Family Enrichment Network, Inc. News & Viewsfamilyenrichment.org/newsletter_files/januaryfebruary...

Inside This Issue:

Special Education Services 2-4

Employee Spotlight 4

Child Care Resource and Referral

5

Advertisements 6-7

Head Start 8

Courthouse Children’s Center

9-10

Did You Know... 10

Calendar of Events 11

January/February 2015 Edition

News & Views Family Enrichment Network, Inc.

Growing Tomorrow’s Leaders ... Today. Enriching the Community.

From the Desk of the Executive Director

Family Enrichment Network continues to grow and prosper. We look at the past and

spend a considerable amount of time and energy looking to the future. We are in the

process of developing a new Strategic Plan to guide us in the future. This plan and our

annual Community Assessment will help us streamline our program development to

meet true needs - as we always have.

2014 saw some very important successes in Head Start and other Agency programs.

Our successes have created some challenges that we have worked our way through.

We must provide quality service in these new programs as we maintain the quality of

the existing programs. Everything we do, or don’t do, matters.

We are in a very positive funding cycle with Early Childhood Development. We need

to be forward looking and assertive in terms of future program development. The

children and families of this community need and deserve our efforts.

We have built an organization and a staff structure that has placed us in a great

position for the future. We have been able to weather the funding challenges, and

because of what we have done in the past, we are in a better position than most not-for

-profit organizations.

We have started the process to serve a new population, children and adults with

disabilities, in a number of different areas. This will add a new dimension to our

agency and needed services for our community.

There is a growing need to find a better way to establish a new and substantial

investment in services to young children. We must develop a compensation initiative

that includes wage increases and fringe benefits, including health insurance.

The most important job in the world, caring for our young children, should not be the

lowest paid. In child care, “cheaper” is not better. “Cheaper” results in poor quality,

high staff turnover, and a decrease in applicants for positions. The number of child

care centers in the area that have closed this past year is a bit disconcerting. And there

are more centers on the brink of closing in the near future. The long-term answer

continues to be a cooperative effort between government, not-for-profits, and the

business community.

We could not succeed without the support of the staff, the Governing Board, the Policy

Council, and the entire community. Our staff continues to work tirelessly to assist us in

moving this agency forward and meet the needs of children and families. We thank

you for your past support of our Agency and look forward to future partnership

opportunities.

Darrell R. Newvine, Executive Director

To subscribe to this bi-monthly newsletter, please call:

(607) 723-8313, Ext. 815.

24 Cherry Street

Johnson City, NY 13790

www.familyenrichment.cc

(607) 723-8313

Special Education Services

Understanding and Responding to Children Who Bite

Biting is a typical behavior often seen in infants, toddlers, and 2-year olds. As children mature, gain self-

control, and develop problem-solving skills, they usually outgrow this behavior. While not uncommon, biting

can be an upsetting and potentially harmful behavior. It’s best to discourage it from the very first episode.

This article will help you to understand the reasons young children bite and give you some ideas and

strategies for responding appropriately.

Why do young children bite?

Some children bite instinctively, because they have not developed self-control. For example, when 3-year-old

Marcus grabs a doll from his 2-year-old sister Gina, her first response is to bite him and grab the doll. She

doesn’t stop to think about other ways to act or the result of her actions. But there are many other reasons why

children may bite.

A child might bite to

· Relieve pain from teething.

· Explore cause and effect (“What happens when I bite?”).

· Experience the sensation of biting.

· Satisfy a need for oral-motor stimulation.

· Imitate other children and adults.

· Feel strong and in control.

· Get attention.

· Act in self-defense.

· Communicate needs and desires, such as hunger or fatigue.

· Communicate or express difficult feelings, such as frustration, anger, confusion, or fear (“There are

too many people here and I feel cramped”).

What can families do to prevent biting?

There are a variety of things that families can do to prevent biting. It helps to

· Have age-appropriate expectations for your child’s behavior based on his or her current skills and

abilities.

