Holiday environment with twinkly lights, sparkly mobiles from the ceiling and overly commercialized displays with little to no meaning or learning value. Or rather a festive atmosphere that helps children connect with the larger community and understand that holidays are celebrated in many ways and, just as they enjoy their celebration, children from other backgrounds enjoy their celebrations too.

Holiday celebrations are perfect opportunities for children to learn about our multicultural world and share traditions and values that are cherished parts of people’s lives. In pluralistic society, it’s important to raise children with a greater awareness of others around them, especially those who are different. But many early childhood professionals wonder what holidays to celebrate in their program or classroom and how to respect the cultures represented by all children. Many parents too, wonder why programs celebrate specific holidays or why they discourage any celebration at all.

According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children decisions about what holidays to celebrate are best made together by teachers, parents, and children. Families and staff are more comfortable when both have expressed their views and understand how a decision has been reached.

In addition, when planning holiday activities, the rules of good practice continue to apply:

• Are the activities meaningful to the children?
• Are their needs and interests being met?
• Is the activity a valuable use of children’s time?

Teachers may survey families at the beginning of the year to determine what holidays to celebrate. They may even ask the children to create their own holiday to help them learn the concepts that underlie such valued traditions. Holiday celebrations are just one way for programs and families to work together to create developmentally and culturally appropriate learning experiences.

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Here are some signs of good practice in celebrating holidays

Parents and teachers ask themselves why children should learn about this holiday. Is it developmentally appropriate for those in the group? Why is it important to specific children and families?

• Activities are connected to specific children and families in the group. This helps children understand holiday activities in the context of people’s daily lives. Children should have the chance to explore the meaning and significance of each holiday.
• Children are encouraged to share feelings and information about the holidays they celebrate. This will help them make the distinction between learning about another person’s holiday rituals and celebrating one’s own holidays. Children may participate as “guests” in holiday activities that are not part of their own cultures.
• Every group represented in the classroom is honored (both children and teachers). This does not mean that every holiday of every group must be celebrated or classrooms would be celebrating all the time! It does mean that once families and programs have decided on what holidays to celebrate, none should be treated as if they are “unusual.” Children should recognize that everyone’s holidays are culturally significant and meaningful. Activities demonstrate the fact that not everyone in the same ethnic group celebrates holidays in the same way. Families may provide examples of their own unique traditions.
• Curriculum demonstrates respect for everyone’s customs. If children are observing different holidays at the same time, the values and traditions of each child’s culture should be acknowledged.
• Focus is on meaningful ways to celebrate holidays without spending money. Families may find certain holidays stressful due to the amount of commercialization and the media pressure to buy gifts. Teachers can help by showing children that homemade costumes and cards are very special, and celebrating can be joyful without gifts.

Holidays as cultural concepts

As part of their social development, children learn about themselves, their families, their community and the role of traditions and holidays in establishing cultural identity and unity. How and what they learn in this process shapes their values and beliefs later in life. Children learn best by seeing, doing, and being a part of a new experience. Early childhood professionals can build on holiday experiences to help children develop empathy and understanding for other people and ideas. Learning about holiday celebrations, especially ones celebrated by other students in their classroom, children will appreciate what is important to their friends and neighbors and embrace the increasingly global and diverse world around them.

For adults, it is easy to become stressed over the commercialism of holiday celebrations. Therefore, we should help children develop healthy behaviors and attitudes toward the holidays by giving them the opportunity to experience the true spirit of these special days common to all cultures.

Do you think that learning and celebrating holidays all around the world benefits your child?

What is your experience so far? Have this way of exploring other cultures helped your child to be more understanding and open-minded?

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Merri Wallace, a parenting expert, shared an extreme example of child rivalry when telling the story of a three-year-old who packed her stuffed animal in a gym bag and headed for the door, saying she had to find a new family after her mother told her that the family was welcoming a new baby soon. For parents, it is key to think about a strategy that prepares the older children in the family ahead of time for their new baby sibling in order to help them to better understand the situation.

How can parents prepare children ahead of time for having a newborn at home?

There are some basic tips that can help prepare older children. For instance, it is a good idea to explain the reasons behind having another baby, because it is important for the older children to hear that their parents are not trying to replace them. Therefore, it is important to describe positive experiences, such as the older child being able to have a friend to play with when the baby is older. Older children will also need to be reassured that their parents have enough love for both of them and that there is no need to fear that the new baby will receive all attention and love.

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Of course, children will feel differently about the arrival of a newborn depending on their age.

