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Wish you could get a weekly newsletter full of activities and events for families in our community?

Macaroni Kid will send one to your e-mail box each week, packed with ideas to entertain,

stimulate, and exhaust your kids! To sign up or view their events calendar, visit their website

jeffersoncity.. Also on Facebook!

*Missouri River Regional library also has a Kid’s Fun Newsletter and events calendar with their events at

*Runge Nature Center has its Habitat Happenings newsletter online, or sign up to receive it by email or regular mail at

mdc.regions/central/runge-nature-center

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Kids Silliest Knock-Knocks

(Horsfall.2004)

Knock.

Knock.

Who’s there?

Peek-a.

Peek-a, who?

No silly, Peek-a-boo!

Knock.

Knock.

Who’s there?

Boo.

Boo, who?

Don’t cry; it’s only a joke!

More Evening Drop in and Play Hours Have Been Added!

Due to popular demand, we have extended the Drop in and Play center hours to be open until 7 p.m. the following days:

October 23

November 1

January 17

February 21

February 28

March 5

April 15

May 7

Please take advantage of these hours to come play with your child! Please remember to help keep the room clean by keeping food and drink items out of the center, and putting toys away when you are through playing.

Regular hours are 9-5, whenever school is in session (please check calendar for days it will be closed).

Giving our Children Space to Discover Themselves

Ages and Stages

Games to Play with Babies (Silberg, 2011)

0-3 Months: “Touching Time” When your baby is nursing or drinking a bottle, it is important to hold and cuddle her. Place her hands on your face and move them across your nose, mouth, hair, and eyes. Hold her hands and gently massage them. Stroke her arms and speak softly to her.

3-6 Months: “Reaching” Babies at this age are always reaching for things. Sit your baby on your lap and give

him a favorite toy. Play with him by talking to him, jiggling the toy and holding it a little higher than his reach. Encouraging him to reach for the toy will strengthen his muscles.

6-9 Months: “The Floating Game” Gather soft material that will float in the air-scarves, cloth belts etc. Sit on the floor with your baby. Throw the first item in the air and try to catch it as it floats down. Continue this play, helping your baby hold out her arm to catch these.

9-12 Months: “Wrapping with Babies” Select three or four small toys and wrap them in tissue paper or aluminum foil. Show your baby one of the wrapped toys, talking about the size of it. Encourage your baby to unwrap the toy to see what’s inside.

Games to Play with Toddlers (Silberg, 2011)

12-15 Months: “Cha, Cha, Cha” Place marbles or other objects inside a metal tin. Tape the lid securely, making sure there are no sharp edges. Encourage your toddler to shake it while you sing to her. You can use songs you know or say in a sing-song voice, “One, two, cha,cha,cha.” Show your child how to shake the tin on “cha,cha,cha”.

15-18 Months: “Cup Stacking” Gather several small paper cups. Show your toddles how to put them together and take them apart. After he has done this several times, add other cups of different shapes and sizes. This game promotes thinking skills and problem-solving.

18-21 Months: “Tongs Game” Put a group of small toys in a box or bowl. Give your toddler a pair of kitchen tongs and show her how to pick up the objects with the tongs. Once your child can do this, place a muffin tin next to the box and show her how to put a toy into the muffin tin. This takes a great deal of coordination and is a great way to develop counting skills.

21-24 Months: “Sticky Fun” Take the backing off a piece of self-adhesive paper (contact paper). With the sticky side up, let your child place paper from magazines, yarn pieces, small pieces of Styrofoam etc. on the paper to make a collage.

Games to Play with Two Year Olds (Silberg, 2011)

Young Twos: “How Do You Move?” Pick three animals that your child knows. Talk about the animal and how it moves (hopping frogs, galloping horses, slithering snakes, wiggling worms). Get down on the floor and show your child how the animal moves. Continue with all the animals. This game helps develop language and motor skills.

Middle Twos: “The Whisper Game” Say to your child in a normal voice, “I love you.” Then say it in a whisper. Ask your child if he can say “I love you” in a whisper. Try doing animal noises in a whisper or sing a song in a whisper.

Older Twos: “Jumping Jacks” Show your two year old how to jump and land with her feet together. Then jump and land with your feet apart asking your child to copy you. When she can do both ways, show her how to alternate the two.

