ZERO

Well – I have finally got to the end of my alphabet posts – zero left to do!! It has taken a lot longer than I expected. When I started, I thought I would be giving information about activities parents could enjoy with their little ones. I did do this – but also got into the pandemic and vaccines etc.

So another zero I would like to mention is the hope we will get down to zero covid deaths. I know this is “pie in the sky” – covid is here to stay. But I would like to encourage everyone to continue social distancing and wearing masks where appropriate and get vaccinated if you have not done so, and get the death rate as close to zero as we can.

I hope you have enjoyed my alphabet post series.

YOGURT

Years ago when I ran my own preschool, some kids stayed for lunch. When I first opened we were tiny, half a dozen children for 2 or 3 mornings a week, but they were allowed to bring a packed lunch and eat before leaving. Lunch time was incredibly popular. Over the years as the school grew, we had children there every morning and every afternoon, but not all day (with just one or two exceptions). As we got busier, lunch times got more fraught for the teachers, including myself.

One of the absolute worst things children brought for lunch were gogurts. You know – those tubes of yogurt. They were impossible for children to open – it required a teacher with scissors and a gentle grip to cut the top off. Can you guess what often happened next? Yup, you hand the gogurt to the child who immediately squeezed yogurt everywhere.

It took me a little while, but we banned gogurts from packed lunches. What an improvement!!!

Our lunch times rules were:

  • take everything (except the cold pack) out of your lunchbox and set it on the table in front of you
  • put your lunchbox on the floor under your seat
  • eat (we did not police what they ate, the order they ate or even require they eat)
  • pack up EVERYTHING back in your lunchbox – parents need to see what the child did or did not eat
  • if you finish lunch early, read quietly until your parent arrives

Perhaps these ideas might be helpful!

X marks the spot

What spot? The spot on your arm where you get the covid vaccine. Come on guys – this pandemic could be over if everyone who is able would just get the vaccine. I don’t want to post anything more about the pandemic  – I miss working on my podcasts but have found it hard to do in this strange world. We all want normal.

WORLD

I am very privileged to be fully vaccinated and generally operate within a community of friends who are also vaccinated. For us life is just beginning to get back to normal. We are getting together with friends at the weekend – outside if the weather is good, but are comfortable being inside together if we need to be.

Large parts of the world are not so lucky. There are many countries with little or no vaccinations as yet. While covid is rampant in some areas, the chances for new variants increases, and our vaccines may not be so effective. We need to vaccinate across the world, for until most are vaccinated, none of us are safe.

UNDERESTIMATE

I’m finally getting back to my covid alphabet!!

A short message – don’t underestimate the power of music. We all need music in our lives. Move to music. Listen to music. Sing along with music. And most important – give music to your little ones. There are many sources of music – but your own voice should be your number one choice for your children. Sing with them. Don’t know what to sing? Start with my free FAMILY MUSIC PODCASTS. Once you discover how easy it is, singing will become part of your daily lives.

FAMILY MUSIC 107

Hello friends – here is FAMILY MUSIC podcast 107 and this time you will find:

LET’S SING HELLO TOGETHER

I CAN BUILD A SNOWMAN

SNOW IS FALLING

WHAT SHALL WE DO (UP)

WHEELS ON THE BUS

I’M A LITTLE TEAPOT

WITH MY HEAD (UP)

JIM ALONG (STICKS)

TWINKLE, TWINKLE (STICKS)

TONAL PATTERNS (MIC)

1-2-3-(ECHO)

GOODBYE

Enjoy!!