•  The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams
  This is an add-on story with lots of repetition of lines, action words that children love to repeat and act out. It appeals to children’s attraction to what’s a bit scarey and, with the little old lady, overcoming that fear by facing it and using imagination.
  Corinne Remeika

• Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
  I recently visited South Africa and outside my cabin was a tree full of monkeys on every branch. I could almost imagine a red, blue, brown or grey cap on each monkey’s head. This is a wonderful book for young children to learn to “read” the repetitive phrases, “You, monkeys you, give me back my caps!” and “Caps for sale, 50 cents a cap!”
  Jennie Griffith

Getting the most out of Parents As Teachers

Things are going through your parent educator’s mind too. She is thinking about you and your child. Your parent educator has planned what to discuss based on your interests and your child’s development. She keeps in mind questions you’ve asked or goals you’ve expressed and has gathered handouts and resources to give you the information you need to be your child’s best first teacher. Of course, your parent educator has also gathered materials for a parent-child activity that you can enjoy with your child.
You and your parent educator are partners in making the most out of your time together. Here are some things you can do to get the most out of participating in Parents As Teachers.

•  Observe your child
  You see your child everyday; your parent educator visits for a short time. Be ready to share what’s new with your parent educator. It may be helpful to keep a list, or “Baby Biography” of new milestones or changes in your child’s routines.
   

•  Don’t worry about housekeeping
  Your parent educator is looking forward to seeing you and your child. Certainly, it’s helpful to have a clean space where everyone can sit on the floor. But your parent educator won’t mind if there are dishes in the sink or towels on the bathroom floor. Parent educators know you focus on your child. Relax and enjoy your personal visit without being overly concerned with housekeeping.
   
• Minimize distractions
  If your pet longs for attention, take him out of the room until your visit is over. A television or radio playing in the background may make it hard for everyone to concentrate. If you receive a phone call during the visit, try to end it quickly. Save chores such as laundry or dishes for after your parent educator leaves. You will get the most out of your time together if you give your full attention to your child and your parent educator.
   
•  Let your parent educator know your thoughts and feelings.
  Fully participate in the partnership with your parent educator by sharing your thoughts and feelings. Don’t be embarrassed to ask any question you might have. You may think a question is trivial, but your parent educator won’t. Ask for additional information on a topic that interests you. Tell your parent educator your goals for your

• Follow up on recommendations.
  Your parent educator will suggest activities you can do with your child between personal visits. Have fun doing these with your child and observe his development. If you and your parent educator form a plan for getting special services, follow the plan and make the necessary contacts. You will help your child reach her full potential.
   
• Attend group meetings and parent/child activities.
  Your Parents As Teachers program provides events and group meetings for your family. Group meetings can provide new information from experts, allow you to meet other families and give you fun activities to do with your child. You get the most out of your Parents As Teachers program when you participate in all the components--personal visits, group meetings, screening and using community resources.
  Thank you for being in Parents As Teachers. Our vision is that all children will learn, grow and develop to realize their full potential. You are the most important person to make that vision come true for your child.

“Children are our hope for the future, but we are the hope for theirs.”

...Unknown

Ping Pong Talk

When your baby begins to coo and babble, play verbal “ping-pong” together.

•  When she makes a sound, like “Ahh” or “mmmm-mm,” make the same sound right back to her.
   
•  Wait a moment and she’ll probably repeat the sound.
   
•  Then, it’s your turn again.
   
•  Sometimes babies get so excited about playing, they need to look away or pause just to rest.

Source: The Well-Centered Child, May 2005

What your baby needs most

We know that you want to do your best to nurture your baby’s healthy development. We also know that many parents are overwhelmed by busy days, and the thought of adding extra activities to boost their child’s development may simply be too much.
That is the power of the magic of the everyday moment. What your baby needs most to thrive is you. Nothing else can replace the power of what your child learns as he explores the world and shares his discoveries during everyday moments with you.
We hope you will understand that the magic of parenting is not in any toy you buy or in the latest product claiming to make your baby smarter. The magic is in your everyday interactions that help your child build the crucial capabilities--such as confidence, curiosity, cooperation, and communication--needed for lifelong learning and success.