Helping Babies Adjust

Young children are almost clueless when it comes to the arrival of a sibling. Yet, it can be a very tough time for children under the age of 2 because they also require the full attention of their parents. At this time is important to schedule some alone time with the older child,  each day, even if it’s just for 15 minutes. It is key to ensure that the older child feels loved and receives attention. For instance, when they come into the room smile at them or give them a hug and kisses. Surely, there are times when parents are busy and cannot focus on the older child. Dr. Walfish, a children expert says that parents should not fall into the trap of negotiating with their children. If the time is inconvenient to pick them up because the baby needs to be fed, it is okay to tell the older child to come and snuggle next to them instead.

Copyright: Dina Uretski

Helping Toddlers Adjust

It is common for toddlers to act whiny and clingy. Their behavior can become even more extreme when a newborn is around. Many children want to drink from a baby bottle again even if they’ve started using a cup. It is also possible that the bedtime routine collides with the newborn’s needs or that the youngsters want to sleep in their parents’ bed when seeing the baby in the room. Parents’ advisor Jenn Berman notes that many toddlers feel very conflicted about a new sibling because a part of them wants to be like the new baby while the other part wants to be independent. Parents can help their kids by finding words for their mixed emotions. Parents can let them experiment with being a baby for a short while. Usually, this helps children to get over the wish and move on. It is also helpful to plan ahead while being pregnant to help children to adjust to a new daily life. If bedtime routines will be shortened, transfer the task to the other available parent. It makes sense to start the transition as early as possible, helping the child to adapt and let him or her know that the other parent is super excited to spend more time together.

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Helping Preschoolers Adjust

Pre-schoolers are often more understanding and need explanation for certain actions. If the newborn spits up on them or plays with their belongings, explain to them that the baby does not do mean to do these things on purpose and that they can put their belongings away where the baby cannot reach them. At this age, children have better coping skills and can wait a little bit longer. Although toddlers have a more independent life, such as going to school, meeting friends and engaging in other activities, they are still attached to their parents and need attention. A good idea is to have one-to-one time regularly spending time with them at the playground or go to get ice cream. Having a little bit of time before going to bed or before going to school in the mornings also shows them that their parents pay attention to them. During these times, ask them how they feel, what they find fun or hard about the baby. If they are showing feelings of jealousy it is important that parents reassure them of their love and offer help.

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Taking a child to his or her first professional sporting event can be fun and exhilarating but can also be nerve-wrecking and overwhelming. That is why it’s important to be prepared before you go to make the occasion as memorable and positive as possible.

What is the right age to bring your child to a sporting event? Unfortunately there’s typically no rule to follow for that so use your best judgment and make sure your child is at the age that both you, and he or she, will be comfortable. Take into consideration how loud the event may be – should you bring headphones just in case to protect your child’s ears? Also be wary of climate conditions – don’t forget to hydrate, use sunscreen or bring a jacket, depending on the forecast. If your child is comfortable in his or her surroundings, it’ll make the event way more fun for all!

Most children will be too young to really understand and follow what’s going on at a sporting event, so how do you keep them entertained? Snacks are always a must! And getting them a piece of memorabilia from the team shop (like a flag, ball or toy car) will keep them occupied and is a great souvenir from your time together.

If you’re a diehard sports fan, you have to come to terms with the fact that you probably won’t be paying much attention to the game if you’ve brought your child. But this is your opportunity to take your focus away from the score and teach your child about what’s going on and the rules of the game. This special bonding time is priceless.

Also, don’t forget a camera – you will definitely want to capture all of the memories! Going with my 3-year-old cousin to his first professional baseball game is something I’ll never forget because of the great pictures I captured. His favorite part of the game was definitely doing the “Mexican wave” but I know he also enjoyed learning all about the sport in person from his dad and the atmosphere around him.

Have you taken your child to his or her first sporting event? Or, do you remember yours as a child? Share your memories in the comment section below!

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Between learning how to change diapers, baby-proofing everything within reach, and of course, feeding, clothing, and caring for the newest member of the family, new parents can have a lot to worry about. For many parents, particularly in the United States, concerns over money, careers, and returning to work also begin to creep in. Currently, only the United States and Papua New Guinea do not require paid maternity leave.

Parenting Leave: America vs. Europe

For Americans, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) enables qualified employees to take 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for either having or adopting a child. Unfortunately, less than 60% of women qualify for leave under the FMLA leaving 40% of new moms to the own devices. Moreover, paid parental leave is even scarcer in the United States; estimates suggest that only 12% of Americans have access to paid parental leave and only 5% of low-wage earners receive paid maternity leave.

In contrast, nations across the globe are putting America to shame with their wealth of support for new parents. In Europe, paid maternity leave can reach up to 62 weeks. Countries like Sweden offer flexible plans for the whole family: social security funding allows new Swedish mothers to take 18 weeks and fathers to take 2 weeks of leave at 80% pay. After that time period, new parents can decide how they want to split 80 more weeks of partially paid leave. Even Oman, which only recently implemented any form of required parental leave, now guarantees women 14 weeks of leave at 100% pay.

