Self care part 2
In part two, the thread of self-care continues with some ideas about control, choices, and saying yes. In this two-part blog, I talk about self-care as not being a ‘one-shot deal’- it is more a bunch of little things repeated time and time again to ensure that you are at your peak. In part one, I talked about ideas about...
Self Care
Self-care is one of those trendy ideas right now. It’s a funny mix with people who are ‘typically Kiwi’, and are ‘just getting on with it’, and for the most part that’s ok. But, sometimes it’s not. Leading up to Christmas, I find it an ideal time to reflect on what I can manage, and what I have to do...
Putting the love into Christmas
What do you want your children to remember about family Christmases? The world is a pretty diverse place so Christmas will mean lots of different things to us, but I bet your list has ‘love’ on it, and something about having a lovely time together. The reality for lots of parents, of course, is that as well as all that...
Healthy recipes for children
Finding new, delicious and nutritious recipes for young children can be a struggle at the best of times. We have created a printable selection of recipes that have been tried and tested by some of our youngest scrutineers. This involved testing using all of their senses, and we can safely say the selected recipes passed with flying colours! Cauliflower Tots Healthy Fruit...
She’s perfect
A mother’s letter she wrote to herself 2 years after her beautiful daughter was born with Down Syndrome. Frankie has just been born, she looks up at you with her beautiful almond-shaped eyes and you know immediately that she has Down Syndrome. In that moment the first words that tumble out of your mouth are ‘she’s perfect.’ And she is....
Expanding our notion of family to include the Rainbow Family
Kath Cooper is back again to talk more about Rainbow Families. While celebrating and acknowledging all family compositions is important, time and again it is the unnoticed family structures that need a little more ‘love and attention’ from teachers. Rainbow Families are one of those. In this blog, acceptance of Rainbow Families will be discussed. A Rainbow Family is a...
More study tips for ECE students
In my previous blog, I started a conversation about the issues of working, life, family and studying. The challenges are real, and the trifecta of time, energy and location is often times a real challenge. I might ‘feel’ like studying, but there is a whānau event, I might have the time to study, but I don’t feel like it, and...
Not another “no” with toddlers
As I was driving this morning, I passed a food van parked by the side of the road. On its side was emblazoned its business name, ‘Not Another Pie Van’. I drove on, wondering what they sold (presumably not pies). How would their customers know? Were they relying on people stopping and checking whether they were actually a coffee van?...
Study tips for ECE students
Early childhood teachers are a studious group of people, and this means they often find themselves engaging with some higher learning over the course of their life time. Taking on a ‘couple of papers’, starting a Master’s degree, or gaining a qualification in a specialist area. Studying is rewarding and awesome, it gives you a sense of accomplishment; you make...
12 Fabulous Picture Books Featuring Great Dads
Would you like to get your hands on some brilliant picture books featuring great fathers? Here’s a selection to look for in your local bookshop. Keys, by Sacha Cotter, illustrated by Josh Morgan (English version, Huia, 2014) Ngā Kī, by Sacha Cotter, translated by Kawata Teepa, illustrated by Josh Morgan (te reo Māori version, Huia, 2014) When you’re...