Parents as Teachers Issue 02 October 2012

Jefferson City Public Schools

812 St. Mary’s Blvd.

Jefferson City, MO 65109

(573)-659-3026

Parents as Teachers

this issue

Giving Our Children Space P.1

PAT and Community Events P.2

Character Corner P.3

Ages and Stages Activities P.4

privacy, opinion, attitude, and thought. In our space comes freedom to explore, discover possibilities and potential, to make mistakes and to learn from them. It is a place to be ourselves with no fear or shame. Young children show you they are learning their sense of space when they start to say “NO!” and struggle for some control in their lives.

It is important for children to have some control and make choices, and we can help them by offering simple choices, like “Would you like to wear this shirt or this one?” making sure both options given are acceptable to us. We can also offer times when it is okay for them so say no. (“Would you like a drink of water?”) At the same time, children like to test and boundaries. While it may seem they are rebelling against the limits you have set for them, they are really testing to see if you are dependable, stable, and consistent. So while it may seem like they are trying to push your buttons to get you to cave in to their demands, deep down they want you to remain calm and not engage them in battle. Instead of taking it personally, remind yourself that we want our children to learn to be able to stand up for themselves, making their own choices, and taking responsibility for their actions—even if we don’t like them practicing on us! (For example, if you tell your child to pick up the markers and he says “No. I’m not going to. You aren’t the boss of me.” Calmly reply, “That’s right, you are the boss of you. And as the boss, you have a choice. You can choose to pick the markers up in the next two minutes, or you can choose to not use them for two days. It’s your choice.” And then follow through).

In order to let your children discover their own talents and blossom into their own unique personality, avoid using labels and self-fulfilling prophecy. When you give a child a label (whether it is one like “underachiever” or “troublemaker,” or one that sounds good like “gifted” or “funny,”) it defines their personality for them, instead of letting them discover it on their own. Avoid words like “always,” “never,” “all the time,” and “constantly. No child is “always” naughty, or

Continued on page 3

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What is the ultimate goal of parenting? In his book “ScreamFree Parenting,” Dr. Hal Runkel defines it as “to launch your children into an adulthood where they are self-directed, decisive, and responsible people.” In other words, we want our children to grow into adults who know and pursue what they want in life, who take responsibility for their actions, and who take care of themselves in order to be available to others.

So how do we turn our children into these types of adults? First off, we need to realize that we (parents) do not do it; we just lay the groundwork for our children to make the right choices. The irony in trying to “make” our children self-directed adults, is that the more WE do, the less chance our children have to become them. Too often as parents we think that we are responsible for how our children will turn out, and indeed we are the most powerful influence in the lives of our children, but we are not totally responsible for our children’s choices. Parents shape their children, but children also shape themselves. Parents, then, are responsible not FOR their children, but TO their children for whatever you do to help them to make it in the world.

When we look ahead to the outcomes we want in the future, we can work to take the most effective actions today. See our new Character Corner on p. 3 for more ideas on how to do this. Once we have an end in mind, however; we need to let go of our need to achieve it, so that our children can choose to achieve it for themselves. One key way to do this is through setting boundaries.

Dr. Runkel defines boundaries as “your space and your place.” That is, the emotional and physical territory you occupy in the world (space) and the “fence” around it, where your freedom bumps up against other people’s space (place). We all need this space to grow in order to discover ourselves: our preferences, strengths and weaknesses, our wants and needs.

Space includes not only the “personal space” around our bodies and physical space such as a bedroom, but must also include the emotional freedom to explore different feelings, and inner space for self-reflection,

EYE ON IT

The Child with Special Needs

(Standley Greenspan, M.D. and Serena Wieder, Ph.D, 1998)

Things to keep in mind when a child is considered to have special needs:

The sensory, processing, and motor systems determine how we sense, understand, and react to our world. We are less able to function well if one or more of these systems are not working correctly.

As we move, stand, or sit, the sensory system helps us to feel balanced and safe. It allows us to let people get close to us and also to protect ourselves. If this system is over or under active, we do not always respond to stimulation in the same way. We may fail to respond to ordinary speech if our system is underresponsive to sound. On the other hand, if our system is overreactive, we may find sounds such as speech or television bothersome.

