NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER 2008
P.O. Box 1368
Lafayette, 94549
DATES TO REMEMBER
Nov. 1-9 Bills are due. Late on the 10th.
Nov. 10 Burton Valley is closed. We are open
Nov. 11 Veterans Day. We are closed!
Nov. 24, & 25 Merriewood open for “FALL CAMP”
(Nursery School half day & School age care all day)
Nov. 26 through 28 We are closed for Thanksgiving Holiday
Dec. 12 “Night Owls” Evening program 6 to 10pm
Dec. 22, 23, 29, &30 “Winter Camp” School Age Vacation Care
Dec. 24, 25, 26, 31, 1/1, 1/2 Merriewood is closed
Jan. 5 Merriewood Begins again

NOVEMBER 10
We are open for nursery school as usual. Burton Valley is closed this day and we are open for all day child care for school age children

NOVEMBER 11 Veterans Day. We are closed

NOVEMBER SCHOOL AGE FALL CAMP NOV. 24, & 25 (M & T)
There is no school on these days. We are open for all day for school age child care and half day for nursery school and we are planning a wonderful “FALL CAMP” on those two days. PLEASE SIGN UP IN THE OFFICE You will need to reserve a space so that we know how to staff for those days. The cost is $55/day, $35/half day (any five hours) or $100 for both days for school age and $29/day 9:00 to 12:00. Please sign up on bulletin board.

NIGHT OWLS
Yes!! Night Owls is back. Get your holiday list ready for a shopping night without the children. We will welcome all children 4 yrs and up for a fun evening including dinner and “The Polar Express” on Friday, Dec. 12 from 6:00 to 10:00. The cost is $25 for the first child, $20 for the second or $60 for a family. Please sign up on the bulletin board.

DECEMBER VACATION CARE FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN
We will have a “WINTER CAMP” on Dec. 22, 23, 29, 30. You will need to reserve a space so that we know how to staff for those days. The cost is $55/day,
$35/half day (any five hours), or $200 for all four days. Please sign up on the bulletin board in December.

OUR GARDEN OUR GARDEN OUR GARDEN OUR GARDEN
We hope you have taken time to see how wonderful it is. Kevin Feinstein is very resourceful. We are again being awarded a $2000 grant from East Bay MUD. If you are thinking about giving our school a holiday gift, instead of candy etc. (that we are trying not to eat anyway), how about a little gift certificate to Orchard Nursery in Lafayette? Don’t want to do that? We love shopping at Lakeshore Education Toys in Walnut Creek or buying books at the Story Teller in Lafayette. This year we had a very successful pumpkin patch.

HEALTH NOTES
MERRIEWOOD'S POLICY ON JACKETS, SHOES AND SOCKS
Part of growing and developing is having the opportunity to make decisions and take responsibility for your own bodily needs. Children who have been allowed to regulate their own temperature with wraps learn to know that when they are cold they can put something on. Most young children are warm even when underdressed because they are so active. Even on a relatively cold day if you feel their bare feet they feel warm. Research has shown that colds, flu and communicable diseases come from germs, not being cold or wet. Resistance is not lowered until the temperature is near freezing; therefore, our rules are: we ask "what do you think about having your jacket on?", we allow the choice to be made by the child. Many of the children feel more comfortable and agile without their shoes. Our rule is: The child may have shoes and socks on or go barefoot, but may not go around in socks as it is too slippery on our floors and damages the socks. We work on the child being able to put them in their cubby or near their hook for later. Young children are not ready to think ahead yet, so we do a lot of shoe chasing for them until they are ready to be responsible for them. A pair of slip on boots are great when it is really wet. We go outside if at all possible.

CONFLICT WITH YOUR CHILD OVER WHAT TO WEAR???
Is getting ready for school a nightmare between you and your child because you don't agree on what will be worn? Here are some suggestions from Meg Zweiback from PARENTS PRESS.
1. Simplify dressing by reducing the choices. Go through your child's clothes and give away clothes he doesn't like.
2. Set some limits about appropriate clothing ahead of time. Once you've made the rules stick to them.
3. Make sure that your rules are similar to other parents' rules. Children, like adults, don't usually want to look very different from their friends.
4. Most important, give your child time every evening to choose her clothing for the next day. Whatever she chooses, tell her she can't change her mind in the morning. You'll eliminate the morning battle that way and get rid of the power struggle. Good Luck

SIBLING INTERACTIONS

HERE ARE SOME QUICK REMINDERS
Taken from Siblings Without Rivalry by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. They are great to hand on the frig. or by the phone. CHILDREN DON'T NEED TO BE TREATED EQUALLY, THEY NEED TO BE TREATED UNIQUELY.

Instead of giving equal amounts--"Here, now you have just as many grapes as your sister,"

Give according to individual need--"Do you want a few grapes or a big bunch?"
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Instead of showing equal love--"I love you the same as your sister,"Show the child he or she is loved uniquely--"You are the only YOU in the whole wide world. No one could ever take your place.
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Instead of giving equal time--"After I've spent ten minutes with your sister, I'll spend ten minutes with you."

Give time according to need--"I know I'm spending a lot of time going over you sister's composition. It is important to her. As soon as I'm finished, I want to hear what's important to you."
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HOW CAN YOU ENCOURAGE SHARING WITHOUT FORCING

1. By putting the children in charge of the sharing (4 or older). "Kids, I bought one bottle of bubble soap for everyone. What's the best way to share it?"
2. By pointing out the advantages of sharing, "If you give her half of your red crayon, and she gives you half of her blue crayon, you'll both be able to make purple."
3. By allowing time for inner process, "Lucy will let you know when she's ready to share."
4. By showing appreciation for sharing when it occurs spontaneously. "Thank you for giving me a bite of your cookie. Itwas delicious."
5. By modeling sharing yourself. "Now I want to give you a bit of my cookie."