A Little Patch of Earth Preschool

Writing for a research project on your thoughts of how parenting in the age of social media has impacted community connectedness. I would like to know your thoughts on how community is being fostered by using social media as parents and how community is being suppressed or neglected by using social media. Feel free to rant. Many thanks for your contribution. I am in the Literature Review stage and need some ideas to further research on this topic. THANK YOU . Curious to learn what "connection" gaps (if any) that you may be experiencing in your community, virtual or in person.

From Defending the Early Years
Guidelines for Talking with Young Children about
The Insurrection at the US Capitol in Washington, DC

On January 6, the world witnessed an unprecedented assault on American democracy when a violent mob, incited by President Trump, invaded the Capitol building in Washington, DC to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the next President and Vice-President of the United States. The mob threatened the safety of members of Congress, Hill staff, and the Capitol's everyday working people, all trapped inside and terrorized while this mob ransacked the People's Building.

Watching this unfold was shocking to many adults and despite their efforts to shield young children from this reality, they may have been exposed to this despicable event anyway, whether through the media, siblings, other children, or overhearing adults’ conversations. This can undermine their sense of safety as well as their social and emotional well-being. While young children are not be able to comprehend complicated concepts like an attack on our democracy or the meaning of an attempted coup, they will undoubtedly be frightened and confused by the violent images of the mob as well as the deep and obvious concerns of the adults around them.
Defending the Early Years offers our guidelines for implementing an age-appropriate, meaningful, and caring approach to help young children deal with this shocking event:

Protect young children from exposure to news on TV, radio, social media, or hearing adults talk about it as much as possible. The more they see and hear, the more dangerous they will think the world is.

Children need to know you will be there to help them and to keep them safe. Trusted adults can help children sort out what they see and hear and help them feel safe. How you react plays a big role in determining how they think, feel, and what they learn.

Start by finding out what children know. This gives you more information about their real concerns, which might be different from yours. Ask open-ended questions like, “What have you heard about that?” or “What do you know about….?”

Base your responses on the child’s age, specific needs. Keep your explanations developmentally appropriate. When young children see or hear about something scary, they often relate it to themselves and worry about their own safety. Younger children tend to focus on one thing at a time. Because they don’t yet have logical, causal thinking, it’s hard for them to figure out the logic of what happened and why or sort out what is real and what is not.

Let children know that, if they have any questions about this or anything else, you are happy to talk with them about it.

Answer children’s specific questions, but don’t elaborate. You don’t need to provide the full story. Just tell children what they want to know. Continue to reassure them about their safety.

Support children’s effort to use play, art, and writing to work out an understanding of what they have seen and heard. Although some adults are uncomfortable when children bring violence into their play, this helps them work out ideas and feelings and, also, shows adults what they are worried about. Provide open-ended play materials such as blocks, emergency vehicles, miniature people, and a medical kit, as well as art materials like markers and paper.

Be on the lookout for signs of stress. Changes in behavior such as increased aggression or withdrawal, difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite, regression in toileting, frequent crying, or trouble with transitions are all signs that additional support may be needed. Protecting children from the media, maintaining routines, providing reassurance, and even extra hugs can help children regain their equilibrium.

Help children experience the power of solving their own conflicts without violence. Children are often confused when we tell them to “use their words” to solve conflicts, but they see adults using violence to solve theirs. Show them how to deal with issues differently in their own lives. Help children learn by your example and interactions with them how to resolve conflicts in constructive ways.

Make sure children know that it is the job of adults to protect them. Discuss what adults are doing to make the situation better, such as arresting the rioters and putting them in jail. Tell them that there will be a new President in just a few days and he will ensure that nothing like this happens again.
This resource was adapted from Teaching Young Children in Violent Times: Building a Peaceable Classroom (2nd Edition) by Diane. E. Levin, Ph.

“To let go does not mean to get rid of. To let go means to let be. When we let be with compassion, things come and go on their own.” –Jack Kornfield

Over many years, I have learned to examine and then cultivate the part of letting go of things that fail to serve my higher purpose. The privilege and practice associated with the freedom to choose my own path has often brought me great gifts.
From this space emerged A Little Patch of Earth. A place where I could grow along side children and with a staff who, over these last 10 years, shared a transformative vision of what all children deserve. But, also what they have a right to experience in terms of how they choose to spend their time, how they create space for themselves and others, and how to navigate the worthy yet unpredictable practice of belonging and connectedness.
In spite of our recent six-month absence, I manifested our children’s wild courage to trust myself to cross the threshold of the unknown and to relax into accepting changes that six months ago, I wasn’t ready for, but which I now embrace with my own child-like sense of wonder and curiosity.
A Little Patch of Earth is moving on. And some day, I hope to create a new way of serving the community. However, I must first be present to where I am now. And that is expressing tremendous gratitude for your love, trust and support, and to relish in the blissful joy this shared journey has brought so many of us.
I am grateful that a small sum of our time together was captured in this short film about our school which I share here as a reminder of what all have the potential to grow from each of our own Little Patch's of Earth.
I am still a neighbor, a friend, and forever an admirer of our teachers and families, but especially the CHILDREN who helped me live my best life.
Thank you Celine Francois for capturing this time without ever knowing it would be our last days at A Little Patch of Earth

A Little Patch of Earth Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts Documentary Thesis 2020 Film by Celine Francois

To all of our tired and terrific mama's out there. We see you, we hear you, we feel you and you are LOVED.

My preschool is moving indoor and outdoor furniture around on Tuesday the 30 and Wednesday the 31.
NEED 4 strong humans to work. $20.00 hour.
Please PM me!

Preschool looking to move outdoor furniture and book shelves. Two days of labor for a crew of FOUR people.

Looking to purchase indoor gym mats, approx 2" thick. Kids need to bust some moves!

Immediate opening at a local school for 8-week full time maintenance position. General repairs, sanding and painting, moving furniture, light yard work. Resume and references required. $18 an hour. Details upon request.

Tonight would have been our schools annual KOA campout. But, nothing keeps the Patch down, so we're going VIRTUAL! Any one out there willing to ZOOM in tonight at 5:30 and 6:30 PM to lead a guitar/sing along? Songs: We've Been Waiting for YOU to Come to this Place (Tom Hunter) , I've Been Working on the Railroad (Pete Seeger Style) , Red River Valley (Michael Leeman/ Bev Bos style), All I Really Need is a Song in MY Heart (Raffi) , Let It Be (Beatles) PLEEEEESE.. we are desperate for something to lift our hearts