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So what is America missing? Why have all of these other countries legally required parental leave?

Maternity Leave Benefits

Research has shown that paid parental leave has countless health and economic benefits and that forcing parents to go back to work takes a serious toll on families.

Maternity leave, taken both before and after childbirth, does wonders for the new mom and baby. Women who did not take leave before delivery were four-times more likely to have a cesarean (c-) section compared to women who did take leave, potentially leading to other more serious complications during birth as well. Leaving the workplace at the later stages of pregnancy is also associate with a decrease in premature births and low birth weights, both of which can be indicators of later health issues for the child ranging from developmental issues to death.

The association between longer maternity leave and improved health for continues to grow stronger. Longer maternity leaves reduce the incidence of depression and anxiety in new moms by 5 to 10%. New moms with over 12 weeks of leave also reported more energy and a lack of fatigue, making them less prone to stress-related illness and more effective in the workplace when they ultimately return.

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During these weeks at home, the newborn baby is also receiving essential benefits from close contact with their mom. Moms who remained at home with newborns for longer than six weeks were four-times more likely to establish and continue breastfeeding schedules. Countless research studies have confirmed the universal benefits of regular breastfeeding for infants. Breastfeeding provides a key time when the mother and child can uniquely bond, and many mothers describe a sense of extremely closeness with newborns after feeding.

Breast milk is not only extremely well suited to provide the critical nutrients that are needed by infants, but it also provides unparalleled immunological support to protect against a host of diseases. Babies who are fed formula instead of breast milk are significantly more likely to experience ear infections, eczema, diarrhea and vomiting, and to be hospitalized for lower respiratory tract diseases. Later in life, infants that did not receive breast milk are also more prone to serious, life-threatening illnesses including asthma, obesity, type II diabetes, and leukemia. At the same time, moms are gleaning some of these essential health benefits as well. Breastfeeding their newborns is linked to a 27% reduction in risk of developing ovarian cancer and an 8% drop in the risk of developing breast cancer.

Supporting New Families

Beyond the importance of protecting the health of parents and children, supporting new families promotes positive changes for the economy. In the home, new parents can significantly reduce the financial burden of a newborn by staying at home later. Being available to breastfeed instead of buying formula can save new families around $2,000 in the first year alone. In California, one of the four States that has funded paid parental leave, 91% of businesses said the new law either had no effect or a positive one in profitability, suggesting there are no disadvantageous. Without paid parental leave, 43% of women with children will leave the workforce voluntarily, leading to higher turnover and consequently decreased efficiency in profits for companies. By eliminating the departure of women with families from the workforce, companies maintain more consistent personnel and greater profits.

As a result, some companies are taking parental leave into their own hands to attract and retain employees. At Google, new moms are granted a minimum of 18 weeks of fully paid maternity leave, and other primary caregivers are eligible for 12 weeks of paid “baby-bonding” time. To further support the bonding of new families, Google also provides new parents with $500 in baby-bonding bucks and other perks like priority placement at select childcare centers. Similarly, Facebook overs $4,000 in baby cash to employees for each new child, including adoptions.

Copyright: Katsiaryna Pakhomava

Although many of these more progressive stances on parental leave are only in their infancy in the United States, hopefully the growing understanding of the importance of supporting new families will continue to expand and provide support for new families everywhere.

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Here are some fun activities I generally like doing this time of year that are great for parents and children to do together.

Pumpkin Seeds

While we discard seeds from most fruits and vegetables, pumpkins are among squash plants whose seeds are edible (and delicious!). Clean off the pulp from the seeds inside your pumpkin, rinse and dry them, then place them on parchment paper in a roasting pan. Roast them at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes and flavor them to your desire. Depending on your mood, you could toss them with cinnamon and sugar, paprika, parmesan and oregano or – my favorite – olive oil and a dash of salt. Beside being my delicious favorite Autumn snack, they are quite healthy. Unseasoned pumpkin seeds have no cholesterol and are a good source of protein, magnesium and zinc (If you can’t get your hands on a pumpkin, many forms of other squash vegetables contain the same seeds that are perfect for roasting).

Cinnamon Stick Reindeers

Every year, a cinnamon stick reindeer I had made when I was in preschool is hung on our family Christmas tree. It’s cute and, guess what, after all these years it still smells a little like cinnamon! These little critters are fun to make and add a nice scent to your home. All you need is three cinnamon sticks (glue them together in the shape of a triangle, leaving a little room at the ends as antlers), a little red pom pom for a nose and two eyes (which can also be achieved with red and black markers). Add a string so it can be displayed somewhere in the house or on your Christmas tree.

