October 1, 2023 by Christopher Hooker

Instilling a Love of Autumn in Your Children

The “autumnization” of Colorado Springs is already in effect! We’re waking up to chillier and chillier mornings. The leaves are turning majestically to gold and the rare flashes of red maples are so beautiful. In the mornings we smell lovely woodsmoke in the air. Restaurants are restoring their autumny favorites to the menu. Halloween decorations have begun appearing on doorsteps and lawns.

Do you love autumn as much as we do at Creekside Kids? We’ll likely fight you on this point because we love the change of seasons here. Fall has a special place in our hearts, and we look forward to engaging in the slower paced rhythms of fall. Each season has its own rhythm and traditions and establishing them with your children makes for treasured memories in the future. Our Preschool-aged children have not experienced fall after COVID and you can now participate in more fall activities than in the previous two falls!

Instilling a love of autumn in your preschool-aged children can be a fun and engaging experience. Here are some ideas to help you create a positive association with the season:

Go on an exploratory nature walk: Take your child on a nature walk to enjoy the changing colors and falling leaves. Point out the different colors and shapes of the leaves, acorns, and pine cones. Collect some exciting specimens to bring home to make crafts with.
Share the rites of Halloween and Thanksgiving: You can remind your kids about the many fabulous family traditions on Halloween and Thanksgiving (as poignant, photo-snapping events) by pulling out old pictures and letting them imagine the spooky fun of this year’s trick-or-treat or the delicious family gathering for Thanksgiving.
Turn the word AUTUMN itself into a teaching moment: For instance, take the silent N at the end of autumn; there’s a good lesson in how words aren’t always what they appear to be in our tricky English language!
Engage in seasonal crafts: Crafts provide a fun and interactive way to celebrate autumn. Some examples include making leaf rubbings, painting pumpkins, decorating masks, or creating autumn-themed wreaths.
Read autumn-themed books: Reading books related to autumn can spark a child’s imagination and create a connection to the season. Some great options include “Leaf Man” by Lois Ehlert, “We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt” by Steve Metzger, “The Apple Pie Tree” by Zoe Hall, and “The Scarecrow’s Hat” by Ken Brown.
Bake autumn treats: Baking fall-themed treats like apple pie, pumpkin bread, or cinnamon rolls can create a pleasant and memorable experience. Invite your child to participate in preparing and baking the goodies.
Create autumn sensory bins: Sensory play can spark curiosity and imagination in children. Fill a container with acorns, pine cones, leaves, and dried corn to create an autumn sensory experience. Add kid-friendly tools like sifters, scoops, magnifying glasses, and tongs to encourage exploration.
Attend autumn events: Autumn events like apple-picking, pumpkin patches, or hayrides are great ways to excite children about the season. Attending these events can create lasting memories and provide opportunities for family bonding.

Overall, engaging in autumn-themed activities with your pre-school-aged children can help them develop a positive association with the season and instill a love of autumn that can last a lifetime. We hope you and your family will live it up this autumn!

If you’d like to discuss a place at Creekside Kids for your kids, we invite you to click this embedded link to schedule an appointment. Let’s get to know each other! Like us on Facebook to follow our stories for news and updates. We’re located at 1201 W Cheyenne Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80906, and we can be reached at (719) 635-9111. Our new hours of operation are 6:45 a.m. until 5:45 p.m., Monday through Friday.

August 1, 2022 by Christopher Hooker

Separation Anxiety and Your Children

Most parents know the difficulty of separation anxiety, a normal developmental phenomenon which comes and goes through all stages of childhood. We’ve experienced the crying that begins as soon as you make a motion to the door, and felt the primal sense of guilt and worry about the “abandonment” of our children that comes with leaving them, even in the best hands. Separation anxiety is common in preschool age children and it’s a struggle for both parents and children. It often comes and goes over many months even when the child is being left with the same people he/she has been cared for regularly.

The moment of parting can be a very difficult time for both the child and the parents. Many kids feel betrayed or scared when they have to part with their parents, and it’s not easy– especially for first-time parents– to leave a sobbing child behind. Parents often feel helpless and guilty during this time. This very normal experience is important to go through even though it can be extremely stressful for everyone.

