There is compelling evidence that a healthy sleep routine can contribute greatly to one's physical and mental well-being as well as their overall quality of life. Sufficient sleep ranks among the best defense mechanisms we have to stay healthy and handle our stress. (sleeping.com)

Parents may notice their patience, temper, focus, and ability to cope are extra challenged when quality sleep has not occurred. Parents may notice their children are more irritable, more demanding, and less able to control their behaviors when they do not have adequate sleep.

The National Institutes of Health reports the following amounts of sleep are needed daily:

Newborns,16-18 hours; children in preschool, 10 to 12 hours; school-aged children and teens, at least 9 hours; and adults - at least 7-8 hours.

Bedtime and naptime can be challenging times. Here are some tips to encourage healthy sleeping habits in children (and ADULTS, too):

Follow a familiar bedtime routine every

night. Prepare the child in advance when bedtime is going to start

Enforce a consistent sleep schedule for

naps and bedtime.

Get plenty of outside time and physical

activity daily.

Keep computers, TVs, and other

entertainment electronics out of the bedroom. These activities can energize children instead of preparing them to sleep.

Watching TV close to bedtime can lead

to sleep problems in children. They often resist bedtime and can have trouble falling asleep because their minds are over stimulated.

A snack with protein or milk may be

calming. Avoid caffeinated and sugary snacks.

Make sure your child’s bedroom is sleep-

friendly — dark or darker (child may prefer to sleep with a nightlight), quiet, and comfortable (temperature, a special blanket/lovey, a favorite toy, soothing music, etc).

Keep a sleep diary to help you know

what is working and what is not.

If you are experiencing sleep challenges with children under the age of 5 years, please contact the Smart Start office at 320.1342 to arrange for a free, in-home visit from one of our Mental Health Specialists to discuss your concerns.

Sleep: How Important is it Really? By: Kathy Van Zelfden, LMSW — Smart Start Mental Health Specialist

Friday, July 6, 2012

Volume 2, Issue 7

Butler Kids A Community-Based

Newsletter

Inside this issue:

Page 2

Smart Start KDHE Approved Trainings

Upcoming Trainings by Community Partners

Page 3

Our Time: Dad & Me Events

Page 4

Meet a Butler County Early Childhood Professional from Andover

Meet A Member of the Butler County Child and Family Development Task Force

Sponsored by Rainbows United, Inc.

Connect With Us On Line!

Did you know that Smart Start has a Facebook page? This page gives daily updates about community events, grant activities, and interesting tidbits of information. It also provides a location for child care providers Butler County to connect with each other.

To find us just search for “Smart Start of But ler County” on Facebook!

Editor: Audra Kenneson, LMSW

About the Author: Kathy and her husband Brian are creating their farm in the country with their four daughters. She enjoys spending time with family, gardening, couponing, working out, sharing her faith, and taking an occasional nap on the weekends.

Smart Start trainings are free to people who work with young children in Butler County. Trainings are also available for free to parents who live in Butler County. If you would like to schedule a specific training for 2012, please contact Audra at

the Smart Start office.

Recognizing/Reporting Abuse and Neglect & Prevention of Head Trauma

When: Thursday, August 16 Time: 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm Where: Rose Hill Parents as Teachers 112 Rocket Drive — Rose Hill, KS Who: Audra Kenneson, LMSW Special Note: This training is required for all licensed HOME child care provider. Enrollment is limited.

Safe Slumber

When: Tuesday, August 21

Time: 6:30 pm — 8:30 pm

Where: Benton Community Church

14300 SW 20th — Benton, KS

Cost: Free

Instructor: Jamie Downs, LBSW &

Audra Kenneson, LMSW

Heart Saver CPR/AED

When: Saturday, August 25

Time: 8 am to Noon

Where: Augusta Department of Public

Safety – 2100 N. Ohio, Augusta

Cost: Free—Paid for by Smart Start

Instructor: Troy Jellison Note: Limited Enrollment

Heart Saver Pediatric First Aid

When: Saturday, August 25

Time: 1 pm to 4 pm

Where: Augusta Department of Public

Safety – 2100 N. Ohio, Augusta

Cost: Free—Paid for by Smart Start

Instructor: Troy Jellison

Participants must pre-register to ensure a space in the class. To register, contact Audra at 320.1342 or

akenneson@rui.org.

