PreschoolFinder Blog

The Struggle to Find Affordable Child Care

August 19, 2008 – 10:38 am by Kim

I came across an article in the Chicago Tribune today that reported some Chicago parents are paying more than $9,500 a year in child care. It reported that not only are parents paying an arm and a leg, but they are also having a hard time finding a quality place to leave their children. The report comes from the Illinois Action for Children and goes on to state that infant care often consumes one-fifth of a family’s income – often more expense than a college education. Furthermore, it found that Chicago area parents are paying around $190 a week for child care. Most parents will say that finding quality child care is a top priority and they will usually dish out the money no matter the cost. ...

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Preparing For Preschool

August 18, 2008 – 3:34 pm by Chrissy

The start of school can make even the bravest child turn into a bundle of nerves the night before their first class. With a few basic tips you can make the transition from summer to school days a piece of cake. By preparing your preschooler ahead of time, they can walk into school feeling cool and confident. Be sure to go to the “Meet The Teacher Day”.  Give your child the ability to see, hear, smell, and touch the surroundings she will be in. By knowing in advance who their teacher is, where the bathroom is, and what the other children look like, you are giving them background knowledge to build off of for the first day.  Days before school starts discuss the pretty blue pillows in the reading center or ...

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The Frugal Life Of A Stay At Home Mom

August 14, 2008 – 6:58 pm by Chrissy

When my husband and I decided that I was going to stay at home once we had a baby, we also had to decide what was important and what was not. Sad for me...my husband ruled my favorite hobby, shopping, not important. The first few months of withdrawal led me to find the savvy tricks of the stay-at-home mom. Now a seasoned nine year veteran of steals and deals, I feel like I know all the tricks. My favorite tip is kid’s consignment sales. I have expensive taste and empty pockets, but this is the way to buy name brand and boutique clothing for a fraction of the cost. Consignment sales are GREAT for buying, but also for selling! Sell your kid’s clothes, toys, books, videos, ...

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When to Say I’m Sorry

August 13, 2008 – 9:58 am by Ben's Mom

Now the Spanish basketball team could take another lesson from our preschoolers - when to say I'm sorry! Instead of simply apologizing to the Chinese for the offensive photo which I blogged about yesterday, they are questioning why it has been made into such a big deal. 'We meant no offense by it..." they say to Yahoo! Sports. Come on - anyone can see why that would be offensive. Anyway, offensive isn't defined by what the offender thinks, it is defined by what the offended thinks. And - it seems like the Chinese are taking the high road -- with no comment. Kudos to them! As we teach our children to apologize when they hurt or offend another child (or adult), we can take a lesson ...

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Entertaining Your Toddler

August 13, 2008 – 9:08 am by Chrissy

As the mother of an almost 2-year-old, the days can drag on forever trying to find new and fun ways to keep her engaged and far away from her terrible two fits!  I know that through all the challenging and trying moments I am the one who will mold her and make her into an independent and competent child later in life…so I must survive these exhausting days now.  Today we explored many new and exciting options for passing the time outside.  I thought I would share a few ideas. Driveway Painting The idea is simple, a bucket, water, and a paint brush or roller.  We painted almost the entire driveway. This one really keeps them moving and they can see the fruits of their labor…until it dries ...

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Racism During the Greatest World Unifying Event Ever?

August 12, 2008 – 3:17 pm by Ben's Mom

Why does someone always have to ruin a good thing. My mom always said "Racism is a weak mind defending itself." Perhaps if weak is synonymous with oblivious, that is the case here. The Spanish basketball team posed in this picture, seemingly insulting the Chinese by slanting their eyes with their fingers: OK - so they have given lots of excuses, but someone knew that would be offensive and perhaps, not the best idea...right? We are all grown adults here - no? So how do we eradicate racism in our children if it is reinforced by their heroes on the world stage? Fortunately, most, if not almost all, of the athletes in the Bejing Olympics have been gracious competitors. Athletes from every race and creed are living ...

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Olympic Lip-Synching Scandal

August 12, 2008 – 10:17 am by Kim

There has been a lot of buzz around the Beijing opening ceremony lip-synching scandal that took place Friday. Apparently, Lin Miaoke, the nine-year-old singing “Ode to the Motherland” for the opening Olympic ceremony was lip-synching along to another girl’s voice. The real voice behind the song was 7-year-old Yang Peiyi whose face was deemed “not suitable” for the opening ceremony. The ceremony’s chief music director, Chen Qigang, told an interviewer that the audience would understand, as the switch was made in the national interest. The performance was an instant hit and the spectators and press instantly deemed Miaoke as a patriotic star. My main concern with this performance scandal is what this is teaching children. It seems to send the message that looks are more important than talent. Peiyi’s ...

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Been Stretching Lately?

August 11, 2008 – 10:46 am by Ben's Mom

It is that time of the decade - the Summer Olympics are upon us! This is when as a child, I started stretching and practicing my cartwheels and back-bends. OK - I admit it, I did this well into adulthood as well. The Olympics seem to bring out the athlete in each of us. They inspire us to push ourselves, get fit, reach for our dreams. If you, like me, are always inspired by the Olympics - let your preschooler in on it. I have compiled a list of things you can  do to share your Olympic passion with your preschooler: 1. Let them watch some of the different sports and explain the sport to them. Using their bodies to explain is helpful - showing them how to do somersaults or ...

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Board Games for Your Preschooler

August 8, 2008 – 10:01 am by Kim

Board games are a great way to entertain your preschooler and an excellent way to improve their thinking skills. They are also helpful in strengthening your child’s imagination and teach them about following the rules and fairness. Here are 7 classic board games that can actually make children smarter. Chutes and Ladders An inexpensive, classic game where children learn how to take turns and count spaces. They also learn how to accept consequences and receive awards. Cariboo A newer game with colorful pieces and perfect for a preschooler’s short attention span. This teaches children to recognize letter, numbers, colors and shapes. Sequence for Kids This is a great beginners game for learning strategy. Preschooler’s can strengthen their memory and matching and visual skills. Sorry! Another classic game that teaches preschoolers the importance of accepting ...

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Cherish the End of Summer

August 7, 2008 – 2:49 pm by Ben's Mom

Before we start talking about going back to school, let's enjoy the last month of summer! Have you gone to the zoo enough? What about the pool? Done enough hikes around the local parks and nature preserves? Have you strolled through your rose garden? Gone to the local farm for raspberry/strawberry picking? Have you let the kids play on that slip-n-slide or run through the sprinkler enough? With a mere 30 days left before preschool starts up in the Fall in most areas, let's make sure we have sucked all the life out of summer! And - we want to see you doing it! If you have a video of your kids taking full advantage of the long, warm summer days - share them with us! We'll post the ...

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