Grab your cowboy boots and hats, The Sponsor Association's (TSA) Conference is taking place in Austin, Texas in 2012!  To be exact, SAVE THE DATE for September 20-22, 2012.

I recently had the opportunity to attend a “Nutrition and Autism” seminar (what a hot topic in both communities!) presented by a Registered Dietitian and found that there are many misconceptions and misunderstandings about the cause and effect of Autism related to Nutrition.  It was amazing how much of the disease state is based around managing and trying to placate Gastrointestinal issues, sensory perception with food, rigidity at meal time, and providing a safe and comforting environment for the child to eat a healthy diet.  Whether you are a parent of an autistic child or have an autistic child in your child care setting, it is incredibly important to be dialed into their nutrition needs.  GI issues dont tend to be part of the diagnosis but they are very common.  Many children are unable to verbalize the pain they feel in their stomach and these issues can present as nutritional deficiencies, constipation, unexplained allergies, abdominal pain, diarrhea, irritability, anxiety and social withdrawal.  While the...

Hello!  I hope your 2012 is off to a great start!

What makes change stick??  This is one of the questions I’m going to be focusing on in my blogging and videos this year:  Sustainable Change.  What causes change to last?  What can we do to intentionally bring about sustained change over the long haul in our everyday work and personal life?  We'll be exploring and inquiring in the videos this year about what makes change stick.  This month we look at indicators of change, and offer some questions for beginning this inquiry together.   Click here to see the video.

What are your questions and experiences with sustaining change?

The National Head Start Association wants to share with the world the lives that Head Start has touched since it was founded.  This campaign is called “27 Million Windows,” to showcase the window of opportunity that Head Start provides to children raised within the walls of poverty.

You can make a difference in the lives and well-being of the children in your care by participating in the Let's Move Child Care Initiative.

I always get asked about Kesang Marstrand’s, Hello Night when it is playing in my classroom. It’s a gentle, quiet, folksy/popish lullaby album that you really can play at any time of day. Use it to: 1) wind down the children before nap; 2) during nap; or 3) just something quiet at the end of the day. It's amazing to me at how many parents, teachers assistants and volunteers come to me asking about the album. Adults love it just as much as the children love to wind down to it. Marstrand’s lyrics are simple and dreamy. She gets into a child’s heart and tells these great little stories from their perspective. The acoustic melodies take you into the clouds and easily help you drift off into relaxation or for the children in your program - sleep. I highly recommend adding this indie children’s album to your school collection, but watch out, you may just bring it home for your own collection. *This c.d. can be found on the website www.cdbaby.com

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ChildCareInfo.com is creating a Learning Center section.  We want to provide the child care profession with webinars, in-person trainings and other ways to continue development in the child care profession, this includes business management skills.

We are searching the web for different active webinar schedules, trainings, videos and podcasts but we won’t be able to find them all!

ChildCareInfo is asking for your assistance.  Either comment below or send in companies, individuals or entities that are providing trainings that you think are relevant to the child care industry.

We will need: Contact Name (if available) Website Link Training Specialization (topics) Type of Training (webinar, podcast, video, in-person) Regional or National If you would like to be featured within the Learning Center or on ChildCareInfo.com contact me here. This is what...

Have you ever thought about doing Yoga with the children in your care?  How about combining that with literacy?  Renee Sherkness has written about her book Stories That Come Alive Through Yoga, for the childcareinfo.com community!  Find out why you would want to do yoga with your children and get a sneak peak into the book that helps you do it. 

Did you have any New Year resolutions that had to do with health, activity and nutrition?  Was it for yourself or your child care program? 

If your healthy lifestyle resolution was for yourself why don’t you expand it to your child care environment?!

USE CHOICE to help you!

ConAgra Foods Foundation Community Impact Grants Program (CIG) intends to partner with “high quality organizations to close service gaps and increase children’s access to food and nutrition resources so they can live happy, healthful lives” (CIG Overview and 2012 Eligibility Guidelines). 

What are the grant awards? They’ll range from $10,000 to $75,000.  Average grant size will be around $25,000.