From Sweet Beginnings to Sweet Endings – Together!

As this weekend sets off our summer, I also sit still awhile with sweet memories of our school year together.
Each one of our classes had some fun, wet, play days together as we prepared for closure. I thank all of our party parents and other parents that brought in so much for our celebrations. Our water days included surfing in pools and in the rain. We didn’t let the weather change our fun plans or our attitudes. Twas shivering fun! 

Our Finale this year was as always, sweet and somewhat bittersweet. Our Littles actually leave the nursery school nest as birds in full flight, ready to face the next journey together with families in new schools. Their show consisted of many fun choices and last minute changes. Some shows with 8 participants had only 3, and some with 3 parts, changed to 10 participants. A sweet pride and comfort comes over me when I see these young people making confident choices on their own. I also, so honor the parents for their support of their children’s individual styles. Some children totally surprised us all by doing every show….or at least wanting to! Older siblings had a furlough day from their own schools and many were able to come and support their siblings with great help and pride. I am also always delighted that alumni families come back to help me with the Finale and many extra family members also attend.

This year was an extra special year for me at NVNS. I have been honored to be at this lovely school program as it celebrates 60 years of community. I think back with awesome memories at my own 25 years at NVNS. Every year brought its own growth and changes. Each board brought new goals and energy and has made changes to completely support and grow our special school program. This year’s school board was no exception to that rule. In the beginning, this year’s board brought its pride and TLC to honor our special anniversary year. They set lovely goals and accomplished them! Honoring our school philosophy, the importance of children being with family, we set out to simplify some of our program requirements and allow families to enjoy school community activities. This board also set lovely goals to solidify NVNS as a business and bring electronic versions of such business up to speed. The work involved was long on hours and filled with passion. This year’s growth goals met, NVNS will now grow forward with comfortable new goals and continue to receive TLC from new school families.

As we all grow and change, please keep NVNS in your hearts and continue to hold hands with us. We have seen the power of Together We’re Better.

Much love, thanks, and honor to all of you.
Have a go slow summer and enjoy the little things.
See you at the Farmers Market!
Mz. Lori

I asked a lovely wise person in my life, “Where did the word ‘Blog’ come from?” He said it was from the term Weblog, where one can log information on the web. Rather than saying weblog, it was shortened to ‘blog’. I took on this new wisdom and laughed at myself as I thought is was more about logging info for people as they go on and on…blah, blah, blah, blah, blog!

Either way, I wish to blah, blah, blog about the reflections I have been having this year honoring the 60th anniversary of Napa Valley Nursery School! My life has been ever so changed and I wish to tell you about those things dear to my heart…..

Throughout my years (and many types of tears), I have had the beautiful opportunity to watch children and families grow and change. I have watched children and parents both work and play together to support each other through this new journey of parenting and family living. I was lucky enough to be a part of this program with my own children!

Sharing and caring is evident every day at NVNS. Together, we set a very healthy environment to explore and play. Parents observe and participate in the early years of development, watching moment by moment detail as their children reach out for more. Parents reach out too. I have seen so many beautiful friendships (including some of my own) grow and develop. Parents hold hands and stick together in their new journey. Some will become lifelong friends and others will be the supportive arms along the way. So many families have come and gone throughout my 25 years, each bringing so much to our little community. People have shared their wisdom, time and talents and their selves to keep our business of community open. Throughout 60 years, with much laughter and tears, people have shown how valuable our nursery school becomes, not only to children, but to parents and families.

I have been honored to be a part of families working together to support each other through great celebrations, new business’, the birth of new lives, and also work through many a family or personal crisis. We have been together for the loss of teeth, loss of limb, and the loss of life. Children and parents have carried casseroles and created carnivals for families with skinned knees to skin cancer. NVNS has been the community place where families gather together to do their best work.

Beyond all of the great growth changes made to NVNS, families continue to grow beyond our community. I cannot begin to count how many NVNS families had/have been involved in the foundation, opening, and growth of Napa Valleys Charter School, Stonebridge. The beautiful community playground Fantastico was also rich in NVNS family efforts! Families have outgrown NVNS but continue to stay committed to produce a rich community where parents and children and teachers come together.

