Thanks for all you do each day to support and teach children in your care. I am grateful for the child care professionals that truly make a difference in a child’s life each day. Also there is a great appreciation for the ones that are providing care while our nurses, medical professionals police, fire fighters, military, retail employees and many others are working during this holiday time. Thanks for all you do!
Each day we have many things to be thankful for. I know the parents of the children you are providing care for are thankful for you and your skills in teaching their children. You may might always feel appreciated, but you are! So how do we teach children about being thankful? Children model what they see, so you can start by sitting a good example. It can begin with telling children “thank you for sharing your book’ or “thank you for helping with clean up” and telling them how much you appreciate something they have done. Children learn appreciation by being appreciated. When other children hear you thanking others, it sends a message on thankfulness.
During Thanksgiving we think about being thankful, but it is important to teach thankfulness and gratitude throughout the year. It may be simply while sitting down at a meal or circle time to start a dialog and let children share things they are thankful for. Reading books on thankfulness can take a new spin when you have the children tell what they think the characters in the story are thankful for. Depending on the age of the children you are working with….thank you notes are also a way to teach. For younger children they can draw pictures, or paste magazine pictures, or clip art from a computer that you print off into the card. A thank you note can be done many ways. Just be creative!
Some suggested books:
Let’s Be Thankful by P.K. Hallinan
Thankful by Eileen Spinelli
Grateful – A Song of Giving Thanks by John Bucchino
Today I Am Grateful by Lorraine Miller
The Things I’m Grateful For.. by Arne Lightning
Gratitude Soup by Olivia Rosewood
Gratitude is a Funny Thing by Kathy Walsh
The Secret of Saying Thanks by Douglas Wood
Thanks a Million by Nikki Grimes
I am Thankful For… A book About Being Grateful by Uncle Amon
Did you know the first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City? 10,000 workers took an unpaid holiday to march in the first Labor Day parade. The holiday was founded when many in America worked 16 hour days in harsh work environments. It was considered a day to recognize the challenges and the rights of workers. The first Labor Day was really a rally for the adoption of eight hour work days and other suitable work conditions.
Labor Day the last big holiday of the summer months and first holiday of Sept. It is a special day to honor people who work. Labor Day is a time to pay tribute to the workers who have made America what it is today. Since work is children’s play how can you help them learn about this holiday?
There are various sites that can provide some great activities to help children learn about Labor Day. I decided to include one link for your review and hope you will be able to use some of the activities with your children. These are geared toward preschool, but may be modified to work with other ages too.
Celebration Station – Preschool
Labor Day Art
Labor Day Games
Labor Day Language
Labor Day Social Studies
Labor Day Snacks
Labor Day Songs & Rhymes
http://www.preschoolexpress.com/celebration-station09/labor-day.shtml
(C) Jean Warren http://www.preschoolexpress.com
A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove … but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.
~ Author Unknown ~
Thank you to all the MEN who stepped up to be DADS 🙂
Men that have chosen the child care profession can be great role model for children, especially for those that may not have a dad at home. For the military children they may have their dad deployed and you may be the only man they have in their life. Thanks to all the men that have chosen to be child care professionals. We applaud you.
To all child care providers around the world you put smiles on children’s faces every day. For many you brighten their day, provide a safe refuge, and are the one the children look up to. A child care provider wears many hats and has many responsibilities. I believe you have one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. You may not know it at the time but you are changing lives every day one child at a time. I celebrate you and all the wonderful things you are doing in your communities. Thank you for choosing the profession of Child Care. There is no more important job that what you have. Hope each of you have a Happy Valentines and remember how special you are.
Watch Me Learn and Grow 