Volume 2, Issue 7

Upcoming KDHE Approved Trainings for Providers

Child Start Trainings in Butler County

When: Monday, July 23, 6:30—8:30 pm

Where: Butler County Health Depart-

ment, 206 Griffith, El Dorado

What: Cavity Free Kids: Oral Health for

Children in Child Care

Who: Tanya Husselman

Cost: Members $12, Non Members $20

For more information about Child Start trainings contact 682.1853 or visit

www.childstart.org.

Wichita CPR Training can help you and your organization meet the new KDHE Requirements. Upcoming classes will be held at Augusta Public Safety Center,

2100 N. Ohio St. and cost $65.

Upcoming Courses:

July 14 at 9:00 am

July 27 at 1:00 pm

Attendees will receive a free Adult/Child/Infant Pocket Mask set upon paying for

the course.

If these dates do not work for you or your group, special classes can be arranged. To register contact 775.6688 or email

chad@amberwavesdiving.com.

Day Care Orientation Training Information about KDHE licensing regulations and what you need to do to become a licensed child care provider will be given at these free trainings held by the Bu t ler Coun ty Hea l th Department. For more information contact Jamie Downs at 320.0365. Upcoming dates of Orientation are: July 6, August 17, September 21, and October 19.

Upcoming Trainings by Community Partners

Page 2

At June’s Ethics Training: Teresa Thompson (BCC) works with one of the groups comprised of licensed home child care providers Lauren and Alana Kunkel (El Dorado) , licensed home child care provider Angie Bowen (Augusta), and Early Childhood Enthusiast Crisanne Thompson (Leon).

Anyone who stops learning is old,

whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone

who keeps learning stays young.

~ Henry Ford

SAVE THE DATE!!!!

KAEYC 2012

Professional Development Event

October 12 (7 pm to 8:30 pm)

October 13 (8:30 am to 4:30pm)

—————————-

“Healthy Hearts, Healthy Minds”

Keynote Speaker: Rae Pica, Founder and Director of “Moving & Learning:

The Movement Education Specialists”

—————————

Friday Pre-Conference

KAEYC Member/Student—$15

Non Member—$25

Student—$25

Saturday Conference

KAEYC Member—$50

Non Member—$80

Student—$30

Pre-Paid Parking Garage Pass—$4

www.kaeyc.net

"Learning is like rowing upstream; not to advance is to drop back." ~ Chinese proverb

Volume 2, Issue 7 Page 3

Fourth Annual “Our Time: Dad & Me” Events were a SUCCESS!

For the fourth year, Smart Start has hosted “Our Time: Dad & Me” events in the month of June in honor of Father’s Day. The events are intended to help remind parents that very young children (birth 0—5 years old) enjoy one-on-one activities with Dad as well as Mom.

On Saturday, June 23, the event was held at the Rose Hill Public Library with the help of Library D i r ec t o r , C i nd y Maxey, and members of the Rose Hill Fire Department.

The event started with a story time, where Rose Hill Fire-fighter Kevin read “Firefighter Ted” and families received a free copy of the book.

After story time, attendees were able to explore the fire truck, operate the fire hose, and listen to the sirens.

13 parents and 12 kids attended the event.

___________________

On Saturday, June 30, the event was held at the Augusta Public Library with the held of Library Di rec tor , Lynne Holloway, members of the Augusta Kiwanis, and Sgt. Chad McCluskey and his K9 partner, Rico, of the Augusta Police Department.

The event started with a presentation by Sgt. McCluskey and Rico. Rico is trained to find illegal narcot ics, t rack people, and protect Sgt. McCluskey.