· Make sure your child’s schedule, routines, and transitions are predictable and consistent. At meal and

bedtimes, try to do things in the same way and at the same times. Young children thrive when they

know what will happen next.

· Offer activities and materials that allow your child to relax and release tension. Some children like

yoga or deep breathing. Offer playdough, foam balls, bubbles, soft music, and other stress-reducing

items.

· Use positive guidance strategies to help your child develop self-control. For example, offer gentle

reminders, phrased in a way that tells them what behaviors are expected. “Be sure to hang up your coat

on the hook.” “You can each have a bucket to use in the sandbox.” “Put a small dot of toothpaste on

your brush. You won’t need much to get your teeth clean.”

· Provide items to bite, such as teething rings or clean, wet, cold washcloths stored in the refrigerator.

This helps children learn what they can bite safely, without hurting anyone else.

How should I respond when my child bites?

While every situation is different, here are some general guidelines for responding when a child bites.


Infants

Infants learn about the world around them by exploring it with their hands, eyes, and mouths. But infants

often need help to learn what they should and shouldn’t bite.

If your infant takes an experimental bite on a mother’s breast or grandpa’s shoulder, stay calm and use

clear signals to communicate that it is not okay for one person to bite another. A firm “no” or “no biting!”

is an appropriate response.

Toddlers and Preschoolers

Toddlers have many strong emotions that they are just learning to manage. Toddlers may bite to express

anger or frustration or because they lack the language skills needed to express their feelings.

Biting is less common in preschoolers than toddlers. When a preschooler bites, it may be due to something

at home or at their child care program that is causing the child to be upset, frustrated, confused, or afraid. A

preschooler may also bite to get attention or to act in self-defense.

Follow the steps below with both toddlers and preschoolers.

1. If you see the biting incident, move quickly to the scene and get down to children’s level. Respond

to the child who did the biting. In a serious, firm tone make a strong statement: “No biting. Biting

hurts. I can’t let you hurt Josie or anyone else.” Next, offer a choice: “You can help make Josie feel

better, or you can sit quietly until I can talk with you.” Help the child follow through on the choice

if necessary.

2. Respond to the child who was hurt by offering comfort through words and actions: “I’m sorry you

are hurting. Let’s get some ice.” Perform first aid if necessary. The child who did the biting can

help comfort the bitten child—if both parties agree. Help the child who was hurt find something to

do.

3. Finally, talk to the child who did the biting. Maintain eye contact and speak in simple words using a

calm, firm tone of voice. Try to find out what happened that led to the incident. Restate the rule,

“Biting is not allowed.” Model the use of words that describe feelings: “Kim took your ball. You

felt angry. You bit Kim. I can’t let you hurt Kim. No biting.” Discuss how the child can respond in

similar situations in the future.

What if biting becomes a habit for my child?

If biting becomes a habit for your child and ongoing positive guidance is not effective, it is time to set up a

meeting with your child’s teacher(s). Together, you can plan an approach for addressing the behavior that

can be applied consistently at home and at the program. Together, you can discuss and define the behavior

and find the cause behind it. Next, you and the teacher(s) can develop a plan to address the causes and help

your child to replace biting with acceptable behaviors. Try the plan for several weeks, but be patient. It

takes time to change behaviors that have become habits. Keep in touch with your child’s teacher(s) to share

information about changes in behavior. After several weeks, evaluate the plan’s effectiveness and make

changes as needed.

What strategies can I use to help my child overcome a habit of biting?

Here are some strategies for addressing a child’s biting habit.

· Observe your child to learn where, when, and in what situations biting occurs. Sometimes an adult

may need to stay close to the child to prevent biting.

· Pay attention to signals. Stay close and step in if your child seems ready to bite.

Employee Spotlight

Continued from previous page: · Suggest acceptable ways to express strong feelings. Help your child learn to communicate her

wants and needs (“Amy, tell your sister you were still playing with the truck”).

· Use a reminder system to help your child learn to express strong feelings with appropriate words

and actions (“Tell Manuel that you don’t like it when he gets that close to you”).

