logo

January Parent Page 2013

Greetings!,
 
I always love the start of the new year and embrace the opportunity to set goals and revisit previous goals from the year before.  My family has a 15 year tradition of driving to Bellingham for the New Year weekend where we have spent time with the same two couples and their children over the years.  This year as we shared our goals and our stories of 2012, it really hit me more significantly that the challenges and joys that we face might be different from each other but the opportunity to share our joys and challenges is there for all of us and is what bonds us together.  My hope is that some of the friendships being built here at NQACC will last for years to come.  This month we welcome 5 new families to our NQACC community.  It feels like a privilege to get to know them and I encourage you if you see a new face during drop off or pick up, to introduce yourself with a word of encouragement.    You never know, it may be an opportunity and a start of a new friendship that will last a lifetime. 

Shari

 

BRAIN REWIRING: ADDING TO THE PARENT TOOL BOX

 

 BY MARY ANN ABBOTT, PARENT CONSULTANT, NORTH SEATTLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

 

Yea! I have a new kitchen! But, I am living in the past. I still hunt for my baking dishes in the wrong drawer. A failure every time, yet I still go there. It's a behavior from the past--a learned "groove" which needs to adapt and change. Brain scientists say that's rewiring my brain.

This reminds me of what happens with parenting. Often, as parents, we want to use new ideas, but in the heat of daily life, we slip back to the old, less successful, ways of guiding our children.

New Year's resolution enthusiasts suggest making a list. They advocate a new, intentional focus: A clean slate. A new beginning. Starting over. Turning the page. Clearing the decks. A "do-over." A new lease on life. Reprogramming. The list involves trying something new and different or maybe just plain starting over. The goal is to be better at something --be more successful -- improve on the past. But, cynics remind us that it takes a lot of persistence and stamina to stick with the new resolves. The literature tells us that it can take anywhere from 21 days to 66 to change a habit and have a new one become almost automatic.

One writer offers three helpful suggestions for implementation.

   1. Write down your plan.

2. Identify your triggers and the replacement habit.

   3. Focus on doing the replacement habits every single time the triggers happen, for about 30 days.

One psychologist reminds us to include a reward for even small successes. Parents use positives to motivate children-why not give ourselves a reward for successfully using a new parenting tool? And then, we must remind ourselves not to give up too soon. Many parents have an honest desire to change some parenting behavior, try it for a while with strain and stress, and then give it up because it is hard to do-or--doesn't quickly bring results. Some parents then go on to another idea, and an unproductive cycle is in motion.

It's easy to fail, and our brain structure doesn't help us. Writer Rebecca Skloot discusses how difficult it is to rewire the brain, as she summarizes the research of psychologists Bruce Wexler and Michael Schlund. Check it out at http://www.oprah.com/health/How-to-Change-Your-Bad-Habits/7 . (Please ignore a word in the subtitle!)Wexler says, "The more we understand what we're up against, the more we can develop strategies to help us work with our brains and change successfully." Adults need to work harder than children because there's less plasticity in an adult brain!

I offer one parenting suggestion for the new year from Positive Discipline Guru Jane Nelsen: When talking to your children, "ASK," rather than "TELL." Her thesis is when children are "told" to do something, a resistance or shut down occurs. It can happen with adults as well. Nelsen suggests when a child is asked, "What is next in your bedtime routine," rather than being told, "Go to bed," that the child's brain searches for answer and some problem solving/life skills are being developed. Additional "TELLING" examples can be found on video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It4kVkPzHwY.

Hopefully, some of these ideas will come to mind for any changes and/or upgrades in the 2013 Parent Tool Box.


A Request for Comfort Kits Coming Soon... 

We have a team of parents who have come together and formed a Disaster Committee to help us in the implementation of our newly revised Disaster Response Plan.    First on the agenda will be to help us round up individual personalized comfort kits for each child to have stored in their classroom for emergency.  More information will be coming your way about these kits later this month including an itemized list of what could go into the zip-lock bag comfort kit for your child or children. 

I mentioned in a previous e-mail how grateful we are for the disaster plan we have in place and for the watchful eye of both our church staff and SPU Security.  Part of fine tuning our plan will include these new comfort kits that can be stored in classroom roll away duffels and can go with us along with our center emergency kit in the event of an evacuation.   
 
If you did not get a chance to see the previous e-mail with our new Emergency Cell Phone Number or the New Evacuation site of Queen Anne Bowl, please stop by the office and one of us can take a minute to show you the revised plan. 

Meet Teacher Brittany Kee...

We are excited to introduce Brittany who has joined our staff this December.   Brittany is a Junior at SPU studying Elementary Ed and History.  She comes from California, loves Scrap-booking in her free time, and enjoys eating Sushi as her favorite food.  You will find Brittany working in the Orange Giraffes in the afternoons. 


 

 
Important Dates...
 
Jan 15th -SPU Nurses visit
Jan 16th -Safety Meeting 5-6 pm
Jan 21- Closed for MLK day


Feb 1 -NQACC opens late at 10 a.m. for Prof Dev.
Feb 18th- Closed for President's Day
Feb 20-Toddler Parent Meeting 5-6 pm


Mar 7 - 3rd Annual Move-a-thon
Mar 13th -
Orange Giraffes Parent Meeting 5-6 pm
-----------------------------------------

Please join us next Wednesday, Jan 16th for our Safety Meeting 5-6 pm in the Youth Center.  Come hear about our safety curriculum for the month of February and more about our newly revised Disaster Plan and Drills. 
Elimination Diet 101

 

Jennifer's book
 
In each monthly newsletter we try to include a children's book review.  This month it feels exciting and unique to be able to highlight a new cookbook that one of our parents has been working on and just published.  Jennifer Vasche Lehner created the recipes for this cookbook and has a website as well that would be worth checking out.  As more and more adults and children alike are experiencing food allergies, we recognize the value of this resource and want to get the word out.   We will have a copy or two of this book in our parent resource center for you to take a peek at. 

Here is the website link:
http://eliminationdiet101.com/

 


 
January Volunteer Opportunities for Parents... 
 
*Take a load of stuff to Goodwill for us.
*Dispose of old cans of Latex Paint.
*Help repair the bottom of our small vintage couch. 
*Round up crib sheets (standard size)
*Donate a rolling Duffel Bag in good condition. 

Please see Shari, Cara, or Sandy in the office if you are interested in helping out with one of these needs. 
 

 
NQACC follows Seattle Public Schools Closure Decision in the case of inclement weather. 

If the schools are on a delayed start, we open at 10 a.m.

Watch Komo or King5 for updates.  We will also post on our voicemail and facebook if we have a closure or late start. 
 

 
Check Out the Coupon Below...see Shari for more information.

NQACC would like to treat your family to a dinner. 

Every Wednesday evening starting January 8th, First Free Methodist cooks a warm delicious meal and starts serving at 5:45-6:15 pm up in the Fine Center.  It is a fun way to get to know other families.  Rates for the dinner are $8 per adult, $2.25 students age 4-11, $Free for kids 0-3, $13 max amount for a family.


This coupon will cover your family to try out the dinner on a Wednesday night.

Offer Expires: Dec 31, 2012/to be redeemed once