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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.

Breakfast together

Preschool Parenting 101: How to handle a picky eater

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Picky eating is normal during the toddler and preschool years. Luckily, it is typically a phase that will pass! There are many creative ways of handling a picky eater. Below are some tips to help you deal with your picky eater in a positive way, while maintaining a balanced and healthy diet.

Put your goals into perspective:

Oftentimes your child’s rejection of food has less to do with the food itself, and more to do with underlying developmental advances. For example, your child’s refusal to eat what you put on her plate may not be because she doesn’t like the food, but really because she is exercising her newfound independence as she enters the preschool age. She may feel that you are taking that independence away by forcing her to eat the foods you serve. If your goal is to get your child to eat his food, then you should try putting that goal into the perspective of how your independent little one may respond at mealtime.

A good way to do this is by giving her some control over the menu. For example, you could have a make-your-own-taco night and lay out all the ingredients on the table – corn tortillas, flour tortillas, ground beef, rice, beans, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, diced avocados, onions – and have her pick and choose what fillings she wants in her burrito. Your child will be able to exercise her independence in this situation, and will be more willing to eat what’s on her plate if she was the one who made it!

Be a role model:

It’s important to have meals together as a family so your toddler can see you, your partner, or older siblings, eating a variety of foods like champs. By exposing your little one to family mealtime, they can see what mealtime is supposed to look like. Serve the same food that you are eating to your toddler, and encourage him to eat a few bites of it.

Try foods in different forms:

Sometimes what your child might not like about the food isn’t the taste at all, but rather the texture. If your child doesn’t like a certain food, try serving it in a different form. For instance, your child may not like cooked peas, but you could find out he loves eating frozen peas right out of the bag after steaming! You can try serving raw veggies if your child doesn’t like them cooked and vice versa. You could even puree the food and serve it in this form first to get your child used to the taste first, before serving it in its whole form and natural texture.

Eating at Parker-Chase Preschool

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we strive to create a healthy learning environment that is also appealing to our students. For children to reach their full learning potential, we believe that they should be consuming a healthy diet on a regular basis. That is why we have an onsite chef providing delicious and nutritious meals served family style for the children to enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Children with teacher at classroom.

How is preschool different from daycare?

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Choosing the right early childhood education center for your little one can be difficult. This decision is critical because you want to set a good foundation for your child starting at the youngest possible age. From daycare centers to preschools, there is no shortage of options to choose from. However, many parents are left wondering if there are really any differences between a good daycare and a good preschool? And if there are differences, do the benefits of one outweigh those of the other?

We’ve broken down some typical differences between a traditional daycare center and preschools to make this big decision a little easier for you and your family:

Ages

Every childcare center is different. However, many centers that refer to themselves as a ‘preschool’ may not accept kids younger than the age of 2 or 3. The focus of preschools is often to provide a solid educational foundation for children between the ages of 2 ½ through the year they enter kindergarten (typically at age 5 or 6). Daycares, on the other hand, often accept a wider age range of children, from infants who are just weeks old, up to children who are about to start elementary school.

Parker-Chase Preschool offers a strong educational foundation for even the youngest children and preschoolers, offering a wide variety of child care options based on your child’s age. We offer programs for infants, toddlers, preschool, and pre-kindergarten-aged children.

Curriculum

Strong preschool programs tend to place emphasis on cognitive development and early childhood education. Daycare centers strive to ensure kids stay healthy and happy while away from their parents or caregivers. Preschools often have a curriculum in place that is based on a specific educational philosophy such as Waldorf, Montessori, or Reggio Emilia.  Most daycare centers will incorporate educational games and activities, but may not have a set academic curriculum or educational philosophy.   Whether the facility is called a preschool or a daycare, all childcare centers should provide quality childcare.

Our educators at Parker-Chase Preschool are dedicated to fostering the development of each child’s social-emotional, cognitive, language, physical, and creative abilities. Our curriculum is built on our knowledge of the developmental process, the individual child’s interests and needs, and the child’s family culture.

Kindergarten and Elementary Preparation

One of the main goals of a preschool is to lay the foundation for what a child needs to know before starting kindergarten or elementary school. A daycare may or may not have a preparedness plan for higher education.

At Parker-Chase Preschool, we provide a pre-kindergarten program with a focus on developing pre-literacy and pre-math skills. Through challenging and developmentally appropriate play-based activities, we nurture our pre-kindergarten students cognitively, socially, and emotionally so they are more than ready to start kindergarten when that day comes.

Hours of Operation/Scheduling                                                                   

A fundamental difference between daycare centers and preschools is often the hours of operation. Daycares typically open much earlier and stay open later than most preschools. Preschools may only run for half days or part-time schedules. Daycares are often open year-round, unlike many preschools which close during the summer and on holidays (or provide camps during these times).

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Touring a Daycare or Preschool

When you are looking for the right daycare center or preschool, an important step is to tour each of the facilities that interest you. Here are a few questions you should ask yourself before touring childcare centers that you will be considering:

  • What type of daycare or preschool environment would you feel most comfortable choosing for your child? For example, are you looking for a small, nurturing environment with just a few kids, or a larger program with many children and a larger variety of programs available?
  • Are you looking for a certain educational philosophy for your child’s daycare or preschool, such as a Montessori approach to learning or a more traditional approach?
  • What types of specific needs does your child have, such as toilet training, napping, or socializing? How does each preschool or daycare address these needs?
  • Are you looking for a preschool or daycare located near your workplace or your home? If the preschool is a private school, are the fees within your budget?
  • What kinds of needs do you have regarding your schedule? What hours would you prefer that the daycare center or preschool you choose be open to care for your child?

At Parker-Chase Preschool, both of our campuses are open from 7:00 AM to 6:30 PM. We also offer an exciting 10-week summer camp program at our Plano location to keep kids learning and having fun throughout the summer.