The processing system allows us to make sense of the information we receive. For example, sound waves are translated into words, music, sirens etc. The nerves on our skin help us be aware of gentle hugs. If we have difficulty with the processing system, we can misinterpret emotional information which may result in inappropriate reactions.

The motor system helps us respond to information. When we laugh at a joke or run to catch a ball, we are using the motor system as our response. Simple tasks may be difficult if there are problems with motor planning. If an infant has poor motor control of her neck, she may be slower to turn her head to respond to her parent’s voice. If the parent is not aware of this, they may view this as a rejection and stop trying so hard to win her affection.

Giving our Children Space (Continued)

P.A.T. AND COMMUNITY SPECIAL EVENTS

PAT events are held at the Southwest Early Childhood Center located at 812 St. Mary’s Blvd.

Please call 659-3026 or visit jcschools.us (choose Southwest Early Childhood under the Schools tab) if you have any questions. Community events listed in calendar include location and website if available. Information is current as of press time; there may be changes, cancellations, or additions to activities after newsletter is sent.

Thursday, October 4th: Hearing and Vision Screening 10:00-1:00 and 3:30-8:00 Amblyopia Screening will be available as well. Please call Sasha at 659-3026 to get on the screening list today!

Saturday, October 6th: Puppet Show (Tale of Tails) at Runge Nature Center, 11 am.

Monday, October 8th: Drop in and Play closed.

Thursday, October 11th: “Story Tree…On the Trail” at Runge Nature Center, 6-7 pm. Walk the Naturescape Trail and find a volunteer

naturalist ready to share a storybook (indoors in case of inclement weather). Also held Saturday, October 20th from 10-11 am.

Saturday, October 13th: Holts Summit Community Betterment Association’s Harvest Fest held at Greenway Park, 10 am-4 pm. Featuring music, vendors, and fun for all ages. Check out for more information.

Wednesday, October 17th: Drop in and Play Center opens at 10:00am

Saturday, October 20th: Jefferson City Multicultural Fall Festival, downtown Jefferson City, 10 am-3 pm. Come check out entertainment, food,arts and crafts, storytellers, community information booths, and vendors that embrace the diverse cultures found in Mid-Missouri. Check out for more information.

Monday October 22nd-Monday October 29th: Storybook Trail on West Edgewood Greenway. Come read “I Know It’s Autumn” by Eileen Spirelli as you enjoy a walk or ride on the trail.

Tuesday, October 23rd: Drop in and Play stays open until 7 pm.

Sunday, October 28th: Fall Fun for Families at First Baptist Church (301 E. Capital Ave.) from 2:30-4:30. Games, bounce houses, popcorn, door prizes, and more

Tuesday, October 30th: Howlin’ Halloween Family Costume Party at Missouri River Regional Library’s art gallery (upstairs). It's an evening of Halloween fun at your library! Come in costume, and enjoy the activities and atmosphere.

• allowing your children to disagree with you and leaning to respect their arguments (when you allow your child to disagree, you are showing respect for her as an individual)

• don’t always look your kids in the eye when talking with them (this may sound counterintuitive, but eye-to-eye conversations are very intimate. You may connect and have more meaningful conversations engaging in activities like block building or taking a walk together where you can interact without needing to look at each other).

• giving up your need to know how they feel (most of the time, they do not know how they feel, and your anxious need to know how they feel makes it more difficult. The less you “need” to know, the more they may end up sharing)

• giving up your need to know “why” (they probably do not

know why they hit their sibling, but if they were able to give a well-thought-out reason, you would be even more worried!)

• letting them struggle (when you constantly tell your child what to do to solve a problem, you deny him the chance to figure things out for himself)

“never” does the right thing. Runkel says “You are your children’s biggest influence, and what you think and say about them may shape them more than any other force in the universe.” In other words, what you say about your child can be more important that what you say to them.

Practical ways to create space for our children include:

• respecting their space and privacy (such as knocking or asking before entering their room)

• not worrying about the mess in “their” room

• respecting their choices (let them spend that quarter they earned how they want to)

Thursday, November 1: Drop in and Play stays open until 7 pm

Tuesday, November 6: PAT Fun with Blocks Event (group connection). Like to build? Join us for a building event complete with lots of give-a-ways! (And practice being polite by sharing and using your ‘pleases’ and ‘thank you’s as you construct together).