I am so proud to be a part and see how we have stayed true to our Napa Valley Nursery School vision/mission statement. I can only imagine how much more is in store as we make such positive changes together. Truly, together we’re better.

Vision: Napa Valley Nursery School is an engaging environment for children, families and community to grow together.

With much love,
I thank you all.
Happy Anniversaries!
Mz. Lori

Tis the Season….

It started with a twinkle and shine as we kicked off the season on our nursery school float this year.  Did you see those faces and see their eyes shine with delight?  Did you hear their voices, sweet and clear, and full of many happy sounds beyond our singing?  What a wonderful way to begin a naturally darker season.  There was light and hope and happiness!

This season brings natural life rhythms of the year to all of us, whether we notice it or not.  Sometimes the holiday bustle distracts and mixes cheer with reflection and for some, even sadness with their cheer.  If we as humans are following natures rhythms, the season gets cold and quiet.  Nature goes within to gather more energy for its new growth come Spring.  As people, we gather, tight with families and hold lovely festivals of light, life and rebirth to get through the dark.  We sing fun songs through the still quietness. We send good tidings of comfort and joy through the dark despairs of winter.  Nowadays, our ‘dark despairs’ differ in many ways from the past, but it is still natural that we ‘go within’.  It is the natural rhythm of nature that we cannot help but follow. 

Keep in mind natures natural rhythms with your young children.  Emotions run high for all, and time runs short.  I personally feel the seasons (the drive to be quiet and reflective counterbalanced with ‘to do’s’ of the season) and I don’t have the added sweet young people at my feet any longer, also keeping me from some of those natural rhythms of quiet.  There is much to do to create the holiday scene at your house and some parents may be questioning what quiet I’m even talking about!  How can we support staying connected to natures rhythms?  The children and their needs, they are first, yet there’s much to do, or is there?   

Could we give up the shoulds and remember natures natural flow first?  Could we take time to create a good flow for all, starting with ourselves? 

This season of the year, and this ‘season’ with your children is very short.  I say hold tight when cooler times call for cozy huddling. A little more hold time could make our efforts of this big season much more rewarding and rejuvenating for all.

Just one more minute of story telling by a fire

Just one more minute of story telling in the bath tub

Just one more minute of story telling with warm cocoa

Just one more minute of story telling under a favorite blanket

Together, make a favorite blanket for others to cuddle (simple cut fleece)

All cozy, cozy, cozy.

Children LOVE to hear stories of when you were little and your holiday or winter experiences.  My favorite combo, given me from my own mom, was warm cocoa and tuna sandwiches after walking in the rain.  A strange combo it seems now, but so memorably yummy and warm.   

It’s a time of reflection. It’s a time of hope. It’s a time of cheer.

It’s definitely a time to hold hands and stick together with family.

Remember children would rather have your presence than your presents.

Together you’re better.

Through it all, we can remember that it started with a twinkle and a shine and now the light returns for a happy new year to begin. 

Happy Solstice and a wonderful ‘season within’ to all of you.

Love, Mz. Lori

           I’ve been wanting to blog about Autumn ever since I first felt it.   Do you know that ‘first’ feeling, that one small cue that you get sometime in mid Aug., when you know that the seasons are just turning towards change?  You can see it, and smell it and feel it in the air. Our extremely new to nature (only 3-4 years old), sensory learning preschoolers must truly feel the changes!  

            So I say ode to the glorious changes that have occurred for so many this season.  Time passes and sometimes is so full of change that one doesn’t seem to notice just how much time has passed again. For me personally, with the death of my father, I felt that I had all but missed the month of October.  Loving fall and all of its natural changes, I am at least now delighted in the display of November’s colors, textures and scents!   Again, oh, the preschool sensory system!   Crunch in the leafy street gutters, pull up the withering old moist smelling tomato vines, toss and poke at the rotting pumpkins from Halloween, wear mud boots to the local farms, take a neighborhood walk with a bag for colorful collections, iron leaves between wax paper like we did in the old days, peel apples and smell the cinnamon, TOGETHER with your children.  All of this can happen even before the Thanksgiving holiday?  No wonder we give thanks!