Here are 9 steps that might help you and your child with separation anxiety:

The first step is acknowledging that the feeling is normal. It’s okay for your child to feel sad or scared when you leave them, and it’s important to talk about those feelings. Validating their emotions will help your child feel understood. Equally, it’s okay for you to miss them and to admit to yourself that your day would be happier with them.

The second step is to talk about the place you’re leaving them and the people you’re leaving them with. Explain to your child what they can expect when they come to a sitter’s, or Creekside Kids, or when leaving them home. Describe the activities they will do and the people they will meet, so that they can begin to concentrate on the adventure ahead of them, knowing that they’ll see you afterward. The shifting of gears in your child’s mind will help you accept the separation, too.

The third step is to make a good-bye ritual. This can be something as simple as a hug and a kiss before you leave. This will help your child feel loved and secure, and will reaffirm to you that your child isn’t losing any love for you as you part ways.

The fourth step is to be consistent. Separation anxiety can be triggered by changes in routine, so it’s important to be consistent with your drop-off and pick-up times. One of the best ways to make your child understand and believe you will return is to consistently turn up when you say you will. Because this isn’t always possible, it’s important to acknowledge when you are inconsistent. Make sure they understand that it had nothing to do with any tantrum they had or accident; let your child know that sometimes, Mommies and Daddies fail to keep their word, and all we can do is try to make it up to each other.

The fifth step is to give your child a comfort item. This can be a blanket, stuffed animal, or toy that they can keep with them during the day. It should be something they can readily associate with their family and connect them, even when you’re apart.

The sixth step is to stay positive. When you say goodbye, tell your child that you’ll see them later and that you’re looking forward to hearing about their day. As much as it may help your child, this will help give you the strength to leave.

The seventh step is to avoid sneak departures. While this helps you avoid drama, this will only increase your child’s anxiety, and feelings of betrayal. And kids catch on, and it will make separations that much harder. You should never try to outsmart your child, because sooner or later, they’re going to beat you at your own game.

The eighth step is to make sure the caregiver is prepared. Before you leave, introduce your child to the caregiver and explain what they can expect during the day. All kids, at some point, learn to say, “You’re not the boss of me.” But it can reassure a child to see and hear you making certain that their special needs are in place and that they haven’t been forgotten in the hand-off shuffle. You can also ask that the caregiver send pictures or texts when the child calms and settles in. Some children take only 2-3 minutes and others take 30 minutes or more. Each child is different.

The ninth step is to be patient. Separation anxiety is a normal part of development and it will eventually go away. These steps may not help immediately, so don’t give up if there’s pushback. Consistent work towards normalizing separations is possible if you remain consistent and don’t give in to tantrums or parental anxieties.

Sometimes, it helps to talk to other parents. Separation anxiety is a common experience, so talking to other parents can be helpful. You can share tips and find support from others who are going through the same thing. If your child’s anxiety is severe or interfering with their daily life, it may be time to seek help from a mental health professional. Seek help from a counselor or child’s mental health professional if the anxiety persists.

Separation anxiety is a normal part of development and it will eventually go away. In the meantime, these 11 steps may help you and your child through this difficult time. If you’d like to discuss a place at Creekside Kids for your kids, we’d like to invite you to click this embedded link to schedule an appointment. Let’s get to know each other! Like us on Facebook to follow our stories for news and updates. We’re located at 1201 W Cheyenne Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80906, and we can be reached at (719) 635-9111. Our new hours of operation are 6:45 am until 5:45 pm, Monday through Friday.

September 1, 2021 by Christopher Hooker

No Pressure Potty Training

Toilet training is an essential step in a child’s development. However, it’s easy for a child to acquire complex emotions about their bladder and bowel control. Potty training can be fraught with anxiety or come naturally as daybreak, depending on the child and the approach.

Potty training can begin when a child is between 18 and 24 months but can take longer in children with special developmental needs. Most children start closer to age 2. Before you should introduce a child to potty training, there are some benchmarks that they must reach in their progress:

Sitting still. When your child is go-go-go in the early stages of walking and mobility, they may not be ready to learn the process of perching on a potty for longer than a minute. A child eager to get up again isn’t ready for potty training.
Saying “No”. While the idea of hearing loud NOs seems counter-intuitive to potty training, this is a good sign. A child that can assert themselves is beginning to develop a sense of self-control.
Putting things back. If your child has begun to grasp the idea that X belongs in Y around their environment, congratulations– that’s a necessary step to your child’s understanding of where waste goes and why. If they are still throwing away toys and then crying that they can’t get them, they haven’t grasped the permanency of the potty yet.

