Hamburger’s Outing

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Hello everyone!

Today I want to share a little story of Hamburger. Hamburger is a female Russian tortoise who lives in P.S.S. classroom. You might find her presenting herself in front of curious eyes of children at circle time. She gives invaluable lesson on how to make silence and use a watching body. She has an amazing power and charisma. She can even calm down a child who is having a big emotional outburst. When I speak to her, she listens to me and looks me in the eyes.(I'm not imagining that. It's true!) Overall she is purely awesome.

Many people might think that tortoises are slow and low energy animals. Well, not our Hamburger. She can move from one place to another in a jiffy! When she roams around in our classroom during the nap time, our non napper explorers are often in charge of keeping track of her movement because she moves so fast.

She is pretty chill and relaxed inside her small shelter, but She needs to go outside and get some exercise. So We visited Nia House to care for her last week. After she had a big bowl of fresh green salad for lunch, we took her out of the terrarium. She was ready for an expedition. 

She walked all over the yard. She ate a whole bunch of dandelion flowers which are her absolute favorite. The afternoon with Hamburger was relaxing. It let us hear the faintest sound we miss all the time. We listened to the sound of her feet rustling in the grass. We held our breath to hear her eat dandelion flowers. She gave me a chance to slow down and focus on what's in front of me. 

Parenting Stress

Hello, dear families.

Parenting stress is real. Experiencing heightened stress or anxiety right now is a normal experience.

If you need immediate parenting support, please do not hesitate to call:

Parenting Stress Helpline

800-829-3777

Parenting Stress Helpline provides free and confidential counseling, information and referrals to anyone in need of parenting support. You have access to caring helpline counselors for anonymous calls at any time, or schedule regular call backs to support you with your parenting or family concerns. Parenting Stress Helpline also can refer you to Family Paths’ services and 900+ Alameda County resources.

You can also visit FAMILY PATHS WEBSITE for access to parenting tips and classes.

HELP ME GROW

Help Me Grow Alameda County is a system that collaborates with agencies, families and providers across the county to help ensure children ages birth – 5 years reach their optimal development.

To achieve this, Help Me Grow

  • Provides FREE and confidential support in early childhood development

  • Promotes early identification of developmental concerns

  • Helps families access resources

  • Builds the capacity of early childhood providers

  • Partners with families, agencies and providers to build a strong network of services

You can call Help Me Grow: 888-510-1211

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Waterworks with Sydnee and Esme

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Supplies Needed:

·      Designated work space

·      2 bowls (similar in size)

·      Water

·      Sponge

·      Rag or towel (for clean-up)

Directions (all of these can be done by your child):

1.    Find a work space that you do not mind getting wet.

2.   Fill up one of the bowls, about halfway.

3.    Place bowls side-by-side

4.    Place sponge in the bowl with water.

5.    Squeeze the sponge in the bowl with water, transfer the sponge to the empty bowl, and squeeze it again!

6.    Continue until the empty bowl is filled with water, and the other bowl is empty.

Objectives of this work:

·      Practices dexterity, fine motor skills

·      Helps child practice clean up water messes

·      Child gets a visual of moving the water from one bowl to the next

·      Sensory: child feels the temperature of water, water trickling from sponge to bowl