Public Displays of Disaster: What to do when your child has a meltdown in public

Let’s imagine—you’re at the grocery store. As you enter the checkout line, your child asks for something. When you calmly respond, “No, not right now,” a tantrum ensues. Surely you’re familiar with the tantrum—body on the ground, tears, (loud) words. Public tantrums are stressful for both the child and caregiver. It can be near impossible to reason with or communicate to your child when they’re in this stressed state-of-mind. It can be equally difficult for you to remain calm, particularly when you have an audience.

In this article, experts encourage parents to practice patience, respond positively to potential criticism (received by onlookers), validate your child’s feelings, provide choices you can implement in the moment, and more!

November North Preschool Newsletter

Hello November~

This month, the North Preschool students will learn about root vegetables! They will play the “hot potato” game at circle and use a carrot peeler to help prepare snack. The students will also make stone soup to enjoy.

The sounds of the month are b, l, g, n, and d.

“Whoever touches the life of a child, touches the most sensitive part of a whole which has roots in the most distant past and climbs toward the infinite future.”--Maria Montessori

“This is the Way we Make our Soup” Lyrics

This is the way we wash our vegetables, wash our vegetables, wash our vegetables.

This is the way we was our vegetables when we make our soup.

This is the way we cut our vegetables, cut our vegetables, cut our vegetables.

This is the way we cut our vegetables when we make our soup.

---

Dates to remember:

• PFM will be closed November 12 for Veteran's Day
• Join us for Thanksgiving brunch on November 15 from 7:30-9:00am
• PFM will be closed November 22-23 for the Thanksgiving holiday

Quick Classroom Reminders:

• Please be sure your child has extra clothes in his/her cubby

• Please store rain gear (including boots, coats, and rain pants) at school

November Birthday:

Maceo (4)--November 2

November South Preschool Newsletter

Hello November~

This month, the South Preschool students will learn about fruits and vegetables (including how to wash, cut, and prepare them). We will talk about food at circle, and there will be a matching work available on the shelf.

We will also learn about Thanksgiving, including the history and current traditions. We will set our lunch table together! Lastly, we will talk about animals that originate in North America.

Our sounds of the month are b, c, d, and e.

“Only through freedom and environmental experience is it practically possible for human development to occur.”--Maria Montessori

“Hello, Mr. Turkey” song lyrics:

Hello, Mr. Turkey, how are you?

Hello, Mr. Turkey, how are you?

With a wobble, wobble, wobble,

and a gobble, gobble, gobble.

Hello, Mr. Turkey, how are you?

---

Dates to remember:

• PFM will be closed November 12 for Veteran's Day
• Join us for Thanksgiving brunch on November 15 from 7:30-9:00am
• PFM will be closed November 22-23 for the Thanksgiving holiday

Quick Classroom Reminders:

• Parents, please remind yourself you are doing a great job parenting, and your child’s teacher and support staff are a phone call, chat, or email away if help is needed

• Please be sure your child has extra clothes in his/her cubby

November Birthdays:

Coming soon!

November Infant Newsletter

Hello November~

This month, we welcome a new friend, Julian, to the infant classroom!

Our theme for November is animals. We will read about them and enjoy working with stuffed animals. The infants will complete an animal art collage! (The collage will be hung on our wall for the infants to see.) Your child’s artwork will be saved in a binder that will follow them to the toddler and preschool classrooms!

---

“Learn to move, move to learn:
Babies need to move freely in a safe
place. When babies are allowed to move
and explore on their own, they learn about
their environment and abilities. Babies
develop confidence and problem-solving
skills as they move, explore, and relate to
their environment. ”

— RIE Principal

---

Dates to remember:

• PFM will be closed November 12 for Veteran's Day
• Join us for Thanksgiving brunch on November 15 from 7:30-9:00am
• PFM will be closed November 22-23 for the Thanksgiving holiday

Classroom reminder:

Please ensure bottles arrive at school labeled and ready, including: your child's full name, date, type of milk (whether breast milk, formula, cow's milk, etc.), and milk quantity. Thank you!

November Toddler Newsletter

Hello November~

This month, the toddler students will focus on leaves! Work will include leaf lacing, leaf matching, leaf rubbing, and working with leaf cookie cutters (with cinnamon Play-Doh). We will also have leaves, pinecones, and sticks incorporated into the sensory bin.

Additionally, we will learn about animals that live in the forest. This will be part of a matching work, available on the shelf in the toddler classroom.

“The child has a mind able to absorb knowledge.”--Maria Montessori

---

Dates to remember:

• PFM will be closed November 12 for Veteran's Day
• Join us for Thanksgiving brunch on November 15 from 7:30-9:00am
• PFM will be closed November 22-23 for the Thanksgiving holiday

Quick Classroom Reminders:

• Please store rain gear (including boots, coats, and rain pants) at school

• If you have questions about your child's day, we invite you to email us at toddlers@pacificfirstmontessori.com

November Birthdays:

Coming soon!

Tips for a Successful Home Visit

October is when PFM teachers conduct home visits! It is one of our favorite activities on the PFM calendar.

Home visits are voluntary, but we highly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity, as it is such a special process that we offer at PFM! Visiting the home of a student provides the teacher insight on what the child’s interests are and how they interact with family, while also giving them a clearer picture of what the child’s life is like outside of the classroom. The visit usually last 30 minutes. Please be aware that some teachers will be commuting by bus or driving to your homes for the first time and this can cause them to be later than planned. A sign-up sheet will be placed in the lobby soon with dates and times for your child’s teacher to come and visit your home.

Tips for a Successful Home Visit:

It is a good idea to have your child open the door and greet their teacher themselves. Practicing this with your child before the visit is a good idea. It is okay if they turn shy at the last minute and want you to open the door for them.

During the visit you can have things planned such as tea time, a little snack, a tour of the house (you do not have to show every room, just the ones your child uses most). The children usually like to show their teachers their bedroom, and where their toys are kept. Having a special book or toy to show their teacher is always a good idea. This creates an easy opening for communication.

Home visits are not a time to talk about your child’s progress or the issues they may be having in the classroom. Discussions such as these should be scheduled during school hours with your child’s teacher.

Some good topics to discuss are: who your child is playing with, what your child likes to do on the playground, what songs they like to sing, what foods they like to eat at lunch, etc.

When the visit is coming to a close, the teacher will ask to see one last thing and then you can help your child say their goodbyes. A hug and a thank you are always nice ways to end a home visit.

For additional information on home visits, we invite you to read this article or connect with your child’s teacher!