Community Day Fundraiser

We are once again participating in the Community Days event.  This year the coupons are able to be used on November 11 & 12.  With a $5.00 cash donation, you will receive this coupon booklet.  It's Elder-Beerman's thank you gift for contributing to our organization.  So while you assist us in building the future of our program, you can build a new wardrobe or get a jump start on your Christmas shopping.  There are so many items that you can use these coupons towards, and we have found several items that were regular $20.00 that we were able to get for free!  You can also use more than one coupon at a time, which means you can multiply your savings while helping our program even more.

Infant/Toddler Mealtime Behaviors

Infants and Toddlers give us several clues that they are hungry or if their bellies are full.  It is our job to make sure we are paying attention to these signs so that meal time becomes an enjoyable experience. A one month old may respond to being hungry differently then a six month old.  The following is a list of typical behaviors based on development.

1-4 months:
*Crying
*Turns head towards the bottle, mouthing fists
*Turns head away from bottle and gagging are signs of being full

4-8 months:
*Recognizes the bottle by sight
*Opens mouth for a spoon
*Closing mouth tightly and turning head away are signs of being full

Check back in next week for developmental stages of hunger in children from ages eight months to two years!

Fundraisers and Community Support

I have been working on grants the last couple of weeks.  Researching grants in our area, writing, and attempting to create a budget based on our dream facility.  The possibilities are extremely exciting.  I have already sent in two grants and I will be finishing three others in the next couple of weeks.  Grants are wonderful, but there is no guarantee of financial support.  The individuals providing financial support do not always understand our mission and passion for what we do at HUMmingbird Day Care Ministry.  That is where our families and community members play such an important part of our program.  In the upcoming months we will look to our families and communities for financial support, volunteer time and prayers.  With God all things are possible.  When looking at the budget of our new facility it can at times look overwhelming.  However, we have faith that we will be able to do the work needed through His will. 

We are currently in the process of our Elderbeerman's Fundraiser where we sell coupon booklets for just $5.00 a piece. ( www.communitydayevent.com) We get 100% of the $5.00, and the individual supporting our program receives a $10.00 off coupon and additional savings.  This is a wonderful fundraiser for our program. Also, this week is the Holland Fest.  Once again the proceeds from the 5K will be going to our program as we continue to expand and improve our program.  We will also have a booth at the Fest with the annual Baby Photo contest, Sports Bottles with unlimited refills of Lemonade, and crafts for the children.  We can look to the fall for our first Yankee Candles Fundraiser.  We are looking at a huge financial investment to get the building ready.  Not only is this an investment in the structural respect, but it is as well an investment in the future.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Exciting news here at HUMmingbird Day Care Ministry.  The announcement was made this week that Jerry Blesch is in the process of donating the Dutch Haus Restaurant to Holland United Methodist Church for our use. We have expanded multiple times during the last five years.  As the communities need continues to grow for high quality childcare, we have been able to continue to expand and meet the need.  We were at a juncture where we were simply out of room to meet this growing need.  We are so blessed for the support of Jerry, Betty and their family to find it in their heart to make such a generous donation.  We are blessed beyond words. 

With the new building in the process of being donated, we are planning for big projects.  Perhaps my favorite is the addition of the "Club H" after school program.  We find that the majority of our school agers have attended our program since infancy and we want to celebrate the fact that their tastes and interests are changing.  For this reason, we will be creating a specific room just for our older school agers (2nd grade and up).  In this classroom we will have a variety of items such as games, foosball table, couches and chairs among other things that are of interest to their growing needs.  We understand that although we are in the business of early childhood education, our school agers have unique needs and we want to meet their expectation for a fun and exciting place to spend with their friends.

Staff Retreat

For the last 4 years we have been celebrating the staff and the wonderful job that they do by having a staff retreat.  At the retreat we spend time on various activities and discussion.  This year we were privileged to have the use of OFS's Auditorium and we were able to have Denver Hudson as our speaker.  He shared with us that our tag line and our mission statement actually gave him goosebumps.  The staff and I feel the same way.  The fact that our families entrust us to help care for their children and that we are giving the children in our care the foundation for our future success is amazing.   That's why our tag line of "Your Children, Our Future" was chosen at last year's retreat.

Here are some information about our presentation.

www.relationshipfitnessonline.com/html/about_denver_j_hudson

Update on Paths to Quality

Here's an update on where we stand on Paths to Quality.  We have received our visit from the state for the Voluntary Certification Program.  For us to acquire the VCP's we must pass in the areas of infant and toddler care, health, nutrition, and safety.  We passed all 4 areas in our first visit.  This is quite an accomplishment.  We were able to schedule our first Paths to Quality visit last week when we successful passed Level 1.  I immediately scheduled level 2 visit for September 6th.  At that time we will pass level 2 for Paths to Quality.  Level 2 focuses on the environment in respects to classroom arrangements as well as the staff interactions.   They will also be looking at the staff training and education, which we surpass the requirements in both of these areas. 

The staff at HUMmingbird Day Care Ministry have been working hard to offer the families and the community a high quality child care program.  I am extremely excited that with the passing of the VCP's and Level 1 we can begin having the validation of all of their hard work.  If not for their energy and passion for what they do, our program would not be what it is today.

Once Level 2 is complete we will be required to wait 6 months before applying for level 3.  This is only for financial reasons on the Paths to Quality program's end.  With the financial contribution of $1,000 for level 2 and level 3 they require the wait.  Please understand that although the Paths to Quality sign may not say Level 3 at this time, we are in fact meeting all of these requirements at this time.

Is my child ready for Solid foods??

During the first 4-6 months, a baby requires only breastmilk or infant formula.  Babies' swallowing and digestive systems are not developmentally ready to handle solid foods untill they are between the ages of 4 and 6 months.  During this period the baby's tongue no longer pushes most solid objects out of the mouth.  A baby's weight or age alone does not determine his or her readiness for solid foods.  Each baby develops differently.  Babies begin to show their desire for food by opening their mouths and leaning forward.

Babies are mature enough to begin learning to eat from a spoon when they can:
*hold their necks steady and sit with support
*draw in lower lip as a spoon is removed from their mouths, and
*keep food in their mouths and swallow it rather then push it back out on their chins
*
Babies sow disinterest or fullness by:
*leaning back
*turning away
*pushing the food out of their mouths
*sealing their lips together
*playing with the food
*pushing the bottle or spoon away

Check back next week for more helpful tips about feeding your infant solid foods.

taken from a Guide for Use in the Child Nutrition Programs