The key to successful potty training is to have the patience to let the child show you when they are ready, instead of anxiously promoting potty training before the time is right. Here are some of the signs that your child may be ready for potty training:

Retaining. A child with a dry diaper may be associating shame or discomfort with voiding and have begun trying to keep it from you. Awakening dry from a nap may also be a sign that they are retaining.
Pooping in secret. Sometimes children pick up on our disgust for the waste itself and worry about our reaction to seeing more poop. They will find a dark corner to void their bowels to avoid upsetting us, compounding the child’s mental discomfort. It’s usually an indication that a parent needs to lighten up a bit, and the child needs assurance and positivity.
Copying. It’s a good clue that when you see your child sitting down to poop the way they’ve seen you or siblings do, they may be ready for some assistance in how to use a potty.
Pulling down a wet or dirty diaper. Trying to remove their own diapers might indicate that your child is independently trying to manage their waste, although it can just be skin irritation.
The direct approach. If your child tells you they are about to go, are going, or have gone, then they are absolutely ready to begin potty training.

At Creekside Kids, we recommend using the Braselton Toilet Training Method. It’s a gentle, natural way to bring a child into potty training. The trick of the Braselton Method is to associate pooing with the toilet and let the child think it was their own idea.

It begins when you see enough signs to convince you that your child is seriously ready to start. Take your child to select their potty from the store so that it is something good and just for them. Choosing their own toilet is as much about identity as it is an introduction to the concept of privacy. Over time, the child will sit on the potty entirely independently without any prompting from you.

There’s no need to stress the need to take down a diaper in your child’s first few attempts. It’s a moment for celebration! The act of your child sitting down on the toilet means they correctly associate the potty with voiding and that they’ve graduated to pulldown diapers. Once they adjust to pulldowns, you can show them how to pull their pants down. When your child eventually voids, they will do it by making the association and thinking it’s their idea, their own choice.

We want to thank Autism Community Training and Huggies Pull-Ups for some of the great ideas in this article. If you’d like to discuss a place at Creekside Kids for your kids, we’d like to invite you to click this embedded link to schedule an appointment. Let’s get to know each other! We’re located at 1201 W Cheyenne Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80906, and we can be reached at (719) 635-9111. Our regular hours of operation are 6:30 am until 5:45 pm, Monday through Friday; however, we have a shortened schedule during COVID of 7:00 am to 5:30 pm.

May 31, 2021 by Christopher Hooker

Gardening with Children

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Welcome to Creekside Kids’ June Blog! Today, we’re talking about summer gardening with the kids: what we can teach them, what we can learn from them, and the things we should avoid doing.

Gardening is a great way to bond with your preschoolers for many reasons. Gardening can teach kids some valuable lessons about life cycles, growth and development, patience, reliance, nutrition, and science, too. By working together and talking as you work, you will be creating strong bonds with your child and you will be improving their vocabulary and background knowledge. Consider reading books about gardening, plants, and insects.

Although kids naturally love digging in the dirt and exploring the world of plants and bugs, we can’t expect kids to know how to tend a garden. For instance, it’s important to understand that a child may have difficulty distinguishing a weed from a plant. If you’re weeding, they may watch you working and then proceed to unroot plants. We must be patient with our kids and teach them the difference… and accept that they might get it wrong even when they kill a plant you’ve been growing.

Similarly, some kids might have an issue with working in the dirt due to a fear of bugs and insects. It’s not unusual for a 3 to 4-year-old child to develop an irrational fear of something. One of our former students developed an irrational fear of ants at age 4 which made playground time interesting, to say the least. Another developed a fear of flowers (mostly dandelions) which prevented her from enjoying time out on our west field and her own yard. A pair of fancy rain boots helped “protect” her feet and partially fixed the problem. Both girls are teens now and are over their old irrational fears! If a child has an irrational fear of something, it’s best to just help them avoid it until the child matures. Later, consider a terrarium with bugs to expose them to the insects and let them get used to touching bugs at their own pace.

