KA HANA PONO DAYCARE & PRESCHOOL

The kids helped make a Who's Here Today? chart for the classroom.

Each child picked out their favorite digital photo of themselves. We printed the photos together. We laminated the photos and stuck magnetic stickers on the backs.

When the children arrive in the morning they will grab their photo and put it on the Who's Here Today? magnetic bulletin board. :)

Nov 9-13 Photos :)

MAHALO!!

Nov 16-30 Lunch & Snack Menu

Aloha Parents & Keiki!

Beginning Monday we'll be serving yummy and freshly prepared lunches in addition to two snacks daily.

Click here for the Nov 16-30, 2009 Menu

We always welcome feedback and recommendations on meals, places to shop for organic and/or local food products & etc...

We are looking forward to the coming week - it'll be "All About Me Week" and the class will be getting to know more about each other & ourselves!

You are still welcome to bring a home lunch for your child anytime as well as any healthy snacks.

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**Parents please bring in a baby photo of your child + a few photos of your family and loved ones (people & animals) - by Wednesday would be awesome! You can also email us the images and we'll be glad to print them for your child.

Please have your child eat breakfast before coming to Ka Hana Pono & please let me know if your child has any food allergies.

Also, here is our Nov 9-Dec 4 Curriculum Calendar

Aloha & Malama,
Aunty Gel & Uncle Bison
Ka Hana Pono Daycare
808-282-2501

Flu Prevention - Maintaining Health

According to the CDC, young children get an average of 6 to 8 colds every year. That means your little ones will most likely be coughing, sneezing, and feeling tired and achy at some point during the year. Ka Hana Pono Daycare has opened in the middle of flu season & during a time of seasonal change & the winter season is known for its cold and flu frequency. Our goal is to protect the health of children at Ka Hana Pono Daycare and to minimize the spread of illness.

Ka Hana Pono Daycare is taking the following steps to maintain a healthy environment:

Teaching the children healthy habits such as frequent hand washing - (listed below).
All surfaces and toys at Ka Hana Pono Daycare are cleaned with Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Bleach (non-toxic natural oxygen bleach) daily. The tables and chairs are wiped down in the morning upon arrival, before all snacks/meals, after all snacks/meals, at the end of the day and; as necessary in between those times.
Encouraging children and staff to drink water to stay hydrated and to allow the water to flush your system to get toxins out.
Doing Daily Health Checks of the Children – if your child is showing signs of illness we have to contact you and have you pick up your child from the daycare center.

Last week Thursday morning we had to send two children home; both children had a runny nose and deep cough but no fevers while at the center. I want to thank those families who had to return and pick their children up for being understanding, for returning quickly, and for updating me today and letting me know the children were better.

At Ka Hana Pono the Children Have Been Practicing Healthy Habits:

Cough and sneeze into a sleeve or elbow, not hands.
Wash hands often with soap and water. We wash hands:

Before and After Eating
After Bathroom Breaks
After Playing Outside
After coughing, sneezing, or any contact with saliva, nasal secretions, etc…
After touching something that could be contaminated, such as a trash can, cleaning cloth, soil, etc…

To try to avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth – (This is a hard one for children, but frequent hand washing can help).
To tell you (parent) or me (their caregiver) if they feel sick.
Children need coaching on proper handwashing until about 8 years of age (rub and scrub all surfaces for 20 seconds).

We use a Handwashing Song (to the tune of Row Row Row Your Boat). If children was their hands with soap and water during the time it takes to sing this song then they will have effectively cleaned them well!
Wash, wash, wash, your hands play our handy game. rub and scrub, scrub and rub germs go down the drain HEY! Wash, Wash, Wash your hands play our handy game rub and scrub, scrub and rub dirt goes down the drain HEY!

Please Keep Your Child Home if They Are Sick with the Flu:

Signs of flu are: fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or greater with a cough and/or sore throat.
Keep them home for at least 24 hours after they are fever free (without the use of fever reducing medications).
Please notify me as soon as possible if your child is being kept home because of flu so I can watch for signs of illness in the other children.

“Day care settings present unique challenges for influenza prevention due to the highly vulnerable population, close contact, shared toys and other objects, and limited ability of young children to understand or practice good respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene. Even under the best of circumstances, transmission of infectious diseases such as flu cannot be completely prevented in early childhood or other settings. No policy can keep everyone who is potentially infectious out of these settings” –Centers for Disease Control

I’ll be doing all I can to maintain a healthy child care program. Thank you for your understanding and support.

Aloha,
Angelica Friedmann
Ka Hana Pono Daycare
Director, Lead Teacher

Transitioning into Child/Daycare

We have a few children at Ka Hana Pono Daycare who are transitioning into outside of the home/family childcare for the first time. Below are some tips and recommendations for all daycare parents and children.

The first few days of daycare:

Introduce your child to childcare gradually. For example, you could firstly visit Ka Hana Pono Daycare together a few times to take a look.
Point out what the other children in daycare are doing and talk about what is going on and why you want your child to try childcare.
It could take several visits before your child begins to feel confident.
Your child may feel happier when taking favourite toy or some other familiar object to childcare.

Feel confident and OK about the change:

Your child can sense if you are confident about leaving him or her and feel that childcare is OK. Children feel a lot more secure and can settle much more quickly if you show that this is a good place to be. They will take the lead from how you act.
On the other hand, if you are reluctant or uncertain about leaving your child at the daycare center, this can only add to the child's anxiety.
It is not unusual for young children to cry when their parents leave. After all, they love you and want to be close to you!
Caregivers are skilled in comforting children and, if you choose a service which you think is best for your child, you can be sure any distress will not last long.

Saying goodbye to your child at the daycare center:

When the time comes to leave your child, do it confidently, quickly and with a calm goodbye.
Resist the impulse to leave without saying goodbye as your child will be frightened and distressed when they realize you have left. Smile reassuringly and don't drag out your goodbye but do say goodbye and that you will be back.
Your child may seem upset when you leave but most children settle down quite happily.
If you are worried about how your child has settled down, you can always call the center later to find out.

Talk to your child about their daycare experiences:

· Older children can give you feedback on how well the childcare center is meeting their needs. It also helps your children's development if you discuss what happens during daycare.

· Be interested in what they have to say.

· Ask questions even if your child cannot speak full sentences.

· Be sensitive enough to detect if there might be a problem you need to sort out with the daycare center.