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The Bear Facts Website: www.svifcca.com - Contact Line #391-6556

From the Big Bear In this issue: 1. From the Big Bear 2. On-line Submissions for Subsidy/ CCOF

Photocopier/Laminator 3. Membership Report

BCFCCA 4. Fundraising /Other workshops

Executive /Standing Committees 5. SVIFCCA Workshops

Field Trips 6. Introducing Preschoolers to Music 7. Preschoolers and music ~ cont

Xmas Party Report 3 for $5 Draw UPC Competition

8. NEW Fundraiser 9. Helping kids deal with stress 10. Craft Idea

look at mine before ordering your own copy which I think you will once you see what the calendar is all about. Don’t forget Chinese New Year is approaching (January 31st, 2014) and it is the Year of the Horse. We once again have the “China Town Scavenger Hunt” sheets available. Please check at the fundraising table or call Lori Jackson at 250-383-5287 to purchase your own kit.

Rena Laberge Rena Laberge Rena Laberge Rena Laberge Presdident

Issue 113 Jan/Feb 2014

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had an enjoyable holiday season and have returned to work with a zest for the New Year! Don’t forget to check out the upcoming workshops that Cara has lined up for us in the coming months. There is a wide variety and I am sure there is something for everyone on this fantastic list! Speaking of workshops we are in the process of putting together another one day conference in the spring and we would love to hear from you the members what topics you would like us to see if we can bring in a facilitator for. Please let any of the executive know or email the Association’s email by February 15th as we are under way with our planning right now. This will be my last January report as President for SVIFCCA as I will need to step away from the position of President, in June I will have been your President for the past six years and I have enjoyed it very much but it is now time for you all to start thinking about who you would like to nominate for President at the upcoming Annual General Meeting in May. Please I do hope you all take some time to think about the position because this Association has some hard working and enthusiastic people in our membership and I know we will be able to have someone come forward for the position of President. I think it is time to pass the torch to someone else! Not sure if you have had a chance to see the BCFCCA 2014 Record Keeping Calendar yet. I have a copy myself that I will bring to the workshop for January to pass around but if anyone would like to see this fantastic calendar please let me know and by all means you can

Wishing you all a Wishing you all a Wishing you all a Wishing you all a Happy Year of the Happy Year of the Happy Year of the Happy Year of the

HorseHorseHorseHorse

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PHOTOCOPIER & LAMINATOR These are located at 677 Kent Road (Rena’s house) ph 250-727-6176. PHOTOCOPIER: The paper provided is 8 1/2 x 11 inches. It also does 8 1/2x14inches, white paper (you must provide) The fee charged is 5 cents/side/copy. It does double sided. You are able to email (preferably in a jpeg file) childcare@svifcca.com. LAMINATOR: The laminator’s charge is $0.75 cents/foot and the film is 18 inches wide. NOTE: Please phone ahead and make an appointment to use these machines or Rena is willing to pick up any photocopying/laminating at one of our meetings and return it at the next. Please arrange for this first. Receipts are issued for both machines.

ISLAND FARMS UPC SYMBOLS (Fundraising Event)

We are still able to collect UPC codes for a further year. So please get your daycare parents, friends and families to collect them for us again. Give them to Diana McKay at a meeting, please. Please include all the numbers as partial numbers are invalid and do not count.

Diana McKayDiana McKayDiana McKayDiana McKay

Canadian Child Care Federation Launches New Website Offering Early Childhood Education and Care Sector Direct Access to Resources and Community Dialogue .

Visit our new website at www.cccf-fcsge.ca and expand the national dialogue and voice of our early learning and childcare sector.

RENA’S FELT STORIES

Rena has felt stories for sale that she has

made in a pet free, smoke free environment

and they are reasonably priced.

Call Rena at #250-727-6176 or email her at

buddybears1995@gmail.com

ON-LINE SUBSIDY CLAIMS

In a few months, our Subsidy Claim forms will be able to be submitted on line IF you do your CCOF that way.

If you do not submit CCOF on line, now is the time to apply for your number so that you will be able to take part in this quicker way of submitting, tracking and seeing when you are paid for both subsidy and CCOF.

