Books, eating & general recap

From Ms. Christine -

This morning, I came in to Holland already being on his 3rd helping of cereal.  He kept asking for more until he was on his 6th serving!   He told me again that he had poop this morning and shortly after, he had poop.  

Holland's been better with sitting for books over the past couple months.  The biggest draw for children in the beginning for literacy is the one-on-one physical time they get to spend with an adult when an adult sits with them and reads, so I try to do that with him when we read together.  It fosters a positive feeling around books and makes them motivated to sit still and pay attention to what you're talking about as you read and talk about the things in the pictures together.  I know Sofia loves books and it was really nice to hear Cindy reading her one of the library books one morning while I was helping Holland with breakfast.  They also pick up on it if they see you reading (like how they want to use cameras, cell phones and computers just like adults).  Holland has recently been interested in climbing up the stool to watch me wash dishes too.  I've let him rinse some "safe" dishes and put them in the drying rack and he's really enjoyed joining me in the job.

Anyways, in general, I've been working with both of the kids in taking care of the things around them and treating them with respect.  This also is true for people - no rough kicking from Holland and no mean tones from Sofia.  I employ natural consequences that they can connect to their actions (ex. Holland had to pick up all the food off the floor that he threw/I can't listen to Sofia when I'm talking to someone else), but also offer them other appropriate alternatives if possible, while still addressing what the child needs/wants to do (ex. I ask him if he's trying to say he's finished and if he is, he can just tell me down or all-done or if he doesn't want the food, he can just push it forward gently/I ask Sofia to wait for a pause in the conversation and then I give her my whole attention).  Children seem to generally respond well to these practices over time.  Usually children aren't malicious in intent, however much it may drive us crazy.  Their needs are things like attention, communication, finding limits/boundaries, figuring out cause and effect in the world.  When we give them ways to meet their needs, they feel satisfied because we show them our understanding of their need.