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Dropping your child off for daycare can often be a stressful scenario, especially if your child experiences separation anxiety when it’s time to say good-bye. The good news is that, like most things, daycare drop-off can become a normal and stress-free daily routine with time and practice.

Positivity

Your attitude and behavior leading up to daycare drop-off can greatly influence how smoothly the good-bye interaction goes. Maintaining a positive attitude, chatting with your child about the exciting things they’ll do that day, or having a consistent sign of affection (good-bye hug, kiss, or wave) can make daycare drop-off seem normal and straightforward to your child.

Allow Extra Time

While it’s easy to let time get away from you, the stress of rushing to daycare in the morning can sometimes make your child more overwhelmed and scared to say good-bye. Allowing yourself plenty of time to drive to daycare, go through the drop-off process, and say good-bye can make a huge difference.

Set a Predictable Routine

Children function best when they know what to expect from their day and can fall into a comfortable routine. Having a predictable order of events in the morning – waking up, eating breakfast, getting dressed, leaving the house at a certain time, etc. – can help your child feel more comfortable and at ease, and makes the process of dropping them off at daycare easier.

Provide Reassurance

Many times, the good-bye process is difficult for children because they’re afraid to leave their parents’ side or are unsure of when they’ll see their parent(s) again. This separation anxiety is especially common between the ages of one and two-years-old. Providing reassurance to your child that you’re only leaving them for a short while and will be excited to see them later that afternoon, can go a long way in providing comfort and solace as your child prepares to separate.

Patience

Even if you perfect your morning routine and do everything in your power to make daycare drop off simple and pain-free, it’s inevitable that there will be bad days. The key is to have patience and understand that all transitions take time, and that frustration and stress is common during these types of interactions, but they are not permanent emotions. With a little time, consistency, and patience, daycare drop-off can be a painless part of your morning routine for both you and your child.

Heaven’s Elect Christian Learning Center is a Non-denominational Christian childcare center fully licensed by the state of Michigan. Our Midland childcare center has been serving the community since 2000. Please contact us at heavenselect.com.

As TVs, cell phones, tablets, and gaming systems become more and more commonplace in the lives of young children, it’s natural for parents to question how much time on technology is healthy, and how much is detrimental.

For children over the age of two, gadgets help stimulate senses, promote listening skills, and boost creativity. Additionally, using technology from a young age can help improve computer literacy and slowly phase kids into an ever-advancing world of technology.

The trick, however, is finding a healthy balance between embracing the benefits of technology and ensuring that it doesn’t interfere with your child’s development and social skills.

Set Limits

One way to promote a healthy balance for children is to allow technology usage, but set clear limits to frequency and length of time. For example, setting a specific number of hours a child can spend on a device per day, and enforcing those time limits.

Balance with Play          

Play is very beneficial to children, especially in their developmental phases. Creating a healthy balance between technology usage and play is a great way to diversify your child’s day. For example, allowing one hour of television for every two hours spent playing with toys or going outside.

Monitor Usage

As children age they will naturally want more independence regarding how they use electronics, but at a young age it’s beneficial to monitor what your child is watching, playing, or browsing. Paying attention to ratings on video games, movies, and video games is a good start to make sure children are consuming age-appropriate media.

Encourage Educational Technology

One of the great things about technology is that there are dozens of educational resources on the internet and TV for children to access. Allowing educational technology usage is a great way to encourage computer literacy without allowing it to negatively impact your child.

Build Trust

While it’s normal to want to monitor and set limits for your child’s technology usage, building trust with them is even more important. Teaching children the value of family time, the importance of engaging in the world around them, and the fun of non-technological activities like sports or crafts can go a long way in promoting healthy technology habits.

Heaven’s Elect Christian Learning Center is a Non-denominational Christian childcare center fully licensed by the state of Michigan. Our Midland childcare center has been serving the community since 2000. Please contact us at heavenselect.com.

Independence looks different at every age, and can be a very scary stage of parenting for parents! However, teaching your child decision-making skills and letting them begin to take control of their daily routines and choices can greatly benefit their growth. Here are a few age-appropriate ways to start introducing your child to independence:

Ask for their opinion

Whether it’s choosing between an apple or orange in their lunch box, or between a dress or leggings for school, allowing your child to give input during their daily routine gives them experience making decisions for themselves.

Make lists

Tackling “big kid” tasks can be overwhelming for your child at first, but making physical lists for them to refer to can be helpful. Try creating a list for your child of their nightly routine (brush teeth, put on pajamas, etc.) and encourage them to go down the list all by themselves without you reminding them. It won’t be perfect right away, but with time your child will start to learn their own routines and be able to check off every task without help!

Praise small victories

Tying their own shoes in the morning might feel inconsequential after you’ve packed their lunch, brushed their hair, and picked out their outfit, but it’s still an accomplishment! Your child will react better to positivity after small steps toward independence than negativity about all the tasks they weren’t able to do independently.