Norwex Improving quality of life

Terri K Thomas

Independent Sales Consultant terrikthomas.norwex.biz

848 Ankathem Place Victoria, BC V9B 5J4

250-881-5471

terrikthomas@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/territhomas naturallyclean

UPC SYMBOLS Competition

We are once again holding a competition for the daycare that brings in the most UPC symbols. It is running from January to June. The prize will be a $25 gift certificate to a book store and a hand puppet. So let the fun begin again and start collecting.

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Membership Report

Hi

To date we have 37 family child care providers and 5 group child care providers. A big welcome to our newest member:

Westshore Early Learning Centre

We always welcome guests, childcare providers and parents, to our meetings. Please help spread the word of our great organization.

Deb Housden Deb Housden Deb Housden Deb Housden Membership Director

Membership fees can be mailed to: SVIFCCA Membership Director Deb Housden 665 Baker Street Victoria, B.C. V8Z 2H8

For information on workshops, links, etc check out our website at www.svifcca.com

Regular membership dues are paid yearly ($75). They include: •••• SVIFCCA membership ($30) •••• BCFCCA membership ($20) •••• CCCF “affiliate” membership ($25) NOTE: Group Member —please see www.svifcca.com for rules pertaining to their membership And entitle members to: • Attend monthly meetings, workshops and socials • Grievance Committee • Theme Boxes • Resource Book/Video Library • Access to a photocopier and laminator (fee) • Receive copies of Newsletters (5) • Field Trips and Special Events • Parent Referrals (Contact Line) • Website • Hold a position on the Executive &/or on a

committee • A copy of the Association’s Member Handbook

• Vote at a meeting • Support and guidance from other members

BCFCCA

You can reach the Board at:- E-mail - office@bcfcca.ca Web - www.bcfcca.ca Phone - 1-800-686-6685 or 1-604-592-1497 Voice Mail/fax 1-604-590-1427 Mailing Address: 100-6846 King George Blvd., Surrey, BC V3W 4Z9

BCFCCA FUNDRAISING ITEMS Please contact Diana at home or at a meeting as she may have items you wish to purchase or will be happy to place an order for you Emergency cards $6 (members), $9 (non-members) BCFCCA 2011 Record Keeping Calendars $20 (members) $25 (non-members)

SCHOLASTIC BOOK ORDERS

We have Elf and See Saw Book Order Forms available.This is one of the ways we fundraise for new items for the Special Draws, workshops, etc. Please see Helen at the Membership table for your copy of order forms and to place your orders.

FOOD AT MEETINGS

Food will only continue to be provided at meetings for your pleasure, if we have people bringing it. Please sign up occasionally to bring something.

The Executive is looking into discontinuing this feature due to the lack of volunteers. Coffee and Tea may be the only refreshments supplied.

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Fundraising Corner S.V.I.F.C.C.A. Executive

Check out our interesting Fundraising Table and 50/50 prizes at our meetings. Inventory is always changing.

Remember the sale of all the above items help

our Association’s ability to provide such things

as the Workshops, Meeting Room, Special Days,

PRESIDENT Rena Laberge 250-727-6176

1ST VICE PRESIDENT Cara Blondeau 250-8818132

2ND VICE PRESIDENT Cindy MacCormack 250-383-3418

MEMBERSHIP Deb Housden 250-220-6804

SECRETARY Helen Rempel 250-744-1581

TREASURER Leagh Lawrence 250-475-2217

FUNDRAISING Lori Jackson 250-383-5287

GRIEVANCE: Rena Laberge (chair) 250-727-6176 Cindy MacCormack 250-383-3418

MEMBERSHIP: Samantha Eckard (Phoning) 250-592-4277

NEWSLETTER: Leagh Lawrence 250-475-2217

WEB PAGE: Rena Laberge 250-727-6176 Sherry Thornhill (WebMaster) 1-250-743-7564

SOCIAL: Refreshments Ashley Doak 250-588-1604 FIELD TRIPS: Diane Townsend 250-727-2197

BCFCCA : Rena Laberge (Co-chair) 250-727-6176 Diana McKay (Member Group Rep.) 250–477-9766

Standing Committees

VCCRR & WSCCRR

For informa(on call:-

VCCRR 250-382-7000 Westshore-

Sooke CCRR 250-391-8653

www.islandfamilyinfo.ca

Other Workshops

SVIFCCA Logo Embroidered Clothing!