After the presentation, children had time to meet Rico, pet him, and visit

with Sgt. McCluskey.

Then, everyone went into the library where a member of the Kiwanis read the story “Officer Buckle and Gloria.” Families received a free copy of the book. 10 parents and 12 kids attended the event.

Our goal for this event is two-fold. We want to provide an activity that will be entertaining for dads and their children and we want to provide children opportunities that will

enhance their literacy skills.

The Dad & Me events are held each June in various locations across the county. We could not hold this annual event without the on-going partnership we have with our local libraries and volunteers in each community. (photos by Sarah Denny Photography)

My name is Cristi Lopez. I am a provider of a group licensed daycare in Andover Kansas named EarlyBird Childcare and

Learning. (www.earlybirdchildcare.com)

I am very excited as I just passed my one

year in business as a Butler County Provider on June 6, 2012. I am a proud mother of two (Diego-6 and Diesel-3) as well as a committed wife of 9 years to

my husband David.

We have lived in Andover for 10 years and it has been our goal and dream to open up a preschool daycare for our

community.

I plan on expanding and being able to offer more and more families a fulltime learning environment combining preschool and childcare in one atmosphere. In order to do this I am working on my education at Butler Community College & Allen Community College striving for an Associates degree in Early Childhood Development and a Bachelors degree in Science for

teaching.

The Mission for EarlyBird Childcare & Learning is to produce happy, intelligent, well-adjusted children. Providing them with a structured

nurturing, educational environment recognizing each child’s unique talents, learning styles and personality and emphasizing the importance of learning, imaginary play and healthy habits. I have built strong relationships with each of my clients and their children over the past year, a relationship that has made

us a tight knit family.

I look forward to continuing to serve

Butler County especially with the

support of Rainbows United Smart Start

of Butler County. They have helped me

not only with continuing my education,

but with providing me with updated

trainings and awarding me with grants

allowing me to make my center as safe

as it can be and bringing in incredible

educational tools to help teach the

children.

served in professional organization lead-

ership as secretary-treasurer and presi-

dent of the Kansas Association of Middle

School Principals, president of the United

School Administrators of Kansas, and as

chair of the Kansas Learning First Alli-

ance. Professional recognitions include

being named a Kansas Master Teacher,

Sue Givens is currently Superintendent

of Schools in El Dorado - USD 490. A

proud product of Kansas public

education, Givens attended both

Highland and Midway of Denton high

schools, then earned undergraduate

and graduate degrees from Emporia

State and Wichita State Universities,

respectively.

Formerly assistant superintendent in

Pratt – USD 382, she has also served

as a middle and elementary school

principal in Pratt, Garden Plain and

Stafford; as Consulting Teacher for

Instructional Computing in Topeka –

USD 501; and as an elementary and

middle school math teacher in Pratt,

Stafford, Topeka, and Burlington.

Her teaching career included

coaching at middle and high school

levels in tennis, volleyball, track, bas-

ketball and cheerleading. Givens has

Keys for Networking Principal of the

Year, and USA-Kansas Distinguished

Service Award recipient.

Givens is currently active in community

organizations as a board member of the

El Dorado YMCA and El Dorado Inc., as

a Trustee for Trinity United Methodist

Church, is Co-Executive Director of Miss

Kansas Pageant, Inc, and is a

member of the El Dorado Rotary

Club. She is a member of the Butler

C o u n t y C h i l d a n d F a m i l y

Development Task Force.

Sue and husband, Bruce, have been

married for 35 years and have one

daughter, Megan, who resides in

Lawrence with her husband Andy,

and granddaughters Taylor and

Connor (see photo).

Volume 2, Issue 7

Meet a Member of the Butler County Child and Family Development Task Force

Meet a Butler Early Childhood Professional from Andover

Page 4

Andover Licensed Group Home Child Care Provider, Cristi Lopez, with one of

her sons, Diesel (age 3).

“Play is the highest form of research.” ~ Albert Einstein

Sue Givens, Superintendent of Schools in El Dorado, with her family.