And we had such a good time!!
We had an amazing turn-out for our Spring Fest\Trike-a-thon! Big and little ones did laps around the track and food, crafts, and fun were available in abundance. Good job and thanks to the 3 planning families; the Bondorff, the Takamori, and the Reddingius families. And thanks to all participants! A fantastic mini-funder!
This afternoon we had a visitor, a recently graduated Monarch. “They miss me, Mom”, he said when he first asked for the visit. Quincy was in my first 2 day class at NHBCNS, is now in Kindergarten and his sister, Mia, is a happy member of our 2 day class. For the first moments, amidst warm hellos from the teachers and much interest from the current Monarchs, Quincy shyly looked around the classroom. Within a few minutes, he was ready to head outside. No surprise, that’s where he preferred to spend his day all during his preschool years. Outside with just his mom, sister and me, Quincy warmed up a bit. He greeted the bunnies like old friends and from his view on the yellow swing he pointed out all of the little changes since his exit last summer. 
In a few minutes Quincy also had to check out the bathroom. “Why are we alive?” he asked his mom when they were alone. (Some of the best conversations take place in the bathroom, don’t they?) And then in what must have made complete sense to him, “When I have kids I want them to come to this school. Mommy, will you help me find this school when I have kids”. His mom, trying not to show her tears assured him she would help but said she thought maybe he’d be able to find his way on his own.
When told of this tribute, the teachers’ eyes also welled up. We talk a lot about the importance of play and socialization in preschool, of the beauty of the co-op community and the adults are certainly aware of the fun their children have at NHBCNS each day but it is so much harder to see how important it is to the children to be respected, loved and appreciated just as they are. That this place is still important to Quincy, so much that at 6 years old he wants to share the school with his own future children, speaks volumes.
During the rest of his visit Quincy fell right back into his preschool play, climbing the loquat tree, digging in the sand and making some kind chute and basket on the climber. Our current Monarchs rode him around on the 2-seater trike and it looked to me like he had never left. At the end of the afternoon he reluctantly left the yard but had certainly played hard and long just as he always had. I got a quick hug good bye and as always with children I try hard not to be sentimental and hang on too tight and, oh, that was difficult. But I can say here, Quincy, I hope you come visit so often that you will always be able to find your way back to us.
Suzanne
It’s been awhile since we’ve had some photos of our children at work and play. Here are lots of interesting pics from first days at school, through all things with pumpkins to the days before Winter Break. A lot of growth in four short months.
Today my son came home from school and told me about “Dead Bread.”
Dead bread?
After a bit more discussion I realized he was telling me about pan de muerto, or Bread of the Dead, traditionally eaten on Dia de Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead.
About a month ago our seven-year-old dog recently died suddenly. I was a complete wreck—more than I would have imagined. But I was also struck by the unemotionality of both my children. My four-old was with me as the dog collapsed (of stroke, most likely), but she insisted the dog wasn’t dead—after all, she pointed out, he wasn’t in the ground.
Later, she asked me, “Are you still sad, Mommy? Do you miss him, Mommy? Does he miss us?” Over and over and over. Then she started asking me what I will do when she dies. “Will you lie down on the grass on top of me, Mommy? Can we die together, holding hands?” Later, she crawled around the house, wearing his collar and leash, smiling at me. I’d like to say she was “processing” the death, but I think she was trying to torture me.
My six-year-old son, on the other hand, burst into tears on hearing the news, and then cried for 20 seconds. But then he was consumed with fear that I myself would die of grief. Only after a few days of witnessing that I had not died, despite my sobbing, did he finally come to believe that I would remain with him among the living. “You were right,” he said. “A day came when you didn’t cry.”
In my own family, with my mish-mash Euro-American culture, we honor the previously dead by visiting their graves after we bury the newly dead. That’s it. In the Latin culture of my son’s school, however, and also in my husband’s Chinese culture, I understand the dead are honored regularly, not just mourned in passing.
Today we decided we would set out the dog’s toys to help him find his way to us for a visit. I’ll read up on how to make that Dead Bread, too.
–Cheryl
A barefoot child at play is one of the most iconic images of childhood. Apparently it has become a symbol of our school as well. Many parents have told me that they were drawn to our school based on the pictures they saw on our website of the children running around barefoot—and that was true of both Jalene and me as well. But beyond the beauty of that image, there are many reasons that children should toss their shoes aside when at play. 
