving both your physical and mental health, alleviating the symptoms of certain mental illnesses, and furthering mental development. Sports alone increase focus, reduce behavioral problems, and improve cognitive functions.

Because their brains are not fully developed, most preschoolers haven’t fully experienced and lack an understanding of their emotional development. Children naturally have a lot of energy and because they’re at an age when they want to take advantage of moving around, they can sometimes be harder to control. As a result, most children act out due to boredom, so it’s best to redirect that animosity towards being more active.

Here are 4 tips to establish a more active lifestyle with your children!

 

1. Prepare healthy snacks and meals.

An active lifestyle is more beneficial when it is combined with the proper nutrition. A balanced diet is key to a child’s development because it provides children with the nutrients, they need to grow.

Incorporate more fruits and veggies into your child’s diet. Starting these lifestyle habits earlier in life helps set the tone for healthy habits as an adult. It’s also important as parents that we model the right behavior and make smart food choices, because children learn by watching us.  However, don’t completely throw away the unhealthy snacks; allow your child to have one every now and then as a special treat.

2. An ample amount of sleep.

The amount of sleep a child gets is crucial to their daily routine. Sleep is an important part of being active, just as much as diet and exercise are. Toddlers should be getting no less than 10-13 hours of sleep a day. Children who get the correct amount of sleep for their age have a lower risk of health problems. Sleep improves heart health, promotes growth, helps the body maintain a healthy weight, and supports the immune system by protecting it against germs.

3. Participate in sports.

The benefits of sports are plentiful. Sports provide children with regular exercise, builds their self-esteem, and makes them better communicators. Sports also have many different rules, which can greatly help foster a sense of discipline because they teach children time management and respect for others. Believe it or not, sports are also a great way to foster creativity in your child. It’s no surprise that most students who are enrolled in sports have been reported to perform better academically than those who aren’t.

4. Plan more outdoor outings than indoors.

The generation your child is in is heavily attached to technology, causing them to be more sedentary than past generations. Instead of planning movie nights or letting your child spend all of their time on tablets, make it a priority to plan mores trips to the beach or the local park! Children love to engage in physical activity where they’re free to run around, dig up the ground, ride a bicycle and much more!

At such a developmental stage in their lives, it’s crucial for your child to be active and also be getting as much sunlight as they can. Keep in mind that we need the sun to get vitamin D, which helps our bone development and protects our immune system.

An Active Lifestyle at Parker-Chase

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we prioritize time outside of the classroom just as we do indoors because we want our students to be as active as they can be. We believe unstructured time outdoors can really be beneficial to a child’s learning and development. We also make sure that our students are properly fed and get many of the nutrients they need through our chef-prepared meals.

Sharing

Sharing With Others

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“Sharing is caring,” is a phrase that gets thrown around a lot for new parents trying to teach their children how to share. Does that mean a child who doesn’t like the idea of sharing doesn’t care about others and will grow up to be selfish?

Not necessarily. It probably means you have a young child who’s going through a healthy set of developmental stages. Here are three tips for teaching children how to share.

Let your sharing shine

Learning begins with observation; children have to see something first, to do it later. If mommy laughs when daddy plays with his food, expect the spaghetti to fly the next night. The same works with sharing.

Whenever there is an opportunity to share something with your partner, make sure your child hears what’s going on and sees how happy both of you are after the exchange.

Keep in mind though, if you want your child to learn how to share, you’ll have to share a lot of things. Make sure both you and your partner are prepared for that and plan how these “sharing moments” will go.

Watch carefully

Problems will usually arise during group play-time. As embarrassing as these situations can be (and scary for parents, when worries of how they’ll grow up begin to creep in), they should be seen as fantastic opportunities to learn more about your child. The point is, look to see what kinds of influences might have taught your child how to behave in such ways.

Don’t force sharing

To us, Mr. Booboo is just a teddy bear. To your child, he is a friend, valuable beyond measure. There are some things in life that are just too important to part with. The fear of loss (and understanding loss itself) is extremely important in a child’s development. The last thing you’d want to do is create resentment early on in life.

Understand the barriers and build from there. Be reasonable about what can be considered priceless and what you can separate from your child. This, too, will have a huge impact on their ability to prioritize.

No two children are exactly alike; not even twins can be parented the same way! These are just tips to consider when teaching your children how to share, but it’s ultimately up to how you want to mold your child. Some methods will work better than others, so it’s really about being attentive and learning as you go.

 

Sharing at Parker-Chase

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we believe in exposing children to real social interactions where sharing is beneficial to fulfill their potential as individuals. With guidance from our loving and dedicated teachers, we aim to help our students develop a sense of self-worth and responsibility, as well as enthusiasm and belonging.

Kids Laughing

Social Skills for Preschoolers

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Social skills are important for a child’s healthy development, but they don’t always come naturally. As parents, we need to foster and guide their growth, so your child can reach their fullest potential in life. The best way to teach your child social skills is by modeling them whenever possible.

