Love to Learn Home Childcare, formerly Lil'Britches

Two year olds do not need to stand in a line because "They will need to do it WHEN they are in Kindergarten".

Three and four year olds do NOT need to trace letters and write their name because "They will need to do it WHEN they are in Kindergarten."

ALL children deserve the respect of being met WHERE THEY ARE...right here, right now.

NOW is not WHEN.

NOW is the time for all the skills that must come BEFORE to have the freedom to be developed through child-led play.

Skills that are BEST developed via child-led play:

•MOTOR SKILLS: WHOLE BODY motor skills
****NOTE: "fine motor skills" do not improve by isolating them. Developing fine motor skills requires using THE WHOLE BODY, which happens organically in child-led PLAY.

• PATIENCE and PERSEVERANCE is not developed with timers and micromanaging. FORCING children to stay at a station until a timer dings is NOT increasing attention spans and patience.
Patience and attention develops when one's own ideas don't work as planned, or an idea simply takes time to execute. It develops when one is intrinsically motivated to accomplish a challenging task.

•FLEXIBLE THINKING, LISTENING SKILLS, CONFLICT-MANAGEMENT, COLLABORATION, are best developed while OWNING the creation of a new game or setting up the story line for THEIR play. The establishing of rules, the seemingly constant debate of how the game will work, the designation if roles:
Child 1:"I want to be the mom, you are my baby and you are the puppy.".
Child 2:"I dont want to be the puppy, I want to be the mom."
Child 3:"How about we are all moms and we are friends going out for coffee with our babies."
is LOADED with opportunities for vital LIFE-SKILLS-DEVELOPMENT.

This post could be a book, but since it is not, Im stopping here. I hope you get the point from this short list.

✨ Smashed Chalk Galaxies 🌌
Wondering what to do with the stumpy bits of chalk? Have a go at making your own night sky by using hammers on a black sheet and breaking the chalk up to create galaxy art!

Safety first remember your goggles to protect the eyes incase any lose bits of chalk bounce up. 🥽

Give it a go!
Love Amy x x

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Openings start April 6!

A reminder for the next time you’re in the thick of it. They’re not giving you a hard time, they’re having a hard time. And they need you, now more than ever. Not a lesson, but your calm, loving, regulated presence.

When your child is at their ‘worst’, in their lowest moments, when they tell you they hate you…this is where you earn your parenting stripes. THIS is where you amplify and deepen connection. Resist feeling triggered…let this be about them, not you. And my #1 tip…do not take it personally! ♥️