If the thought of your child pointing out a person who is different than them is simply mortifying, you’re not alone. It’s common for kids to want to understand the newness of the world around them! However, there are great lessons in empathy that show up at these opportunities.

You might not fully be able to prevent your child from shouting about a woman using a wheelchair, but you will be able to teach tolerance with these tips from Growing Kids Learning Centers. Find out how to teach young kids about differences, and look into preschool and child care with our schools in South Bend (at Ireland Road, State Road 23, and North Bendix Drive), Chesterton, Goshen, Warsaw, Plymouth, Elkhart, Bristol, or Valparaiso today!

Give Examples

If you’re trying to avoid having your child call attention to someone who’s different from them, be proactive! Find books and movies that show great examples of representation. If the majority of your child’s exposure to fictional and nonfictional characters are very similar to them or your family, find more diverse examples.

There are some amazing, kid-friendly books that do the work of giving examples of differences for you. Purchase “It’s Okay to Be Different” by Todd Parr, “Elmer” by David McKee, “Princess Hair” by Sharee Miller, and “The Boy in the Dress” by David Walliams for your library collection.

Have Open Discussions

When you were growing up, you might have had moments where adults told you not to notice or think about other people’s differences. You might have even been told not to talk about them, or been scolded for your inquiries. At best, this breeds a lot of curiosity without direction; at worst, it creates feelings of shame.

No child should be ashamed for asking questions, especially when they have no context for what they’re asking about. Have conversations about appropriate times (and speaking volumes!) to ask questions, how other people might feel if they become the center of attention without their permission, and how you will always answer your child’s questions — it just might not be right when they want an answer.

Relate it Back to Them

The great thing about this lesson is that everyone is different! We all have our own unique tendencies, looks, and personalities. Even when your child might feel like someone else is different, the truth is that the stranger walking on the street will find them (your child) just as different!

It’s always important to focus on how we have things in common with one another, but it’s even more important to remember how our greatest commonality is that we are all different. And these differences can and should be celebrated.

Enroll in Preschool

From the books we read at Growing Kids Learning Centers to the peer-to-peer interactions we help supervise, facilitate, and use as teaching moments, your child will confidently learn how to embrace others’ differences — as well as their own. Social-emotional growth and empathy are two of the greatest and most important skills for a child to learn. Preschool is the perfect place to work on these skills, especially when you enroll with Growing Kids Learning Centers. Tour one of our schools today!

The post Teaching Kids About Differences appeared first on Growing Kids Learning Center.

Myth: “Parents should take care of their kids, not themselves.”

Fact: The two aren’t mutually exclusive! Plus, a parent can’t properly take care of their preschooler or 3rd grader if their basic needs aren’t met. And besides — parents can love their children unconditionally and still want time for themselves. To give yourself as a parent takes a tremendous toll, in spite of how rewarding it can be.

An iPhone or a remote controller can only run for so long before needing a recharge. Needing to recharge our batteries doesn’t make us bad parents, it makes us human.

Myth: “It’s selfish of parents to want time to themselves.”

Fact: Everyone should want time to themselves! It’s healthy, and it’s a way to stay connected to our individuality. Parenting just happens to be this strange situation where you simultaneously miss your kids like crazy, and also want a minute alone.

As our preschool and daycare center has said before, it’s essential for parents to be at their best selves to be their best selves as parents. Sometimes recharging can only happen most authentically and most fully when parents are on their own.

Myth: “This is what parents signed up for.”

Fact: Nothing can ever fully prepare someone for becoming a parent. We can go into parenting knowing that we’ll be overwhelmed, but that doesn’t magically erase those future moments when we feel stressed out. Parents still deserve self-care, and they shouldn’t have to fully sacrifice every single fiber of their being or their interests at all times — that’s an unfair expectation that parents already face.

Myth: “I didn’t take time off of parenting, why should others?”

Fact: No parenting situation is identical, for starters. No human experience is identical, for that matter! Each parent brings their own unique strengths and areas of growth to the table. Our fears, challenges, triumphs, and dreams are all wonderfully unique to us. Comparison is not only unproductive and unreasonable, but also unfair.