Here are a few topics to consider when teaching your child social skills.

Saying Hello

Almost all social interactions begin with some kind of greeting, so it’s important to have that skill perfected. Practicing some easy greeting phrases with your child like, “Hello, how are you?” or, “Good morning!” is a great way to start.

Along with learning to say hello, your child can also practice making eye contact when speaking to someone. Eye contact shows that your child is interested in what another person has to say. Since people don’t usually like to feel ignored, teaching your child to look someone into the eyes when speaking or listening to them is a good habit.

And if appropriate, teaching your child how to shake hands can help them get a head start in learning professional skills. Eye contact, a proper greeting and a handshake leaves a very good first impression!

Table Manners

At dinner time, be mindful to practice your best table manners. Proper table manners should be modeled at both restaurants and at home.

Using utensils the way they were made for, wiping your mouth with a napkin, chewing with your mouth closed and waiting to speak after you swallow are all things you can do to offer your children a proper guideline for table manners.

Handling Emotions

Managing emotions can be challenging for your child, so it’s important to teach them how to handle their emotions healthily.

Teach your child how to express their emotions with words. They should practice pausing to explain how they feel and why, and use “I” statements that describe their perspective rather than simply accusing others.

Interacting in Social Settings

As your child begins to interact with others in school, it will become increasingly important to teach your child social skills for a group setting.

Teach them about having healthy conversation, using indoor voices and not interrupting others. You may also want to teach your child about other people’s personal space and how to actively listen, which is a valued skill nowadays.

 

Social Skills at Parker-Chase

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we focus on developing social skills in order to prepare our students for lifelong success. All of our meals are served family-style so that children can practice their table manners and conversation skills. Children also have countless opportunities to learn, communicate, and play with their peers, both in and out of the classroom.

Washing Dishes

The “Do It Now” Approach

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Procrastinating is a natural part of development for some children. Though it’s not the best quality to have, you should expect it as a parent and be ready to help your child grow out of it. Getting children to stop procrastinating is not always easy, but teaching your child the “Do it now” approach can help guide them through the process.

Why Children Procrastinate

The reason procrastination occurs is not that simple. Children don’t always procrastinate because they’re lazy. There are many reasons children could procrastinate.

Most times, when you ask your child to do something, they don’t follow through because the task doesn’t seem relevant to them. The idea of having to stop what they’re doing to put their toys away or make their bed, or something else that isn’t important in their mind, lowers the chances of your child completing the task.

Sometimes your child’s attention is divided between things they like to do. Sometimes children aren’t always fully conscious of what you ask them, so it may seem like your child is forgetful!

The bottom line is that procrastination is not always a character flaw. It can be changed with guidance and practice.

The “Do It Now” Approach

The solution to procrastination could be using the “Do it now” approach. The “Do it now” approach states that the longer you wait to do a quick chore, the harder it becomes.

When your child remembers a chore you asked them to complete, they should learn to complete the task immediately. Generally, what you ask your child to do is a simple task. By telling your child to complete the task as soon as possible, your child will begin to view the task as relevant and will learn that they should not put it off in the future.

Nobody likes to be interrupted during their free time. Encouraging your child to go the extra step when completing a task can make a world of difference!

“Do It Now” at Home

Let’s look at a few examples. Washing dishes is such a boring and time-consuming chore, especially when there’s a mountain of plates to clean. Teach your child to rinse their silverware after every meal. It takes less than a minute, without interrupting free-time, and helps develop a habit of cleaning up after themselves.

Another example of an easy chore to teach is taking out the trash. When your child is throwing something away and they notice the garbage bag is almost totally full, you can show them how to shove down the trash to make space or walk the bag outside.

Starting Early

Starting early on in your child’s development is the key to making the “Do it now” approach stick. Having your child put their toy away before they take another one out makes the transition between play-time and clean-up time almost seamless. Imagine, your child playing and putting things back in the correct place, at the same time!

The “Do it now” approach can be a very helpful developmental tool for parents of preschoolers and young children. It can build healthy habits that will combat procrastination and offer your child benefits that will serve them well in the future.

 

How Parker-Chase Battles Procrastination

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we dedicate ourselves to helping each child realize their fullest potential through a broad curriculum, opportunities to build responsibility and a personalized approach to the teaching/learning process.

cope with nightmares

Dealing With Nightmares

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Nightmares are not pleasant, but we have them sometimes. Perhaps something was on our mind before going to bed, or we remembered a scene from a scary movie. Whatever the cause, nightmares are only our imagination. However, they can seem very real for children.

It can be harder for children to cope after having one. Nightmares can be traumatizing and make it difficult to go back to sleep. And in some cases, the line between reality and nightmare can be blurry for children right after they wake up.

Here are a few ways to help your child cope with having nightmares, and how to prevent them:

Reassure them

As parents, we are the safety nets for our children. The first thing your child does after having a nightmare is run to us in the middle of the night. At this point, your child needs to be reassured that the nightmare is over and they are safe.

