Child Development Centre Aug 2020-Jan 2022

06/01/2022

Admission to the Royal Tyrrell Museum (dinosaur museum in Drumheller) is FREE this coming Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

You still need to get tickets online, but the tickets are FREE. Regular adult admission usually costs $21, so it being free it's a good opportunity to get out with the family 😊

Kajal

Lace Crowchild-McGillis

*Families: two adults and their children 17 & under (max 8 members). Those eligible for Family pricing will find the rate automatically reflected in totals. No additional discounts are applied to the Family rate.

03/05/2022

Every interaction with another person represents an opportunity to connect or disconnect.
build positive , which are the foundation for all types of learning and growth, but particularly for social emotional .

Irrespective of the situation or type of interaction, we can work on building connections by focusing on meeting what Dr. Gerald Newmark calls the 5 critical needs of children (and parents too)!

They need to feel:
- respected;
- important;
- accepted;
‐ included; and
- secure.

✨

03/01/2022

02/23/2022

Imagine this: You had a HORRIBLE day, you come home upset and your partner yells at you to go sit alone in the next room. You're not allowed to come out until you've completely calmed yourself down, on your own. 😤

Kinda effed up, right?

When we send our kids away during tantrums/times of distress:
✨They don't learn to handle the situation better next time
✨They don't reflect on the behavior - they're flooded with feelings of anger and/or abandonment
✨We signal that big feelings aren't OK in our family

In their Time article, my mentor + colleague Dr. Dan Siegel + Dr. Tina Bryson:
"Decades of research in attachment demonstrate that particularly in times of distress, we need to be near and be soothed by the people who care for us. But when children lose emotional control, parents often put them in their room or by themselves in the “naughty chair,” meaning that in this moment of emotional distress they have to suffer alone… When the parental response is to isolate the child, an instinctual psychological need of the child goes unmet. In fact, brain imaging shows that the experience of relational pain–like that caused by rejection–looks very similar to the experience of physical pain in terms of brain activity.”

So instead, stay with them:
✨You're really upset. I'm here with you
✨You're feeling angry, it's OK to feel angry, it's not OK to hit. I'm moving baby to keep her safe

⁠All feelings are OK. All behavior is NOT. We can stay firm on boundaries, while still being there.
⁠
"But how do we show them that the behavior is NOT OK?! We're supposed to be all rainbows? Kids need discipline!" Yes! The Latin root of "discipline" is "disciple" which means, to teach. And fear is a terrible teacher. 💯

When do kids learn best? During calm, collaborative moments. NOT during heightened tantrum moments. Later, at a calm moment, teach better behavior + coping skills.

✨

02/22/2022

Ever wondered what you can do to help your child learn problem-solving skills? Let’s find out!

Problem-solving is an important part of children's growth. As a parent it is important for us to know how to support their efforts and guide them through the process so that they can grow up to be effective problem solvers.

Included here are handouts from our Providence behaviour specialists on how to best support problem-solving.

02/21/2022

“No, we're done at the park, no more playing” "No more iPad!” "No, we can't have ice cream for dinner" All.day.long.🤬🔥

Warrior parents, we see you. Toddlers are exhausting.💯🤸🏻

BUT hear us out: the constant no's are not only exhausting for YOU, it’s exhausting for THEM to hear no, don’t, stop all day long too. They get worn down, just like we do. And when they’re worn down, guess what their breaking point looks like?

🌪ABSOLUTE CHAOS🌪

Plus, the word "no" loses it's power and becomes an instant trigger into power struggle mode - no matter what it is you're saying. It becomes a pattern, a routine. It goes like this:

🎢You say, "no"
🎢Your toddler commences operation wear-you-down to get the thing you're saying no to.
🎢You escalate in your "no" getting more angry
🎢Your toddler levels up - screaming, wailing, tantruming
🎢Your exhausted body and mind gives up
☄️"FINE! Just ONE more episode, then we're done I mean it!"

And just like that, your toddler learned that to get one more episode, or 5 more mins at the park, or ice cream for dinner, they just have to scream harder and longer.🌪️

Power. Struggle. City.

Now, we as parents, have to say “no.” In fact, boundary holding is CRUCIAL in ending those power struggles. But, we can say, "no" AND make our toddler feel like we're on their side, avoiding the power struggle.

The next time you have to deny your kid’s request, make a ✨Yes-No Sandwich✨ Instead of just giving a flat-out “no,” simply sandwich that bummer news between two “yes” responses:

“You want to see grandma. Yes! We have school today. Let’s call grandma + ask her to come over tomorrow!”

“You want to color together. That will be so much fun! Yes! When I’m finished emptying the dishwasher in 10 minutes, we can color. I can’t wait!”

The Yes-No Sandwich takes a little creativity and practice, but sooner than later, it’ll become second nature. Go rock those Yes-No Sammys, you warrior parents!!! LET'S DO THIS
✨✨Big Little Feelings

02/05/2022

Kids who can think flexibly tend to have an easier time dealing with big emotions, and they’re less likely to melt down when things don’t go as planned. Here’s how parents can help them build this important skill.

.Flexible thinking, the ability to think about things in a new or different way, is a skill that helps kids handle uncertainty and change without getting upset.