· Reinforce positive behavior by acknowledging child’s appropriate words and actions (“You didn’t

like being tickled so you used your words to ask me to stop”).

· Provide opportunities for your child to make choices and feel empowered.

· Be sure your behavior expectations are age-appropriate and individually appropriate for your child.

Expecting a child to do something he or she is not able to do can cause children to feel stress.

Stress can lead to biting.

· Offer foods with a variety of textures to meet your child’s sensory needs.

· Teach your child words for setting limits, such as “no,” “stop,” or “that’s mine.”

What strategies are not helpful? These strategies should not be used to address a child’s biting habit.

· Avoid labeling a child as a “biter.” Negative labels can affect how you view your child, and even

affect the child’s feelings about him- or herself.

· Never bite a child back to punish or show him how it feels to be bitten. Biting a child sends the

message that using violence is an acceptable behavior that can be used to solve problems.

· Avoid getting angry, yelling, or shaming a child.

· Avoid giving too much attention to a child who bites after an incident. While this is usually

negative attention, it can still reinforce the behavior and cause a child to repeat it.

· Do not force a child who bit and the child who was hurt to play together.

· Do not punish children who bite. Punishment does not help children to learn discipline and self-

control. Instead, it makes children angry, upset, defiant, and embarrassed. It also undermines the

relationship between you and your child.

Source: Adapted from D. Koralek, "Understanding and Responding to Biting,” In Classroom Strategies to

Promote Children’s Social and Emotional Development, 135–138. Lewisville, NC: Kaplan Press, 1999. ©

1999 The Devereux Foundation, Villanova, Pennsylvania.

Lynne Brazee

Lynne Brazee is the Occupational Therapist for our Norwich integrated

preschool program for children with disabilities. Lynne first started working

at Family Enrichment Network in the summer of 2012. Previously, she

worked at BOCES in Walton, NY, and for ten years before that worked for

OPWDD. Lynne loves working with the preschool children, and feels she

has great co-workers.

Lynne loves spending time with her wonderful 7-year-old daughter. She also

enjoys reading, watching movies, and playing the guitar. Additionally, Lynne

is a Reiki Master, and is trained in craniosacral therapy.


NEW

PROVIDERS

Broome Family Day

Care:

Cheryl Yacovani

Amber Ruff

Chenango Group

Family Day Care:

Peggy Marango

Child Care Resource and Referral

Choosing Toys That Provide Opportunities Adapted from www.trueteachers.org

Turn off the screen and turn on the play. As hand-held devises and computer

games are more popular, children are spending less time engaged in both creative

social and solitary play. Remember to provide media-free time each day to help

children discover their own interests. Make sure they play outside where they can

make up their own games. Help them figure out what to do when the screen is

turned off.

Dramatic Play helps children master their

experience, change their own ideas, and learn

new skills such as negotiating with others.

Examples of dramatic materials are blocks, dress

-up clothes, fabric pieces, dolls, puppets, and

props to recreate real places (post office,

restaurant, store, doctor’s office).

Manipulative Play with small objects develops small muscle control, eye-hand

coordination, and visual discrimination. These are all skills needed for reading

and writing. Such play teaches about

relationships among objects, a process essential

for understanding math and science. Examples of

manipulative materials are construction sets,

puzzles, pegboards, pattern blocks, and toys with

interlocking pieces (basic legos, Lincoln Logs,

K’nex).

Game Playing teaches how to take turns, be a member of a group, and follow

directions. These are skills young children develop very gradually, so start with

simple games such as singing rounds or playing catch.

Creative Arts encourage self-expression,

development of fine motor skills, and the use

of symbols, a vital skill for problem solving

and literacy. Examples of creative arts

materials are blank paper of all sizes and

colors, paints, crayons, markers, scissors,

glue, recycled materials, stamps, clay, and

weaving kits.

Physical Play promotes healthy body

awareness and coordination and opportunities

for social interaction. Materials for physical

play can include climbing structures, bikes,

scooters, and other wheeled toys.