The first is sheer pleasure. It feels good to shed your shoes and feel the grass—or the mud or sand or water—beneath your feet. When they leave preschool most of our children will not have a choice about shoes on or off. They will spend their entire school day on linoleum or asphalt.
Bare feet are needed for improved balance and flexibility. Shoes prevent children from feeling the ground beneath their feet, and this may cause stumbles or bumps as they look at the ground rather than where they are going (even more so in a natural setting such as our yard). Playing in such a natural and varied terrain helps children build physical strength and flexibility, encourages exploration that leads to increased mobility, and provides challenge and risk that builds confidence and a sense of mastery. However, much of this kind of play—the climbing, balancing and jumping—is much better done in bare feet. Some shoes are fine for long walks but not climbing. Some, like Crocs, are great for puddles but aren’t secure enough for running. Bare feet are ever-versatile and therefore best for play.
Shoes on or off is also an issue of self-regulation. As with many aspects of self-care,
at NHBCNS we encourage children to determine whether shoes are needed or not. “Am I cold or hot?” “Does the ground feel good or does it hurt my feet?” These questions can be left to the child at our school. Preschool children should be able to understand the difference if, on other occasions, parents need to insist that their child wear shoes.
Shoes can be restrictive. In active play, even the most comfortable shoes can feel stiff, tight, or inflexible. Now throw in a handful of sand (literally!) and they just don’t feel good at all. The small size of children’s feet means that a sturdy but flexible sole on an adult shoe is not quite so flexible on a child’s. The thickness to length ratio is just different. In addition, the time spent taking shoes on and off interrupts a child’s play and—as you know—play is really a child’s work. In preschool, this play should be as free from interruption as possible.
While children don’t care much about the condition of their clothes and shoes, parents do. Except for rubber shoes like Crocs, when children’s shoes get muddy and wet they may take days to dry and may remain stiff and dirty. Bare feet can be cleaned and dried much faster and have the added bonus of not being outgrown in just a few months. Save those neat boots or shiny patent Mary Janes for other occasions, or least let a child know they can be put in the basket until pickup time.
Of course there will be times when bare feet mean a stubbed toe or a painful sticker but as with so much of life there are some risks. Although some schools have tried to limit risk by insisting on shoes at all times, at NHBCNS we feel the benefits far outweigh the relatively small risk.
Our first days back to school have been full of new friends and new adventures!
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The bees decided to move into our abandoned worm box and set up shop, so we called a local bee rescue group and asked them to relocate the hive. It turns out the hive was brand-new and very gentle, so our bee people are going to give the hive to a private middle school that will be learning about bees this year.
More information about Janet at Kelly can be found at Backyard Bees, including locations where you can buy their honey. Kelly explained that even “organic” honey can be treated with pesticide in the hive itself–yuck! Their honey is “treatment free,” which means they do not “treat” the hives with pesticide to kill mites.
NHBCNS children had a chance to play and work with their daddies in the yard today as well as enjoy some good food and coffee and conversation with other dads. Everyone had a chance to decorate a paving stone to take home and put in their own garden. It looks like everyone had a great time!
Today we had a surprise delivery of the most amazing gift….a boulder for our yard!!! I had been pining for such a boulder since we started the yard renovation but was dismayed when I realized that not only were they quite a hig- ticket item, boulders are extremely difficult and expensive to have delivered – go figure!! So maybe someday, I thought. But these wonderful 4-day parents thought it might make a fantastic leaving gift for this class and indeed it is! Thank you!!!
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- Here we are waiting safely on the firetruck. Can we guess what’s coming?
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- Whoa, that’s something pretty big! And Suzanne is so excited!
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- Now we know it’s not hay or a pitcher, but what is it?
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- Ok, a little this way, no, over here, no a little back…..
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- Stop!! Right there, it’s perfect!!!!
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- Well, it does look like fun and Suzanne seems to love it….ok, we love it too!
Well, the bluebird mother’s day. The little fellows appeared to be very newly hatched. It was a hard to get the camera to focus properly, especially when I was so worried about keeping the mama away for more than a few minutes. Mama and papa stay very close by when I’m peeking.
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