Wow, is it really time to think about fall activities? This summer has just flown by! I always enjoy this season change: leaves are changing colors, the mornings are a bit crisp, temperatures drop and the dew stays longer. Apples, pumpkins, corn, and gargantuan zucchinis start to appear! As a parent, I started to plan for school – child care, lunches, clothes and supplies! The checklist was long …

Child care is essential if parents are working or going to school. Be sure to check in with your provider to assure a place for your child. If you do not have care lined up, call or stop by our office for a referral list customized to meet your family’s needs. If you need financial assistance, contact our Alternative Payment staff to determine eligibility or to get on the waiting list. The DNCCC has 51 family child care providers and 18 centers on the database. All are visited by Community Care Licensing.

For parents of children entering school for the first time the list is a bit expanded! Immunizations are essential. Understanding of your child’s fears & expectations about going to school is very important. Our family always drove by the school and sometimes walked (or biked) on campus to get a "lay-of-the-land" familiarization. Sometimes you can get an idea of where your child’s class will be. When the first day came around the jitters (for ALL of us) were easier to handle! Our Resource Library has many materials on how to help your child adjust to a major event like going to school or how to break the ice with peers.

The first few weeks are stressful as children and their families adjust to routines. One of my best tools was a crock pot. Soup, spaghetti, chicken … all waiting to welcome families home from work & school. It helped me transition from work to family needs and the evening meal became a centering activity. Most children are shifting from the freedoms of summer to the rigors of academics - nutrition is an important part of this adjustment. We have a USDA Food Program available for providers to participate in to assure quality nutrition. Our newsletter usually has a few recipes for parents & providers to consider (and don’t forget our own agency cookbook – it’s on sale at the Front Desk).

A really great transition activity for families is our annual fundraiser: Jammin’ at Jed. We reserve the day use area of Jedediah Smith State Park and turn it into a music festival with kids arts & crafts. There is more about this 11th annual event in this newsletter & I hope you can join us! We are raffling a beautiful donated JJ T shirt quilt – come see it!!

Another transition activity for families is to go to the public library and bring home books to share & read together. Curled up and reading a book to a child is a wonderful way to wind down at the end of the day. Whether it is a picture book or a lengthy story, children love to be read to. Pondering a plot or exploring an illustration brings opportunities for parents to teach and learn in an intimate way. Our county library is located within walking distance of the DNCCC office and first library cards are free. Due to funding shortfalls they are only open Mon – Thu and can be reached at 464-9793. This is a community service that brings tremendous bang for your buck and children benefit from your support! Please ask the library staff how you can help them!