Grandparents Teach, Too - Learning Through the Seasons

12/01/2021

Sibling rivalry can be a major source of stress for families. As parents and caregivers, we want our children to be good friends and look out for each other. One expert, Dr. Carolyn Webster-Stratton, states in her book “The Incredible Years: A Trouble Shooting Guide for Parents of Children Ages 2-8,” that a certain amount of arguing and fighting between brothers and sisters is normal. However, there are things caregivers can do to help children learn to get along.

A certain amount of arguing and fighting between siblings is normal; however, there are things caregivers can do to help children learn to get along.

12/01/2021

Purpose:
Introduce youth to some simple cultural traditional crafts from around the world. Journey around the continents, learning how to make simple crafts and having fun creating.

Objectives:
Learn the cultural history and origins of the craft.
Inspire global exploration.
Develop fine motor skills in carving and painting.
Increase cultural awareness, recycling, and creativity.

This activity provides youth the opportunity to lean about cultural activities as well as practice the craft of potato printing.

07/31/2021

In New York, a director of nursing laid out a plan to revitalize assisted living for seniors which included, among other aspects, on-site child care for staff and a garden at the back of the facility. With an outdoor vegetable and flower garden as well as indoor plants for the residents to tend and more importantly, show the staff’s children how to care for, the project was affectionately referred to as an experiment. However, the program was actually studied for over two years and revealed positive outcomes for the residents in terms of quality of life (Gawande, 2014). Indeed, these results mirror other research on community gardens that suggests these spaces can improve quality of life outcomes, social justice, intergenerational connections, and learning (Hake, 2017; Jakubec et al., 2021).

Closer to home for us in Michigan, a group of seniors in Ionia County wait expectantly for their “grandfriends” to arrive for intergenerational garden club, coordinated through the Intergenerational Playgroups Ionia County page. On Earth Day 2021, preschoolers in the garden club repurposed tin cans with careful washing, decorating the outsides with bright paint and artwork. Under the guidance and coaching of their elders, they carefully transplanted marigolds and geraniums to share some of the blooms with their senior friends and take some home to their families.

Seniors in Ionia County, Michigan garden with preschoolers to grow the next generation of learners and gardeners.

07/31/2021

Teaching your child about appropriate speech and language for different environments, individuals and situations.

Appropriate language varies based on ages and stages
Identifying age appropriate language for your child is vital in teaching them how to be a respectful peer, student and family member. Remember to consider your child’s age and their development stage (what they are ready to be learning). Although there are some age-appropriate milestones of speaking, knowing your child’s norms will help you determine realistic goals and expectations for language.

What is appropriate language for children?

07/31/2021

Language is a combination of words, gestures and social skills that work together as a system to help us communicate with others. Language is the way that we express our thoughts, feelings and connect with others. Being able to communicate with others effectively is necessary for academic and life success. Teaching your child appropriate language is vital in their development of becoming a respectful citizen.

To learn more about teaching your child appropriate language, check out the first article in this series: Teaching Children Appropriate Language: Part 1.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/teaching-children-appropriate-language-part-2?utm_source=cc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=extensiondigests

06/24/2021

Children are never too young to learn about diversity. As young as 3 months old, they may look differently at people who look like or don’t look like their primary caregivers. As parents and caregivers, we must have confidence in ourselves and in our children — that we, and they, can handle tough topics and tough situations. We must understand that our role is to be honest, specific, and trustworthy as we raise the next generation to confront racial injustice.

Here are tips and resources to help you have a meaningful conversation with young children about race, racism, and being anti-racist.

Here are tips, books, and resources to help you have meaningful conversations with young children about race, racism, and anti-racist behavior.

06/01/2021

Grands visiting?? Here's a word to the wise: Children do not have to eat a substance in order to be harmed or poisoned. They can ingest, inhale or absorb substances through the skin. Children who are exposed to laundry detergent packets may experience vomiting, wheezing, gasping, fatigue, breathing problems and vision problems (if the substance is exposed to the eyes).

Accidental exposure or consumption of laundry detergent packets by children can result in serious medical problems, so how can we prevent it?

06/01/2021

This activity will help children learn and recognize letters, which will eventually become a combination that creates a word. Letter recognition is an important developmental milestone. The ability to recognize letters is the key to the success of your child’s future reading ability. When participating in this activity, your child will also be using small muscles (fine motor muscles) in their fingers and hands to open and close the clothespins. Exercising these small muscles is crucial for handwriting abilities in the future.

This activity will help children learn and recognize letters, which will eventually become a combination that creates a word. Letter recognition is an important developmental milestone.

03/23/2021

Did you know that Freedom Seekers were also environmentalists and naturalists who learned to navigate the land as they attempted to escaped slavery?

To help educators and students learn about Freedom Seekers and their journey on the Underground Railroad, partners developed this free middle and high school curriculum, Freedom Seekers: The Underground Railroad, Great Lakes, and Science Literacy Activities. The lessons acknowledge the enslaved Africans who had to rely on environmental science principles in their quest for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The Freedom Seekers curriculum project is a collaborative effort between several organizations and schools throughout the Great Lakes. It is part of a professional development effort for educators to increase their knowledge of the Great Lakes and environmental issues while incorporating Environmental Justice Education (EJE) approaches to K-12 teaching. These EJE approaches leverage cross-curricular connections that focus on increasing the awareness of local issues and history in the Great Lakes region. These lessons introduce an innovative approach to engage students in place-based learning, by discovering their local history with the Underground Railroad and its connection to the Great Lakes.

‘Freedom Seekers’ curriculum teaches students about connections between the Underground Railroad, Great Lakes and science.

02/02/2021

Take a trip --virtually!

MUNSING, Mich. (Radio Results Network) — Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore has announced a free virtual field trip experience for schools that allows them to participate in park programing wh…

02/01/2021

Mindfulness is present moment awareness, slowing down and paying attention to the here and the now. You can find mindful moments in breathing, meditation or movement. Mindfulness practice can be formal or informal but no matter how you practice there are so many benefits for children and adults alike. Mindfulness can help you:

Focus
Ease anxiety or worry
Manage stress
Be a better parent
Mindfulness can be especially helpful for your children. Mindfulness has shown to help children build skills for social awareness, self-management, strong relationships and decision-making.

Mindfulness has many benefits for kids and adults. Learn ways to start a mindfulness practice with your child.

02/01/2021

When you hear the words family engagement, you might imagine a family smiling, laughing and playing together. Positive family experiences are crucial to a child’s healthy development and learning, but family engagement goes far beyond the four walls of a family home. According to the National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement (NAFSCE), family engagement is:

A shared responsibility involving schools and other community agencies engaging families in meaningful ways to support the learning and development of children.
Continuous, meaning it extends past childhood and throughout a parent-child relationship, even as children reach adulthood.
Not locational, meaning it takes place in multiple settings including at home, in school or other learning environments, as well as other community programs.

Family engagement helps schools and community agencies set children and families up for success.