Source: zerotothree

Be a patient listener

How well does a one-year-old communicate?
1. He can recognize and respond to his own name.
2. He understands a lot of what is said to him and around him.
3. He has established a large repertoire of sounds; he “talks” at length with babbling that has intonations resembling our speech. He may even have some meaningful words in his vocabulary.
4. He imitates an assortment of sounds combined with movements such as grunting, coughing, lip smacking.
Don’t be upset if his speech is not precise at this age (around one year). He may make a variety of sound substitutions and omissions--“ta” for “cat” or “wed” for “red.” He will require another two years--until he is around three years of age--before more of his sounds are clear and distinct.
 

Getting Dressed
the Half and Half Game

When your toddler is learning how to dress himself, play the Half and Half Game.
 

• You put his arm half-way into his sleeve, and he pulls it on the rest of the way.
   
•  You put his sock half-way on, and he pulls it up.
   
•  He pulls his pants half-way up, and you pull them the rest of the way.
   
•  You’ll be teaching him skills in manageable steps.
  
  Source: The Well-Centered Child, May 2005

Adults & Play

Adapted with permission from zerotothree.org website

What can you do as a parent to make the most of your child’s playtime? Here are some simple tips for encouraging your child to learn and explore:
n Follow your child’s lead. Provide an object, toy, or activity for your baby or toddler and then see what he does with it. It’s okay if it is not the “right” way...let him show you a “new way.”
n Help slowly. It’s great to model a new skill, but control the urge to “do it for him.” You can begin something, such as picking up a block and putting it on another, and then allow him to try. Providing just enough help to keep frustration from setting in encourages him to learn a new skill.
n Watch for signals. Your little one may not be able to tell you when he’d had enough or when he’s frustrated. Reading the signals that precede an outburst can be helpful to let you know when to help out or change to a new activity. Young children do best with shorter, more frequent playtimes. Reading his signals can also tell you what activities are his favorites.
n Look at the environment. Are there distractions such as glaring light or too much noise? Is the area safe to explore? Is this a good place for the type of play that might take place, such as running, throwing, or making a mess? Checking it out beforehand can prevent a tantrum, an accident, or a broken lamp. Don’t forget that some of the best play environments can be during your everyday routines, such as bath times and bedtimes.
 

How does your child see himself?

Self-concept or self-image is how a child thinks of himself in relation to the people and things in his world. What is your child’s concept of himself? Is he a very important person in his own eyes?
It is very important that a child have a genuine feeling that he matters in the world, and that he is important.
Parents can influence their child’s self-concept development. Here are three general principles:
1. Let your child know that you love him. A child needs to know that he is important to you, that he has your love--even when he has engaged in some unlovable activities (In this case, a parent can say, “I love you, but I don’t like what you’ve just done.”)
2. Help your child handle his failures. What messages are you giving him when he fails? He needs to know that you’re on his side, that you accept him--win or lose--for who he is. Your corrections should deal with what he’s done, not what he “is”.
 

Dealing with a picky eater

Dealing with a picky eater can be difficult for parents, but be patient. Continue to offer a variety of new foods, and avoid getting into power struggles.
Some helpful tips include:
 Remember your responsibility ends with the serving of nutritious foods. You cannot make your child eat. He must decide that for himself.
 Keep a regular schedule for meals and healthy snacks. Don’t allow your child to make you a short-order cook.
n Avoid serving snacks close to mealtimes. New foods seem most attractive when a child is hungry.
 Place small ‘one or two bite’ portions of the new food on your child’s plate alongside more familiar foods.
 Be patient. Make no comment whether or not your child eats the new food. After five or ten exposures, the food may not seem so ‘new.’ Then he may decide to try it on his own. If he does, begin serving the new food on a regular basis.
 Invite your child to help prepare meals. Children are more likely to eat foods that they have helped prepare.
Be a good role model. Children notice what their parents eat. So, eat your vegetables and your child may, too.
Growing Together, July 2005