For members only!

You can purchase clothing with the SVIFCCA logo at: J and J Embroidery –(Justin Cino, Mgr.) 105-4478 West Saanich Road, Royal Oak Shopping Centre Phone #250-658-2023 Open Monday to Saturday. Please phone for hours. Prices includes logo BUT not taxes) Fleece Vests - $39.99 Nylon Vests - $44.99 Women’s v-neck t-shirts - $12.00 These items come in many different colours and sizes please ask at the store. You will need to provide your membership card to purchase as these items are only available to members of SVIFCCA.

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General mee(ngs are held on the 4th Thursday of each month (excluding July and August and December).

Doors open at 6:45 pm with a short business mee(ng at 7:15pm. Please note our mee(ng place: North

Douglas Pentecostal Tabernacle, 675 Jolly Place, Victoria (near the intersec(on of Glanford and McKenzie

Avenues (unless otherwise stated)

7:15 - 9:00p.m. Certificate provided. Meeting at North Douglas Pentecostal Church, 675 Jolly Place

February 27th, 2014 (Thursday) "SCIENCE ACTIVITIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN” Presenter: Lise-Lotte Loomer

Information coming soon!

March 27th, 2014 (Thursday) "FEEDING TINY TUMMIES” Presenter: Jodi Holland, RD, Pure Nutrition Consulting - Dietician Jodi is a Registered Dietitian with over 15 years experience helping families make healthy choices. Come to

learn and share nutrition tips for little ones including tools to guide nutritious and safe food and snack choices

and just how much food those tiny tummies actually need.

April 24th, 2014 (Thursday) “COMPOSTING BASICS TO TEACH YOUNG CHILDREN” Presenter: Clare Pepper, Education Coordinator, Composting Education Center Be the change you want to see in the world.—learn how to compost! This exciting workshop is a comprehensive

exploration of the basics of home composting. - including micro-composting, composting meat scraps, hot

composting and speeding up your backyard bin.

May 22nd, 2014 (Thursday) "Tips for Kindergarten Readiness" Presenter: Terra Pickwick

Information coming soon!

June 26th, 2014(Thursday) "What is Nature Preschool?" Presenter: Candice Hall, owner of Miles of Smiles Child Care Centre

Information coming soon!

SVIFCCA Speaker’s Corner

FIELD TRIPS JANUARY—using the Scavenger Hunt Papers and art ideas that you can pur-chase for $5 from the Fundraising Table, you can do your own Tour or get a couple of daycares together to do so.

FEBRUARY—tba

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Like most preschoolers, your children probably already love music and has favorite songs. This may have happened with little encouragement from you beyond simply playing music on long car trips.

But did you know that your preschoolers are now at an ideal age to expand his or her musical horizons and abilities?

LISTEN TO THE MUSIC

Everyday songs can be made from ordinary events and phrases, for example, “We’re going to the store”, “Yes, we are”, “We’re going to the store”, “Yes, we are”, “we’re going to the store to buy more ….”.

Children who grow up hearing music, singing songs, and moving to the beat are enjoying what experts call "a rich sensory environment." That's just a fan-cy way of saying they're ex-posed to a wide variety of tastes, smells, textures, colors, and sounds. And researchers believe this forges more pathways between the cells in their brains.

Musical experiences are an important way to help create these pathways, also called neural connections. And while listening to music is certainly key to creating them, it's when kids actively participate in music that they make the strongest connections.

Research shows that kids who are actively involved in music (who play it or sing it regularly): do better in reading and math when they start school, are better able to focus and control their bodies, play better with others and have higher self-esteem

ALL TOGETHER NOW Preschoolers develop a catalog of songs, from "Happy Birthday" to "Old MacDonald." They begin by singing portions of favorite songs, sometimes substituting different words or rhythms. Eventually, they can sing entire songs, although the pitch may be off. You've probably noticed that your preschoolers can keep a steady beat. You can help the children practice this skill by encouraging listening for beats — and determining if they're steady or not — in everyday objects. For example, point out the noise a kitchen clock makes and ask the children if it is a steady beat;

then ask if a sound like a car horn or a dog barking has a steady beat. Practice clapping or tapping the beats to

favorite songs and encourage the children to copy you.