Pine Cone Potpourri

Another great activity that will bring the smell of Autumn into your home is making your own potpourri. Go outside together and collect the pine cones and acorns (dust them off to make sure they’re free of bugs). Brush some glue on your items, sprinkle them with cinnamon and let them dry overnight. Your potpourri will soon be smelling beautifully, and you could also add pine needles, dried orange peels or whole cloves, depending on what type of scent you prefer for your home.

Inspirational Art

There’s something magical about this time of year when the leaves on trees change from green to red, orange and yellow. A scenery beautiful to look at, beautiful to photograph, but also beautiful when your children draw it. Take them outside, along with some paper and paints, crayons or markers (specifically with the colors brown, red, orange and yellow) and have them draw the beautiful trees. This is a great way of bringing the beauty of Mother Nature at this time of year into your own home.

Handprint Wreaths

People typically hang wreaths made of pinecones, tree pine or Autumn leaves on the front door of their homes at this time of year. Maybe this year you could hang one that your children made by their hands! All you need is paper, paint, glue and scissors. You can either have your children outline their hands on the colored paper, cut them out and then glue them together in a circle OR have them dip their hands in the colored paint and make handprints in a circle on white paper. Both will look beautiful and will be a great memory.

What activities do you like doing with your family this time of year?

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The UK is not the place you would automatically associate with child poverty. It is a developed country with, what from the outside looks like, an enviable system: the NHS and its free health care, free education for all and a safety net with benefits for those most vulnerable in society. We are used to being faced with dramatic images of children in poverty from fundraising campaigns to help those in far off developing countries; but to see those living in cold and damp conditions without the means to buy the necessary nutrients for good health and development, on our own doorstep? Something has gone drastically wrong.

The number of families and their children living in poverty is on the increase and the reasons are complex.  There is also a very different mindset as to how us Brits view poverty at home and abroad. It is far easier to see those in poverty in developing countries as victims of circumstance: famine, natural disasters or political turmoil, than to see those in poverty at home. Immediately, we regard the poor in a country of comparative wealth as lazy, work-shy and instrumental in their own situation. But as the recent Save the Children report shows, nothing could be further from the truth and one of the most dramatic truths to come out of the report shows that “work is no longer a route out of poverty, with two thirds of all poor children coming from working households”.

Children really suffer from poverty as their parents’ financial strains creak under the costs of nutrition, clothing, adequate housing and provisions for their educational and emotional development. All the while as the costs have increased on the family unit, one parent is usually then removed from their potential earnings due to child care which is rocketing in cost year on year (nursery places for children under 2 have soared 77% in the last decade).

Whilst the UK had made good progress in reducing the number of children living in poverty between 1996 and 2005 by getting parents back to work and introducing services such as Sure Start to enhance early experiences and support families and through social security benefits; this trend has reversed. Whilst the UK government had committed to reducing the number of children living in disadvantage through the Child Poverty Act, not only are these targets not going to be met, but the situation is getting worse.

It is true that the global financial situation has had a part to play but the situation was deteriorating even before it hit in 2008. The biggest change is that most of those living in poverty have parents in work. As unemployment has fallen, poverty has increased; a truly bemusing statistic. Projections for the recovery are not faring any better with The Institute of Fiscal Studies predicting a one third rise in child poverty by 2020. Translated into numbers this means:

• 150,000 more children living in a cold home in addition to the 1.6 million already in one.
• 90,000 more not getting enough fruit and vegetables along with the 2.7 million going without basics such as sufficient nutrition
• Another 23,000 young people a year in England not achieving good GCSEs because of the impact of poverty on a child’s start in life and in their prospects for educational attainment. Source

In addition to work no longer providing a route out of poverty, the situation has become compounded by a social safety net which is no longer fit for purpose and no longer sufficient as well as rising living costs especially for the basics of food, heating and housing.

Save the Children wants to help provide a fair start for all children in life in order that their future need not be dependent on a lottery of birth. Every family should have access to high quality and affordable childcare. Every family with children under five should have a minimum income guarantee and every child should be able to read well by the age of 11. Surely these are not too much to ask? Not only will these measures improve the immediate surroundings of children in poverty today but they will prevent poverty becoming endemic and entrenched across generations. The time is now to prevent this from happening and early intervention is the key for children to get the right start in life.

Governments should be demonstrating a commitment to this at the highest level but we all have a responsibility and there is much that we as individuals can do to help. From supporting food banks to donating old books, clothes and toys, there will always be somebody grateful for the resources that they just can’t buy new.

Is it the same in your country? What are your experiences of rising costs and decreasing wages? How do you bridge the gap? We would love to hear your practical coping tips.

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