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Celebrating a Season of Kindness: Fun Topics for Discussion at the Holiday Table

November 22, 2016 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Thanks to La Petite Academy for partnering with me today to bring you helpful content. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Holiday family gatherings are something most people look forward to, but also something that some people feel quite nervous about, because topics of discussion can quickly become divisive. I feel as though this holiday season, worry and angst is so palpable and opinions are so divided on issues that the thought of coming together during the holidays with folks who think differently might be a bit too much to handle.

Could I offer a suggestion? This is a perfect opportunity to focus on the children who will be at these gatherings and to ask them some great questions. In fact, we can ask the adults some of these same questions in order to focus more on getting to know each other better and sticking to topics that will be fun for everyone.

La Petite Academy has actually released an AWESOME free pdf that has so many great questions you can ask kids (or even adults) when you gather together with them. In a few days my nephew will be visiting our family, along with a girl who will become my new niece (hopefully next year!). I cannot wait to spend some quality time with both of them and engage in some really good talk that helps them feel included as also helps them feel important, because of course they are!

season-of-kindness-2016-flip-book

You don’t have to save these great questions for a special event, either. Print them off and keep them on your dining room table, and then pick one or two questions for your entire family to answer over dinner together. If you don’t usually eat dinner together, now you’ve got the perfect excuse to gather around the table and get to know each other better.

By asking kids questions, we teach them important communication skills and help build their confidence as speakers and as listeners. And by including them in the conversations happening around them, we give them a sense of belonging. Should the conversations turn to more difficult subject matters, take a moment to prepare by reading this great article on talking about difficult subjects with your children. While you are on that page, note that La Petite Academy has a plethora of great parenting articles that can be helpful. They are definitely worth a look!

La Petite Academy is an early education program found all across the country, and it is completely unlike a traditional daycare setting, because a strong curriculum is in place, inspired by STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Each child is given opportunities to be a natural learner and to hone in on those important communication skills. Give La Petite Academy a close look if you are in need of an early education opportunity for your child, or share it if you know someone who is looking.

Have a beautiful Thanksgiving and a wonderful holiday season filled with great conversations!

Back to School with the Learning Care Group (Target Gift Card Giveaways!!!)

July 26, 2016 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

This week I purchased all of the school supplies my kiddos will need for the upcoming school year. I can’t believe it, but it’s already back-to-school time for many of us all over the country!

And as you start to prepare (and start to figure out how to work in all the extra purchases into your budget), I want to encourage you to come hang out with me on Twitter this Thursday, July 28th, from 1-2pm EST. I’m going to be chatting with the Learning Care Group (the folks behind several incredible early education groups such as La Petite Academy), and we’ll be sharing some tips for starting off the school year right and bringing a smile to your child’s face as they transition from one season to the next (remember: transitions can be tough for little ones, so a little prep work is key!).

We’re also going to be sharing why LCG schools are a great place to help your child thrive, too! Check out these statistics from La Petite Academy and see for yourself how little minds are growing!

One other important thing: we are going to be giving away $25 Target gift cards every 10 minutes during the party, which will be so great to have as you work through you supply list!

Want to party with us? Great! All you need to do is be on Twitter starting at 1pm EST and be sure to follow @tiffanyblogs and @LaPetiteAcademy. We’ll be using the hashtag #Back2SchoolSmiles. See you there!

Getting Off to the Right Start (Including Brain Food for Breakfast!)

August 19, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

As parents, we are all faced with decisions big and small that need to be made to help our children become awesome little global citizens. Choosing a great educational program and learning environment is a big decision (and one that we have to revisit every year!). But there are also daily decisions that we need to make to help our kids perform at their best. And as insignificant as it may seem in the moment, deciding what to offer for breakfast is one of those critical decisions.

I learned this lesson two years ago when my oldest child’s preschool teacher reported that she was noticing some difficulty with concentration. My mind went into immediate panic mode, thinking she would need to be tested. But her teacher said this: “What is Darah eating for breakfast?”. Darah LOVES bagels, so that is what she was going for most mornings. They were whole grain, so I get points for that, right? But where’s the protein?!?! Her teacher asked me to make sure Darah was getting protein each morning, as well as a supplement with Omega 3s in it. And guess what? It made all the difference!

Darah likes to show me how the good food she eats helps her grow. She’s reaching the tree branches, now! 🙂

I’m so fortunate that one of the BIG decisions I made for my girls (being intentional about where we enrolled them for preschool) resulted in having a teacher who was paying close attention and who could identify a missing link in our daily routines that was having a negative impact on Darah’s ability to grow and learn.

Together, We Learn

If you are seeking a nurturing and caring learning environment for your young child, be they an infant or a kindergartener, or anywhere in between, you might want to check out your nearest La Petite Academy. This is a national program with a solid reputations for curriculum that inspires a lifelong love of learning. And that includes teaching children (and their parents) about proper nutrition and developing a love for good-for-us foods.

La Petite Academy has incredible programs for the work day for working parents, as well as before school and after school programs, Spring Break programs and summer camps. You can schedule a tour to see for yourself, which I highly recommend, as the decision for how to get your child off to the right start with their care is a big one! I think you’ll like what you see at La Petite Academy, from story time to snack time and everywhere in between.

To get more information, check out the La Petite Academy website or follow La Petite Academy on Facebook or Twitter.

La Petite Academy. Opening Minds. Unleashing Imaginations.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Learning Care Group. The opinions and text are all mine.