Spring time is here and flowers are in bloom. One of my favorite things to do in spring has always been to plant a flower garden with children. As part of my educational curriculum I had the children in my child care bring home a pot of flower seeds they planted. I encouraged parents to transplant the pot of flower seeds as they began to grow in their yard and watch the flowers grow with their children! Take time through the seasons to count with your child how many flowers bloomed - teaching child hands-on math lessons. My favorite flowers to plant were morning glories because they … [Read more...]
Ouch He Bit Me!
Dear Dr. Day Care, I have 2 toddler sons - 18 months and 2 ½ years old. They are always together. At least three times a day (some days it seems like a lot more!) my 18-month-old bites his brother. What can we do to stop this behavior? Signed, Ouch He Bit Me! Dear Ouch, Biting is one of the most frequent questions I have received in my career! Over the course of my 47 years working in child development, I have found that parents often have the most concerns about biting, sleeping, or eating. Fortunately, biting is a stage. I understand that it is a … [Read more...]
Lincoln Native Helped Change the Face of Child Care
In 1972, Lincoln native Mary Ann Shallcross Smith was a new mother to her first child, Keith. She made a decision that allowed her to stay home with her baby and eventually helped change the face of child care in Rhode Island. Mary Ann opened a home child care service. She enrolled in courses in early childhood and education to better serve children and families, and in 1995 earned her doctorate degree in Education (Ed.D.), Leadership and Human Development Studies from Nova Southeastern University. Today, most know Dr. Mary Ann Shallcross Smith, Ed.D, as “Dr. Day Care.” They might not know … [Read more...]