In Colorado Springs, we have a short growing season. Here some of the delicious, natural goodness you can plant and grow with your children:

June: Tomatoes, peppers, and leafy greens
July: Beans, cauliflower, corn, cucumber, and yellow squash
August: Beets, carrots, and more leafy greens

If you’d like to discuss a place at Creekside Kids for your kids, we’d like to invite you to click this embedded link to schedule an appointment. Let’s get to know each other! We’re located at 1201 W Cheyenne Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80906, and we can be reached at (719) 635-9111. Our regular hours of operation are 6:30 am until 5:45 pm, Monday through Friday; however, we have a shortened schedule during COVID of 7:00 am to 5:30 pm.

December 1, 2020 by Christopher Hooker

Holidays in the Time of Crisis

Photo by Prateek Gautam of Unsplash

As December is the calendar end of the year for most of the northern hemisphere, this month holds many rituals and traditions associated with the ending of the cycle and the beginning of a new one. The winter solstice (December 21st) arrives when our hemisphere is tilted away from the sun and reaches its most extreme angle.

Experts agree that ‘rituals foster a sense of belonging and identity and are especially important for children with insecure attachments. Children from families with meaningful rituals do better academically and socially.‘ The people of Colorado Springs have several traditional observations to mark the end of the year. Of course, there are the commercial/secular and spiritual aspects of Christmas, as we celebrate the hope of salvation in new life. Still, there’s also spirituality and steadfast faith in Hanukkah’s Festival of Lights that our candles will hold out, and in Kwanzaa, which celebrates family unity in the creation of new traditions to replace those deep cultural rituals lost to the evils of slavery.

All three of these holidays center around survival against oppression and terrible odds. They are moved from their natural place on the calendar to mark a time when we most need to remind ourselves that the long nights of December will soon pass as Mother Earth tilts back into position slowly, and Spring returns in a few more months.

With the advent of COVID19, we’ve had to let go of many traditional rituals that sustain us and guide and comfort our children, like trick-or-treating in October, or large extended-family meals for Thanksgiving, to protect our kids and each other. These traditions are essential for children and families, and as we lose them, we must take care to replace them, using the spiritual core of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa to guide us in how to do this. Even if your family is not particularly religious, there are many elements of these holidays which can help your family bond during these strange times.

Rituals are an essential part of child development. The American Academy of Pediatrics calls our rituals’ powerful organizers of family life that offer stability during times of stress and transition’. 2020 would certainly be categorized as a time of stress and change. Human beings need the rhythms in our life to remember how to dance through the dark hours. As parents, our children need to see us dancing, and cherishing the rituals and traditions of the season. The children need to know that even though things are hard now, we believe everything will be fine.

As we reach the end of the darkest days of the year and reach a new beginning with the promise of spring, let’s work to create stronger rituals and develop deeper connections with our children. The simplicity of being at home more with our families and being more present when celebrating holidays is good for children. Consider adding some of these rituals from across the world as things you can do to see out a hard year on a positive note, with a teaching moment for good measure:

Martinmas: a celebration of a patron saint of France, St. Martin du Tours, that teaches kids the value of sharing and sheltering with each other so that we all survive and thrive. If your family is not religious just take the message of sharing and sheltering each other and run with it.
Santa Lucia Day: a special ceremony of making bread that reminds us that there’s enough for everyone and that we all can take part in the ritual of looking after each other. The religious aspect can be honored or removed to suit your family’s needs.
The Spiral of Light: a tradition to mark the Winter Solstice in seeing out the darkest day of the year. This is a great way to sneak in an astronomy lesson and to celebrate the coming of more light each day.

We hope that whatever rituals you and your family see out 2020 with, you enjoy them together and in safety this year. If you’d like to discuss a place at Creekside Kids for them, we’d like to invite you to click this embedded link to schedule an appointment. Let’s get to know each other! We’re located at 1201 W. Cheyenne Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80906, and we can be reached at (719) 635-9111. Our normal hours of operation are 6:30 AM until 5:45 PM, Monday through Friday; however, we have a shortened schedule during COVID of 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM.

Instilling a Love of Autumn in Your Children

Separation Anxiety and Your Children

No Pressure Potty Training

Gardening with Children

Holidays in the Time of Crisis

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