 Infant Massage
Day & Evening series

 Infant Massage classes are offered regularly for P.A.T. parents & their infants from 3 weeks to 8 months.
Sept. day series: 10:00 to 11:00 am Tuesdays - Sept 6, 13, 27
 Sept. evening series: 6 to 7:30 pm Tuesdays - Sept. 20 & 27

 Oct. day series: 10:00 to 11:00 am Tuesdays - October 11, 18, 25
 

 Oct. evening series: 6 to 7:30 pm Tuesdays, October 18 & 25.
 Please bring lotion and a blanket or pillow for your baby.
 

 Participants are asked to purchase a book, Infant Massage, A Handbook for Loving Parents ($5.50) at the first session.
 Call 214-3955 to register, as class size is limited.

The PAT newsletter will be published 6 times/year--bi-monthly. Ads limited to used items for children & families, one-time insertion. Mail, fax (214-3998) or bring ad to PAT office by Sept. 25 for October-Nov. edition. Now read the newsletter in electronic format: www.columbia.k12.mo.us/pat.

Find those shot records!

PAT is required to record dates of immunizations for all children participating in our program, as part of the health screening. Please make every effort to provide your Parent Educator with a copy of your child’s immunization record. Your Parent Educator will let you know when she needs to gather this information...usually once a year.
Even if your physician does not routinely provide you with a written copy, we encourage you to keep your own records. You will be required to produce this information before your child can enter a preschool or kindergarten program.

• 6 cans Enfamil Lipil formula w/ iron, $8 ea. Sesame St. decorative wallpaper border, 8 pkg, $5 ea. Jackie, 447-1361.
• Medela Pump-n-Style double breast pump $60. Kim, 289-1540.
• Whisper Wear hands-free breast pump, $175, like new. Rebecca, 999-4229.
• Nurture III double elec. breast pump $50 (new $110). Holly, 445-5267.
• Glider & ottomon, lock-in-place mechanism, $200, OBO, Joelle, 447-3950.
• Singer sewing machine, Model 5528, $40. Antionette, 268-4445.
• Pull behind bike trailer for infant/child. $275. Dave, 874-6068.
• Graco carriage stroller w/ car seat and 2 car bases; reverses so child faces you or out. $75. Heidi, 446-9005.
• Evenflo car seat & Exersaucer $20 ea., Bouncy seat, boppy pillow, Snuggli carrier - all $5 each. Older play pen, free. Pam, 449-3295.
• Maternity clothes, SML, $2-$20. Graco swing $10. Baby bath tub, bath seat $5 each. Boy’s clothes, 1 mo.-4 yr. Charissa, 442-6504.
• Medela double breast, $125, crib w/ mattress-minor repair, $40; diaper pail, bath tub $2 ea., cloth diapers & plastic pull-ups, $5. Sai, 442-3505.
• Graco infant car seat w/ base, exc. cond., $25. Amber, 808-4203.
• Baby swing, bassinet, infant toys, Johnny Jump Up. Melissa, 875-1551.
• Expedition single jogging stroller, $75. Diaper Genie, $5. Jennifer, 445-1985.

Claudine and her daughter Leslie make a “special” necklace (yarn and dried cereal such as Applejacks, Fruit Loops, Cheerios, etc.) before going shopping. This way she has a special necklace and snack to nibble on while Mom shops.
Kristin and Chris have a Spa night every Sunday night where everyone gets their hair conditioned, nails trimmed and a massage. What a great way to make these “chores” into fun family time.

Thank you for your support of PAT

Cassandra Sontag
Rob & Kate Quinn

Wanted to Buy:
• Lego/Duplo table, pedal car, teeter-totter, Heidi, 446-9005 or 424-5547.
• Baby items with a fish theme, Mindy, 445-7114.
• Graco duo-glider double stroller, Sarah, 214-2611.
• Graco open top swing; outdoor swing set; car adaptor for Nurture III breastpump. 1st Years type car window shade. Charissa, 442-6504.