            Then there are all of the gatherings: the feasts at autumns close, the family traditions of meals, special foods and activity. There are often sleepovers and relatives from out of town. As one good childs story line goes, “and all that new breathing in the house.” (The Relatives by Cynthia Rylant)   Busy or quiet thankful holidays, these are the good old days and the memories and stories that will be passed on, for and by your children when they are grown.  Family stories and traditions are the things that connect us through the ages…..keeping us together.

Together We’re Better.

Gorgeous Autumn changes to you!

 I am thankful.

Mz. Lori

The Passing of our sweet pet, Puddle.

As part of this beautiful autumn season, comes the death of our sweet, furry pet, Puddle. Our guinea pigs Toot and Puddle are 4 years old now, which is a very long life for guinea pigs. As we celebrate the passing of the season, the death and dying of plants and leaves at harvest, how appropriate that Puddle was surely in the ‘autumn of his own life’.

Children will have many age appropriate questions and I’d like to offer you all the information that I will pass on to them. In class, we’ll discuss the children’s memories of Puddle and answer questions simply, with factual information. “Puddle didn’t get hurt. I found Puddle just dead on the weekend. He wasn’t breathing, or squeaking or eating. When I touched him, he didn’t move. We may never know why Puddle died, but he lived a long, good life for guinea pigs. Guinea pigs do not live long like people expect to live.” These are the phrases that I will be using with your children in class.

I will leave all of the religious aspects of death and dying for parents to offer as they feel the need. One of the most important quotes that I would like to leave with you is from Maria Trozzis book, Talking With Children About Loss, “As goes the parent, so goes the child.”

I will bury Puddle in my back yard and we can all look at this burial sight when the children come to my house on excursion this month. (Check the newsletter for dates) If you have any concerns or questions, please take time to chat with me and your child.

Too often adults think the child is incapable of understanding any part of death. It is important that we understand the developmental way children think.

Important Things to Know When Helping Children Understand Death

• Explaining Physical Death (death of a body) – the body stops walking, doesn’t eat, doesn’t have to poop anymore, doesn’t walk.
• Use the Correct Terminology – use the word “dead,” not “lost”
• Make sure the child knows the dead do not hurt.
• Make sure they know that death is: Irreversible — Permanent — Painless
• Let or encourage children to ask questions
• Have books about death
• Let children participate in ceremony / help set up ending practices
• Allow children to grieve in their own way
• Share feelings with the child – (don’t be afraid to cry)
• Provide support for the child
• Maintain the child’s daily routine
• Death can be a celebration
• Remember it is not the age but the relationship when determining whether a child attends a funeral
• Describe the person in a coffin as “looks dead, eyes closed, mouth closed, not looks peaceful.
• When asked ‘Are you going to die’ — answer honestly, “No, I do not expect to die for a long, long time.”
• Establish memories — “This is the first birthday since your father died.”

Children’s Understanding of Death
Stage One (ages 2 to 4): At this stage, children don’t believe death is final. It is temporary and reversible. They attempt to equate it with something they know (sleep, parents going on vacation). They are more interested in what death means right now (person is never coming back) rather than on how it happened.

Stage Two (ages 4 to 10): Children at this stage understand that everything that lives will die, although they may or may not apply this to themselves. They play imaginary games (ghost, superheroes, and role play) in an attempt to understand death and to deal with their fears.

Stage Three (ages 10 up): At this stage, children understand death is personal, inevitable, universal and final. They may have fears related to this understanding. At all ages, part of the fear of death is that they will be separated from their parents.

I cannot express enough, the need to read lovely stories about death and dying with your children, just like you read stories about animals, people, houses, etc. Include some of the following lovely stories between Go Dog Go and Green Eggs and Ham. Children will then have somewhere to ‘hook’ this information when death and dying becomes more personal in their own lives.

I give love and appreciation to the sweet memory of Puddle for allowing us the opportunity to approach this sensitive, lovely, life issue, TOGETHER, Mz. Lori