LET’S DANCE The simplest thing you can do is put on music and dance with your child. Vary the rhythms and tempo of your body with the music. Practice "copy dancing" where you invite the children to imitate your movements and then let him or her lead as you follow. You also can make the musical experience more visual through movement and a few props. Scarves can show ascending and descending pitches — raise the scarves up over your heads as you sing up the scale and then drop them down the floor as you go down. Or have the children walk on tiptoes when you listen to high, quiet music, and stomp his or her feet to louder, slower music. Combining music and movement helps preschoolers learn to control their bodies. They learn to move fast, to fast music, and more slowly to slow tunes. They also can learn the hand movements and simple dance moves that go along with rhymes and songs. Learning physical control is an important developmental step and can help build concentration skills and self-control later on.

BANG A GONG Although some music-instruction programs are geared to preschoolers, most children at this age will enjoy a more casual introduction to musical instruments. Provide a rhythm stick or a set of bells to hold in each hand and encourage the children to keep the beat while you listen to a song.

You can even make musical instruments together. Put seeds, beads, rice, beans, or other small objects inside plastic containers or bowls with lids, plastic eggs, empty plastic bottles, or film canisters. String, rubber bands, and shoe boxes make great guitars and old coffee cans or oatmeal containers are ideal drums. Then put on the children’s favorite CD and play along.

FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK If your daycare has musical instruments, the children may start to use them to create a mood — banging loudly on them when happy or playing them quietly before naptime. You can encourage this by playing appropriate music for the children to accompany.

Practice "patterns" — using a rhythm instrument or ~ continued on page 6

Introducing Preschoolers to Music

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UPC Symbol Competition We are having a year long competition for the Daycare that collects the most Island Farms UPC sym-bols between now and November. Please hand them in as usual to Diana, who will make note of the amount.

PRIZE: $50 gift certificate for Michaels.

Note: We made just over $45 last year from these. Let’s make triple that this year??

SVIFCCA CHRISTMAS PARTY REPORT

I would like to Welcome everyone to a New Year!!!!!

I hope everybody had a great holiday season.

Thank-you to everyone who came out and celebrated the SVIFCCA Annual Christmas Party. It was nice to see you all. I enjoyed myself and so did my childcare.

I was hoping to get some feed back on the Party, what you liked or didn't or suggestion's for next year. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated and I will respond to all the best I can.

My e-mail is cyn943@shaw.ca.

Thank-you, Sincerely.

Cindy MacCormackCindy MacCormackCindy MacCormackCindy MacCormack. 2nd VP

3 for $5 Draw

The Reading Den (2 chairs, Books, Puppets

To be drawn at the March meeting

~continued from page 5

your hands, play or clap short rhythmic patterns. Invite your child to echo what you just played. As the children get older and more used to the game, make the patterns longer and more complicated. Allow him or her to lead. You can also use words as patterns; for example, a nursery

rhyme like:

Round and round the haystack, goes the little mouse One step, two step, in his little house!

Read part of the rhyme ("Round and round the haystack"), then ask your child to clap the syllables or play them on a rhythm instrument (demonstrate this the first few times). Then say the next part of the rhyme and ask your child to play it.

Also help your preschoolers explore a very basic instrument: his or her voice. Demonstrate the steps below and invite the child to do the same.

"This is my speaking voice" (spoken normally). "This is my quiet voice" (spoken in a whisper). "This is my calling voice" (spoken loudly). "This is my singing voice" (sung).

PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC Here are some ways to give kids opportunities to be musical:

Sing or listen to music in the car, while you're driving to and from school or outings, and while the children are playing. Keep a basket of musical instruments where the children can get them. Consider buying a kid-friendly CD player the children can operate . Enroll your daycare in a preschool music class. If you don't know where to begin, ask the music department at your local college for suggestions. For a special treat, take your child to live musical performances, especially ones designed for preschoolers. Museums, libraries, and bookstores often host performances by children's-music artists. Outdoor concerts are also a good bet for preschoolers because they can dance and move around without disturbing anyone.