Every person deserves self-care — parents included. At Growing Kids Learning Centers, we know that we can help parents by providing the best child care and preschool programs in Northern Indiana. When you need assistance with coverage and want nothing less than exceptional care, we’ve got you covered. Read our reviews to see why people love the peace of mind that comes from child care with Growing Kids, and contact us to set up a tour today before space fills up. We look forward to hearing from you!

The post Myths About Self-Care for Parents appeared first on Growing Kids Learning Center.

When we think of burnout, we often picture stressed out workers at their hectic office jobs. We rarely think about parents. And with the stats on how busy and involved parents are, it’s no wonder that so many parents are feeling worn down.

Self-care is hard to practice when your whole world revolves around the care of your children. For that reason, our child care center has compiled a list of things that you can (and must) do as a parent. Try out some of these tips, and visit one of the Growing Kids Learning Centers in Elkhart, Valparaiso, South Bend (at Ireland Road, State Road 23, and North Bendix Drive), Chesterton, Goshen, Warsaw, Plymouth, or Bristol today.

Make Time for Yourself

We all complain that there’s not enough time, but that’s not really the problem (although, our child care center will be the first to say that parents have very little free time, if any!). It’s what we’re doing with the time that makes the biggest difference, and how we manage our energy.

It’s far easier to scroll through social media without intention than to sit down and do something that will truly make you feel better. When you purposefully make an effort to do an activity that brings you true joy, such as reading or playing an instrument, you’ll feel exponentially more fulfilled and refreshed.

Of course, spending time on social media isn’t a bad thing, and it can be a great source of connection. But more often than not, we end up mindlessly scrolling through news feeds and consciously or subconsciously comparing ourselves to others. If you catch yourself feeling this way while browsing Facebook or the like, it’s a sign to switch to something more restorative.

Cut Out Obligations

Whether it’s carpooling for your child’s fourth after school activity or a work meeting that could absolutely be resolved in a weekly email, there’s something in all of our lives that we don’t want to do. The good news is that we have the ability to cut some of these things out.

If you feel like there’s no time in your week or if there’s a commitment in particular that’s causing you anxiety, it’s OK to figure out a way to cut it out. Even if you’re just cutting back instead of eliminating entirely, you’ll feel so much relief from not having to do something you don’t want to. Saying no is definitely a form of self-care!

Journal Consistently

At our child care centers, we talk about expressing our feelings all the time. Journaling is one of the best ways to do so, and to feel better as a whole. Reflect on what’s working in your life and what’s not, what you’re grateful for and what you’re struggling with, and show yourself compassion through writing. Journaling is one of the best ways to help yourself process things, and it’s amazing to look back on where you’ve been and how far you’ve come by keeping a consistent, written record.

Savor the Small Things

So often we take for granted the most basic things that make up the fabric of our day-to-day lives. Hot, running water in the shower (even hot water for doing dishes shouldn’t be dismissed!), walks on the sidewalk, our children learning a new skill, or even just the fact that your coffeemaker is brewing in the morning are all pretty ordinary things on the surface. But when you take time to truly savor how incredible each thing is, you’ll feel more grounded and grateful.

Choose one thing to focus on each day, and focus on the nuances and details that make this task or activity so special.

Talk With Loved Ones

If your child was struggling, wouldn’t you want them to talk to you about it? Our loved ones are here to support us, just as we are here to support them. You are not alone in the struggles of parenthood — everyone has a tough time, because parenting is ridiculously tough!

When you feel overwhelmed, reach out to a loved one and share what’s going on. If you feel like you keep having the same struggles and you’re saying the same things, consider reaching out to a therapist for some additional great insights. There should never be any shame for talking to someone and getting the help that you need.

Sign Up For Child Care

Whether you need to clean the house without interruptions, to get to your job, or to have a moment to breathe, Growing Kids Learning Centers is here to help. We love working with children more than anything, and we still know how tough it can be to be a parent. That’s why we offer flexible child care in the Northern Indiana area for families to rely upon, and have been doing so for more than 20 years.

When you take a break for yourself, you’re still a parent, and you’re not shirking on your responsibilities. What you are doing is preparing yourself to be an even better parent in the future. Downtime doesn’t just feel good, it’s necessary! So let our child care centers help make that happen for you. Even if you end up just getting to listen to your favorite musician while on your way to pick up your 2-year-old, you’re still making time for you, which we believe every parent deserves to do. Contact us today to set up a tour!

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