Thus, we have automatic "involvement"; but we encourage much more.  We posed a question last week regarding the working parent who recognizes that his/her child achieves more and gets better grades when the family member is involved but who is time-constrained. The Smilies’ classroom team – Miss Janice – Miss Gloria – and Miss Claudia – have made a list of ways in which family members can be involved. (Full list is published in our quarterly newsletter, copy available upon request)

At Better Beginnings, they noted, there are the three biggies:

1. Supporting the Family/Staff (HOPE) organization and its activities including attending monthly meetings and parenting workshops;
2. Governance as an elected member of the Board of Directors, and
3. Spending time on the week-end on an interactive "funwork" project with early childhood overtones. These are archived at Better Beginnings’ website, maintained by Liston Abbott, www.princetonol.com/groups/bbcdc. They are in English and Spanish.

• Reading to children at home in the home language (or providing books with tapes and listening to them together),
• Participating in center events and fundraisers,
• Collecting pennies for our continuing penny drive,
• Volunteering in classrooms (for example, on days not working and center is open),
• Sharing with the young students special talents or expertise such as singing, playing instrument, athletic performance, needlework, cooking, dance, storytelling, customs, etc .
• Volunteering to chaperone for field trips.
• Attending family/teacher conferences.
• Repairing broken equipment.
• Sharing information about child's activities, interests, learning style.

Suggestions from others include:

• Spending lunch break at the center,
• Making visits to the library.  Reading encourages imagination, creative thought and instills a love for learning, and most libraries having a story time,
• Ask teacher for work you can do at home, such as sorting, cutting, find pictures in magazines.
• Check backpacks (or mailbox at Better Beginnings) for notices, reports, and other news.

Staying involved in school life will show the young student that you care about him and his education. Don’t forget the encouraging words, congratulating him for his great work and his growth and development.

We have to have a strong sense of self, our self image must be positive, so that we have the confidence to 1) overcome fears and 2) the willingness to do what we think is right, and the ability to shrug off what others think.

Hopefully, instilling self-confidence and a positive self image in our children will have good results for our future. But what about right now? What can we do to improve our own sense of inner peace, hence our ability to treat others the way we want to be treated?

The words "think and act deliberately" are key, requiring that we slow down our reactions and analyze our desire to strike out or strike back: a learned behavior requiring a lot of practice, surely, and somewhat related to what we teach the children, "Stop and Think", or "Take ten deep breaths".

#2 is also key. In fact, all twelve of these signs are significant.   If you want the list right away, call Better Beginnings, or email me. Otherwise, look for them from time to time right here.

St. David's Episcopal Church continues collecting juice so that the children can continue to have a nutritious morning snack. William Kluxen delivered the latest assortment this week, and it was right on time. We are touched that our community continues to fill in the gap created when Minute Maid moved. For me, I am especially gratified to know that this comes

Contributions were very generous this week, led by Forever Green, whose representative is a sister to our Clarette D'Souza, with the notation that “the staff is easy to talk to and have discussions with; and that the children are very well prepared for Kindergarten”.   The gift is wonderful, the words priceless!

Aida Aguirre, a staff member at Better Beginnings, contributed generously toward the purchase of new, safe, round-edged furniture for the classroom in which she teachers.

·        October 1 – October 15:

Toys & Things will have educational and developmentally and age specific toys on display and for sale.  Your order will be delivered within one week.   What a great idea!   Shop at Better Beginnings and a share will go to support the center’s activities.

·    

November 5:

The very popular Spaghetti Dinner will be offered again, co-sponsored this time by Macaroni Grill and the Americana.   Delicious food, good company, reasonable price, and the proceeds go to support the center’s activities.

Bettie Witherspoon is a former executive director of Better Beginnings, which has provided affordable child care to the East Windsor/Hightstown area since 1967.