Jeannette Funkhouser

A parents perspective....what is fun for some may not be for others and that is okay 🙂

My son Kam is in kindergarten this year, so this was his first field day. He has anxiety, and motor delays, and I anticipated that it might be an interesting day.

He did great with the first few activities and then we got to water and relay race type games. His PE teacher is great and had explained all of the games to them so there were no surprises. But he chose to sit out for more than half of the activities.

It broke my heart. As a parent, I wanted him to have fun and be care-free like all of the other kids were. I even had to step away because my eyes started watering (and if you know me, I’m not a crier!). It was just hard to watch that weight on his shoulders and I was convinced that if he just tried it he would like it, but it was a hard nope from him.

I share this because I want to just say to many parents in similar situations - I totally get it. Parenting is hard and seeing your child struggle is one of the most difficult things.

Very often- I tell parents of Autistic children things like - “they are happy to play alone, I know YOU want them to have friends, but they are happy as they are, and that’s what is important”. My son was happy sitting out. He laughed watching the other kids, and he was totally okay with his choice. His idea of fun was not the same as what I thought would be fun. It was me who struggled with it, and honestly me who made it worse for him trying to suggest that he participate- and who was upset and frustrated about the whole situation. When we got home, his dad asked him how his day way and he told him all the fun things he did.

I’m not a perfect parent. As parents, we do need to recognize that what we want for our kids isn’t necessarily the same as what they want or what’s important to them. I get it, I recognized it, and I still struggled with it. Which leads me to my second point, we need to forgive ourselves for not being perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal. I am hoping that I learn from my mistakes and I am going to try harder to be more supportive the next time. And last- a good reminder to anyone who is not a parent… You cannot judge parents for the choices - or mistakes- they make. My reactions and feelings about my child aren’t always reasonable or even logical. They are still valid because they are MY feelings and I don’t chose them- I do my best with what I have. Just like parents everywhere are doing - and should be able to do judgement free. ❤️

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Telling the Story of Learning in Displays of Student Work By sharing photographs, objectives, and samples in hallways and on bulletin boards, pre-K educators can shift from decorating to documenting learning—and both students and families benefit.

Yes that is the flopping fish you see on my desk aka a cat toy. Anyone else have a flopping fish in their classroom? 😂 As long as the fish is flopping the kids can jump once he stops they have to sit till he starts again I've never seen Pre-K kiddos sit down so fast lol they are so excited to see him start and stop. 🤷

How recess helps students learn The physical activity and social connection that take place at recess help children be more engaged once back in the classroom.

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. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-net-regions-i-iii-podcast/id1531496692?i=1000549501163

‎STAR NET Regions I&III Podcast: A Discussion on Play on Apple Podcasts ‎Show STAR NET Regions I&III Podcast, Ep A Discussion on Play - Jan 31, 2022

The Case For Universal Pre-K Just Got Stronger A new study looks at the effects of government-funded preschool in Boston and finds big benefits for kids.

"Families of means tend to choose play-based preschool programs with art, movement, music and nature...this is not what [researchers are] seeing in classrooms full of kids in poverty." (via NPR) https://n.pr/3oY7PZn

A top researcher says it's time to rethink our entire approach to preschool A long-term study of a statewide preschool program tracked students through the sixth grade and found those who attended prekindergarten falling behind.

Regulation + Relationships + Engagement = the magic combo that kids need to be able to best learn. A huge part of this is sensory regulation. And I don’t know about you but I was not taught ANYTHING about this in graduate school and it took me years of experience (and lots of mistakes!) to figure it out!

Even now, everything I can find is more geared towards OTs and not SLPs. This is why I was so excited when Jessie Ginsburg, Speech-Language Pathologist announced she is launching a sensory based course geared towards SLPs! I signed up and can’t wait to learn more for my own therapy sessions AND to support my classroom teachers with meeting kid’s sensory needs! Registration is only open through Aug 5 and you can use the code EARLYBIRD for $100 off through Monday.

You can learn more about her course at: https://asdinsideout.mykajabi.com/a/2147492889/5nEJowyR

*I am an Affiliate and will make a % of sales if you purchase though this link* but I would NEVER recommend anything to y’all that I didn’t think you would benefit from ❤️

Great information in this conference!

The 2021 Soar to Success Summit is in full swing, but it's not too late to get access!

You can get extended access to the video recordings, audio recordings, written transcripts, expanded workbooks, certificates of attendance, and more when you purchase an access pass.

Don't miss your chance to learn more from Rachel Wagner. We've brought together the greatest minds in Pre-K teaching for this unforgettable, completely online 5-day event.

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💥Tomorrow is the first day of The Soar to Success Summit! 💥 Have you signed up yet? The good news is, it's not too late! Join us July 8th to July 12th for the F*R*E*E 2021 Soar to Success Online Summit: Educating the Whole Child: The Hidden Power of Social Emotional Learning.

Don't miss your chance to learn more from Melissa Leach. We've brought together the greatest minds in Pre-K teaching for this unforgettable, completely online 5-day event.

Register today and save your seat:
👉 https://prekpages.idevaffiliate.com/100.html