Practice patience

Independence won’t be accomplished overnight, and it can be difficult and frustrating to stand back and let your child take on tasks that you may be able to do faster and more effectively. However, the extra time and effort that your child needs to complete small tasks is what helps them learn and grow. Even if it means getting up 10 minutes earlier than normal to allow extra time for your child to get ready on their own, that patience pays off as your child develops independence.

Heaven’s Elect Christian Learning Center is a Non-denominational Christian childcare center fully licensed by the state of Michigan. Our Midland childcare center has been serving the community since 2000. Please contact us at heavenselect.com.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, now’s the perfect time to find ways to give back to your community and teach your child the importance of gratitude! This time of year is often full of family traditions, delicious meals, and quality time spent with one another. However, Thanksgiving is also the perfect opportunity to create new yearly traditions of practicing gratitude and thankfulness with your child!

Donate Old Clothes

As you know, children outgrow their clothes scarily fast in their younger years, likely leaving you with lots of clothing that you no longer need. Instead of throwing away these clothes, try finding a local Goodwill, Salvation Army, or homeless shelter to donate your gently used clothing to – it’s a great way to de-clutter and give to those in need!

Practice Daily Gratefulness

A simple way to practice daily thankfulness is to ask your child to write down one thing they’re grateful for each day of the week. It can be anything from friends, to family, to food, to their favorite stuffed animal. Collect all of these gratitude notes and make them into a paper garland or journal for safekeeping!

Make Thanksgiving Cards

Making Thanksgiving cards with your child is a great activity to encourage gratitude. Let your child decorate their cards however they’d like and encourage them to write a little note inside for someone whom they’re grateful for this year. Even better, make homemade cards to donate to local hospitals or retirement homes!

Bake Treats to Give Away

Baking together is a great bonding activity for you and your child, and they’ll love the opportunity to stir some batter or roll cookie dough into balls! Try baking a few batches of cookies to give away to your child’s favorite teacher, bus driver, or school custodian

Research shows that gratefulness is a learned trait in children, and experts suggest that kids as young as four can begin understanding gratitude and the act of being grateful for things and people in their lives. No matter how old your child is, it’s never too early to start teaching them the wonders of thankfulness and showing appreciation for the important people in their life! 

Heaven’s Elect Christian Learning Center is a Non-denominational Christian childcare center fully licensed by the state of Michigan. Our Midland childcare center has been serving the community since 2000. Please contact us at heavenselect.com.

Acorns and chestnuts are ready this time of year for craft projects for kids. If you can’t find the nuts around the neighborhood, a nut gathering trip to the park or forest trail is a great autumn activity. Once you gathered them, you’ll need to get rid of any unwanted stowaways – bugs.

The first way to get rid of insects is to bake the acorns or chestnuts. Pre-heat the oven to 200ºF and place the nuts on a baking sheet with aluminum foil for 30 minutes. Be sure to let the nuts cool before starting your project. Another method is to soak the nuts in a mix of a half cup of vinegar and one cup warm water for 30 minutes. Once they are done, set them newspaper or paper towels, and let them dry.

Painting Acorns & Chestnuts

While chestnuts and acorns can make a lovely fall display, painting them can brighten the season. Your kids can make bright and colorful decorations simply using acrylic craft paints and a paint brush. The color choice is up to you, so have fun! If you don’t want brush strokes to show, brush with the grain of the nut. When using acorns, you don’t need to remove my caps before painting. One coat of paint will let the grain of the acorn or chestnut show, but if you want a more opaque look use two coats of paint.

Acorn & Chestnut Jewelry

You can use painted or unpainted nuts to make necklaces or bracelets. Using an awl, pierce holes in the acorns or chestnuts (or mix and match them). The it’s easy to string them together with twine or elastic to complete the jewelry. You can even add beads for a pop of color!

A Family of Acorn & Chestnut

Another fun project is to make and acorn and chestnut family. You can stack the nuts in various heights to make mom, dad, and the kids with glue. Just like the jewelry, you can use them unpainted or paint clothing on them. If you want shoes, cut the nuts in half with the flat bottom to stand on. For bonus fun, don’t forget to try making the family pet!

Heaven’s Elect Christian Learning Center is a Non-denominational Christian childcare center fully licensed by the state of Michigan. Our Midland childcare center has been serving the community since 2000. Please contact us at heavenselect.com.

No matter how old your child is, the beginning of the school year can be an exciting – and sometimes stressful – adventure! Whether your child is attending school in-person or participating in virtual learning this year, here are a few tips to make this school year safe, fun, and productive!

Establish a Routine

The first few weeks of a new school year can be some of the most stressful as children phase out of their summer schedules and get used to a new routine of school, daycare, or afterschool programs. Establishing routines for children such as when they go to sleep and wake up in the morning, designated play time, and specific mealtimes help give your child a sense of stability when they know exactly what to expect each day.

