Parent Chat

March/April 2024

Dear Families-

We realize that raising a preschool child can provide you with many challenges. It is our hope to support you by providing regularly scheduled "Parent Chats” giving us all the opportunity to share successes and challenges we are experiencing at home.

My role as an Early Childhood Specialist and Parent Educator is to facilitate and support you in developing strategies to help you and your child at home. We will provide you with lots of resources and ideas that are easily used at home.

Kristi Castellon , School Psychologist, will join to provide her expertise as well especially around your child's mental health.

Come listen to other parents who are dealing with many of the same challenges and find ways to make life easier at home!

Topics can include, but are not limited to:

*Why won’t my child go to bed?

*Why will my child only eat chicken nuggets and fries?

*How can I get my children to stop fighting?

*Why can’t we seem to get out of the house in the

morning?

*How can I support my child’s learning at home?

*How much time should my child use a device?

*Why do might children always fight?

Each chat will be an hour long and include a specific topic based on input from all of you with 20 minutes at the end to tackle other challenges you bring to us that day!

Please join us for the April Parent Chat!

Event Information

Parent Chat-April

When?

Wednesday, Apr 3, 2024, 09:00 AM

Where?

North Street School, North Street, Greenwich, CT, USA

Attend Virtually on April 3

Use this link to connect with us at Parent Chat virtually!

Parent Chat -April

Wednesday, April 3 · 9:00 – 10:00am

Time zone: America/New_York

Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/roc-hpxj-uyo

Or dial: ‪(US) +1 720-619-1148‬ PIN: ‪767 642 523‬#

More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/roc-hpxj-uyo?pin=4440288305698

Future Parent Chat Dates: To help with planning...

April 3 ,9-10:00

May 1, 9-10:00

A favorite website for families

This is a great website with many free visuals and resources for families. We often use information from this site during our Parent Chats. When you click on the link look for the Family Engagement page!

https://challengingbehavior.org/wp-content/newfold-page-cache/_index.html

March Parent Chat in Review-Self Regulation

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Enjoy these links to great resources that support your child's self regulation at home!

Help us Calm Down-Strategies for Children-

https://challengingbehavior.org/docs/Calm-Down_Poster_EN.pdf

Help us Calm Down-Strategies for Children-Spanish-

https://challengingbehavior.org/docs/Calm-Down_Poster_SP.pdf

Relaxation Thermometer-

https://challengingbehavior.org/docs/Relaxation-Thermometer.pdf

Visual Supports For Routines-

https://challengingbehavior.org/docs/Routine_cards_home.pdf

Visual Supports For Routines-Spanish-

https://challengingbehavior.org/docs/Routine_cards_home_SP.pdf

Teachable Moments-How To Help Your Child Avoid Meltdowns-

https://challengingbehavior.org/docs/backpack/BackpackConnection_behavior_meltdown.pdf

Using a Calm Down Area at Home-

https://challengingbehavior.org/docs/Calm-Down-Area_Tipsheet.pdf

Using a Calm Down Area at Home-Spanish-

https://challengingbehavior.org/document/taking-a-break-using-a-calm-down-area-at-home-spanish/

February Parent Chat In Review-Language Development

Enjoy these links to great activities to support language development at home!

Toys to Encourage Good Speech and Language Skills:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B_qNKiElhbAkiWCZXrfUZV1lyrWJp3Uv/view?usp=sharing

Learning Through Play Winter Activities:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cqeyBfgFPJ2BZxXaHCShvyxb0qgayq1W/view?usp=sharing

Learning Through Play Spring Activities:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dCw6EoQ-l6YZVFAlvuX1m1bQ6OS1Dx5J/view?usp=sharing

Why does my child want to read the same book over and over again....

Children learn through repetition. What may seen excessive or even boring to adullts is actually quite the opposite for young children.

January Parent Chat In Review-Fine Motor Development

The impact of Screen Time on Fine Motor Development

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P1s_vBRp4NRnDzjxMHiE5xIJqrW-wfTDNLPYgk4IE5Q/edit?usp=sharing

Fine Motor Activities for Home

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JI0uU44jG0E1LLcFzJvqfwnsAm4gpO2cWsI92RHIXYQ/edit?usp=sharing

December Parent Chat In Review

Planning for a busy holiday season

Check out this article if you are already feeling the crunch of the holidays. Hopefully, you will find some tips that will work for your family!

https://challengingbehavior.org/docs/life_easier_holidays%20and%20tipcard.pdf

Does your child struggle with transitions at home?

Try these strategies:

November Parent Chat In Review

Use Positive Words

When giving a young child a direction consider telling them what to do instead of what not to do!

For example "Walking feet " instead of "No running"

While it might be "easier said than done" it is an extremely effective strategy and it is very respectful of the child.

Here are some great reminders on how to do that!

https://www.ecmhc.org/TTYC/documents/Folder9HomeKit/FileE%20UsePositiveWords/UsePositiveWords.pdf

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Have You Filled A Bucket Today?

This is a great book to highlight all of the things your child does well. It encourages positive behavior by using the concept of an invisible bucket to show how easy and rewarding it is to express kindness!

Positive Solutions For Families

Having trouble getting your child to follow directions or routines at home? This is a great resource for you!

https://challengingbehavior.org/docs/Positive-Solutions_Family-Routine_Guide.pdf

https://challengingbehavior.org/document/positive-solutions-for-families-family-routine-guide-spanish/

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Beth_forger@greenwich.k12.ct.us

Beth is an Early Childhood Educator with a masters in both special education and general education.She holds a certification in both as well. Beth has worked in the Greenwich Public Schools for 35 years first as a preschool classroom teacher and now as an Instructional Coach. As a Preschool Instructional Coach she supports children, teachers, classrooms and families. You might see her during drop off and pick up as she spends time in each of our sites weekly to meet all of the children and support their classrooms. Beth has raised three children who are grown and living out in the world successfully! She has worked closely with families throughout her years in Greenwich and knows what challenges you may be experiencing at home!

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kriti_castellon@greenwich.k12.ct.us

Kristi Castellon is a School Psychologist, who evaluates students Pre-K-12 on one of the district's evaluation teams. Kristi just started her 19th year as a school psychologist and in that time she has worked with every grade level from Preschool all the way up to transition programs for 18-21 year olds. Kristi has been working as a school psychologist with GPS since 2018 and prior to that she worked for Stamford Public Schools where she began her career as a school psychologist in 2004. Kristi started working in GPS as the school psychologist of the GPS Preschool Program before moving onto an evaluation team in 2021. Kristi holds a BA in Psychology and an MA and 6th Year degree in School Psychology and she is currently finishing her final year in a doctoral program for School Psychology. Kristi is a proud Mom to, a daughter (almost 13), son (10), and son (7) and a proud step-mother to a daughter (19). Kristi's children currently attend GPS at Western and Hamilton Avenue School and it was not too long ago that she was in those preschool years, just as you are now.

Parent Chat

March/April 2024

Parent Chat-April

Wednesday, Apr 3, 2024, 09:00 AM