Proud Supporter of Family Enrichment Network

Alecia is at Family Enrichment every Tuesday from

10am-1pm

(607) 729-9131

(800) 462-6088 edi WINDOW SYSTEMS INC.

(607)772-1855 - fax 3 Alice Street

[email protected] Binghamton, NY 13904

Saint James School

A QUALITY CHOICE…

A FAMILY COMMITMENT…

LIFELONG RESULTS!

The more tobacco ads kids see, the more likely they are to

smoke. For more information about tobacco product display’s

effect on youth and to find out how you can get involved, contact

Tobacco Free Broome & Tioga, a Community Partner of the New

York State Tobacco Control Program at (607) 778-3068.

Head Start

Parent Involvement in Head Start and Early Head Start Programs

There are a variety of ways for all parents to get involved in the child’s Head Start or Early

Head Start experience. Parents can participate in classroom activities or field trips; they can

attend parenting, education, or other committees at the Head Start sites; they can fully invest

in the family partnership process through their participation in home visiting; and/or they can

serve as a member of a Head Start committee such as Menu Planning, Health Advisory, or

Policy Council. The focus of this article is on parent involvement in Policy Council.

Head Start and Early Head Start programs are required by the federal government to establish

and maintain Policy Council Groups. Policy Council members are responsible for governing

our Head Start and Early Head Start program. Policy Council is involved in program

planning and decision making. The Policy Council works in concert with the Agency’s

Governing Board to ensure program goals are achieved

In January 2015, our Agency’s Head Start and Early Head Start Policy Council will begin

their year. They will start by participating in the program’s annual self assessment; they will

take part in the Community Assessment; they will participate in Human Resources activities

including interviewing and making decisions about program hires; and they will plan for the

coming program year.

At November Parent Committee Meetings, new parent representatives were elected by their

classroom’s parents to serve on the 2015 Policy Council. These new members participated in

their first meeting on December 9th. At that meeting, a slate of officers including Chairperson,

Vice Chairperson, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, and Corresponding Secretary were elected

by the membership and the new Executive Committee will conduct their first meeting in

January 2015.

If you would like to learn more about Head Start and Program Governance please contact

Network offices at (607) 723-8313.

Fun Activity from the Courthouse Children’s Center

The Courthouse Children’s Center, located in the Broome County Family Courthouse provides free drop- in

child care for any child whose adult has business in Broome County Family or Drug Court. The Center is

open from 9:15 am to 12 noon and 12:45 pm to 4:30 pm Mondays through Thursdays. On Fridays the

Center is only open in the morning.

The Center staff is employed by Family Enrichment Network and their mission is to provide a safe,

nurturing, educational, and fun place for children. The staff also provides community information and

referrals for families, and each child who stays in the Center is given their very own book to take home. A

fun parent child activity related to the Center’s theme for the month is also sent home with each child. For

more information please call the Center at 607-240-5818

Paper Plate Scrunchy Penguin

Every month the staff at the Courthouse Children’s Center

provides different activities for the children in care. This

has been a favorite activity that we would like to share.

This cute paper plate scrunchy penguin is fun to make.

Scrunching and sticking the tissue paper to the paper plate

is messy and always fun for kids!

This activity will help your child to:

• Practice using the small muscles in his/her hands,

• Learn how much glue is needed to make something stick.

• Improve his/her eye-hand coordination

You Will Need:

• Two paper plates

• Black, white and orange crepe or tissue paper

• Non-toxic or homemade glue

Method:

• Have your child cut one paper plate in half and glue or staple one half to each side of the whole plate

to make the wings.

• Have your child scrunch up pieces of crepe paper and glue to the paper plate body. Add orange for

the beak, white for the tummy and black wings.

Recipe for homemade glue on the next page!


DID YOU KNOW…

• Our Adopt a Family program gave 400 children a very Merry Christmas; a

BIG Thank You to all the wonderful sponsors who made this possible!

• We had another successful Coats for Kids drive; a BIG Thank You to

local businesses for partnering with us to keep kids warm!