Wednesday, November 14th: Drop in and Play Center opens at 10:00am

Friday, November 16th: Family Movie Night at Missouri River Regional Library (art gallery), 6-8 p.m. Bring a folding chair, or blanket and pillow and come watch “The Secret World of Arietty.” Doors are locked at 6:15 pm.

Wednesday, November 21st –Friday November 23: Drop in and Play Center is closed

Tuesday, November 27th: PAT Developmental and Hearing and Vision Screening from 3:30-8 pm. Please call Sasha at 659-3026 to get on the screening list today!

Thursday, November 29th: Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting at Rotary Park on Bolivar St., 6 p.m. There will be entertainment, refreshments, and a visit from Santa Claus at the event.

Friday, November 30th: Living Windows, downtown Jefferson City (High Street from Jefferson St. to Adams St., 6-9 pm. Storefronts and windows come alive with dancers, singers, religious and holiday themes. Hayrides wind their way through the streets and Santa Claus makes his yearly visit to Hawthorn Bank. Enjoy refreshments, listen to carolers, and watch performances by Jefferson City Dance Academy at the Cole County Historical Society Museum Holiday Open House (109 Madison St).

*Runge Nature Center events for this month were not available at press time, please visit mdc.regions/central/runge-nature-center*

CHARACTER CORNER

A little over a year ago, the community voted on which character traits they would like to instill in children, as we prepare them to be responsible adults. One trait is talked about in and taught in a developmentally-appropriate way each month in the Jefferson City Public School system and beyond, including here at Southwest. We encourage you to talk about and practice them at home as well.

Saturday, December 1st: Jefferson City Christmas Parade, downtown Jefferson City, 4:30 p.m. See dozens of floats decorated in holiday themes, bands playing Christmas carols and more.

Saturday, December 8th: Holts Summit Christmas parade, 2 p.m. Runs down Summit Drive.

Monday, Dec. 24th-Tuesday, Jan. 1st: Drop in and Play Center Closed

*Runge Nature Center events for this month were not available at press time, please visit mdc.regions/central/runge-nature-center*

Trait for December:

COMPASSION/KINDNESS

“caring about other people”

When infants cry and you respond, you are teaching them about caring for others. When your toddler bites or hits in frustration, show them what a kind/gentle touch feels like instead. Talk with your preschooler about how sharing a toy with a friend is kind. Spend some one-on-one time with your child each day, giving them your undivided attention! Even if you spend just a few minutes together, you can show them you care as you sit on the floor and play together, really listen to what they have to say, or involve them in daily activities like cooking and cleaning.

Trait for November:

POLITE

“using please and thank you”

The best way to teach children to use manners is to model them! When you use please and thank you while talking with your child from birth on, you can take advantage of the fact that they naturally imitate what they see you do and hear you say as they learn how to interact with others.

Trait for October:

RESPONSIBILITY

“making good choices.”

You can help young children learn to be responsible by giving them simple chores to do, such as helping make their bed, setting the table, helping feed pets, or dusting with an old sock. Make sure to choose things they can be successful doing, and then praise their efforts rather than the outcome (“You got just the right number of plates for our family” instead of worrying about if the silverware is all in the right place).

Storytime at Barnes and Noble: Free Storytime for pre-K children, held Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10:30-11 a.m. (No reservations needed)

Preschool Storytime at Missouri River Regional Library: Each Tuesday, 10:30 - 11:00 a.m., MRRL Storyhour Room (upstairs) for ages 3-5 (no reservations needed).

Family Story Time at Missouri River Regional Library: Each Wednesday, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m., MRRL Gallery (upstairs), no reservations required. An hour of reading, music, and more. (On Friday, October 31st come in costume and parade through the library).

Runge Nature Center programs: Babes In The Woods Children ages 0 through 2 years of age with their caregiver, Little Acorns Children 3 through 6 years of age with their caregiver, Little Acorns PLUS If you have a child that fits into our Babes In The Woods program AND one that fits into our Little Acorns program this is for you. This program is limited to 20 children, plus a caregiver. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED--call 573/526-5544 after the first of the month.

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