The winning class is our Blossom’s class! (The Blossom’s class has children attending from 3-5 years old. We arrange our classes on developmental milestones vs. calculated ages )

They were thrilled and they get a prize basket of goodies and an ice cream/movie party!

Look at this gorgeous pumpkin made up of all of their fingerprints as blossoms on the flowers… Great job, Ms. Megan and class!

A big THANK YOU to all of you who voted, you added to our fun in big ways.

You can see the top 3 winners here:

1st place: Blossom’s Class with the Flower Blossoms Pumpkin

2nd place: Sprout’s Class with the Hungry Caterpillar Pumpkin

3rd place: Raindrop’s Class with the Forky Character Pumpkin

New School, New Routine: Your Childcare Transition Survival Kit

Changing Routines

Starting a new day full of learning and fun at a new place is a big milestone, and it is completely natural for everyone – including parents! – to feel a mix of emotions. This guide is here to help you prepare for this new adventure and feel confident every step of the way. We know many families are looking for a childcare transition survival kit following recent local closures.

Before the first day

A little bit of preparation can go a long way in making your child’s first week a success.
TALK ABOUT IT: Use positive, simple language to talk about their new school. Give them expectations, “you will have friends to play with” “I think they will have books at your new school” etc. Explain who will drop off and that “pick up person” always comes back.
VISIT IF YOU ARE ABLE: Before your first day, ask to set up a time that your child can come in and meet their teacher and see their new class. Even a 10-minute visit can be a value.
CREATE A ROUTINE: Start determining a routine for your mornings (drop off) and afternoons (pick up). This includes who will be the primary person doing each, what times they will occur, what happens before and after each. Predictability provides comfort during times of change. Especially for the little ones.

The First Few Days:  The “Goodbyes”

This can be the hardest part, but we are here to help and support you.BE QUICK: When you drop off, be consistent. Say a quick, loving goodbye and remind them that you always come back. A long-drawn out goodbye can be harder.
TRUST THE TEACHERS: Our teachers have experience with a lot of goodbyes. They will help distract and comfort your child, making sure they are secure and feel safe.
DON’T SNEAK: We recommend you not sneak out without a goodbye. Sneaking after a goodbye and distraction can be ok, but no goodbye can put a damper on trust.

What to Expect

Each child handles this transition differently, and that is ok. Here are some things you might experience:
TEARS: A few tears at drop off are a normal part of separation anxiety. This usually subsides very quickly. We try to get a quick photo for you once they are involved in an activity. If there are tears, they usually stop within minutes.
BEHAVIOR CHANGES: Your child might be more tired than usual when coming home. School and play is hard work and they use a lot of energy! Some extra cuddles and quiet is a good plan for the first few days.
DAILY COMMUNICATION: We will send you updates throughout the day so you can feel connected to your child’s experience. Feel free to reach out and ask too!

If it ain’t broke – don’t fix it!  aka… these tips are suggestions and something we mention above may be working perfectly for you and your family – don’t change a thing!

Want these tips in a printable PDF, along with our ‘Always Come Back’ story and the WI State Quality Checklist? Enter your email below to get the full Survival Kit sent to your inbox.

We always recommend checking the official WI DCF Quality Checklist when evaluating new schools.

If you can’t Find it… Create it!

I have looked for a while at different resources to have a list of foods that are common allergens; recommended as first foods for babies to try; and checkboxes as foods are determined to be safe for baby to eat. But… guess what? If you know me, you know I’m a bit over-the-top and I couldn’t find one that worked. It was either more than one page long, full of ads, too many discussions on the method, or missing foods. So, I made one of my own and I want to share it with you!

I designed these food lists to be a simple, go-to resource to support you as you introduce new flavors and textures to your baby.

3 Lists for you

There are three lists included in this resource.

1. Keep this food list handy or when shopping: without any checkboxes.
2. For your refrigerator with 3 boxes to check off when you’ve introduced the food to baby as it is helpful to give your baby one food item at a time for 3 feedings in a row so you can rule out any allergies and have a quick identifier for new foods. You could also put a date on top of each checkbox if you wanted to track when it was fi
   

   

   rst fed to baby.

3. For your childcare provider or grandparents to track what foods you feel are safe for baby to have outside of your presence.  Likely, you have already introduced these foods three times to baby.  We laminate this list at Just Like GRAMMY & POPPOP’s and keep it in our Raindrops Room where our babies are beginning purees and table food eating. Parents will update the list with a checkbox as new foods are determined to be safe.

No, you don’t have to enter any information to get the checklists, just click on the title below and you will see it pop up in a new browser window and you can print it.  If you have a child that attends at Just Like GRAMMY & POPPOP’s, we will print them for you!  Feel free to share with others… I hope it helps!

the FIRST BITES to SAFE BITES Food List

Remember to partner with your child’s doctor to ensure a smooth and safe experience.

I’ve heard this quite a bit…. just replace the word “TOMORROW” with a particular day or hey, just in general because quality child care is so hard to find! We have the answer with our Drop-In Care option that allows you to book space when it is available for ages 6 weeks through 12 years. More information on last minute care here. 

But why?

There are many reasons why one might have un-planned needs for childcare.

Some reasons you might have a last minute need….

• Family is coming to town and you need to stock up the fridge and pantry
• Best friends are coming over and you need to do a clean without a mess being left right behind you
• An in-person work meeting was scheduled when you were planning on working from home while LittleOne was napping
• You’ve been curious about how your child would handle being away… but you don’t want to commit to a schedule yet
• It’s time for a self-care day full of spa treats
• You have an ambitious reading goal and need some time to dive into all of the pages
• A test is coming up and you need some study time
• The fairways and greens are calling you
• It’s time for some socialization to be integrated into your child’s day
• School is closed
• You are relocated and not sure where you are going to settle down
• the list goes on and on and on.

We are here for you! Sign up BEFORE you need it so you can be assured when the time is right – you can be at Just Like GRAMMY & POPPOP’s.  Complete your application for enrollment today.

Boo at the Zoo

A favorite memory of mine was when I showed up as Marshall from Paw Patrol and my grandson’s eyes just lit up! He was Chase and I made a cool cover for his Wonder Wagon so he could ride in his police car. What I didn’t expect but had my heart filled with joy was how proud he was of his Grammy that I had joined in with his costume. He wasn’t too sure why other children at the zoo kept pointing and saying, “Marshall! Chase!” but I think he caught on after a while.

This year, I have a surprise costume for my granddaughter so I can’t tell you what it is yet. I am pretty sure her Mom reads this and she might spill the beans. Hopefully, her reaction will be similar and she’ll smile at least.  I had a fail last week when we were Facetiming and I changed into a mouse… she was terrified although I changed back quickly. I heard she even told her father when he got home, “Grammy. Mouse. I didn’t like it.” I try. So I’m really hoping she won’t have a similar reaction to that. She is really into the pretend play right now so I’m crossing my fingers. 

There are still some tickets left – grab yours and hope to see you there!

10th Anniversary Trunk or Treat : All equal

I’m so excited for our first Trunk or Treat! We haven’t participated in this event but I’m so happy I heard about it. This trunk or treat is lead by Kristy Deputy and she focuses this on all kids equal and makes sure that children can enjoy the event with no obstacles. Wheelchairs and other aids are welcome!  Here is the Facebook event page.

If you know me, you know I couldn’t just get bags of pre-mixed candy. I wanted some goodies that the children can choose from and leaned to the healthier side of favorite treats. Not only that but we have balloons to give away and a small gift for the adults too!

If you see us out and about – please say HI!