• We have fantastic staff in every department who strive to make a

difference everyday in every way; a BIG Thank You to each and every

one of you!

• We have a terrific Governing Board and Policy Council who work hard to

help us serve our community; a BIG Thank You to all the members for

another year of service!

That’s how we’re Growing Tomorrow’s Leaders… Today

Homemade Glue No-Cook Paste Recipe

Materials

• Bowl

• ½ cup flour

• Water

• Salt

Method

• In bowl, mix flour with enough water to make a mixture

that’s gooey, but not runny.

• Add a pinch of salt; stir.


Calendar of Events

January Events

6 6:00 pm-9:00 pm

CDA Cherry St.,

JC 20

6:00 pm-7:30 pm

Mom2b Group Cherry St.,

JC

8 5:30 pm-7:00 pm

Financial Literacy Cherry St.,

JC 20

6:00 pm-9:00 pm

CDA Cherry St.,

JC

8 6:00 pm-9:00 pm

CDA Cherry St.,

JC 21

6:30 pm-8:30 pm

Caring and Sharing: Nutrion & Health Needs

of Children

Taylor Rd., Owego

9 8:00 am-3:00 pm

Blood Drive Cherry St.,

JC 22

6:00 pm-9:00 pm

CDA Cherry St.,

JC

10 9:00 am-1:00 pm

CPR/First Aid Recertification

S. Broad St, Norwich

23 9:00 am-4:00 pm

CPR/First Aid New Certification

S. Broad St, Norwich

13 6:00 pm-7:00 pm

Policy Council Cherry St.,

JC 27

6:00 pm-9:00 pm

CDA Cherry St.,

JC

13 6:00 pm-7:30 pm

Little Read Kick-Off Event Cherry St.,

JC 27

6:30 pm-9:00 pm

Anxiety in Children Cherry St.,

JC

13 6:00 pm-9:00 pm

CDA Cherry St.,

JC 28

6:30 pm-7:30 pm

Small Talk: Exploring Rgulations

Cherry St., JC

14 6:30 pm-8:30 pm

Magnificent Menus Cherry St.,

JC 26-29

9:30 am-12:30 pm

Child Care Giver Training Cherry St.,

JC

15 6:00 pm-9:00 pm

CDA Cherry St.,

JC 26-29

6:00 pm-7:30 pm

Fathers Group Cherry St.,

JC

17 9:00 am-1:00 pm


Cherry St., JC

Key

Head Start

CCR&R

CACFP

Other

February Events

3 6:00 pm-9:00 pm

CDA Cherry St.,

JC 11 6:00 pm-7:30 pm

Kindergarten Readiness Fair

Cherry St., JC

3 6:30 pm-7:30 pm

Just Moms Group Cherry St.,

JC 12 6:00 pm-9:00 pm

CDA Cherry St.,

JC

5 6:00 pm-9:00 pm

CDA Cherry St.,

JC 17

6:30 pm--9:00 pm

Cavity Free Kids, Part 1 Cherry St.,

JC

7 9:00 am-1:00 pm


Cherry St., JC 18

6:30 pm-8:30 pm

Caring and Sharing: Taxes & Recordkeeping

Taylor Rd., Owego

7 1:00 pm-5:00 pm


Cherry St., JC 21

8:30 am-4:30 pm

MAT Training Cherry St.,

JC

9 6:00 pm-7:30 pm

Little Read Museum Cherry St.,

JC 24 6:00 pm-9:00 pm

CDA Cherry St.,

JC

10 6:00 pm-7:00 pm

Policy Council Cherry St.,

JC 25 6:30 pm-7:30 pm

Small Talk: Providing Nutritious Meals & Snacks

Cherry St., JC

10 6:00 pm-9:00 pm

CDA Cherry St.,

JC 26 6:00 pm-9:00 pm

CDA Cherry St.,

JC

10 6:30 pm-8:30 pm

Magnificent Menus Taylor Rd., Owego

Family Enrichment Network

24 Cherry Street

Johnson City, NY 13790

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