And after you've seen a concert together, encourage the children to give a performance for their families at home or host one at the daycare. He or she can even cut out construction paper tickets and get dressed for the occasion. ~ Kids Health 2012

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This is an ongoing fundraiser. Deb Housden has used these and they have survived many washes in machines

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To adults, childhood can seem like a carefree time. But kids still experience stress. Things like daycare, school and their social life can sometimes create pressures that can feel overwhelming for kids. As a parent or caregiver, you can't protect the kids from stress — but you can help them develop healthy ways to cope with stress and solve everyday problems. Kids deal with stress in both healthy and unhealthy ways. And while they may not initiate a conversation about what's bothering them, they do want their parents to reach out and help them cope with their troubles. But it's not always easy for adults to know what to do for a child who's feeling stressed.

Here are a few ideas: Notice out loud. Tell the child when you notice that something's bothering him or her. If you can, name the feeling you think the child is experiencing. ("It seems like you're still mad about what happened at the playground.") This shouldn't sound like an accusation (as in, "OK, what happened now? Are you still mad about that?") or put a child on the spot. It's just a casual observation that you're interested in hearing more about the child's concern. Be sympathetic and show you care and want to understand. Listen to the child. Ask the child to tell you what's wrong. Listen attentively and calmly — with interest, patience, openness, and caring. Avoid any urge to judge, blame, lecture, or say what you think the child should have done instead. The idea is to let the child's concerns (and feelings) be heard. Try to get the whole story by asking questions like "And then what happened?" Take the time. And let the child take his or her time, too. Comment briefly on the feelings you think the child was experiencing. For example, you might say "That must have been upsetting," "No wonder you felt mad when they wouldn't let you in the game," or "That must have seemed unfair to you." Doing this shows that you understand what the child felt, why, and that you care. Feeling understood and listened to helps the child feel supported by you, and that is especially important in times of stress. Put a label on it. Many younger kids do not yet have words for their feelings. If the child seems angry or frustrated, use those words to help him or her learn to identify the emotions by name. Putting feelings into words helps kids communicate and develop emotional awareness — the ability to recognize their own emotional states. Kids who can do so are less likely to reach the behavioral boiling point where strong emotions come out through behaviors rather than

communicated with words. Help the child think of things to do. If there's a specific problem that's causing stress, talk together about what to do. Encourage the child to think of a couple of ideas. You can start the brainstorming if necessary, but don't do all the work. The child's active participation will build confidence. Support the good ideas and add to them as needed. Ask, "How do you think this will work?"

Listen and move on. Sometimes talking and listening and feeling understood is all that's needed to help a child's frustrations begin to melt away. Afterward, try changing the subject and moving on to something more positive and relaxing. Help your child think of something to do to feel better. Don't give the problem more attention than it deserves.

Limit stress where possible. If certain situations are causing stress, see if there are ways to change things. For instance, if too many after-school activities consistently cause homework stress, it might be necessary to limit activities to leave time and energy for homework.

Just be there. Kids don't always feel like talking about what's bothering them. Sometimes that's OK. Let the kids know you'll be there when they do feel like talking. Even when kids don't want to talk, they usually don't want to be left alone. You can help the child feel better just by being there — keeping him or her company, spending time together. So if you notice that the child seems to be down in the dumps, stressed, or having a

bad day — but doesn't feel like talking — initiate something you can do together. Be patient. As adults, it hurts to see the child unhappy or stressed. But try to resist the urge to fix every problem. Instead, focus on helping the child, slowly but surely, grow into a good problem-solver — a kid who knows how to roll with life's ups and downs, put feelings into words, calm down when needed, and bounce back to try again.

Adults can't solve every problem as kids go through life. But by teaching healthy coping strategies, you'll prepare your kids to manage the stresses that come in the future.

Helping kids deal with stress

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OPTION

Instead of using wing template—use traced hand prints