Turn on the lights and give your child a hug. Give them a comfortable, familiar feeling they can hold onto, and speak to your child in a soft voice. Reassuring them that can always come to you to feel safe will help them to better cope with nightmares by themselves in the future.

It’s never fun to be woken up in the middle of the night but it’s important to remember that your child was woken up by something much worse in their mind. No matter how nonsensical it may be to us, it was real to them.

Help them face the fear

Facing the fear of a nightmare can be a difficult ordeal for your child, but they can manage it with your support. Listen to what the nightmare was about and ask question about what scared them. The case might be that they are afraid of something in real life, and the thought of it leaked into their nightmare. That’s when parents come to the rescue.

Rationalize the fear with your child to draw the line between imagination and reality. Be careful not to discount their fear though. Emotions should not be judged, especially by parents. Instead, let your children know it’s alright to feel scared and you are there to face the fear with them. You and your child can then reflect on it when the battle is won.

Create a safe sleeping space for them

Even if your child realizes the nightmare is not real and they can face their fears, a nightmare is still not an experience they will look forward to. The idea of bedtime leads to the possibility of a nightmare in your child’s mind, especially in the aftermath of a previous one.

Find a way to light their room bright enough for them to see everything, but not too bright that it keeps them up. Each night before bedtime, walk around your child’s room with them to look under the bed and in the closet. That will show your child that there are no monsters there.

Find the cause of their nightmares with them

Discovering the behavior, thought or food item that causes your child’s nightmares will not only prevent nightmares from terrorizing your child again, but will also further divide imagination from reality. Many parent blogs and forums online have personal stories like yours where parents have found what caused their child’s nightmares. Do some homework and you may discover a solution.

How Parker-Chase Helps Children with Nightmares

At Parker-Chase Preschools, creating a natural and comforting environment for children is important to us. We dedicate ourselves to the emotional growth and well-being of each of our students, and having a prepared environment where children feel safe is crucial. If one of our students has a nightmare during naptime, we respond quickly to notify the parents and assist the child in coping.

Manners

Manners Make a Difference

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Manners seem to be in short supply nowadays. Where did minding our P’s and Q’s go? Sometimes it may seem like nobody holds the door open or covers their mouth when they sneeze anymore, which means guiding our children to be polite and courteous should make it back onto our parenting radar. Manners are almost always appreciated in most social interactions and are tools that help instill self-worth in every individual. And with good manners on their side, your children will usually make a good impression on classmates, teachers and anyone else who meets them.

Here are 5 ways in which you can help your child mind their manners:

1. Saying “Please” and “Thank you.”

This is one of the oldest courtesies in the book, and probably the first one your child should learn. “Please” lets people know they can be helpful somehow, and “Thank you” shows people how much their assistance is appreciated; if your child wants people to think of them in the same way, the first step is to say it for others. Practice this at home with your children until it becomes a natural habit. Show them how nice it is to hear “Please” and “Thank you” from them when they say it, and be sure to use it with them too.

2. Sharing is caring.

You’ve probably heard this saying time and time again, and yes – there is some truth to it! While some things might be too precious for children to part ways with, try to model behaviors of sharing whenever possible. No, we don’t have to share every single thing. But we should make it a point to share as much as we can when we can.

3. Apologizing.

Saying, “I’m sorry” communicates more to others than just asking for pardon. The value of apologizing only works when your children stop to reflect on what they did, realize it was not right, and try not to do it again.

Teach your children that they should always apologize if they do something that hurts another individual, either physically or emotionally. Even when they just can’t see what they did wrong, show them that apologizing makes everything better, faster. In time, and with instruction, they will begin to understand the importance of apologizing. Hopefully, they will learn not to do it again.

4. Making eye contact.

Looking directly into someone’s eyes when they speak shows the person that you care about what they have to say. And everyone wants to feel like what they have to say is worth paying attention to. A good way to start practicing this with your child is by asking them to notice the color of a person’s eyes and to report it to you later after the conversation has ended.

5. Hand-shaking.

It might be uncomfortable for some children to make physical contact with strangers, but it’s a sign of trust that will carry on through the rest of their professional and personal lives. You can teach them this trick to remember how to shake hands properly: show them the web of your hand (the area between your thumb and pointer finger) and explain to your children that they should touch the web of their hand to web of the other individual’s hand.

 

Remember, practice makes perfect! Incorporating these teaching methods in your every-day life will ensure the development of manners and the full potential of your child’s character.

How Parker-Chase handles Manners

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we believe that manners instill gratitude rather than a sense of entitlement. Our caring and dedicated staff practices manners and gracious behavior with your children by letting them experience real social interactions. Through these hands-on lessons, Parker-Chase can ensure the development of the whole child; from physical to emotional and social growth, we make sure the worth and potential of each child is developed fully.