Set Aside Time for Play

Playtime is crucial to children’s physical and mental well-being. Being given time and space to develop their imagination, engage in active outdoor activities, and take a break from the daily stressors in their lives can improve children’s overall happiness and productivity. Pediatricians recommend a minimum of one hour of play each day for children, so try to set aside some time each day to allow your child to relax, unwind, and have fun!

Encourage Open Communication

Starting the school year can be scary, especially if your child is starting at a new school or daycare center! You can help your child ease into the school year by encouraging daily conversations about their day, what they learned, and how they’re feeling. Encouraging your child to openly talk to you about their experiences can help ease their own anxieties about school, and alert you to any concerns they might have!

Foster Healthy Eating Habits

We know your child’s health is a top priority, and it can sometimes be challenging to maintain healthy eating habits if your child is spending more time away from home at school. However, making sure your child is eating plenty of fruits and veggies, whole grains, and protein is a great way to ensure they stay energized throughout the school day! Try to offer a variety of options in their packed lunch or after-school snack and look over the lunchroom choices at school to help your child choose healthier options whenever possible!

Heaven’s Elect Christian Learning Center and Daycare is a Non-denominational Christian childcare center fully licensed by the state of Michigan. Our Midland daycare center has been serving the community since 2000. Please contact us at heavenselect.com.

Don’t let the heat stop your summer fun! There are plenty of ways to keep you and your child protected even as temperatures rise. Here are a few tips for playing safe in the sun this summer:

Hydrate!

Making sure your child is well-hydrated is very important, especially when the weather gets hot! Make sure your child drinks plenty of water throughout the day, especially if they’ve spent time running outside or swimming. It’s a good idea to pack plenty of reusable water bottles for any summer activity, so that you can refill them as often as necessary! 

Sun Protection

Wearing sunscreen is the best way to keep your child safe from the heat this summer! Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, apply 15 minutes before exposure, and reapply often, especially if your child has been swimming or sweating. And remember, the sun can reach any uncovered patch of skin, so don’t forget to apply sunscreen on your child’s face, ears, and tops of feet! If you know you’ll be walking or playing for long periods of time, bring along a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses for extra protection against UV rays!

Stay in the Shade

While your child may want to play in the sun all day, it’s smart to spend some time in the shade occasionally, especially during mid-day when the sun’s rays are strongest. 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM is considered prime time for UV rays, so try to plan your lunch break or nap time during these hours to give you and your child a break from constant sun exposure!

Beat Heat Exhaustion

Do you notice your child feeling fatigued or sluggish after spending time in the sun? Children often experience heat exhaustion after playing outside in the heat for too long, and their bodies can’t cool down fast enough. If this happens, be sure to bring your child indoors or to a shady spot to rest, recover, and hydrate!

Heaven’s Elect Christian Learning Center is a Non-denominational Christian childcare center fully licensed by the state of Michigan. Our Midland childcare center has been serving the community since 2000. Please contact us at heavenselect.com.

There are plenty of ways to help your kids enjoy their summer vacation even when the rain keeps them indoors! Whether it’s creating a fun art project or baking goodies together, here are a few ideas for fun indoor summer activities to beat the rainy day blues.

Homemade Play Dough

Not only is play dough great for texture and sensory play with young children, but it’s also easy to make at home and reasonably mess-free! The recipe below is simple to make, and uses ingredients you likely already have around your house. Make it more exciting for your kids by playing around with adding food coloring or letting them shape the dough with popsicle sticks or cookie cutters!

Ingredients

• 2 cups of flour
• ½ cup of salt
• 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
• 2 tablespoons oil
• Boiling water

Simply mix all of the dry ingredients together, add your choice of cooking oil, and gradually add in boiling water until the dough is your desired consistency. Wait for the dough to cool, and see what your child can create!

Create A Time Capsule

If you want to make sure your child has a summer they won’t forget, customize your own time capsules with them! Have them write letters to their future selves and write lists about their favorite color, sports team, or movie. Combine these with a few photos in a Tupperware container or can, and let your child decorate the outside with stickers, paint, or sparkles. Keep it for safekeeping (or bury it in your backyard) and help them open it again in a few years!

Make Healthy Fruit Popsicles

Just because it’s rainy doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with a go-to summer sweet. Try your hand at a healthier version by combining cut fresh fruit with your choice of juice or punch, pour into molds, insert popsicle sticks, and freeze for at least 6 hours!

Build a Blanket Fort

What better way to spend a rainy day than curled up in a blanket fort? Use sheets or throw blankets to build your fort, fill with pillows, and grab a few snacks to enjoy your child’s favorite movie!

Heaven’s Elect Christian Learning Center is a Non-denominational Christian childcare center fully licensed by the state of Michigan. Our Midland childcare center has been serving the community since 2000. Please contact us at heavenselect.com.