The words you never want to hear and surely think “it will never happen to me”.  I bet that’s what a lot of people who have experienced such a traumatic experience of an intruder in their trusted and safe places thought too. I remember writing our policies for Just Like GRAMMY & POPPOP’s quite well.  The number of hours pouring into the creating, organizing, wordsmithing, editing, etc. but I also remember my heart hurting that we even have to address the importance of being prepared for an intruder. Just. in. case.

$100,000 Pyramid Game

Then, how do you practice this or be well prepared without exposing the innocent little minds to this tragedy even existing? Although it stinks to think about it, you have to. And you have to make sure everyone has the knowledge of a plan without speaking out-loud “guns” “armed” “busted through the door” “attack” etc.

We had a parent visit on a tour that previously advocated for safety in early childcare centers and she asked us, “what do you have in place to train for intruders?” I can’t remember if Matt or I answered since we usually both are on the Meet & Greet Tours, but it was the same answer. We have a section covered in our onboarding and we do fire drills monthly year-round and tornado drills monthly April – September. We don’t drill for intruders, but we have a lockdown procedure and it is hanging on our emergency clipboards in every classroom.  Thank you, Brittany!  It got us thinking through…

Is that the best we can do to keep the children safe?

No. We wanted to do more. We will be repeating this drill periodically and we will be refining this as we discover additional ways to improve how we keep the infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and teachers safe.

Step by Step

1. Matt printed out a sign that read, “I AM AN INTRUDER. Act Accordingly”. He put up his hoodie and started walking to all of our classrooms just holding up the sign. I followed closely behind watching and noting reactions.
   • We heard giggles. We heard, “what? what should I do?”.  We saw the deer in headlights look back at us.
2. We circled back to all of the classes to observe what action had been taken.
3. We sighed.
4. We noted that one 4K 5K class took action despite lots of inquisitive voices, “why is it dark?”  “why do we have to be quiet?”
   • Great job, Blossoms!  They turned off their lights and squeezed under a table in the corner.

5. We waited for exactly one week and repeated steps 1 & 2.
6. We smiled. We were so proud. Every single teacher took steps to keep her class safe. 

• • • Keep in mind, we didn’t say anything after the first drill. Intentionally. We wanted to see what would happen. We have said it before and we will say it again. Our team is top-notch. We only have the best. They reviewed our policies. They took action!

7. See the photos below in how the infants, toddlers, children from ages 8 weeks to 5 years old were guided by their teachers to practice the unanticipated Intruder Drill in each of our classrooms.

In one of our infant rooms, the teachers gathered the awake babies and took them the furthest corner unseen from the door.

In our early 1K toddler room, the teacher stopped preparing snack and placed the children in an evacuation crib that was around the corner and unseen from the door.

In one of our 2K rooms, the teacher stopped their story, called out to her co-teacher to call 9-1-1 (and had to quick recall that). They guided the children into the dark changing table room around the corner.

In our preschool 4K 5K room, they scurried to the back classroom (our lockdown pre-determined location) and turned out the lights and hid in the corner under a table with the 3K class.

We did it. We will do it again.

Thank you, Ms. Maddie, for arming yourself with sanitizer. Just. in. case.

It is necessary unfortunately, that we have to have an intruder drill. But we will do it again because we believe it helps to be prepared.  We will also continue to make it fun and hope that the children can wait a while to learn what we are really preparing for.

Smile or Acting Goofy

I just love to see the pictures of children heading to their first day back to school. The posed smiles with likely some challenges on some days of keeping still, shirt tucked in, holding the sign just right and knowing that there likely was some acting goofy and some crazy cheesy smiles in between.

The day filled with excitement and some nerves heading into the next class… and for parents, likely some of the same feelings plus some relief too It’s amazing to see the growth that happens in a year when parents post comparison pictures, often in the same spot.

What’s Written on the Signs

While I’m usually not one to focus on the negative thoughts, it’s important to be intentional and aware about those cute signs and what information you post when it comes to your children.  Like many things, you hear the stories and think, surely it wouldn’t happen to me, and then it does. Or to someone close to you. Identity theft, non-custodial parent issues, stalking, all with information handed to them on a platter.

I believe that each parent needs to make the decision about what they post on the internet (and permit others to post) regarding their children, but I also believe that they need the information in order to best make that decision.

What is Posted on the Internet… Stays on the Internet and Other Tips

• What is posted on the internet, stays on the internet
  It doesn’t matter if it’s a private account, information can get out easily to people you didn’t intend to see it.
• Watch what is in the background of your photo. Is there a street sign? House number? School name or logo?
  This can be information that you think you are not giving away, but prominent for a person that’s looking to do harm.
• Privacy and geotagging automatically will add the location of where the photo is taken.
  This can include when that photo is posted on Social Media. Review your settings on your phone and social media platforms.

But, I like those Signs

You know what? I do too. I even made the one in the picture for Grand7 (have you noticed that I do this? It’s intentional).  But think about either omitting or blurring some information from the signs on pictures to post on Social Media or even use a different generic sign that says “First Day of PreK” for those you will post. You can text the picture of the cute signs to the grandparents directly.

Be safe… and enjoy this back-to-school season,

This time of year there tends to be an uprise in illnesses. Unfortunately, the State of Wisconsin, including Waukesha County, has a current outbreak of both the Norovirus and  Respiratory Syncytial Virus, RSV. If you visit the National Outbreak Reporting System’s (NORS) dashboard from the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), you will see that Wisconsin has the most outbreaks of emerging diseases than any other state.

Norovirus: 

• Highly contagious
• Flu-like symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and cramping for 1-3 days
• Spread through direct contact, food, or contaminated surfaces

Many young children are being hospitalized with Norovirus, but there is no medication for it. Rehydration is important to make up for loss of any liquid. Fox6 reports, “Anyone suffering from dehydration should seek medical help. Symptoms of dehydration include a decrease in urination, dry mouth and throat, and feeling dizzy when standing. Dehydrated children may be unusually sleepy or fussy and cry with few or no tears”.

Here is a graph below from the CDC that shows that the number of outbreaks is higher than in previous years. The red line is depicting 2024-2025, look at the peak!

What Can You Do/Prevention

 From the Wisconsin Department of Health Services:

People can protect themselves and others from Norovirus by taking simple prevention steps.

• Wash your hands with soap and water after using the bathroom, after changing diapers, before preparing foods, and before eating.
• Handle and prepare food safely. Carefully wash fruits and vegetables and cook oysters and other shellfish thoroughly.
• Do not prepare food or take care of others if you are sick and for at least two days after symptoms stop.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces with a household bleach solution immediately after someone vomits or has diarrhea.
• Wash soiled clothes and linens thoroughly

RSV: 

• Highly contagious
• Cold-like symptoms: runny nose, coughing, sneezing, fever
• Spread through direct contact with someone who has RSV, airborne particles, and contaminated surfaces
• Leading cause of infant hospitalization in the United States
• It is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children under 1 year of age

Up-to-date vaccinations are the best way to keep children and adults safe from RSV.

Earlier this month, I attended a webinar titled, “What We Want You to Know: Quick Tips Every Childcare Provider Should Know”  with Dr. Vavsaria, MPH, MSLIS, MD from The Early Childhood Health Consultation in Wisconsin. Dr. Vavsaria made it known that Pertussis, commonly known as Whooping Cough, is on the rise, and Wisc

onsin is one of the leading states for cases as well. Vaccines and handwashing are the best methods of prevention for this as well.

Stay healthy and happy,

Lauren